Hidden (Krypto) Treasures

To get pearls, one must dive deep!

Category: Genesis Page 36 of 41

If thou doest well …

By

On October 2, 2013

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Genesis 4:7-8 records the question that God has for Cain. God’s question to Cain was “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?”

On the surface, this question can be mistakenly understood that by works one could gain the acceptance of God.  The context in which God is asking Cain this question is not in the context of “acceptance by works (doing well)” but in the context of doing well to not let sin rule over him. God tells Cain that sin lay at the door (of his life) and he had to do well (right) to not let sin in, for it would rule over him if he let it in. Cain refuses to listen to God and ends up committing the first murder, slaying his very own brother Abel.

Points to ponder:
It is not by our works that God accepts us. It is only by grace and grace alone and not by our works, that God accepts us in his beloved (Ephesians 1:6; Ephesians 2:8-9). Instead of letting sin that is at the door of our life in to rule over us, we need to let The Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in, to rule over us. Jesus said, Behold, he is standing at the door of our life, knocking and wanting to come in and commune (dine) with us (Revelation 3:20).

If we let sin in, we don’t do well and we will be rejected.
If we let the Savior Jesus Christ in, we do well and we will be accepted.
Do you do well? Am I doing well?

Genesis 4:7-8 (KJV)
7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Furious and Fallen Faces

By

On October 1, 2013

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Genesis 4:5-7 reads “But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth (furious), and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shall thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee [shall be] his desire, and thou rule over him.”

From this account, we learn that the offering of Cain was one that God did not respect because Cain was letting sin rule over him. This makes Cain furious and he has a long (fallen) face which God notices. God also gives him a reason that it is because he did not do well in not being subject to sin that his offering was not accepted. God then gives Cain an opportunity to not let sin rule over him by advising him to do well.

Points to ponder:
God notices our faces and gives us an opportunity to do well and not allow sin to rule over us. But if we continue to let sin rule over us, we can expect the offering of our life (Romans 12:1-2) to be rejected and the outcome is going to be furious and fallen faces of ours. If God’s sees you today, would he see you as one with a furious and fallen face (meaning we are still slaves to sin) or as one whose face is lightened (by the Light of the World), radiant (radiating his glorious Light) and not ashamed (meaning we are slaves of God and not of sin). How is your face?

Genesis 3:5-7 (KJV)
5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

Psalm 34:5 (KJV)
5 They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.

In God’s hand

By

On September 30, 2013

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

September 30, 2013, marks 23 years of my life as a born again believer. It was on this very day, 23 years ago, that my day of sorrows was changed into a day of joy, when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

As I pondered over what I would wish for my spiritual birthday, I prayed that God would continue to hold me in his nail-pierced hand. The Bible says that we were held by God in our mother’s womb (Psalm 71:6) as God fashioned us fearfully and wonderfully (Psalm 139:14) in his very image (Genesis 1:27). It also says that in God’s hand is our very breath (Daniel 5:23) meaning that our very lives depend on us being in his hand.

I wish to live – live life to the fullest – as a slave of Jesus, so that I can experience the liberty one has in Him (Galatians 2:4) abundantly (John 10:10). I wish to be under bondage to God my Savior so that I am not in bondage to sin or the world (Galatians 2:4) i.e., I wish to be in God’s hand, held by him, so that I am not held by anything or anyone else in this world.

Points to ponder:
Who or What is holding on to you or in whose hand are you? Where do you want to be?

Daniel 5:23 (KJV)
23 But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified:

John 10:10
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Harvest offering – What kind will our life be?

By

On September 23, 2013

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Genesis 4:3-5 gives the account of the two sons of Adam that brought their respective offerings to the Lord God – one of which was accepted while the other was not. Abel’s was accepted while Cain’s was not. This account begins by giving an indication of the time when the offerings were brought before the Lord God. It was when the process of time had come to pass. In other words, the New Living Translation refers to this time frame as the time of the harvest.

Points to ponder:
First, we are commanded to present our bodies as an offering – a living sacrifice, holy an acceptable to the Lord.
Second, Revelation chapter 14 informs us of two harvests in the end times – in the time of the harvest (Revelation 14:15) – one which the Son of man (Jesus – Daniel 7:13; Revelation 14:14) harvests to himself and the other which an angel reaps to be trampled.

So when the time for the harvest comes (in the process of time), will the harvest offering of our lives be one that is acceptable (like that of Abel) to the Lord, reaped by Jesus Christ to himself, or will it be one that is unacceptable (like that of Cain) that is harvested to be trampled (Revelation 14:20; Hebrews 10:26-29)? We are all going to be harvest — the question is, which harvest will our lives be in?ee

Genesis 4:3-5 (KJV)
3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.
4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

Revelation 14:14-20 (KJV)
14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.
17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle.
18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.
20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.

She saw, she took, she gave … so must we

By

On July 12, 2013

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Genesis 3 records the account of the fall of man from the glory of God, for Adam and Eve, willfully sinned by eating of the tree of knowledge of good and of evil, which God has specifically commanded them not to. The Bible states that when Satan, the serpent, beguiled Eve, and when she saw the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and desirable for gaining wisdom, she took and ate it and gave it to her husband who was with her and he ate it as well. Through this act of seeing, taking, and giving, man (and woman) disobeyed God and brought death into the world (1 Corinthians 15:21).

The Bible counsels us to taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8) and that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). When we see the God of the world manifested fully in his Son Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:9), through his inspiration (2 Timothy 3:16) and his Word (John 1:1), do we desire him and take him and commune (eat) with him (Revelation 3:20). Jesus said that we must remember his death and resurrection, in communion (1 Corinthians 11:24), but we must not just stop there. We must give (share) him with the others who dont know him, so that they may have life – life abundant (John 10:10) and eternal (John 3:16).

Points to ponder:
She saw, she took, she gave … and death came into the world.
Do we see, take and give … the Light of the world (John 8:12) to those who are dying?

Revelation 3:20 (KJV)
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Psalm 34:8 (KJV)
8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Kept from the way of the Tree of life – why?

By

On July 10, 2013

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

To prevent sinful man from taking of the tree of life and eating to live forever, God had to drive the man out and sent him forth from the garden of Garden. God then placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Why would God stop man from the access to the tree of life – from eternal life? To understand this, we need to understand the reason as to why God  drove man out and kept him away from the tree of life.

The Bible states that God drove man out and sent him from the garden of Eden, so that he would not put forth his hand and take from the tree of life and eat and live forever. This is to establish the Salvation plan of God. Eternal life is a gift of God (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8) which one receives when they believe in Jesus Christ, the Tree of Life (Revelation 22:14). It is by grace through faith (believing) that man  is saved and not by his own actions (works) (Ephesians 2:8) – not by man reaching out (putting forth his hand) and taking from God, but by God reaching forth for man. Man (and woman) put forth their hands and took from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and brought death with their action. Now if man (and woman) put forth their hands and take also from the tree of life and bring life with their action, then man would find no need for God, his creator, for whom man was created (Colossians 1:16).

Points to ponder:
We cannot earn our salvation. We are saved by grace through faith and not by our own works. Eternal life is the gift of God. Have you received this gift? In other words, have you believed in Jesus Christ? If you have not, tarry no further, but simply believe.

Genesis 3:22-24 (KJV)
22 And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:
23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.
24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV)
8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

John 3:16 (KJV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The first sacrifice – God sheds blood

By

On July 8, 2013

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

Genesis 3:21 states that the Lord God made coats of skins and clothed Adam and his wife. After Adam and his wife, Eve, sinned, they became aware of their nakedness. They attempted to cover their nakedness with aprons of figs, but still found themselves to be naked before God (Genesis 3:7). While their physical shame may have been covered by the aprons of fig, their spiritual nakedness that resulted from their sin could not be covered by their own efforts. God had to personally make them clothing – coats of skins. This means that God had to shed blood to cover their sin. The Lord God had to make the first sacrifice. Since animals were not given unto man for food until after the flood (Genesis 9:3,4), this shedding of the blood was for sacrifice, and not sustenance.

Furthermore, this act of God demonstrates his loving and thus giving nature. The Bible states in Leviticus 7:8 that the skin of the animal that is given as a burnt offering belongs to the priest. And so the Son God, the Highest of all high priests (Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 5:10), gave what belonged to him – his own life (John 10:17-18) and his righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21) – to purge the sin of man and cover man’s shame. God so loved the world (and at this time, it was just Adam and Eve as humans who were in the world) that he gave himself.

Points to ponder:
Jesus Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son (Jesus Christ) so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin (Hebrews 9:22). Our righteousness (aprons of figs) are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6), insufficient to cover our spiritual nakedness that results from sin. We need to put on the righteousness of God which is imputed unto all who believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 4:24). We need to be clothed with the clothing (white robes of righteousness) that God has given to us in his Son – the first sacrifice from the foundation of the world. Are you clothed with the righteousness of God in Jesus? If not, believe in him and be imputed his righteousness.

Genesis 3:21 (KJV)
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.

Hebrews 9:22 (KJV)
22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Leviticus 7:8 (KJV)
8 And the priest that offereth any man’s burnt offering, even the priest shall have to himself the skin of the burnt offering which he hath offered.

John 3:16-17 (KJV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Mother of all Living

By

On July 5, 2013

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

After Adam and the woman whom God had made for him, were tricked by Satan, the adversary, to disobey God, God cursed the serpent (Satan) and the ground and told the woman and Adam the consequences of their disobedience. To the woman and Adam, sorrow from labor/toil was a consequence of their disobedience and then God told Adam, that dust he was and to dust he shall return, implying that man (both male and female) shall die. Then the Bible records that “And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.” (Genesis 3:20).

This saying of Adam may seem absurd at first for there is no mention of Adam or Eve to have borne children until then and yet Adam names his woman, Eve, as if she was the mother of all living. How is Eve the mother of all living? We can dissect this, in two viewpoints – physical and spiritual. Physically, Eve is the first mother of all of creation and it is through her progeny that the entire world has come into being. Spiritually,  the promised Messiah of all creation, Jesus Christ, who would bring about the gift of God, which is eternal life, shall come (John 3:16) as the seed of the woman (Genesis 3:15; Galatians 4:4) .

From this we can exposit that Adam understood not only the Just and Holy nature of God, who had to give the verdict, that the wages of sin is death (and to dust they shall return), but also the merciful nature of God, who would bring about life through the seed of the woman, meaning that life will continue, despite of death. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life and if any one believes in me, even though he is dead, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).

Points to ponder:
Only in Jesus, the seed of the woman, is life, life eternal? Do you know him as your Lord and Savior for only in believing in him is eternal life (John 17:3)?

Genesis 3:20 (KJV)
20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.

John 11:25 (KJV)
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

The consequences of Adam’s disobedience

By

On July 3, 2013

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

After Adam and Eve sinned, God told Adam, ”All the days of your life, you shall eat of the ground (herb of the field) which he cursed,  in sorrow, and by the sweat of you face shall you eat bread and return to the ground as dust that you are and were fashioned out of.” (Genesis 3:17-19), because he heeded more to the voice of the devil through his wife, than of God.

First and foremost, while many regard this to be the curse of Adam, it is important for us to recognize that, upon the disobedience of man and the woman, God did NOT curse the man, Adam, but instead he cursed the ground as he continued to reveal the elements of his masterplan of redemption through Jesus Christ. The consequences of one man’s sin was sorrow from toil, (just as it was of the woman), thorns and thistles, sweat and death.

Adam did not have to toil laboriously before his sinned to eat of the produce of the ground, but now he would have to, for before he sinned, all that was good for food and pleasing to the eyes is what the ground produced (Genesis 2:9). Now thorns and thistles, would it also produce, adding to the sorrow of his travail and he would have to sweat for his sustenance (bread). Apostle Paul remin the church of Thessalonica, Apostle Paul reminds the Church of Thessalonica of this consequence of sin, for he wrote that if one does not work, then that person should not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Then God said that he (Adam) who was made a living soul (Genesis 2:7), would return to the dust, meaning that he would die. Death came into the world by one man, Adam and it continues to this day (Romans 5:12).

Points to ponder:
Sorrow, thorns and thistles, sweat, and death are the consequences of sin. Adam sin’s warranted a Savior who could annul the curse on the ground, brought about by Adam. Jesus became the curse for he was crucified on a tree/cross, for it is written that anyone who hangs on the tree is accursed (Galatians 3:13). Jesus was described as a man of sorrows (Isaiah 53:3). Thorns were used to mock and crown Jesus (John 19:2). His agony for bearing the wrath of God was so intense that he started to sweat blood (Luke 22:44) and Jesus became obedient unto death, even death on the cross (Philippians 2:8). 

All of the consequences of man’s sin was poured out on Jesus, God’s only begotten son. He who knew no sin was made sin for us and he was made a man of sorrows to bear our sorrow. He was pierced with a crown of thorns and had to languish so much so that he sweat blood in his agony. And then Jesus died in our place so that we need not die. 

As physical child of the first Adam, we are conceived in sin (Psalm 51:5) and sinful.
As the spiritual children of God, we are imputed the righteousness of God (because Jesus became sin for us) and are saved.
Through the first Adam’s sin – death entered the world. (Romans 5:12)
Through the last Adam’s (Jesus’) sacrifice – life (resurrection from the dead) entered the world.

(1 Corinthians 15:21)

Which Adam are you the child of?

Genesis 3:17-19 (KJV)
17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Romans 5:12 (KJV)
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

1 Corinthians 15:20-22 (KJV)
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

The consequences of the woman’s disobedience

By

On July 2, 2013

In Christian, Genesis, Through the Bible

After Adam and Eve sinned, God told the woman, “I will multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow you shall bring forth children; and your desire shall be to your husband, and he shall rule over you.”

First and foremost, while many regard this to be the curse of Eve, it is important for us to recognize that, upon the disobedience of man and the woman (who was yet to be named Eve) , God did NOT curse the woman, as he did the serpent and the ground (Genesis 3:14; 3:17), but instead told her the consequences of her selfish lusts. The consequences of her sin was sorrow.

Often the increase in the sorrow of the woman in conception and childbirth is taught to us, as an increase in the pain of labor during childbirth, but the Scripture does not necessarily state an increase in pain, as a consequence of sin, but refers more to the condition of the woman, in conception and childbirth, as one of sorrow (and travail). At this point it is also important to recognize that the pangs of child birth are momentary, only to be replaced with joy upon child birth. Reflectively, God was continuing his revelation of his plan of redemption (Salvation) unto the woman. After he had confirmed the enmity between the serpent (Satan) and the woman (the Church), he was now confirming with the woman (the Church) that the woman (the Church) will be in a state of sorrow and travail, as a woman in labor, when her hour will come, as her bridegroom (Jesus) will be taken away from her, to the Father. The hour of the Church to act for God is here and now, for when we look around, we see that it is not received in a friendly manner by the world. Instead the pangs of the Church to have those who are not part of God’s family to be born (again) into his kingdom is an arduous and travailing task, often combined with sorrow, as many are put into situations such as torture (verbal, mental, physical), separation from their loved ones, beaten, imprisoned, and in some case even death. Jesus himself expressed the very state of sorrow that his disciples will be subject too, but then went on to assure that the present state of suffering (sorrow) will be turned into a state of joy, for just as a woman has sorrow when she is in travail because her hour has come, upon the delivery of her child, she remembers her anguish no more, because of the joy she experiences when a man is born into the world (John 16:21).

Additionally, God told the woman, that her desire will be to her husband, and he will rule over her. Some teach that this means that the woman’s disobedience led to her losing her position of equality with man, for though she was made as a help meet for him, her husband would now rule over her. Though this is certainly plausible, a more thorough scrutiny of the Scripture, reveals a hidden treasure in it, for the text does not read, the woman’s desire will be to rule over her husband, but instead she would be ruled over. Reflectively, this is actually a continuation of God’s revelation of his masterplan of restoration after redemption as to how the desire of the woman (the Church) will be her husband (Jesus Christ who will wed the Church – Revelation 19), and (not but) he (Jesus) shall rule over her.

Points to ponder:
The consequences of sin is sorrow – the sorrow (or anxiety) of being separated from our Savior (the bridegroom) and until he returns in the clouds (Revelation 1:7) and takes us to his Father’s mansion (John 14:2) to be with him (John 14:3), we as the Church have to travail as a woman in child birth. To have people be born again into the family of God, so that they can address God as Abba Father (Romans 8:15), the Church has to toil, but Jesus has promised that in a little while, we shall see him again (John 16:16) and when we do, our sorrows shall be turned into joy and we shall remember our anguish no more (John 16:21). Are you still in a state of sorrow? If yes, repent. If not, let us look forward to the glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ, diligently, when he shall turn our sorrows into joy.

Genesis 3:16 (KJV)
16 Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

John 16:1-7; 16-22 (KJV)
1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?
6 But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
…
16 A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.
17 Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
18 They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith.
19 Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him, and said unto them, Do ye enquire among yourselves of that I said, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me?
20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.
21 A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

Page 36 of 41

Previous

Next

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén