Lives and Legacies: First Ladies of the Bible. Cheryl Rhodes
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Название: Lives and Legacies: First Ladies of the Bible
Автор: Cheryl Rhodes
Издательство: Ingram
Жанр: Религия: прочее
isbn: 9781633389830
isbn:
No remorse, you notice. Just bemoaning the consequence for his own choices. You’ve no doubt seen that in your day. No accepting responsibility. No making restitution or seeking forgiveness. Just wailing against the consequences of self-will.
In mercy, despite Cain’s lack of repentance, The LORD said, “Vengeance will be taken seven times on anyone who slays Cain.” And The LORD set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should think to kill him (Gen. 4:15ff).
Cain went out from the presence of The LORD and lived in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. Not eastward in Eden, but east of Eden. Further away from paradise and relationships with The Creator and us.
And so, I lost my second son to death at the hand of my eldest, and I lost my eldest to the consequences of his own choices. No matter what your children do that disappoints you, you may not grasp how my losses grieved me. Every evil that followed, I knew to be part of the consequences for my disobedience. I had chosen disobedience. Through my children, I continued to experience the consequence of that choice the rest of my life.
Cain fathered a son whom he named Enoch (Gen 4:17). He, Cain, built a city. Why? Who told him to build a city? His own “creativity” perhaps? He called the city after his son, Enoch.
Cain had three great-great-great grandsons. Jabal was a cattleman who lived in tents. Jubal was a musician and instrument maker. Tubal-Cain worked with brass and iron. It was such fun when I could watch my children develop interests, skills, and talents. I enjoyed that immensely. Creation creating good things is part of the original purpose for humankind. God created us to create.
But these boys’ father, Lamech, murdered a man, Jewish sages say an ancestor and a descendant. Sorry, I’m just reporting. I can’t tell you how that worked. Lamech knew the murder to be to his own hurt, but the deed was done. As his great-great-grandfather, Cain, Lamech was a murderer. The consequences of sin are often seen generations later. Why don’t folks think about that before they choose sin (Gen. 4:3–24)?
Lamech had two wives. So the first polygamy is recorded. Interesting, Lamech was the first polygamist and the second murderer.
One hundred thirty years went by. I can’t tell you how old we were, since we were created mature. As was the earth and all else. So much for carbon dating. And if anyone ever asks you “which came first, the chicken or the egg,” you know, the chicken. All creation was created mature, with its seed in it.
God was gracious to us and gave us another son. I called him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel” (Gen. 4:25–26, 5:3). A child is always a blessing, but in this case, an obedient child to replace obedient Abel was a blessed blessing.
Six generations later, when we had lived nine hundred twenty two years, one of Seth’s descendants, another Enoch, developed a habitual walk in fellowship with God. And God took him to heaven without his dying (Gen. 5:24). What an encouragement to us in our old age. God was/is still available to those who desire a relationship with Him, still communing with humans after all the grief we’d caused Him, still loving and powerful on our behalf.
The sons of God—quite possibly fallen angels—took wives of all the daughters of men they desired. There were giants on the earth in those days as the sons of God, living with the daughters of men, produced them. These became the mighty men who gained a name for themselves by their feats of conquest. Not by their creating, you understand, but by their conquest. The alternative plan. The enemy’s plan.
Then The LORD said, “My Spirit will not strive with man forever, for he is only flesh. His days will now be one hundred twenty years.” Quite a change from our nine hundred thirty years.
The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination and intention of all human thinking was only evil continually (Gen. 6:5). Does that sound like your day?
The Scripture says that God regretted that He had made man on the earth and grieved. I think grief is the only reasonable response to the sin in this world.
I’ve grieved it. I grieved the grief we caused The Benevolent Creator. Do you grieve at the wickedness of your generation? You’re in good company, if you do. In company with The LORD God Almighty and His judgment of sin.
But remember Enoch and that wonderful testimony: he walked in habitual fellowship with The LORD. You can live in habitual fellowship with The LORD God. How great is that? Only the best opportunity ever open to humans. Don’t miss it. Habitual fellowship with The LORD God is the only way to live and the only way to prepare for eternity.
You’ll not want to miss the perfection of the new heaven and new earth which The Almighty has in store for those who choose His will and His way. He created the paradise into which Adam and I were created in just six days. He’s been preparing the new heaven and earth for two thousand years (John 14:2). The LORD wants you to enjoy that and Him. That day is coming.
Until then, I pray that your desire is to bring pleasure to your Creator. Order your life after His Word. Fulfill the purpose for which you were created. Be a good steward. Acknowledge His right to reign, to control, to be Creator over the creatures of His creation.
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