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GOOD MORNING, SIBLINGS!
Today’s reading is Genesis 4-7
Read today’s passages at BibleGateway by clicking here.
Rabbit Trails – Don’t worry, I have much less to say today! Let’s dive right in.
Genesis 4: Why did YHWH accept Abel’s sacrifice but reject Cain’s?
It is worth noting that Abel brought the firstborn of his flock, his “first fruits”. It was special. We are told only that Cain brought “an offering of fruit of the ground.” We are not told that it was first fruits, best of his fruits, or any other characteristics that would set it apart as special.
In not ending Cain’s life for the murder of his brother, YHWH shows Grace again. He adds to that by putting a sign of protection on him. The word used for whoever in “therefore whoever kills Cain will receive vengeance sevenfold” is actually Kol in Hebrew. Kol can mean “anyone” but it usually means “anything” or “all things” so it was possible Cain was not just being protected from humans but from wild animals as well. Either way, more Grace!
I’ll have to quit pointing out all the incidents of grace because it’s in practically every other breath in Scripture but I just wanted to mention it once more – so I’ll only mention it a hundred times or so after this – honest. My point is, and we will see it time and again, YHWH has ALWAYS been a God of Grace.
Genesis 6 introduces the Nephelim. This is a whole other can of worms and I’ll admit it is a fascinating can of worms to open up. I’ve studied this and have my opinions and thoughts based on Scriptural evidence but if you go off on this trail make sure you come back in time for tomorrow’s readings. I spent some time on it, reached some possible conclusions that satisfied my own curiosity as much as it will be satisfied in this life, then let it go so that I could get back into the Word.
Be careful not to let rabbit trails get you too far from the path!
In Genesis 6 we see Noah being given instructions for loading the ark. We’ve all heard this story most of our lives. Chances are that, as children, you sang about it and might have even had Noah’s ark bathtub play sets and the like.
So when most of us think of how many of each animal Noah took onto the ark we immediately think 2. That is what we’ve been told, that is what we’ve always believed. However, that is not what the Bible says.
That’s the thing about inherited knowledge, especially when it comes to faith and the Word of YHWH. Inherited knowledge can be so ingrained in us that we actually believe we’ve read it or acquired it firsthand. Inherited religion is, again, secondhand faith. And just as I mentioned yesterday that there is no such thing as a secondhand relationship with the Father, so there is also no such thing as a secondhand relationship with the Word. You either know the Word firsthand or you know someone else’s view and opinion of the Word. The two are very different with one source being YHWH and the other being a fallible human.
So check out Genesis 7 to see the actual amount of each animal YHWH told Noah to bring onto the ark.
- How many of each animal did he take?
- Two (one pair) of some and how many (pairs) of the other?
- How was each type of animal classified?
An interesting note about Noah and Cain’s Wife: We are not told the description of clean and unclean animals until Leviticus but YHWH clearly shows that Noah has knowledge of it. From this we can surmise that there were rules, regulations, or teachings (whatever you want to call them) from YHWH that were known before the ten commandments era. This knowledge, which we are not privy to at this time, also holds the answers to where Cain and Abel’s wives came from, an oft asked question.
If you keep your eyes open you’ll see many more incidents in which YHWH’s people were found obeying Him before written records of commandments were given. For example, YHWH calls mankind wicked but Noah righteous so clearly Noah lived righteously according to YHWH’s teachings of some sort. The Bible gives us an abundance of information, but sometimes we are left with gaps that we won’t be able to fill in for sure until He returns. However, in His Wisdom and Grace we know that the Father has given us all that we need in order to live according to His Wisdom and Will.
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.
Deut 29:29
Genesis 6:14 – the Hebrew word used for Ark is only used in one other instance in the Bible. Follow the link at the end of this paragraph and find the word Ark in the verse. Directly above it you will see Hebrew and directly above that you will see a pronunciation of the Hebrew, click on that (it is the first blue bit above the black Hebrew writing) to see the other location that this word is used and what it references. It is fascinating and really brings the two stories into better perspective in terms of the Father’s overall plan of redemption. Link here: https://biblehub.com/interlinear/genesis/6-14.htm I showed you how to do this more in depth yesterday, click here if you need to review.
Lastly, what was the source of the flood?
If you answered rain, you only know part of the story. Check out verse Genesis 7:11
Get ready for tomorrow, when we’re gonna learn way more about the flood story than you ever thought possible!
Test everything, hold tight to what is good – and HE is the only source of good.
For additional thought, you might enjoy this Sidebar:
How Did Cain Find A Wife?
Test everything, hold tight to what is good.~ 1 Thess 5:21
We are saved by Grace alone: Obedience is not the root of our salvation, it is the fruit!
May YHWH bless the reading of His Word!