Post by Mark on Oct 15, 2006 3:11:44 GMT -8
I’ve heard it said that all of 
is touched upon in the first 11 chapters of Genesis... and Reuel wants me to keep this down to three pages! Still, the wonderful part of knowing we will stomping these paths again next year (if Adonai wills), we will again be here next year, and the year after, and the year after, to glean ripe fruit that we had left the year before.
The phrase “in the beginning” holds in itself volumes of worthy discussion. The phrase occurs nearly 30 times through the Scriptures, giving us an idea of that the beginning looked like.
Genesis 1:1, Psalm 119:160, Proverbs 8:22 and 23, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Isaiah 40:21, Isaiah 41:4 and 26, Isaiah 46:9-10, Isaiah 48, Matthew 19:8, Mark 10:3-6, Mark 13:19, John 1:1 and 2, John 8:44, Acts 15:18, Ephesians 3:9, Hebrews 1:10, 1st John 2:13 and 14, 1st John 3:8,
The first and most primal of all mitzvot is acknowledge and recognize that Elohim (God) exists. Psalm 14:1 and Psalm 53:1. Both Psalms (nearly mirror of each other until the last verse, testify that the one who does not recognize Adonai as existing is about two fries short of a happy meal.
I was sitting in a café, sharing the gospel with a couple of fellows and the man right across from me said, “I don’t believe in God.” I retorted, “Then you’re a fool.” (The guy next to me nearly swallowed his fork!) I continued, “The Bible says that the one who says there is no God is a fool; but you don’t even have to believe the Bible to come to this conclusion. Socrates said, ‘Good is what God says it is.’ Socrates believed in God (or at least, gods). Aristotle described God as ‘the unmoved mover.’ Aristotle believed in God. Plato said, “He best keeps from anger who remembers that God is always looking upon him.” Plato believed in God. Confucius said, ‘Heaven means to be one with God.’ Confucius believed in God. George Washington wrote, ‘It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.’ George Washington believed in God. Einstein said that the universe was a mathmatical impossibility and ‘God does not play dice.’ Einstein believed in God. While the respective deities that these, the greatest minds the world has ever known, gave credence and acknowledgment to the existence of God, what kind of fool are you that would argue with such men?”
God in His creation reveals to us His character of justice. One of the most common agnostic questions we may receive is, “If God created everything and everything that God creates is good, then why is there evil?” The reason is answered in Genesis chapter 1. It is our understanding of evil that is skewed. In Genesis 1:2 we see the description of the world as “to-hoo” (formless or waste) and “kho-sek” (darkness, misery or wickedness). It was the natural state of what existed before God’s intervention. The first thing that we notice about God’s creation is that in creating, He did not destroy darkness. He left place for it. He allowed its continued existence. Our misunderstanding of wickedness (sin) is that it is a tangible, a something; yet God does not define it so- it is simply what remains when righteousness is not there. James 4:17 says this plainly, “He who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” This has intensely practical application for us today. Are you battling with temptation? The solution is to recognize that as a void and fill it with righteousness. One story is that a young tamudim came to his rabbi distraught because of a temptation was plaguing him that he couldn’t seem to shake. He pleaded with the rabbi to tell him, what must he do in order to overcome this temptation to sin? The rabbi simply answered, “Do a mitzvot.”
All that God created was good, we say; but it is worth noting that God didn’t say that all He created was good. When God created the firmament, separating the waters below from the waters above (Genesis 1:6-8), He didn’t say that it was good. He sort of skipped that one. But then, He knew what that water was for: in six short chapters He would wash the sins of the world way with the great flood. And when created mankind (Genesis 1:26-27), He did not say that it was good. He knew the pain that He, Himself must endure because of their creation; yet He knew that all of it: the totality of the plan and order of this creation was indeed very good.
There is so much that can be covered, and no doubt, many will be frustrated that I should skip; but in the limited space and time allotted, there are a few things along these same lines that I feel ought be touched upon.
One of the least understood phrases in the Bible which leads to one of the greatest handicaps of relationships in the family and the Church is the “curse of Eve” (Genesis 3:16), “...and your desire shall be to your husband.” Most of us husbands don’t consider that idea to be much of a curse! Yet, if we look further, to Genesis 4:7, we see the same phrase in Adonai’s warning toward Cain: “sin lies at the door and his desire is for you.” The desire is not the idea of compassion (or passion); but longing for ownership, dominion and control. Because of “the curse of Eve” it is the woman’s natural inclination to take on authority, to identify the short-comings of her husband and to take the necessary steps to overcome them. This is not a malevolent desire. In most cases, even well-intentioned. It was why Sarah offered her hand-maid Hagar to Abraham (Genesis 16:1-3). It was why Rachel stole idols from her father’s home (Genesis 31:19). Yet, it is this desire that causes more strife in the local congregation than anything I’ve found.
This is why the apostle Paul said, “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted for them to speak; but rather to be under obedience, as also says the Law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a
for a woman to speak in the church.” (1st Corinthians 14:34-35). Women are inclined to see and fill needs that are left void by their husbands. Husbands are inclined to let them. Paul is saying not to let this happen. The women need to sit on their hands a bit, allow the guys to get a clue, and thus force them to take the responsibilities that are necessarily theirs (the husbands). This is not to say that women have no role in the Church. In fact, Paul describes the “elder women” (1st Timothy 5:2) as women who are elders (presbuteros gune). Women have a distinct and purposeful role of leadership in the congregation- one that is suicide for a man to try and successfully take (Titus 2:3-5).
In the home, it is extremely valuable for every wife to recognize this inclination to want to fix her husband. Granted, some of us are definitely need fixing in some areas; but it is God who molds us into the shape of His design- not the wife. Prayerfully consider how you discuss and handle the frustrations and problems in your marriage.
Success in this world and being of value in the eyes of God are opposite in ends of the spectrum. We agree with this on the surface without giving it too deep of thought; but we still strive for success in “the real world” in as much zeal and passion as the next guy (or at least hold those whom the world finds success in equal esteem and honor). Proverbs 13:7 says, “There arethose who make themselves rich which have nothing: and there are those who make themselves poor but have great riches.” It was the descendants of Cain that became nomadic ranchers, skillfully learned to artifice musical instruments and tools from metallurgy (Genesis 4:21-22). Yet, the thing worth mentioning of the descendants of Seth was this: that they began to call upon the name of the Lord. There have been whole denominations pulled in one direction fo faith or another based upon the interpretation of Genesis 6:2, “the sons of God” intermarrying with “the daughters of men”. One of the most common speculations is that the sons of God must be referring to angels. Yet, in Hebrews 5:1 the question is asked, “For unto which of the angels said He at any time, ‘Thou art My Son...?’” The phrase “sons of God” is consistently used in the New Testament in regard to believers (John 1:12, Romans 8:14, Philippians 2:15, 1st John 3:1-2). Job 1:6 and Job 2:1 most reasonably refers to Yom Kippur- the time when Satan would stand and accuse men before Adonai. It is most likely that the phrase “sons of God” spoke of the descendants of Seth and the “daughters of men” were from the descendants of Cain. This conclusion is reasonable, understanding that the skills possessed in the line of Cain were shared with Seth, thus giving Noah and his sons the skill and abilities to manufacture the ark.
The word “giants” (Genesis 6:4) is the word “ne-feel” which refers to the character of a person rather than his size: James Strong calls the ne-feel a bully or a tyrant. The word is different from “raw-faw” which describes the sons of Anak in Deuteronomy 2:1 as being rather large. Again, this disputes the argument that spectacular beings were result of sexual relations between humans and angelic beings.
I’d like to go back, for just a minute to Genesis 5:29. Noakh means “rest”. Lamech states why he named his son such: “this same shall comfort (console) us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord God has cursed.” Be careful what you ask for: Noah certainly brought rest and a peace different from Shabbat Shalom. We often find ourselves contemptuous toward God for the circumstances that we have brought ourselves into. We pray for deliverance from God’s justice and judgment, not really understanding what we’re asking for. God works completely and perfectly.
God saw (Genesis 6:5) that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of the heart was only evil continually. This should cause us a great discomfort because Enoch (Noah’s great grand pappy) is quoted in Jude 1:16 describing this generation as “murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts, speaking great swelling words of admiration in order to gain advantage.” Wow. As bad as all that? Lord, God, have mercy on us and teach us according to Your!
is touched upon in the first 11 chapters of Genesis... and Reuel wants me to keep this down to three pages! Still, the wonderful part of knowing we will stomping these paths again next year (if Adonai wills), we will again be here next year, and the year after, and the year after, to glean ripe fruit that we had left the year before.The phrase “in the beginning” holds in itself volumes of worthy discussion. The phrase occurs nearly 30 times through the Scriptures, giving us an idea of that the beginning looked like.
Genesis 1:1, Psalm 119:160, Proverbs 8:22 and 23, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Isaiah 40:21, Isaiah 41:4 and 26, Isaiah 46:9-10, Isaiah 48, Matthew 19:8, Mark 10:3-6, Mark 13:19, John 1:1 and 2, John 8:44, Acts 15:18, Ephesians 3:9, Hebrews 1:10, 1st John 2:13 and 14, 1st John 3:8,
The first and most primal of all mitzvot is acknowledge and recognize that Elohim (God) exists. Psalm 14:1 and Psalm 53:1. Both Psalms (nearly mirror of each other until the last verse, testify that the one who does not recognize Adonai as existing is about two fries short of a happy meal.
I was sitting in a café, sharing the gospel with a couple of fellows and the man right across from me said, “I don’t believe in God.” I retorted, “Then you’re a fool.” (The guy next to me nearly swallowed his fork!) I continued, “The Bible says that the one who says there is no God is a fool; but you don’t even have to believe the Bible to come to this conclusion. Socrates said, ‘Good is what God says it is.’ Socrates believed in God (or at least, gods). Aristotle described God as ‘the unmoved mover.’ Aristotle believed in God. Plato said, “He best keeps from anger who remembers that God is always looking upon him.” Plato believed in God. Confucius said, ‘Heaven means to be one with God.’ Confucius believed in God. George Washington wrote, ‘It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.’ George Washington believed in God. Einstein said that the universe was a mathmatical impossibility and ‘God does not play dice.’ Einstein believed in God. While the respective deities that these, the greatest minds the world has ever known, gave credence and acknowledgment to the existence of God, what kind of fool are you that would argue with such men?”
God in His creation reveals to us His character of justice. One of the most common agnostic questions we may receive is, “If God created everything and everything that God creates is good, then why is there evil?” The reason is answered in Genesis chapter 1. It is our understanding of evil that is skewed. In Genesis 1:2 we see the description of the world as “to-hoo” (formless or waste) and “kho-sek” (darkness, misery or wickedness). It was the natural state of what existed before God’s intervention. The first thing that we notice about God’s creation is that in creating, He did not destroy darkness. He left place for it. He allowed its continued existence. Our misunderstanding of wickedness (sin) is that it is a tangible, a something; yet God does not define it so- it is simply what remains when righteousness is not there. James 4:17 says this plainly, “He who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.” This has intensely practical application for us today. Are you battling with temptation? The solution is to recognize that as a void and fill it with righteousness. One story is that a young tamudim came to his rabbi distraught because of a temptation was plaguing him that he couldn’t seem to shake. He pleaded with the rabbi to tell him, what must he do in order to overcome this temptation to sin? The rabbi simply answered, “Do a mitzvot.”
All that God created was good, we say; but it is worth noting that God didn’t say that all He created was good. When God created the firmament, separating the waters below from the waters above (Genesis 1:6-8), He didn’t say that it was good. He sort of skipped that one. But then, He knew what that water was for: in six short chapters He would wash the sins of the world way with the great flood. And when created mankind (Genesis 1:26-27), He did not say that it was good. He knew the pain that He, Himself must endure because of their creation; yet He knew that all of it: the totality of the plan and order of this creation was indeed very good.
There is so much that can be covered, and no doubt, many will be frustrated that I should skip; but in the limited space and time allotted, there are a few things along these same lines that I feel ought be touched upon.
One of the least understood phrases in the Bible which leads to one of the greatest handicaps of relationships in the family and the Church is the “curse of Eve” (Genesis 3:16), “...and your desire shall be to your husband.” Most of us husbands don’t consider that idea to be much of a curse! Yet, if we look further, to Genesis 4:7, we see the same phrase in Adonai’s warning toward Cain: “sin lies at the door and his desire is for you.” The desire is not the idea of compassion (or passion); but longing for ownership, dominion and control. Because of “the curse of Eve” it is the woman’s natural inclination to take on authority, to identify the short-comings of her husband and to take the necessary steps to overcome them. This is not a malevolent desire. In most cases, even well-intentioned. It was why Sarah offered her hand-maid Hagar to Abraham (Genesis 16:1-3). It was why Rachel stole idols from her father’s home (Genesis 31:19). Yet, it is this desire that causes more strife in the local congregation than anything I’ve found.
This is why the apostle Paul said, “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted for them to speak; but rather to be under obedience, as also says the Law. And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a
for a woman to speak in the church.” (1st Corinthians 14:34-35). Women are inclined to see and fill needs that are left void by their husbands. Husbands are inclined to let them. Paul is saying not to let this happen. The women need to sit on their hands a bit, allow the guys to get a clue, and thus force them to take the responsibilities that are necessarily theirs (the husbands). This is not to say that women have no role in the Church. In fact, Paul describes the “elder women” (1st Timothy 5:2) as women who are elders (presbuteros gune). Women have a distinct and purposeful role of leadership in the congregation- one that is suicide for a man to try and successfully take (Titus 2:3-5). In the home, it is extremely valuable for every wife to recognize this inclination to want to fix her husband. Granted, some of us are definitely need fixing in some areas; but it is God who molds us into the shape of His design- not the wife. Prayerfully consider how you discuss and handle the frustrations and problems in your marriage.
Success in this world and being of value in the eyes of God are opposite in ends of the spectrum. We agree with this on the surface without giving it too deep of thought; but we still strive for success in “the real world” in as much zeal and passion as the next guy (or at least hold those whom the world finds success in equal esteem and honor). Proverbs 13:7 says, “There arethose who make themselves rich which have nothing: and there are those who make themselves poor but have great riches.” It was the descendants of Cain that became nomadic ranchers, skillfully learned to artifice musical instruments and tools from metallurgy (Genesis 4:21-22). Yet, the thing worth mentioning of the descendants of Seth was this: that they began to call upon the name of the Lord. There have been whole denominations pulled in one direction fo faith or another based upon the interpretation of Genesis 6:2, “the sons of God” intermarrying with “the daughters of men”. One of the most common speculations is that the sons of God must be referring to angels. Yet, in Hebrews 5:1 the question is asked, “For unto which of the angels said He at any time, ‘Thou art My Son...?’” The phrase “sons of God” is consistently used in the New Testament in regard to believers (John 1:12, Romans 8:14, Philippians 2:15, 1st John 3:1-2). Job 1:6 and Job 2:1 most reasonably refers to Yom Kippur- the time when Satan would stand and accuse men before Adonai. It is most likely that the phrase “sons of God” spoke of the descendants of Seth and the “daughters of men” were from the descendants of Cain. This conclusion is reasonable, understanding that the skills possessed in the line of Cain were shared with Seth, thus giving Noah and his sons the skill and abilities to manufacture the ark.
The word “giants” (Genesis 6:4) is the word “ne-feel” which refers to the character of a person rather than his size: James Strong calls the ne-feel a bully or a tyrant. The word is different from “raw-faw” which describes the sons of Anak in Deuteronomy 2:1 as being rather large. Again, this disputes the argument that spectacular beings were result of sexual relations between humans and angelic beings.
I’d like to go back, for just a minute to Genesis 5:29. Noakh means “rest”. Lamech states why he named his son such: “this same shall comfort (console) us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord God has cursed.” Be careful what you ask for: Noah certainly brought rest and a peace different from Shabbat Shalom. We often find ourselves contemptuous toward God for the circumstances that we have brought ourselves into. We pray for deliverance from God’s justice and judgment, not really understanding what we’re asking for. God works completely and perfectly.
God saw (Genesis 6:5) that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of the heart was only evil continually. This should cause us a great discomfort because Enoch (Noah’s great grand pappy) is quoted in Jude 1:16 describing this generation as “murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts, speaking great swelling words of admiration in order to gain advantage.” Wow. As bad as all that? Lord, God, have mercy on us and teach us according to Your
!
I can vouch for them as I have read almost all the posts and they dont think women are inferior. They just dont always express themselves to us as well as we would like. Theyre only men! (Sorry guys, I had to add that! :
