My Bible Study

Abram’s Response (13:18) Abram’s response revealed a growing faith in the God Who called him. He moved his tents toward Hebron, settling near the oaks of Mamre. It was a plot of ground which belonged to another, not Abram (cf. 14:3), but it was where God wanted him to be. There Abram built an altar and worshipped his God. We studied last time that everywhere he went, he built an altar and declared he served the Most High God. Even in the face of people who did not believe and did not want to believe. But Abram did it anyway! How different were the paths of these two men, Abram and Lot, after they separated. The one was almost imperceptibly edging closer and closer to the city of Sodom, to live among godless and wicked men, and all for the sake of financial gain.  We see that in families today, don’t we… The other was living the life of the sojourner, dwelling on those barren hills, with his hope in the promises of God. One lives in his tent and builds an altar of worship; the other trades in his tent for an apartment in the city of wicked men. Here was a decision which bore heavily on the destiny of two men, but, far more, on the destiny of their offspring. Conclusion The decisions reached by Abram and Lot are the same as those which confront every Christian today. We must decide whether to trust in the sovereignty of God or in our own schemes and devices. We must determine whether to trust in the ‘uncertainty of riches’ or in the God Who ‘richly supplies us’ (I Timothy 6:17). We must decide whether to invest in the ‘passing pleasures of sin for season’ or the future ‘reward’ which is promised by God to last forever (Hebrews 11:25-26). These decisions are clearly contrasted in the separation of Lot and Abram. Lot chose to act on the basis of utility; Abram on the basis of unity. For the sake of unity, Abram was willing to allow himself to be taken advantage of (cf. I Corinthians 6:1-11, esp. verse 7). Abram acted on the ground of faith, in a God Who had promised to provide. Lot chose to direct his life on the uncertain foundation of financial security. Abram was greatly blessed, and Lot lost it all. Lot chose to dwell in a city which seemed like paradise (13:10), but was filled with sinners. Abram decided to live in a deserted place, but where he could freely worship his God. Abram beautifully illustrates the truth of two New Testament facts. First, he provides a commentary on these words, spoken by our Lord: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God (Matthew 5:5,9 NIV). Abram was a man of meekness. He was not a man of weakness, as chapter 14 demonstrates. He did not have to forcefully snatch a blessing, but faithfully wait for it to come from God’s hand. He was one who was given to peace, rather than to sacrifice peace for prosperity. We could learn a lot from that lesson today… Support this podcast

Reassurance for Abram  (13:14-17) It is of interest that God did not speak to Abram (so far as Scripture informs us, at least) until after he had made his decision to separate. This fact is not incidental, but fundamental, for we read, “And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, … ” (Genesis 13:14). God’s call of Abram (12:1-3), so far as we can discern, was to Abram alone. So also was the confirmation in chapter 13. God had commanded Abram to leave his relatives (12:1). Blessing could not come apart from obedience to God’s revealed will, and neither would reassurance. Humanly speaking, the only thing which stood in the way of divine blessing was human disobedience. God removed that barrier by providentially separating Lot, and now the promise of God is restated. That can happen for us today. If we "miss it," just repent and then go back and DO what the last thing the Lord said for you to do! Support this podcast

Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the valley of the Jordan, that it was well watered everywhere—this was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah—like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt as you go to Zoar. So Lot chose for himself all the valley of the Jordan; and Lot journeyed eastward. Thus they separated from each other (Genesis 13:10-11). He fixed his gaze on the beautiful Jordan valley. Its beautiful green evidenced the presence of the plentiful waters of the Jordan for irrigation. The parched hills and dusty ground beyond were of little interest. There was scarcely any water there. Literally, this Jordan valley was a paradise. It was just like that ‘garden of the Lord’ (13:13). It, too, seems to have been provided for by irrigation, rather than rain (Genesis 2:6, 10ff.). The Jordan valley was also like the land of Egypt. One did not have to live by faith in such a place where water was abundant, and one did not have to look to God for rain. And so Lot’s choice was made, clearly the shrewd decision, and seemingly the choice that gave him the decided edge in the competition between himself and Abram. It was, in my mind, a selfish decision—one that took all of the best and left Abram with that which seemed worthless. The simplest and fairest separation would have been to make the Jordan river the boundary between the two men. What would have been more fair than to have chosen one side of the river to dwell in and to leave the other to Abram? But Lot chose ‘all the valley of the Jordan’ (verse 11). He was looking out for number one. He could have written a book on that subject. Abram and Lot have now separated. Abram dwelt in Canaan, while Lot edged more and more closely to Sodom. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled in the cities of the valley, and moved his tents as far as Sodom (Genesis 13:12). Lot had considered very carefully the economic factors of his decision, but he totally neglected the spiritual dimensions. God had promised to bless Abram, and others through him as they blessed Abram (Genesis 12:3). As Lot went his way, I believe he patted himself on the back for putting one over on old Abe. He must have been soft in the head to give such an advantage to Lot, and Lot was just sharp enough to cash in on it. But in the process, Lot did not bless Abram, but belittled him. That brought cursing and not blessing (Genesis 12:3). Furthermore, Lot had not considered the consequences of living in the cities of the valley. While the soil was fertile and water was plentiful, the men in those cities were wicked. Much like any major metropolitan city in America today. Usually run under liberal philosophical control. The inner cities are sewers of evil. And they are all spiritually blind. They think “they know better than God” of what it takes to be blessed. They think more governmental control means more blessings. Jesus warned us there would be some fools who say, “Let me take that speck out of your eye, while ignoring the log sticking out of your own eye.” We see that all across America today, especially in democrat strongholds. But, I digress… The spiritual cost of Lot’s decision was great. And, in the final analysis, the material benefits all become losses, too.  Just like in American cities today… Support this podcast

Essentially their separation was caused by three factors which are recorded in verses 5-7 of Chapter 13… Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents and the land could not sustain them while dwelling together; for their possessions were so great that they were not able to remain together. And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock. Now the Canaanite and the Perizzite were dwelling then in the land (Genesis 13:5-7). The first problem was the success of both men as keepers of flocks. Both Abram (13:2) and Lot (13:5) had prospered. Now their flocks and herds had become so large that they could no longer dwell together (13:6). This was especially true for nomadic tribesmen who must travel about looking continually for pasture for their sheep and cattle. The second problem was the strife which seemed to be steadily growing between the herdsmen of Abram and Lot (13:7). Each man’s herdsmen sought water and the best pasture for the animals of their master. This competition inevitably led to conflict between the herdsmen of Lot and Abram. It would probably not be far from the facts to suggest that some irritation already had become evident between Abram and Lot themselves. This may be implied by Abram’s words in verse 8. This also would be true to life. Whenever there is contention between followers, there most often will be strife between the leaders also. If the first problem is the success of both Abram and Lot, and the second is the resulting strife, the third is the fact that the land where they sojourned was shared with others; namely the Canaanites and the Perrizites (13:7). Support this podcast

We had not been told in chapter 12 that Lot had accompanied his Uncle to Egypt. We presumed he had, but now we are told that he had. Lot was an adult man of some years by this time, but he was following Abram’s lead. His great wealth, as you remember from the last episode, was in part the result of Pharaoh’s gifts. Gifts that were prompted by the lie that Abram had told. The Lord does not treat us as we deserve! “Journeyed on” suggests that he moved his large caravan in stages, from one watering hole to the next. He eventually returned to Bethel where he had started, signaling that he had returned to the life of faith in which he had begun his sojourn in Canaan. e are being told in this way that Abram’s faith in the Lord is still intact despite his fall in Egypt. Faith can co-exist with real sin, even great sin. Many times, when we fail, we need to return to our roots. Kind of like, hitting the RESET button in our life and in our Faith. This is what I see here with Abraham. He returned to Bethel to demonstrate to God that he was still going to live in Faith to God. Lot had also prospered; he had become a rich man in his own right, not least because he was sharing in the blessing that the Lord had bestowed on Abram. As they came out of Ur with Terah, Abram and Lot seemed inseparable, even when God had commanded Abram to leave his relatives behind. But finally, the ties between the two were weakening. Essentially their separation was caused by three factors which are recorded in verses 5-7 of Chapter 13… Support this podcast

It is no surprise to see that as Abraham lied about his wife being his sister (not once, but twice) (Gen 12 and 20), this same sin was later found in his child as well. Isaac lied about his wife to Abimelech (Gen 26). Similarly, Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, was a compulsive liar. After this, Jacob’s children sold his son, Joseph, into slavery, and lied to Jacob about it for years. Our sins commonly follow our children and, therefore, bring the same punishment from God that we received. This is why we see alcoholism, drug use, homosexuality, children out of wedlock, and witchcraft found generation after generation. The sins of the fathers’ visit the children to the third and fourth generation. However, let us consider this. Whereas, our rebellion has effects to the third and fourth generation, our faithfulness to God has effects for a thousand generations. The rewards for obedience are greater than the punishment for sin. Let this motivate us to be faithful and obedient to God’s call; the lives of our children and our children’s children depend on it. Support this podcast

God’s Call Is a Call to Bold WorshipAbram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev. (Genesis 12:6–9) Another aspect of our call is bold worship. Throughout Abraham’s life, we commonly see him build altars. When Abraham gets to Shechem in the land of Canaan, the Lord appears to him, and he builds an altar to God (v. 7). After moving, he then builds another altar in the hills between Bethel and Ai (v. 8). The altar symbolized his worship. When Abraham began to follow God, he became a worshiper. But not only was Abraham a worshiper, he was a bold worshiper. When it says, “Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh,” the narrator is trying to get our attention. He calls it “the great tree of Moreh.” The title “Moreh” means “teaching.” This was the “the great tree of Teaching.” (https://bible.org/seriespage/1-understanding-god-s-call-genesis-121-9#_ftn9)  Most likely, this was a Canaanite shrine where people gathered to worship some deity and also listen to the deity’s teachers.  Support this podcast

God’s Call Is a Call to PilgrimageAbram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him. From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD. Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev. (Genesis 12:6–9) This is true for us today. We are pilgrims. This does not mean that we are wanderers. A pilgrim is not a wanderer. A pilgrim is person on a journey seeking a land. America was settled by pilgrims who left their home country seeking a land where they could have religious freedom. In the same way, Christians are pilgrims in the world today. The world is not our home, and like Abraham, we should not settle down in it. We see this pilgrim analogy used throughout Scripture. Consider how Peter used it in his epistle: “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul” (1 Pet 2:11, KJV). In 1 Peter, these Christians were forced to leave their homes and land because of Roman persecution. It was clear to them that earth was not their home and that they were called to live for another land—a heavenly one. Support this podcast

God’s Call Includes Great Promises for Those Who ObeyIn Genesis 12 verses 2-3 (yes, that’s as far as I’ve gotten so far. I told you this would take us probably two weeks to get through), God says to Abram, “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”  In addition, God’s call comes with many great promises. When God calls us or moves in our lives, many times he doesn’t give us reasons or calm the waves of our curiosity. He may not answer questions like, “Why?” or “What for?” Sometimes he doesn’t even tell us “Where?” or “How?” but he always gives us promises. What promises did God give Abraham? 1. God promised to give Abraham a land.2. God promised to make Abraham a great nation.3. God promised to bless him.4. God promised to make his name great.5. God promised to make him a blessing.6. God promises to bless those who bless Abraham and curse those who curse him.7. God promised that all the people of the earth would be blessed through him. Support this podcast

Next, God’s Call Is CostlyThe LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. (Genesis 12:1) Another aspect of God’s call is that it is costly. Abraham was called to leave his country, his people, and his father’s household. Abraham probably lived in Ur his whole life until then. His friends, family, and contacts were there. His job was there. Apparently, his family was fairly wealthy. In order to follow God’s call, he needed to leave everything behind. However, this is not only true of Abraham’s call but ours as well. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? (Luke 9:23–25) If anyone is going to follow Christ, he must deny himself and take up his cross. When Christ called to the rich man to follow him, he told him to sell everything (Matt 19). Riches would hinder his full devotion to the Lord, and therefore, he needed to let them go. The cost of God’s call includes denying the pleasures of sin and denying our will in order to submit to his. All these were included in Abraham’s call. That does not mean you need to take a vow of poverty to be saved. It means you must be willing to give up anything that is standing between you and Jesus. It could be you job (“I can’t go into ministry, I have a family to feed…”). If you trust God and serve Him Faithfully, He could provide you more resources than you could ever earn outside of God’s Will. Some cannot discern and follow God’s call because they are not willing to sacrifice. They are not willing to give up career goals or leave family, home, and country. They are not willing to suffer and be uncomfortable. Some simply will not forsake sin (that is probably the BIG issue). If we are going to follow Christ, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross. God called the rich man to let go of his riches. He called the disciples to leave their careers. He called Abraham to leave his land, home, and family.  What is God calling you to sacrifice in order to fulfill his call? Support this podcast

God’s Call Is Really a Call to Obey Abraham’s call began with God speaking to him. We don’t know exactly how this happened. Maybe, God spoke to him through a fiery bush, through a cloud, a blinding light, or a soft whisper. We don’t know. But we do know that God made his will very clear to Abraham—he was to leave his country, his people, and his father’s household. Many believers want to know God’s will. What is God’s will for my future? What career should I pursue? Who should I marry? What should I do next? Everyone should understand a few important things about discerning and following God’s call. In one sense, there is a general call for all believers as revealed through God’s Word. God calls for all of us to make disciples, to spend time with Him every day through his Word and through prayer. We need to be involved with and serve a Bible preaching church, and to turn away from sin. These are all aspects of God’s general call for all believers. However, God also has a specific call for every believer—such as seen in God’s call for Abraham to leave his home and family in order to be a blessing to the world. A specific call deals with things that are not clearly revealed through his Word—such as who to marry, what job to take, and how to serve. In order to discern our specific call, we must apply the wisdom principles in Scripture. David said, “Your Word is a light unto my path and a lamp unto my feet” (Ps 119:105).  When we are not using the principles given in Scripture, we walk in the dark. Again, God has given a general call in Scripture for everyone to obey—like meditating on his Word day and night, sharing the gospel, using our spiritual gifts to serve the church, and turning away from sin. When we are faithful with what God has already revealed, he gives us more. Jesus said if we are faithful with what we hear from God (including our general call and specific call), then he will give us more. But those who do not obey, God takes away. There are many Christians that cannot discern God’s will because they are disobedient to their general call. Instead, they experience a hardening of the heart and an inability to hear and discern God’s voice. Another example of this is in Romans 12:2. It says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” When we are not conforming to the pattern of the world, we will be able to test (Is this of God or not?) and approve (This is God!) his pleasing and perfect will. By being faithful to God’s general will, we can discern God’s specific will. The next thing we can discern about God’s call is that it is a call of His sovereignty. Why did God call Abraham? Was he more holy than everybody else? Was he more faithful? No. It seems that Abraham worshiped pagan gods just like everybody else. He was from the land of Ur, in Mesopotamia, that was known for worshiping Nanna, the moon god. Joshua declared that Abraham’s family members were idolaters. Joshua 24:2–3 says, Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Long ago your forefathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the River and worshiped other gods. But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the River and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac.” Abraham was from a family of idolaters. No way around that. Abraham, like Noah before him, was a faithful follower of Yahweh God. However, it seems that Abraham is included with the idolaters, as he was one of Israel’s “forefathers.” His call seems to be more like Paul’s.  While Paul was on his way to persecute Christians, Christ appeared to him in a shining light and converted him (Acts 9). Like Paul, God stops Abraham right in Support this podcast

My Bible Study Genesis Chapter 12 God’s Calling of Abram – and How He Calls Us We can learn a great deal about God’s call as we consider Abraham’s call. Abraham is a central figure in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. In the book of Genesis, his life spans twelve chapters. He is called a friend of God three times in the Bible (2 Chron 20:7; Isa 41:8; James 2:23), and he is referred to four times in the New Testament (Romans, Galatians, Hebrews, and James). He is called the father of all those who believe (Gal 3:7), and he is considered the founder of three religions: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Now, I have numerous versions of the Bible in my study. My first 20 years in ministry, I bought a different version of the Bible and read it through at least once every year. That does not even count the 6 bookshelves full of reference material. My grandson once asked me, he said, “Papa, have you actually read all of those books?”  I laughed…and said, “At least once. Most I’ve read several times.”  And many I use as reference material for my teachings, Amen!  Abraham’s call was very special. God called him out of a rebellious world to be a conduit for salvation. He is a pivotal character in redemptive history. Actually, God is using the lineage of Shem, through Abraham, to bring Jesus into this world. As we study Abraham, we will learn a great deal about living a life of faith. But, specifically in this passage, we learn about God’s calling and how it can apply to us today as well. Support this podcast

Genesis 11:6 "And the LORD said, Behold, the people [is] one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do." “Nothing will be restrained”: They were so united that they would do all they desired to do. “They begin to do”: This would be only the start! “Imagined to do”: means “they purposed.” These people remind me of little children. One child will not get into much trouble, but when you add the second child, they get into ten times as much. These people had evil hearts with every evil imagination. The fact that they spoke the same language, made it much easier for them to work together. Working together, people can accomplish more than working as individuals. Even today, if those of other countries and American common people could sit down and talk together in the same language, we would find that we have many things in common. They love their families, just as we do; they want a peaceful world, just as we do. You see, the heads of government are the ones who have many problems, seeking power. Support this podcast

Genesis 11:1 "And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech." “One language, and of one speech”: God, who made man as the one creature with whom He could speak (1:28), was to take the gift of language and use it to divide the race, for the apostate worship at Babel indicated that man had turned against God in pride (11:8-9). “One language”: is literally “one lip,” meaning language or dialect. There is a single family in one place speaking one language. We know that when Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth were on the ark, all the people of the earth, eight, truly did speak the same language. As we have said before, the Bible was not written in chronological order. Verses 3-4: “Let us make brick … let us build us a city and a tower”: While dispersing, a portion of the post-Flood group, under the leading of the powerful Nimrod (10:8-10), they decided to stop and establish a city as a monument to their pride and for their reputation. The tower, even though it was a part of the plan, was not the singular act of rebellion. Human pride was which led these people to defy God.  Genesis 11:5 "And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded." “And the Lord came down”: The “coming down” is significant (18:2, 21; 19:1). God was already aware of the program, but being the righteous judge, He wished to examine it closely. No matter how high their tower, He still comes down. You notice in the Scripture above, that God called them children of men. They were followers of the flesh, and not the spirit. Whatever felt good, they did, following their fleshly lust. Support this podcast

It’s overwhelming to think of all these names and to realize that they represent whole groups of people, whole nations, who lived and died, for the most part, without God. Perhaps there was more knowledge of God than we are aware of, but what we know of these nations from later history would not indicate that any of them worshiped the one true God. Nimrod is a case in point. Apparently his name was proverbial in Moses’ day, so that people compared a powerful man to Nimrod (10:9), much as we may say, “a dictator like Stalin.” At first glance, you might think that Nimrod was a good guy, since he is called a mighty hunter “before the Lord.” But the point is rather that Nimrod asserted himself against the Lord. For this reason, many commentators suggest that when the text says that Nimrod was a mighty hunter, it should be taken to mean not that he was a hunter of game, but a hunter of men. The Hebrew word is used elsewhere in reference to “a violent invasion of the persons and rights of men." Thus when it says that Nimrod was a mighty hunter “before the Lord,” the Hebrew is, “in the face of the Lord,” or “against the Lord” (as the Septuagint translates it). Moses is reminding his readers that Nimrod’s tyranny did not go unnoticed by God. His name itself comes from a word meaning “we will revolt.” He established his kingdom in defiance of God. Note also that Nimrod was a nephew of Canaan, who was cursed by Noah. James Boice imagines Nimrod, who would have been aware of this curse, saying, “I don’t know about the others, but I regard this matter of the curse of God on Canaan as a major disgrace on my family, one that needs to be erased. Did God say that my uncle Canaan would be a slave? I’ll fight that judgment. I’ll never be a slave! What’s more, I’ll be the exact opposite. I’ll be so strong that others will become slaves to me. Instead of ‘slave,’ I’ll make them say, ‘Here comes Nimrod, the mightiest man on earth’”  If Christians would stop to ponder the implications of this rather dry tenth chapter of Genesis, racial prejudice would be dissolved. I have often been shocked to hear racist comments from Christians. Sad to say, many chapters of the Ku Klux Klan have Christian pastors serving as chaplains! But the Bible is clear that whatever your skin color, you can trace your ancestry back to one of the three sons of Noah. We’re all brothers and sisters! Support this podcast

The children of Ham possessed the land from Syria and Amanus, and the mountains of Libanus; settling all that was on its sea coasts, and as far as the ocean, and keeping it as their own. Some indeed of its names are utterly vanished away; others of them, being changed, and another sound given them, are hard to be discovered; yet a few there are which have kept their names entirely. The sons of Ham spread out primarily toward Africa. Cush is mentioned often in Scripture, and refers to Ethiopia. One notorious son of Cush, Nimrod, is listed. He moved east into the area of Babylon and Ninevah. (I’ll say more about him later.) Mizraim is Egypt, Put probably refers to Libya, and Canaan, of course, to the many peoples inhabiting the land of Palestine during the conquest. Shem, the third son of Noah, had five sons, who inhabited the land that began at Euphrates, and reached to the Indian Ocean. Of the sons of Shem, Eber is named at the head of the list (10:21) and again later (10:24) because the word “Hebrew” probably comes from his name. Elam was the ancestor of the Elamites, who lived in southeast Mesopotamia. Asshur was apparently the founder of the Assyrians, although nothing is known of him. Arpachshad was in the line leading to Abraham (11:10-26). Lud was probably the Ludbu of the Assyrians, situated on the Tigris River. Aram is the name of the Aramean tribes which lived on the steppes of Mesopotamia. A mysterious note is attached to the name of Peleg (10:25, whose name in Hebrew means “divided”), that “in his days the earth was divided.” Most likely this refers to the dividing of the nations at Babel. Thus chronologically, Genesis 11 fits in here, which may be during Nimrod’s time (three or four generations after the flood). If Nimrod built Babylon, then God could have scattered the nations in his time, after which he moved north to conquer Ninevah. If you recall from the last session, SHEM was the one who was Blessed. He and Japheth. While Ham and his son Canaan were cursed. Support this podcast

The chapter is divided between the descendants of Japheth (10:1-5), Ham (10:6-20), and Shem (10:21-32). There is debate among scholars as to the birth order of Noah’s sons. Some translate verse 21 so that Shem is the older brother of Japheth (NASB), whereas others understand Japheth to be the eldest (NIV, NKJV). There is also debate as to whether Ham was the middle son (he is always listed second) or the youngest (see 9:24). We probably cannot know for certain, but I’m inclined toward the view of Keil & Delitzsch (Commentary on the Old Testament [Eerdmans], 1:156) that the birth order is Shem, Ham, and Japheth. In chapter 10, Japheth’s descendants are probably listed first because they were the most remote and thus the least important to Israel (which is Moses’ common pattern in Genesis, to dispose of the least important matters first). Since the line of Shem will occupy the rest of the book, it comes last. Support this podcast

We are now going to go into Chapter 10. Some people start to get bogged down because of all the “begets” and things like that. But if you will take the time to actually study out the material presented, you will discover some interesting things! I remember the first time I heard that Jesus’ bloodline had adulterers, murderers and even prostitutes in his geneology!  I thought, “That can’t be right! His blood is supposed to be pure!” But when I started researching the scriptures given, and started reading some other commentaries, sure enough!  There it was! IN THE BIBLE! As I continued to study that out, I discovered the Bible is extremely accurate in the things it presents to us. There is a reason for every single Word in the Bible! Otherwise, it would not do us any good at all. “Well, brother Bob, why would God want us to know that the bloodline of Jesus has murderers, adulterers and prostitutes in it?”  Simple, but profound… the reason:  So we can identify with everyone and realize that they were no better than we are. And that Jesus died for them just like He died for you and me!  AND, that should give us hope…that if people like that could still, BY FAITH, purify their bloodline so the Messiah could still enter the world, then we can believe BY FAITH that He can save us, too! AMEN!  Don’t shout me down when I’m preaching good! Let’s go over to Genesis Chapter 10 and begin reading.   Now, before we get started, I want to let you know something. In my research for today’s topic, I found a great resource on the Internet. I’m going to give them credit for it. I’m going to be sharing some things with you from the research they already did. I found it so interesting and relevant to what we are talking about today.  It is a website called, “Answers in Genesis.” It is  www.answersingenesis.org/josephus-genesis-chapter-ten (http://www.answersingenesis.org/josephus-genesis-chapter-ten) There is a great summary at the end of the article and a beautifully illustrated chart that I will be referencing from. So if you want to see what I’m talking about, you go over there and read it as well. Ok, let’s get started in Genesis Chapter 10, beginning in verse 1. Support this podcast

I suspect that the story was well known around the camp by the next morning, and probably due to Ham blabbing about it. If Ham did not hesitate to tell his brothers, why hesitate to tell everyone else. Perhaps this is why Noah became angry at him.  Regardless of Noah’s source of information, his response was one with broad implications. Canaan, the youngest son of Ham, was to be cursed. He was to be the lowest servant  to his brothers. While some understand the “brothers” of verse 25 to refer to his fellow man, I believe it refers specifically to Canaan’s earthly brothers, the other sons of Ham.  In this way, Canaan’s curse is intensified in these three verses. In verse 25, Canaan will be subservient to hisbrothers; in verses 26 and 27, to his father’s brothers, Shem and Japheth. Viewed in this way, it is impossible to see any application of this passage to the subjugation of the Black people of the earth. Ham was not cursed in this passage, but Canaan. Canaan was not the father of the Black peoples, but the father of the Canaanites who lived in Palestine and who threatened the Israelites. These scripture say NOTHING about cursing black people. So get off that. It is NOT in the Bible. Period! Amen. Don’t shout me down when I’m preaching good!  Praise God! Now, I want you to notice something else.  In verse 26, it is not Shem who is blessed, but Shem’s God - Yahweh: “He also said, ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant” (Genesis 9:26). By this, the godly line is to be preserved through Shem. From his seed the Messiah was said to come. The blessing comes not from Shem, but through Shem. The blessing flows out of the relationship which he has with Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. And the servitude of Canaan is one of the evidences of this blessing. Support this podcast

While Shem and Japheth refused to go inside, Ham had no reservations about entering the tent. Whatever the failing of Noah, remember, he was inside his own tent, in the privacy of his own tent (9:21). That is the way Shem and Japheth wanted to keep it.  Ham had his own idea. He entered in, violating the principle of privacy, yet not to assist his father but to be amused at his expense. Ham did nothing to preserve the dignity of his father. He did not see to it that Noah was properly covered. Instead he went outside to his two brothers and graphically described the folly which had overtaken their father. It seems to me that Ham also may have encouraged Shem and Japheth to go into the tent to see this for themselves.  The lengths to which Shem and Japheth went to in order not to see their father nakedness seems almost extreme in our sexually permissive society today. But, our televisions have desensitized us to nakedness or rudeness and immorality. There is nothing which is not advertised, even products which once were considered very private and personal are now openly addressed on television. Shem and Japheth, scripture says, took “the” garment, the one which Noah should have been wearing, upon their shoulders, they went backward into the tent. Without looking upon their father, they covered him and left the tent. In the morning, when Noah awoke from his drunkenness, he knew what had happened. We do not know how he learned of this. Perhaps he was alert enough to remember the events of the previous night. One thing I am certain about though—Shem and Japheth did not tell Noah, or anyone else.  I suspect that the story was well known around the camp by the next morning, and probably due to Ham blabbing about it. If Ham did not hesitate to tell his brothers, why hesitate to tell everyone else. Perhaps this is why Noah became angry at him.  Now, I want you to notice something else.  In verse 26, it is not Shem who is blessed, but Shem’s God - Yahweh: “He also said, ‘Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem; and let Canaan be his servant” (Genesis 9:26). By this, the godly line is to be preserved through Shem. From his seed the Messiah was said to come. The blessing comes not from Shem, but through Shem. The blessing flows out of the relationship which he has with Yahweh, the covenant God of Israel. And the servitude of Canaan is one of the evidences of this blessing. Support this podcast

After the flood, Noah began to farm the land by planting a vineyard. The result of his toil was the fruit of the vine, wine. While the first mention of wine is not without its negative connotations, we should not conclude that, due to its abuse here, the Bible consistently or without exception condemns its use (cf. Deuteronomy 14:24-26; I Timothy 5:23). There are several scriptures that indicate wine may be beneficial in a few situations. It has also been proven to be so today. It is the abuse that becomes a sin. Many have been troubled at the deplorable condition of Noah, the man who before the fall was described as a “righteous man, blameless in his time” (6:9). Some have suggested that fermentation may not have occurred until after the flood, and that Noah was simply suffering the innocent results of his inventive efforts.  While we should not seek to excuse Noah, we must recognize that Moses did not emphasize the guilt of Noah, but rather the sin of Ham. Some have suggested various types of evil took place within Noah’s tent. While the language employed might leave room for certain sexual sins (cf. Leviticus18). I do not personally find any reason for assuming any misconduct on the part of Noah beyond the indiscretion of drunkenness and its result in nakedness. Perhaps the best description of Noah’s conduct and condition is that of the word “unbecoming.”  In the military, if an officer did something immoral, etc., he (or she) could be charged with “Conduct unbecoming an officer.” I am impressed, though, with the way in which Moses reported this incident, with a minimum of details and description. To have written any more would have been to perpetuate the sin of Ham. Hollywood would have made a movie out of it, taking us inside the tent in wide-screen HD. Moses intentionally leaves us outside of the tent with Shem and Japheth. It would seem that Ham and his two brothers were alerted to Noah’s condition so that all three of them were standing outside the tent: “And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside” (Genesis 9:22). While Shem and Japheth refused to go inside, Ham had no reservations about entering the tent. Whatever the failing of Noah, remember, he was inside his own tent, in the privacy of his own tent (9:21). That is the way Shem and Japheth wanted to keep it.  Ham had his own idea. He entered in, violating the principle of privacy, yet not to assist his father but to be amused at his expense. Ham did nothing to preserve the dignity of his father. He did not see to it that Noah was properly covered. Instead he went outside to his two brothers and graphically described the folly which had overtaken their father. It seems to me that Ham also may have encouraged Shem and Japheth to go into the tent to see this for themselves.  Support this podcast

The verses we are considering should be understood in the context of the section in which they are found. Genesis 9:18 begins a new division which continues to chapter 11, verse 10. Moses wrote of the repopulation of the earth through the sons of Noah.  Genesis 9:20-27explains the three-fold division of the race for its spiritual dimensions. While the Canaanites are under God’s curse, Shem will be the line through whom the Messiah will come and Japheth will find blessing in union with the line (and the seed, ultimately the Messiah) of Shem. Many believe, as do I, that Shem is actually Melchizedeck as described in Genesis 14.  When Noah became drunk, Ham made fun of it. Shem and Japhth refused to participate, and actually covered up Noah. But, obviously, Ham blabbed it all over town. When Noah woke up, he was embarrassed and ended up CURSING Ham and Ham's decedents, especially his son Canaan. Whether it was "fair" or not is besides the point. He did it. And we are seeing the effects of it to this day... Support this podcast

God is perfect. But people often do wrong things. God’s covenant (agreement) with Noah reminds us about the wrong things that we do. It is not like God’s words to the first people in Genesis 1:28-30. God spoke those words before people sinned. And he only promised good things then. But God made the covenant with Noah after people had sinned. This covenant promised many good things to people. But God also warned people in the covenant. He spoke about murder. He warned people that they would be responsible for their evil behavior. And he warned them that God would punish them for evil deeds. People would become evil. But God is kind. He promised never again to flood the whole world. And he used the rainbow to remind people about this promise. Noah was a great servant of God. We have already studied how Noah was a righteous man. But Noah was not perfect. He did something that was very wrong. He drank too much wine. Some people believe fermentation did not exist prior to the flood. I don’t know. These same people try to excuse Noah’s drunkenness as just something that “happened” because he didn’t know how to hold his liquor. He had never experienced wine before, etc. etc. Support this podcast

Noah built an altar to God. Verse 20 “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it” (Genesis 8:20). The sequence of events is very important.  God tells Noah to leave the ark. So, he leaves the ark. But the first thing he does after stepping on dry ground is to build an altar to the Lord! Praise God! Not many people would have done that as their first act after getting out of the ark.  I can imagine most folks running from the ark, kicking up their heels, and saying, “Thank God were out of there!”  “Let’s go. Let’s get started. Let’s look around and see what’s here!”  Not Noah. His first act was to publicly thank God for his deliverance. Like the ten lepers who were cured by Jesus and only one returned to give thanks (Luke 17:11-19), even so we often receive great blessings from the Lord and in our haste to enjoy them, we seldom stop to say thank you to God. But Noah took time to build an altar and then to make sacrifices to the Lord.  Often, God makes the provision and we just go along for the ride. But then, we think “we did it” and don’t give God the Glory He deserves. Noah did not do that.  The first thing he did was acknowledge the God did it all. Amen! The offering represented his complete surrender and total dedication to the Lord. After the flood Noah could see that God was not only a God of wrath, but also a God of mercy. Amen! Let this be your motto: I will remember the Lord. Take time to give thanks.  Support this podcast

Then, Noah remembered God. Although Genesis 8 is primarily about God remembering Noah, it also contains wonderful truth about how Noah remembered God. In Verse 15-17 God tells him it was time to leave the ark. Taking the family and all of the animals off the boat and get ready to repopulate the earth. “So Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. All the animals and all the creatures that move along the ground and all the birds—everything that moves on the earth—came out of the ark, one kind after another” (Genesis 8:18-19).  I do not think we appreciate how much courage it took for Noah to leave the ark.  As I have already pointed out, the ark had been crowded, cramped, and no doubt somewhat smelly. But it has been home, and it was safe. Now they were leaving the known for the unknown. The world they had known and left when they got on the ark was gone forever.  It might have been easier to stay in the ark, uncomfortable as it must have been. It took great courage for Noah to step out of the ark into a brand-new world.  Sometimes, often times, God calls us to do things that are hard and may even seem impossible. We are called to leave the known for the unknown, and we have to leave the ark that has taken us this far and step out on our own.  Some of us are stuck because we know it’s time to move forward but we are afraid to take the first step. God blessed Noah who knew when to get on the big boat and he also knew when to get off! Praise God! Support this podcast

The message of the chapter is given in verse 1: “But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.”  Consider that simple phrase: “God remembered Noah.”  Those three words tell us a great deal about the Lord. One of the greatest human fears is to be forgotten. We fear death because it means that ultimately we will be buried in a grave, the world will go on without us, and we will eventually be forgotten.  When the text tells us that God “remembered” Noah, it doesn’t mean that God had forgotten him. It simply means that in the midst of the great flood, God stayed true to his promises.  Our text contains an important message of hope. In the midst of judgment, God always remembers mercy. He remembers those who suffer and he keeps his eyes on them.  God sent a wind that blew across the whole earth and caused the floodwaters to begin to recede.  God gave Noah a sign. Noah was looking for signs that the flood was coming to an end. I’m sure he was tired of being around those animals day and night. We can’t even imagine the smells and the other aspects of living in the ark.  Often, it is the not knowing that wears us down. We watch and wait and wonder and pray as the uncertainty gnaws away on the inside. Our chief question is always: “When will this end?”  We may feel forgotten and abandoned in the flood, but the dry land will appear in due time. God Gives Us Signs And just as God gave Noah a sign, he still gives signs and tokens of his grace today. Often it is a Scripture or a song repeated at just the right moment. Or a phone call or a letter that came when we felt like giving up.  God spoke to Noah again. The final way God remembered Noah was by speaking to him again. In verses 16-17 the Lord instructed Noah to leave the ark with his family and the animals. As far as we can tell, this is the first time God had spoken to Noah since he told him to enter the ark.  Support this podcast

The message of the chapter is given in verse 1: “But God remembered Noah The Lord wants us to know what happened and how it happened, step by step. Here’s a brief summary of those details: · Noah entered the ark when he was 600 years, 2 months, and 10 days old. · Seven days later the rain began to fall. · The rain fell for 40 days and 40 nights. · The “fountains of the great deep” (evidently subterranean caverns) also burst forth with water. · The floodwaters spread across the entire earth, covering the mountains to a depth of 20 feet. · All living creatures on dry land were wiped out. · The flood covered the earth for 150 days. · As the floodwaters receded, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat, evidently the region of far eastern Turkey, near the border with Russia. · Seventy-four days later the tops of the mountains became visible. · Forty days later Noah sent out a raven. · Noah then sent out a dove on three occasions. The third time it did not return. · Two weeks later he saw dry land. · Noah stayed in the ark another 57 days until the Lord told him to leave. · Noah was 601 years, 2 months, and 27 days old when he left the ark. If you add it all up, Noah spent one year and 17 days in the ark. That’s a long time in a cramped space with lots and lots of animals. This was no luxury cruise. The ark was not equipped with a swimming pool. There were no movies, no entertainers, and no fancy dinners. There was nothing to do but stay in the boat while it floated aimlessly on the surface of the ocean. It was no picnic being on the ark. The Bible does not tell us anything about Noah’s personal emotions during the long time he spent in the ark. We know that he was a man of faith who took God at his Word (Hebrews 11:7).  That’s why he built the ark in the first place. But he was human, too. The sea is a lonely place. It would not have been easy to be shut up inside the ark with his family and all those animals.  Support this podcast

Genesis 7:16 "And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in." “And the Lord shut him in”: No small event is spared in the telling of this episode, although the details are sparse. God preserved Noah and his family. Genesis 7:17 "And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth." The flood of waters is described as a global flood. Universal terms (“all flesh,” “everything”), are used 30 times in describing this Flood. The double superlatives (“every living thing of all flesh,” and “all the high hills under the whole heaven”), clearly indicate that the author intended to state his case unmistakably. The Hebrew word mabul (“deluge”), describes only this Flood, as does the New Testament Greek work kataklysmos, “cataclysm” (2 Pet. 3:3-7). The depth of the Flood and its duration indicate that it was no mere local flood. The size of the ark (95,700 square feet of deck space) and its gross tonnage indicate the magnitude of this Flood. Genesis 7:18 "And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters." “And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth”: Still they became greater and more powerful, as to bear up the ark, so to cast down houses, trees, etc. by the continual rains that fell, though perhaps they were not so violent as before, and by the constant eruptions of water out of the earth.  Genesis 7:19 "And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that [were] under the whole heaven, were covered." “All the high hills”: This describes the extent of the Flood as global. Lest there be any doubt, Moses adds “under the heavens” (2 Pet. 3:5-7). There are over 270 flood stories told in cultures all over the earth, which owe their origin to this one global event. Genesis 7:20 "Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered." “Fifteen cubits upward”: The water level was 15 cubits (or about 22.5 feet) higher than the highest mountain, so that the ark floated freely above the peaks.  Genesis 7:21 "And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man:" All the men, women, and children, that were in the world, except those in the ark, died. The resulting death of all by drowning is here recounted. Genesis 7:22 "All in whose nostrils [was] the breath of life, of all that [was] in the dry [land], died." "All in whose nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life ... died" This statement refers solely to man, whose higher life is exclusively expressed by the phrase "breath of life" (Gen. 2:7). It affirms the death of the whole of mankind. Genesis 7:23 "And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained [alive], and they that [were] with him in the ark." The sum total of animal and vegetable life, with the exception of those in the ark, is here declared to be extinguished. Genesis 7:24 "And the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days." “Hundred and fifty days”: These days included the 40 day and night period of rain (7:12, 17). The Flood rose to its peak at that point (8:3). It then took over 2-1/2 months before the water receded to reveal other mountain peaks (8:4-5), over 4-1/2 months before the dove could find dry land (8:8-12), and almost 8 months before the occupants could leave the ark (8:14). I want you to see something here, as we get ready to close. This time was a time of security for Noah and his family. When we look back at Noah and the flood, we can see... Support this podcast

Genesis 7:10 "And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth." For yet seven days, God spoke these words probably on the seventh or Sabbath day, and the days of the ensuing week were employed in entering the ark, in embarking the mighty troop, for whose reception ample provision had been already made. As Noah prepared the ark by faith in the warning given that the flood would come, so he went into it, by faith in this warning that it would come quickly. And on the day Noah was securely fixed in the ark, the fountains of the great deep were broken up. The windows of heaven were opened, and the waters which were above the firmament, that is, in the air, were poured out upon the earth. The rain comes down in drops; but such rains fell then, as were never known before or since. Genesis 7:11 "In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened." This rain did not just fall from the sky, but it came from springs and openings in the earth as well. Water came from everywhere.  Genesis 7:12 "And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights." Genesis 7:13 "In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark;" “Entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah.” Not inconsistent with verses 4 and 5, which do not necessarily imply that the actual entry was made seven days before the Flood; but merely that Noah then began to carry out the Divine instructions. The threefold recital of the entry: first in connection with the invitation or command (verse 5), and again in the actual process during the seven days (verse 7), and finally on the day when the Flood began (verse 15). Genesis 7:14-15 "They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort." "And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein [is] the breath of life." There is a simple grandeur in the threefold description of the entrance of Noah and his family and animals going into the ark, first in the command, next in the actual process during the seven days, and lastly, in the completed act on the seventh day. "Every living thing after its kind" – all of the wild animals did not just show up a Noah’s door. God moved upon three pairs plus one for all of the “clean” animals and two pairs of the unclean animals. The free range of the animals would have made it impossible for Noah to have gone forth to gather them up. So this was a Divine Act of God. "And the Lord shut him in." This is a fitting close to the scene. The whole work was manifestly the Lord's doing, from first to last. And it was God who shut the door to the Ark Support this podcast

Genesis 7:1 "And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation." Verses 7:2-3: “Sevens … sevens”: The extra 6 pairs of clean animals and birds would be used for sacrifice (8:20), and food (9:3). Genesis 7:2 "Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that [are] not clean by two, the male and his female." “Clean … not clean”: The distinction relates to sacrifice (in 8:20). Later, it has to do with eating (in Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14). “By sevens … by two”: Literally, “seven sevens” of every clean beast, which may mean seven pairs or three pairs, plus one, with the extra one being used for sacrifice later on. Genesis 7:3 "Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth." “Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and his female”. That is, of such as were clean; seven couple of these were to be brought into the ark, for the like use as of the clean beasts, and those under the law; and so at this time, and here meant were turtledoves, and young pigeons that were for sacrifice; and the rest were for food. Genesis 7:4 "For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth." God allowed one more week for sinners to repent. Think about it. Noah and his family – and animals coming from every direction, were going inside the Ark. It took a week to get them all inside. The people in the area had to have seen what was happening.  But even then, they did not believe. In verse 5, we see the unquestioning obedience of Noah when God spoke.  Genesis 7:5 "And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him." He prepared for his entrance into the ark, and all the creatures with him; got everything ready for them, the rooms for their habitation, and food for their sustenance. Genesis 7:6 "And Noah [was] six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth." When it began; he was in his six hundred and first year when it ended (Gen. 8:13). Genesis 7:7 "And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood." Genesis 7:8 "Of clean beasts, and of beasts that [are] not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth," In obedience to a Divine impulse. Nothing short of Divine power could have effected such a timely and orderly entrance of the creatures into the huge vessel.  Genesis 7:9 "There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah." Support this podcast

Genesis 7:1 "And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation." Out of all the population on the earth, ONLY Noah and his family were still living in “right standing” with God! Everyone else had given into false doctrines and beliefs and despicable actions. Possibly they “thought” they were honoring God with their sacrifices – just like Cain did with his offering. But they were deceived. Just like many people are deceived about being saved and serving the Lord today. Their actions do not match their words. Perhaps, as Noah preached to them for 100 years while building the Ark, their leaders told them Noah was nut case. Too radical. Too extreme. “Talking about things that had never happened before as if they were really going to come true.” Well, that’s kind of where a lot of Christians are today, is it not?  Support this podcast

We ended last time with Noah FINDING Grace in the eyes of God. I explained how you cannot FIND something unless you are LOOKING for it! I explained that God was GIVING Grace to everyone, but ONLY NOAH was looking for it and found it! The remaining verses go on to detail the instructions God gave to Noah on how to build the Ark.  This is very important. It had never been done before. It had to 100% sea worthy!   God then goes on to tell Noah about how many animals would be on the boat. How to care for them, etc. It was not Noah’s job to go into all the earth and find these animals. They all belong to God.  God moved upon the animals to come to where Noah was at. All he had to do was keep the Ark open and guide them into their stalls. His job WAS to prepare the food storage and to gather all of that up. Some animals were in sevens and others were in two’s. Why the difference? Because one each of the clean animals was going to be given as an offering after they all left the Ark. That still left three pairs each of the clean animals. This would allow them to mate and begin repopulating the earth. Down in verse 22, we see this chapter conclude by saying, “Thus did Noah according to all that God had commanded him.” Will the end of the book about your life read the same thing? Next time, we look at the flood itself, as we go into Chapter Seven of the Book of Genesis. Be sure to subscribe to this series so you can be notified when a new episode is published as we go "verse by verse" through the Bible! Support this podcast

But notice here that all of this happened as mankind slipped from seeking God and in the end, they end up seeking demons. Footholds of Satan can become strongholds. What do I mean by foothold? A foothold is giving the devil a place to work and room to operate.  When does a foothold become a stronghold? A stronghold is a mindset of hopelessness that causes me to see something that is contrary to God’s Word as unchangeable. It may sound complex, but it is simple. It is the attitude that says with a certain sinful behavior, “This is simply who I am. I cannot change.”  We see that in the degradation of society today. Satan is still at work trying to destroy God's plan for marriage between ONE MAN and ONE WOMAN. The homosexual revolution, transgenderism and all of that depravity is just the plan of Satan being forced into an "acceptance" by society. Is it any wonder the world is being turned on its head? Try and stand against the depravity being forced on society today and you will find yourself in the cross-hairs of demon possessed politicians, activists, media, etc. who consider you a threat! A threat to what? Their demonic lifestyle. This is the reason the FLOOD came. God had seen enough. When God said, "Mans days would be 120 years" in verse 3, He was not stipulating how long we should live. He was saying they would have 120 years to repent and turn back to Him. Remember Jonah preaching to Nineveh? The city repented and God relented. He was offering the same type of thing to the world in Noah's day, but they refused to listen. The result: JUDGEMENT. According the Bible, the same thing is happening right now (as spelled out in the end days scenario). The Cross helps us to understand Genesis 6:7. Sin MUST be paid for and God MUST judge sin. There is no "half measure" when God deals with sin. It cost Jesus, the Son of God, His life! Do you really think we will somehow have our sin "winked at" if we do not repent and ask Jesus to forgive us? "He who knew no sin but became sin" (and thus was judged for sin) would somehow make it possible for us to live the way "we want" and never have to answer for it? In one word: NO. In verse 8, notice Noah finds favor. It was not earned. It was given, but Noah had to FIND it. God was "giving Grace" to everyone. Only Noah FOUND IT. Are you looking for God's Grace? You can only FIND something IF you are LOOKING for it! Be sure to subscribe to this series so you can be notified when a new episode is published as we go "verse by verse" through the Bible. Support this podcast

We already saw Satan entering the realm of animals and showing up indwelling a snake in the Garden. Now, Satan plans to move in to the bodies of males and then to marry beautiful women and to produce children. This would be a demon-dominated union, and a demon-dominated family. Notice the word usage in Genesis 6:2. "he sons of God “saw” the daughters to be “attractive” (or good) and they “took.” Does that sound familiar? This parallels what happened in the Garden. In Genesis 3:5. Eve “saw that the fruit was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and she took and ate. We can see that the demons and Satan are sticking to a playbook that has been proven to work. They simply run the same play from the fall! The lust this time is not fruit, but the bodies of beautiful women that the sons of God “saw” and took for themselves. The picture is one of unmitigated lust. The word “took” does not suggest forced marriage or rape. This is a word that means a regular marriage union. One commentator observes that the “silence on the part of the ‘daughters’ may well reflected a willing complicity." Notice that God’s response is toward man and not to the demons. God has a judgment for the demons, but man is accountable for allowing themselves to get this far. We will come back to the 120 years part here, but notice that God does not allow sin to go unchecked forever.  But notice here that all of this happened as mankind slipped from seeking God and in the end, they end up seeking demons. Footholds of Satan can become strongholds.  A foothold is simply giving Satan "space" to work in your life. Be sure to subscribe to this series so you can be notified when a new episode is published as we go "verse by verse" through the Bible! Support this podcast

We are continuing our journey through Genesis. So far we have seen this theme of an epic battle emerge. Before sin, man was given the job of subduing the world for God’s glory. However, because of our sin, we try to subdue the world (and each other) for our glory. We see here two sides: the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. God promised that one person, a deliverer, will come one day to crush the serpent. Satan, the serpent, does not know who this person is. He must have thought that Cain, the woman’s offspring, was the deliverer and therefore plotted to turn him into a murderer. He succeeded! He corrupted Cain by getting him to murder Abel, thereby eliminating the only two possibilities for the deliver to come! By the seventh generation, we have immoral, violent, lustful men, like Lamech. However, God preserves the seed of the woman, though Satan tried to kill him, by giving Adam and Eve, Seth. By the seventh generation of Seth, we have Enoch, known for simply walking with God (which we covered last time). Now in Genesis 6, we will see that Satan will try a new approach. He will invade the human race with his army and destroy God’s original design of marriage. If he can destroy marriage, then there will be now way for the promised seed to be born. Sin has reached its boiling point, leading God to judge all sin.  Be sure to subscribe to this series so you will be notified when a new episode is published, as we go "verse by verse" through the Bible! Support this podcast

Genesis 5:21-23 "And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:" "And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:" "And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:" Enoch was the seventh from Adam. Godliness is walking with God: which shows reconciliation to God, for two cannot walk together except they be agreed (Amos 3:3). It includes all the parts of a godly, righteous, and sober life. To walk with God, is to set God always before us, to act as always under his eye. He had lived only 365 years, which, as men's ages were then, was only in middle life! God often takes those soonest whom he loves best; the time they lose on earth, is gained in heaven, to their unspeakable advantage. Genesis 5:24 "And Enoch walked with God: and he [was] not; for God took him." “Walked with God … was not; for God took him”: Enoch is the only break in the chapter from the incessant comment, “and he died” (4:17-18; 1 Chron. 1:3; Luke 3:37; Heb. 11:5; Jude 14). Only one other man is said to have enjoyed this intimacy of relationship in walking with God, and that was Noah (6:9). Enoch experienced being taken to heaven, while still alive, by God, as did Elijah later (2 Kings 2:1-12). Enoch's translation stands about half way between Adam and the flood, in the 987th year after the creation of Adam. Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, and Jared were still alive. His son, Methuselah and his grandson Lamech were also living; the latter being 113 years old. Noah was not yet born, and Adam was already dead. Genesis 5:25-27 "And Methuselah lived a hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech: " "And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:" "And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died." The shortest life was followed by the longest life, Methuselah begetting, at the advanced age of 187, Lamech, which means “strong or young man or the powerful”, continuing after his son’s birth 782 years. And at last succumbing to the stroke of death in the 969th year of his age, which, according to the Bible, was the year of the Flood. Methuselah signifies, 'he dies, there is a dart,' 'a sending forth,' namely, speaking of the deluge, which came the year that Methuselah died. He lived 969 years, the longest that any man ever lived on earth; but even the longest living person must die at last. Genesis 5:28-29 "And Lamech lived a hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:" "And he called his name Noah, saying, This [same] shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed." That the patriarchs of the old world felt the ills of this earthly life in all their severity. This was attested by Lamech (Genesis 5:28-29), when he gave his son, who was born 69 years after Enoch's translation, the name of Noah, saying, "This same shall comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed." Genesis 5:30-31 "And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:" "And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died." In Enoch, the seventh from Adam through Seth, godliness attained its highest point; whilst ungodliness culminated in Lamech, the seventh from Adam through Cain, who made his sword his god. I find it interesting, that God chose a man also named Lamech, to have a son through whom Hope would be restored.  Genesis 5:32 "And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth." “Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth”: Japheth was the oldest (10:21), Ham the youngest (9:24). Shem is mentioned first because it was through him that God’s Messiah would come. Be sure to subscribe to this series so you will be... Support this podcast

Genesis 5:15-17 "And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:" "And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters:" "And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died." It sometimes seems that these genealogies go on and on. We see that these men were men of God and lived long lives. In verse 18 below, we will see the righteous Enoch, not the son of Cain, but rather the seventh from Adam through the line of Seth. Keep in mind "seven" means spiritually complete. Genesis 5:18-20 "And Jared lived a hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch:" "And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:" "And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died." Though man was driven out of paradise, yet the earth itself was then some what like a paradise; a garden in comparison with its present state today. Some think, that their knowledge of the creatures and their usefulness both, for their food and medicine, together with their sobriety and temperance, contributed much to it their long life. Yet we do not find that those who were intemperate, as many were (Luke 17:27), as short - lived as temperate men generally are now. So, we can infer that if you lived a life that as not Godly, even then as it is today, life will be cut short.  Verses 21-24: “Enoch walked with God”: The verb employed signifies “to walk about” or “to live,” and the preposition denotes intimacy, fellowship (Jude 14-15 reveal his ministry and evidently his powerful preaching as well). Genesis 5:21-23 "And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:" "And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:" "And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:" Enoch was the seventh from Adam. And as we will study next time, he only lived until, what would be considered, mid-life! Be sure to subscribe to this series so you will be notified when a new episode is published as we go "verse by verse" through the Bible! Support this podcast

We must take note that this was not Adam's first son. Adam had Cain and Abel before Seth, but the lineage that would be followed throughout the Bible would be through Seth.  It is highly likely that Able had children. Why God chose not to follow that lineage is not known. Nor are any of Able’s descendant, if there are any, listed. Genesis 5:4 "And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:" You see, in none of these Scriptures did Moses go into detail about how many sons and daughters. My own opinion of the longevity of life for this early humanity was so they could populate the earth. I can’t prove it…but you can’t disprove it either! Amen! Genesis 5:5 "And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died." “Nine hundred and thirty years”: These are literal years marking unusual length of life which are accounted for by the pre-Flood environment provided by the earth being under a canopy of water, filtering out the ultraviolet rays of the sun and producing a much more moderate and healthful condition – which we covered before.  Genesis 5:6 "And Seth lived a hundred and five years, and begat Enos:" And Seth lived a hundred and five years, and begat Enos. Not that this was his firstborn, no doubt but he had other children before this time; but this is only mentioned, because it carried the lineage and descent directly from Adam to Noah, the father of the new world, and from whom the Messiah was to spring; and whose genealogy is to give us a principal view of this book, or account of generations from Adam to Noah. Genesis 5:7-8 "And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:" "And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died." And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years, and he died”, as did his father Adam before him.  Genesis 5:9-11"And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan:" "And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters:" "And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died." We have here all that the Holy Ghost thought fit to leave upon record concerning five of the patriarchs before the flood, Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, and Jared.  Genesis 5:12-14 "And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel:" "And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:" "And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died." Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, and Jared. That which is especially observable, is, that they all lived very long; not one of them died 'till he had seen almost eight hundred years. And some much longer; a great while for an immortal soul to be imprisoned in a house of clay in a corrupt world. Be sure to subscribe to this series so you will be notified when a new episode is published as we go "verse by verse" through the Bible! Support this podcast

In chapter 5, we begin with the genealogy of the patriarchs. In the last lesson, we were looking at the evil ancestors of Adam's family. Now with Seth, we are looking at the Godly line through which the Savior would come. In the third chapter of Luke, you can follow right back to Adam through his son Seth. Luke 3:38 "Which was [the son] of Enos, which was [the son] of Seth, which was [the son] of Adam, which was [the son] of God." Verses 1-2: “Called their name Adam”: This is the generic use of “Adam”, which contrasts with Adam as a proper name in this same context (verse 3) Genesis 5:1 "This [is] the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;" “The likeness of God” (see notes on 1:26). Genesis 5:2 "Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created." “Called their name Adam”: In naming man, God declared His own dominion over all creation (Matt. 19:4; Mark 10:6).  Remember how God had Adam name every living creature? And whatever Adam called them, that is what they were named?  We learned then, that was God demonstrating to all of Creation that MAN had dominion. Giving names is a form of demonstrating dominion. Just like the King of Babylon gave Babylonian names to Daniel, Shadrach and Abendigo. He was demonstrating his dominion over them. Here, God named his Man calling him Adam. This was God demonstrating dominion. Then, He gave Adam dominion by allowing him to name all of the animals, etc. Genesis 5:3 "And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begat [a son] in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:" “In his own likeness, after his image”: The human image and likeness in which God created mankind was procreatively passed to the second generation and to all generations which follow. Even to today! We must take note that this was not Adam's first son. Adam had Cain and Abel before Seth, but the lineage that would be followed throughout the Bible would be through Seth.  Be sure to subscribe to this series so you will be notified when a new episode is published, as we go "verse by verse" through the Bible! Support this podcast

When God asks Cain, "Where is your brother?" Cain responds in an arrogant manner and basically tells God, "If you're God, you should already know!" Then God responds, “Listen; your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground! And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it will no longer yield to you its strength; you will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth." ( Gen. 4:10-12 (https://biblia.com/bible/nrsv/Gen.%204.10-12) )  And he said what hast thou done? I know what thou hast done; thou hast slain thy brother, thine own, thine only brother, a holy, righteous, and good man, who never gave thee any offence, or any just occasion for shedding his innocent blood. This God spoke because He said as knew what Cain had done. God was still trying to impress his mind with a sense of the evil, and to bring him to a confession of it, before the sentence was passed, that it might appear to all to be just, and of which there was full proof and evidence, as follows: the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground! Society continued to degrade into depravity. So much so, that Cain's descendent, Lamech, committed murder as well. He tried to pass it off as if he was innocent. Bottom line, when God cursed the ground, it was on the ground, not on Adam. But when Cain committed his sin, it brought a curse on HIM. What could the godly line of Seth—narrowed eventually to only Noah and his family—do against a culture so depraved that God would eventually decide to utterly destroy it? That's what we will be studying as we move forward. Be sure to subscribe to this series so you can be notified when we publish the next episode as we go "verse by verse" through the Bible! Support this podcast

We studied last time how Cain just "threw together" an offering and went and "dropped if off" for God. This was the reason God was not pleased with the offering. In verse 7, God looks with favor on the offering of Abel but not on that of Cain. In this first mention of anger in the Bible, God warns Cain not to give into despair, but to master his resentment and work for a better result in the future. “If you do well, will you not be accepted?” the Lord asks him. Some render the word a sin offering, as it sometimes signifies; and then the sense is, that though he had sinned, and had done wrong in the offering he had offered, nevertheless there was a sacrifice for sin provided. His offering was at hand, and would soon be offered! Therefore, he had no need to be dejected, or his countenance to fall; for if he looked to that sacrifice by faith, he would find pardon and acceptance from God. But he didn't do that. Instead, he allows his anger to fester and ends up killing his brother! God then asks him, "Where is your brother?" Cain arrogantly replies, "Am I my brothers keeper?" In other words, he was basically telling God, "If you're God, you should know where he is." So God lets him know - He Knows! "Listen; your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground!" Folks, be sure to subscribe to this series so you can be notified when a new episode is published as we go "verse by verse" through the Bible! Support this podcast

Genesis 4 details the first murder when Cain kills his brother Abel in a fit of angry jealousy. Both brothers bring the fruit of their work as offerings to God. Cain is a farmer, and he brings some of the fruit of the ground, with no indication in the biblical text that this is the first or the best of his produce. Abel is a shepherd and brings the "firstlings," the best, the “fat portions” of his flock. Although both are producing food, they are neither working nor worshiping together. Work is no longer a place of good relationships. Remember, part of the curse was you would have to work and sweat to survive. That is what they were doing. But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect Not because of the matter of it, as some have thought; but because it was not offered in faith and sincerity, but in a formal and hypocritical manner, without any regard to the Messiah and his sacrifice, and without any view to the glory of God: no notice was taken, no thought or preparation or any other such thing. It was just brought by Cain and “dropped off. This is why God was not pleased with his offering. And it is why Cain got mad at his brother - and killed him. Be sure to subscribe to this series so you can be notified when a new episode is published as we go "verse by verse" through the Bible! Support this podcast

Genesis Chapter Three Verses 15-24Genesis 3 is one of the most important chapters in the Bible. Without it, we can’t even begin to understand the darkness that blankets the earth. With it, we can catch a glimpse of the light, which shines in the darkness. Have you seen the light? The Gospel in Genesis 3:15? Genesis 3:15 is known as “first gospel”—a prophetic picture of the time when Satan would be defeated by the woman’s triumphant “Seed.” The text itself invites us to find an interpretation that goes beyond mere biology. Satan, a spirit being, cannot produce seed; and clearly a woman does not produce seed. So, even at the simplest reading of this pronouncement, the seed apparently refers to a spiritual being who has the serpent’s same attitude.  Based on other scripture, it appears that the serpent’s “seed” refers to those who willfully set themselves against the seed of the woman. The age-long conflict between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Satan will continue until the end, as out lined in the Book of the Revelation. “He” that crushes the serpent’s head refers to a future descendent of the woman and is a singular noun (which is a reference to Jesus). Judgment upon the woman (verse 16)Because Eve manipulated her husband, she will struggle in domestic life. Difficulty will plague her role as a mother (multiplied pain in childbirth) and as a wife (marital conflict with her husband).  The phrase “Your desire shall be for your husband” refers not to sweet marital communion but to ongoing struggle (the identical Hebrew phrase appears in Cain’s struggle with sin later). The battle of the sexes had just begun.  Judgment upon the man (verses 17-19) By eating the forbidden food, Adam abandoned his headship over his wife and his dominion over the creation. Besides domestic struggle, Adam will now struggle to eat, and his labor will include toil. The domain of man is cursed and will no longer yield its fruit easily.  Finally, in contrast to the serpent’s promise that “you will be like God,” Adam is told he was made from dirt and to dirt he will return in death. He was initially to have dominion over the ground, but now the ground will resist and finally, literally, devour him. God’s promise that “you shall surely die” was about to proven true. He died instantly in terms of his spiritual relationship with God. His body did not know how to die. But the process had started and he began to die physically. Four Lessons From the Fall In Genesis 3 man distorts, denies, and defies God’s Word—reducing it to an alternative viewpoint, while man wants to be the judge of what is “true for me.”  This rebellion against God’s Word is responsible for all our woes—our alienation from God, our self-deception, our broken relationships with each other, the failure of animals to respond to our dominion, our toil to raise food from the ground, the “groaning” creation, and our own physical death.  Unbelief is not just stark atheism but any stubborn, willful disregard of God’s Word, even by “believers.” Do we accept that His Word is true, and yet sometimes stubbornly, willfully disobey what He says? Genesis 3 is with us still. This passage of Scripture is full of personal applications.  1. The Standard Is God’s Word First, we know that God’s Word is still the standard by which we are to live our lives and to resist temptation. Jesus (the “Last Adam") fended off temptation by affirming God’s Word. “It is written,” He told Satan three times in the Book of Matthew. The first Adam compromised God’s Word; the Last Adam elevated its authority. When facing temptation, Jesus used scripture available to us, rather than generate “new” scripture. 2. Sin Is Our Problem Second, in contrast to the claims of modern social engineering, we should not blame sin on our childhood or environment.  Adam and Eve experienced no childhood... Support this podcast

Genesis Chapter Three Verses 8-15Genesis 3 is one of the most important chapters in the Bible. Without it, we can’t even begin to understand the darkness that blankets the earth. With it, we can catch a glimpse of the light, which shines in the darkness. Have you seen the light? When God approached Adam and Eve, His question “Where are you?” was a rhetorical invitation for them to confess and repent. The novice sinners responded to God in ways that are all too familiar to us.  First, they felt shame, resulting in concealment. (Verse 8indicates that they tried to go unnoticed by an omnipresent Creator by blending with vegetation!) Second, they felt fear, which resulted in an attempt to escape God’s presence.  Third, they felt guilt, but then compounded their offense by shifting blame. Adam blamed both Eve and God (“the woman . . . you gave me”). Eve blamed the serpent (“the serpent deceived me”).  In contrast to Adam and Eve, God did not invite the serpent to repent. Instead, God decreed a series of three judgments—first upon the serpent, then the woman, and finally the man.  Judgment upon the serpent Because the serpent had “destroyed” (or ruined) the human race, the serpent would be destroyed by a member of the human race.  The enmity between the woman and the serpent and their “seed” (or offspring) involves more than future hatred between women and snakes. The Hebrew term translated “enmity” applies not to animals but to moral agents. Here we see a clear indication that Satan is behind the serpent. Though Satan will cause suffering to the “seed of the woman,” he will be dealt a mortal blow by that seed. Please be sure to subscribe to our podcast so you will be notified when a new episode is published as we go "verse by verse" through the Bible! Support this podcast

Genesis Chapter Three Verses 4-7 Genesis 3 is one of the most important chapters in the Bible. Without it, we can’t even begin to understand the darkness that blankets the earth. With it, we can catch a glimpse of the light, which shines in the darkness. Have you seen the light? The serpent’s response was to flatly deny God’s Word, quoting God’s statement verbatim (in the Hebrew text) and then negating it—which exposes the intent of the serpent’s initial question. His question was a ploy rather than mere curiosity.  Then the serpent offered an alternative interpretation of God’s motives. If they would partake, he claimed, then they would possess God-like ethical awareness. The serpent implied first that God is less than He is and that man is more than he is. (In other words, he implied that God felt threatened by the wonderful beings that they would become, so He restricted their full humanity.) The serpent was calling into question God’s character and trustworthiness. Although Adam and Eve had depended on God to explain reality for them, the serpent suggested that they could now become autonomous and decide what is true for themselves. In other words, the serpent reduced God’s Word to the level of a mere viewpoint, while man became the measure of what is “true for me.” Be sure to subscribe to our podcast so you will be notified when new episodes are published as we walk "verse by verse" through the Bible! Support this podcast

Genesis Chapter Three Verses 1-3Genesis 3 is one of the most important chapters in the Bible. Without it, we can’t even begin to understand the darkness that blankets the earth. With it, we can catch a glimpse of the light, which shines in the darkness. Have you seen the light? God’s creation was originally “very good." He created man and woman in His image and gave them dominion over the physical world — all creatures were subject to them. Then one creature, “the serpent,” beguiled the woman (later named “Eve,”) with a trick question: Has God indeed said, “You shall not eat of every tree of the garden”? Eve conceded that God had prohibited eating from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. We do not know if God directly stated His prohibition to Eve or if Adam passed it along to her. Regardless, she distorted God’s Word. First, she added a prohibition that they were not even to touch the forbidden tree; second, she subtracted from the penalty (“you will die” is less forceful in Hebrew than God’s statement in Chp 2:17) that “you shall surely die”). Be sure to subscribe to our podcast so you will be notified when the next episode is published! Support this podcast

Genesis Chapter Two Verses 5-25Creation Day Seven - The Sabbath Day - Part ThreeIn today's teaching, I will conclude our study of Genesis Chapter Two by studying verses 5-25. Genesis Chapter Two basically discusses things we have already study in depth while going through Chapter One. Other than a few highlights where I will give other scriptural examples as well as some common examples, we will begin in verse 5 and read through to verse 25. In our next episode, we will begin in Genesis Chapter Three. Please help us to continue this work of the Lord by becoming a supporter through Patreon! Use the link below and earn cool stuff along the way! Go to https://www.patreon.com/mybiblestudypodcast (https://www.patreon.com/mybiblestudypodcast) to learn more. Support this podcast

Genesis Chapter Two Verses 4-6Creation Day Seven - The Sabbath Day - Part Two In today's teaching, I continue in our study of Genesis Chapter Two in verses 4-6. But, because I left off with an example from Exodus Chapter 31, we will pick up today's teaching at that point. We will start with a scripture reference from Exodus 31:14. Please help us to continue this work of the Lord by becoming a supporter through Patreon! Use the link below and earn cool stuff along the way! Go to https://www.patreon.com/mybiblestudypodcast (https://www.patreon.com/mybiblestudypodcast) to learn more. Support this podcast

Genesis Chapter Two Verses 1-3Creation Day Seven - The Sabbath Day - Part OneIn today's teaching I introduce Chapter Two. This is where God sanctifies the 7th day and makes it Holy. We will study verses 1-3 and use other verses from elsewhere in the Bible to provide emphasis on how important God considers "The Sabbath Day." In this study, you will see how far we have fallen from living for God - and prayerfully, you will realize how important Jesus is to us in this day and time! Please help us to continue this work of the Lord by becoming a supporter through Patreon! Use the link below and earn cool stuff along the way! Go to https://www.patreon.com/mybiblestudypodcast (https://www.patreon.com/mybiblestudypodcast) to learn more. Support this podcast

Genesis Chapter One vs 29-31  Creation Day SixIn this episode, I cover some of the discoveries from the explosion of Mt. Saint Helens in 1980. These discoveries totally disprove the “theory of evolution.” That theory can no longer be trusted!  But yet, because if it becomes widely accepted that evolution is wrong, the only other conclusion that can be made is “Creation is right” which means “there IS a God” – well, that would be totally unacceptable to the unbelievers. I conclude our study of Day Six with some final thoughts on how Jesus defeated the devil, defeated hell and defeated death once and for all. For you. For me. For ALL who will believe! Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast so you will be notified of when a new episode is released. Also, please consider becoming a Patreon Supporter of this ministry work! Go to the link below to check out some of the special gifts we have for our supporters. https://www.patreon.com/mybiblestudypodcast (https://www.patreon.com/mybiblestudypodcast) Support this podcast

Genesis Chapter One vs 24-28  Creation Day SixIn this episode, I cover some of the far flung hypotheticals that unbelievers must accept as “fact” if they want to believe in evolution. There are even some Christians who hold to these “facts.” We look at how Man was created in the image of God, crowned with the Glory of God and was meant to live FOREVER!  That is why our spirit man lives on after these old corruptible bodies die! Then I share with you how God outlines His plan of Redemption in these verses. Don’t forget to subscribe to this podcast so you will be notified of when a new episode is released. Also, please consider becoming a Patreon Supporter of this ministry work! Go to the link below to check out some of the special gifts we have for our supporters. https://www.patreon.com/mybiblestudypodcast (https://www.patreon.com/mybiblestudypodcast) Support this podcast