Genesis 14:14

Genesis 14:14 says, And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan.  Abram heard about Lot being taken captive and armed his trained servants, three hundred and eighteen of them, to go after Lot.  This was not many men to be pursuing a great army, but Abram had God on his side.  When we are facing great odds, we need to be sure that God is with us and that we are following His will.  Verse fifteen states, And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.  Abram was not a military man, and this is the only battle we have recorded of his participating in.  We are not necessarily called to be military people, but as followers of Christ we are a part of His army.  I believe that God led Abram to his strategy, and we must allow God to lead us to ours.  Verse sixteen says, And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.  We aren't told much about the battle, but Abram was successful and brought back everything.  Verse seventeen declares, And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king’s dale.  This tells us that Chedorlaomer and his allies were destroyed.  Verse eighteen adds, And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.  There is more than one interpretation as to whom Melchizedek was, but we do know that he was a king and a priest.  This would mean that he was not set aside exclusively for the priesthood.  As followers of Christ, we may be called to serve in more than one capacity.  Verse nineteen states, And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:  Melchizedek blessed Abram in the name of God.  We cannot really bless people out of our own abilities, but must always do so by calling on God's blessings for others.  Verse twenty adds, And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.  God was blessed for having brought success to Abram, and Abram gave a tithe to Milchizedek.   We must always be quick to give God the glory when we are successful in our battles against sin.  Verse twenty-one states, And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.  The king of Sodom would have been satisfied to simply have his people returned to him, at least at this time.  Verse twenty-two declares, And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,  Verse twenty-three adds, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:  Abram refused to take any of the goods and gave God the credit for the victory.  Abram did not want anyone to think that he had become rich at someone else's expense.  We today must always look to God to guide us and must never attempt to serve Him simply for material gains.  Verse twenty-four concludes, Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion.  Abram said he only wanted the food that his men had eaten, but that those who went with him, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre should be allowed to take what they wanted.  We should never attempt to limit what God blesses others with, but we also should never feel that God has to bless us materially.  Abram went only to rescue Lot and not to enrich himself.  We are challenged to present the gospel to the lost that they might be spiritually rescued, but we are never to do so in an attempt to enrich ourselves.

Genesis 14:1

Genesis 14:1 says, And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of nations;  Verse two adds, That these made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela, which is Zoar.  War broke out, the first war that we have a record of in scripture, and Sodom and Gomorrah were involved in it.  This was close to Abram, but especially close to Lot.  Followers of Christ today are often caught up in wars and are sometimes the targets of those at war.  Verse three states, All these were joined together in the vale of Siddim, which is the salt sea.  I believe this means the war was fought in the valley of Sidom.  Verse four adds, Twelve years they served Chedorlaomer, and in the thirteenth year they rebelled.  I would interpret this to mean  an uprising after the initial defeat.  Chedorlaomer and his allies won, and the people of Sodom and Gomorrah and their allies were under his rule for twelve years, then they rebelled.  We hear a lot today about people rebelling against those in power over them, often without success.  Verse five declares, And in the fourteenth year came Chedorlaomer, and the kings that were with him, and smote the Rephaims in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzims in Ham, and the Emims in Shaveh Kiriathaim,   Verse six adds And the Horites in their mount Seir, unto Elparan, which is by the wilderness.   Those allied with Chedorloamer soon routed those who were rebelling against them.  Sometimes, those with the military power win today, but we as followers of Christ can be certain that ultimately we will be on the winning side, even if it is not in this lifetime.   Verse seven states, And they returned, and came to Enmishpat, which is Kadesh, and smote all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that dwelt in Hazezontamar.  Then verse eight adds, And there went out the king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar;) and they joined battle with them in the vale of Siddim;  This again speaks of a battle in Siddim, but since these cities had already been under the rule of Chedorlaomer for twelve years before the revolt, I believe this must be a second battle.  Verse nine states, With Chedorlaomer the king of Elam, and with Tidal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings with five.  There were three kings fighting with Chedolaomer against five who had rebelled, including those of Sodom and Gomorrah.  Verse ten declares, And the vale of Siddim was full of slimepits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and fell there; and they that remained fled to the mountain.  The kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled to the slime pits, and those that didn't follow them fled to the mountains.  This would imply that the two kings abandoned their those that they ruled over.  We know that it is not unusual for ruler to put their own safety first if they are attacked, often abandoning their subjects.  Verse eleven says, And they took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their victuals, and went their way.  The conquering armies took all the goods, or material wealth, of Sodom and Gomorrah with them.  Taking away their wealth meant Sodom and Gomorrah would no longer be a threat.  Controlling the resources of a country today often leaves those living there subjected to another country.  Verse twelve declares, And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.  This was a big mistake on the part of those in victory.  They took Lot and his goods with them.  Even if we are taken captive in this life, we can be certain that God has already given us everlasting freedom, and He will never leave us alone without hope.  Verse thirteen declares, And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram.  News reached Abram about Lot being taken captive.  We can assume that the battle wasn't close enough for Abram to know about it, or that it just didn't concern him.  There are many wars today that we know very little about, even in these days of instant communication, and Christians are caught up in many of them, but I don't believe that we are called to conquer them all.  God has already defeated them for those who follow Him, though it may not be in this lifetime.

Genesis 13:12

Genesis 13:12 says, Lot dwelled in the cities of the plain, and pitched his tent toward Sodom.  Lot chose to live in the cities of the plain and set up his camp near Sodom.  Lot had seemingly left Abram, who had brought him to the land, when he saw what looked to be an ideal place to live.  The land was good and it was close to city, but unfortunately the city was one filled with very wicked people.  We should never be more influenced by what looks good than we are by what God would have us do.  Verse thirteen states, But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.  As just stated, the people of Sodom were wicked and sinners before God.  Though we may often be sent by God to live among sinners, we are not told that this was the case with Lot.  I believe he was there more out of fascination with the city than with bringing God's word to the people there.  We must make certain that if we find ourselves in a place filled with sin that we are there because God sent us there and not because we are fascinated by the sin.  Verse fourteen declares, And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:  God was directing Abram in his choice of the land after Abram separated from Lot.  Personally, I believe that this was when Abram really did what God instructed him to do and left all his kinsman.  Verse fifteen says, For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.  God promised to give Abram and his descendants all the land he could see forever.  God promises us a land we cannot see, a heavenly home,  forever as well.  Verse sixteen adds, And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.  This is still part of God's promise to Abram.  God again promised to make Abram the father of a great nation.  Since Sarai and Abram had no children at this time, and even Lot who may have been viewed as almost a son was gone, Abram may have wondered how this was going to happen.  We should never look at our situation to determine what we can do, but we must always look to God's promises.  When we truly put our faith in God, we can do anything He calls us to do.  Verse seventeen continues, Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.  Abram was told to take some action, to walk the land.  When God calls us to do something today, He expects us to take action.  Verse eighteen states, Then Abram removed his tent, and came and dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altar unto the LORD.  Abram moved his tent to the plain of Mamre, in Hebron.  There, he built another altar to God.  Abram never left his worship of God behind him, and neither should we.  We must keep our relationship with God first, wherever we are.

Genesis 13:1

Genesis 13;1 says, And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south.  Abram left Egypt.  He had not distinguished himself as a man who trusted God while he was there.  Verse two states, And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.  Even though Abram had failed Sarai and God, God was still at work fulfilling His promise to Abram.  Even if we occasionally fail to obey God, if we have truly accepted Christ as our Savior and Lord, God will never forget His promise to us.  Verse three adds, And he went on his journeys from the south even to Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Hai;  Abram went back to where he had first settled.  During the famine nor after, Abram never went back to his homeland.  When we accept Christ, we should never want to go back to where we were before spiritually.  Verse four says, Unto the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first: and there Abram called on the name of the LORD.  Abram went back to the altar and called on God.  We do not find any evidence that Abram called on God when he made his plans in Egypt.  When we have strayed away from God, we need to go back to the altar and call on Him again.  I don't believe that the altar is necessarily a physically place, but it is a spiritual place where we meet God.  Verse five states, And Lot also, which went with Abram, had flocks, and herds, and tents.  Lot was also prospering.  Verse six states, And the land was not able to bear them, that they might dwell together: for their substance was great, so that they could not dwell together.   God had allowed both Abram and Lot to prosper so much that the land could not contain them.  I still do not believe that God intended for Abram to bring Lot along, since Lot was not a part of God's promise to Abram.  I do know that we should be careful to do exactly what calls us to do, and if we don't then we can expect problems.  Verse seven declares, And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram’s cattle and the herdmen of Lot’s cattle: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the land.  Trouble arose between the herdmen of Abram and Lot.  Sometimes, being richly blessed can cause problems.  Verse eight adds, And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.  Abram took the initiative to solve the problem.  We, as followers of Christ, should always take the initiative to attempt to resolve problems between others and us.  This is especially true of problems with fellow Christians.  In verse nine Abram asks, Is not the whole land before thee? separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left.  After asking Lot if there were not plenty of land, he then gave Lot his choice of the land.  We must remember that God's promise was to Abram and not to Lot.  Even if we give others first choice in material matters, it does not change God's promise to us.  Verse ten states, And Lot lifted up his eyes, and beheld all the plain of Jordan, that it was well watered every where, before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, even as the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, as thou comest unto Zoar.  Lot saw what looked like the perfect land.  Things of this world may look perfect to us, but if we are following our own sight and not God's will, then they will never be.  Verse eleven declares, Then Lot chose him all the plain of Jordan; and Lot journeyed east: and they separated themselves the one from the other.  Lot chose what looked like the best land for himself.  As Abram's nephew who was along at Abram's invitation, we would have thought that he would have told Abram to choose, but he didn't.  People today too often are still too selfish in their dealings with others.

Today we in America celebrate Memorial Day, a day to remember all those who died in service to the country.  It was originally called Decoration Day, and originated shortly after the Civil War, and became a national holiday in 1971.  We are just discussing the first war recorded in the Bible, though war was never God's intention.  Still, war has been a part of human history almost from the beginning, and we need to remember those who gave their lives to support American during the wars that have been faught.  Most of all, I believe, we need to remember God, Who promises us a world where war will no longer exist, after Christ returns in judgment.  Today, hopefully you will take a few moments to remember why we celebrate this day and ask God to guide us toward a more peaceful world.   Since this is an American holiday, I have referred to Americans who died in service to their country.

Genesis 12:9

Genesis 12:9 says, And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.  Abram still had not settled permanently.  Though Abram was in the land of promise, there was a famine there as we see in verse ten, so he left temporarily.  Verse ten states, And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.  Abram did not use the famine as an excuse to return to his homeland, but went further still.  When people become followers of Christ, they can expect difficulties in life, but they must never use those difficulties as an excuse to return to where they were before accepting Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Verse eleven says, And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon:  Abram began to waver in his faith in God when he entered Egypt.  He evidently didn't believe that God would keep him safe.  Verse twelve adds, Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.  Abram feared that the Egyptians would kill him if they knew that Sarai was his wife so that they might have her.  Again, this shows very little faith in God's promise.  Verse thirteen concludes, Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.  Abram devised his own plan to save himself, but he was not too concerned about what this would do to Sarai.  Our own plans of salvation will never work, but we must always put our faith in God's plan.  Verse fourteen states, And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman that she was very fair.  What Abram had feared would happen did.  Sometimes, the things that we fear may happen will, but this is the time that we must put our faith in God even more.  Verse fifteen says, The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.  Sarai was taken into the house of the Pharaoh because she was a good looking woman, I guess we could say.  Verse sixteen declares, And he entreated Abram well for her sake: and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.  The Pharaoh was in effect buying Sarai, whom Abram had called his sister, from Abram, and Abram was willing to go along with it.  Our plans may not only save us problems, but they may materially reward us, but if they are not based on faith in God and His promises, they will ultimately fail.  Verse seventeen says, And the LORD plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai Abram’s wife.  Abram may have been willing to sell Sarai, but God still had His plan and promise in effect.  God brought a plague on Pharaoh's house because of Sarai.  Sarai was a part of God's plan to build a nation, and He would not let her go, even if Abram had.  As followers of Christ, we cannot use other people, especially other Christians, for our own benefit.  Verse eighteen asks, And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?  The pharaoh called Abram and asked why he had lied about Sarai being his wife.  It is bad when those who do not profess to know God can question the auctions of those who do, especially if it is based on something the the believer did that was wrong.  There was no way that Abram could justify his actions.  Verse nineteen adds, Why saidst thou, She is my sister? so I might have taken her to me to wife: now therefore behold thy wife, take her, and go thy way.  Even the pharaoh recognized that what he was about to do was wrong.  Verse twenty declares, And Pharaoh commanded his men concerning him: and they sent him away, and his wife, and all that he had.  Pharaoh sent Abram and Sarai and all that they had away.  I believe that Abram's lack of faith created a lot of problems, but God was still at work in his life.  Our lack of faith at times may create problems, but if we are truly followers of Christ, He will be at work to rescue us from our foolish plans.

Genesis 12:1

Genesis 12:1 says, Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:  God spoke to Abram and gave him specific instructions.  Abram was to leave his country, his kindred, and his father's house.  I believe that too often today people allow where they live and closeness to their family to dictate what they will do for God.  I also believe that God still calls people to leave home and family to serve Him by spreading the gospel in other parts of the country and world.  Verse two states, And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:  God's call to Abram came with a promise.  God said He would make Abram the father of a great nation and his name great.  God's call to us today comes with a promise.  God will write our names in the book of life and we will become a part of His kingdom.  Verse three adds, And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.  I believe that the reason Abram was to be blessed was not because of his own goodness, but because of his obedience to God.  When God blesses us today, it is not because of our own goodness or because we somehow deserve it because of who we are and where we were born, but because of God's grace to us.  If we want God to bless us, either as an individual or a nation, we must first be obedient to Him.  Verse four declares, So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.  Abram almost did as God instructed, but Lot went with Him.  I don't believe that this was totally doing what God instructed Abram to do, and later Lot would cause Abram problems.  When God calls us to do something, we need to be totally obedient or it will later cause us problems.  Verse five adds, And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.  This states that Abram took not only Lot but some other people, maybe servants, with Him.  Once more, we need to be certain that when God directs us to do something that we obey His instructions without adding to or taking away from them.  Verse six says, And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was then in the land.  Abram went to the land of Canaan, and there were already people there.  Wherever God calls us to go today, there will already be people there.  Still, as followers of Christ, wherever we are, we are a part of God's kingdom if we are following His will for our lives.  God did not promise that Abram's becoming a great nation would be without problems, and we as followers of Christ today are not promised that life will be without problems.  Verse seven states, And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.  Though there were already people there, God promised that He would give this land to Abram.  I believe that when we are where God wants us to be that He will let us know and we can be certain of His promises to us.  Abram built an altar to God, and we today must always honor God even as we are doing His will.  Verse eight declares, And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD, and called upon the name of the LORD.  When Abram got to where he was going to settle, he once again built an altar to God.  We can never leave our worship of God behind us at an altar we built before.  We must always make worship and obedience to God a daily practice.

Genesis 11:10

Genesis 11:10 says, These are the generations of Shem: Shem was an hundred years old, and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:  The rest of the chapter simply gives a more detailed genealogy of Shem.  Verse eleven states, And Shem lived after he begat Arphaxad five hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.  Verse twelve says, And Arphaxad lived five and thirty years, and begat Salah:   Verse thirteen adds, And Arphaxad lived after he begat Salah four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters. Verse fourteen says, And Salah lived thirty years, and begat Eber: Verse fifteen adds, And Salah lived after he begat Eber four hundred and three years, and begat sons and daughters.  Verse sixteen says,  And Eber lived four and thirty years, and begat Peleg:  As stated earlier, Eber was the father of the Hebrews.  Verse seventeen adds, And Eber lived after he begat Peleg four hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters.  Verse eighteen says, And Peleg lived thirty years, and begat Reu:  Verse nineteen adds, And Peleg lived after he begat Reu two hundred and nine years, and begat sons and daughters. Verse twenty says, And Reu lived two and thirty years, and begat Serug:  Verse twenty-one adds, And Reu lived after he begat Serug two hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters. We see that the length of life is decreasing.  Verse twenty-two says, And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor:  Verse twenty-three adds, And Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.  Verse twenty-four states, And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah:  Verse twenty-five says, And Nahor lived after he begat Terah an hundred and nineteen years, and begat sons and daughters.  Verse twenty six adds, And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.  We are now to Abram..  Verse twenty-seven adds, Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.  We also have the record of the birth of Lot, Abram's nephew.  Verse twenty-eight adds, And Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his nativity, in Ur of the Chaldees.  This is the first time that it is mentioned that a son died before his father, with the exception of Abel.  It may be to show why Lot was with Abram.  Verse twenty-nine states, And Abram and Nahor took them wives: the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai; and the name of Nahor’s wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah, and the father of Iscah.  Verse thirty declares, But Sarai was barren; she had no child.  Verse thirty-one adds, And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.  Terah took Abram, Sarai, and Lot and went to the land or Ur of the Chaldees.  Verse thirty-two concludes, And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.  This bring us from the flood to Abram, or later Abraham, through the descendants of Shem.  We do not have the genealogy of Ham and Japheth, but they were also having generations of sons and daughters, so there were many more people in the world.

Genesis 11:1

Genesis 11:1  says, And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.  The world was still united.  Even though we were told groups of people, or nations, would descend from Noah's three sons, for a long time after the flood, the people were united with only one language.  Matthew Henry points out that God had told them to go populate all the world, but they were still remaining grouped together.  They may have felt that there was more security in numbers, but we must remember that our real security is in following God's commands.  Verse two states, And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.  The people found a place that looked good and all decided to live there.  Again, this was not what God had instructed them to do.  Verse three declares, And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.  Though they did not find building materials, they figured out how to make them.  When we are following God's leadership, He will provide us with what we need to accomplish His work.  Sometimes through, we decide to make our own provisions, but we can never accomplish what God wants us to do through our own abilities.  Even though we may need to work to accomplish God's purpose for us, we should always be sure that we are working under His guidance.  Verse four adds, And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.  Matthew Henry points out that the people were acting in defiance to God.  They were building a city so they would not be scattered, which is what God had told them to do.  We have that same command, which is to go into all the world with the gospel.  They wanted to build a tower to reach into heaven and preserve their names.  The only place we need to have our name remembered is in God's book of life.  God's people had always lived in tents, but now they wanted something more permanent.  We will never have a permanent home on earth, no matter how big and ornate we may build it.  Verse five declares, And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.  God knows what is going on in the world, and He judges whether things are being done according to His will.  Verse six adds, 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.  God noted that the people were united and were more capable of accomplishing great things, even if it was against God's will.  No matter how great we may think we are and how much power we may think we have, we are still but a part of God's creation.  Verse seven says, Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.  God gave the people several different languages.  I cannot imagine what it was like to suddenly have groups of people who no longer understood each other when they had a short time before.  Verse eight states, So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.  When we defy God, He will destroy our plans, if not immediately, then in the coming judgment.  Verse nine concludes, Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.  Even today, when someone is speaking in a way we don't understand, we say they are babbling.

Genesis 10:21

Genesis 10:21 says,, Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.  It is through Eber, one of the great grandsons of Shem, that the Hebrews descended.  Though they were a weak people nationally, they were the people that God chose to work through to accomplish His salvation plan.  They were set apart, not because of their greatness, but because of their weakness in the eyes of the world.  God does not often choose the rich and powerful to work through, but instead chooses the weak and lowly.  Even those who are rich and powerful must acknowledge their own weakness before God to claim His salvation.   It also points out that Ham was evidently the younger brother of Japhteth, through whom the Gentiles were descended.  Though a separate group of people throughout the Old Testament, the Jews and Gentiles were descended from the same person, Noah, and were reunited as one people spiritually, followers of Christ, in the New Testament.  Verse twenty-two states, The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.  Verse twenty-three adds, And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.  Verse twenty-four concludes, And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.  We are now back to Eber, who has already been brought up.  Verse twenty-five states, And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.  It was during the days of Peleg that the earth was divided, most likely referring to the dispersion at the tower of Babel.  Verse twenty-six says, And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah,  Verse twenty-seven adds, And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah,  Verse twenty-eight continues, And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba,  Then verse twenty-nine states, And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan.  Verse thirty says, And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east. This simply tells us where some of Shem's descendants lived.  Verse thirty-one declares, These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations.  Then verse thirty-two concludes, These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations: and by these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.  I believe that what this means today is that by birth we are all equal in God's view.  Though God chose to work through a particular group of people in the Old Testament, that does not mean that everyone else was doomed.  God has always worked to redeem anyone and everyone who will put their faith in Him.

Genesis 10:1

Genesis 10:1 says, Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood.  This chapter follows the genealogy of Noah's three sons.  Verse two says, The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.  The next few verses follow the descendants of Japheth.  Verse three adds, And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah.  Verse four concludes, And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim.  We are not given the descendants of all his son's but only of two.  Verse five says, By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations.  The Gentiles were descendants of Japhath.  The next few verses follow the descendants of Ham.  Verse six says, And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. Verse seven adds, And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. Verse eight states, And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.  One of the son's of Cush, Nimrod, was singled out and declared to be one of the mighty men in the earth.  Verse nine declares, He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.  He was known to be a mighty hunter before the Lord.   Matthew Henry says that this does not mean that Nimrod followed God, but in fact Nimrod set himself up as the one to be followed.  Verse ten adds, And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.  Babel was a part of his kingdom, and we will later read of its significance.  Verse eleven says, Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah,  Then verse twelve adds, And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city.  Matthew Henry says that after the dispersion at Babel that Nimrod built these cities in Assyria.  Verse thirteen says, And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim,  Verse fourteen adds, And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim.  Verse fifteen states, And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,  Verse sixteen adds, And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite,  Verse seventeen continues, And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite,  Then verse eighteen concludes,  And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad.  These were many of the people who would later fight against the Jews, and eventually they were spread abroad.  Verse nineteen states, And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha.  This simply tells us the size of the land of the Canaanites.  Verse twenty says, These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations.  We will look at the sons of Shem separately.

Genesis 9:20

Genesis 9:20 says, And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard:  Noah became a farmer, basically, and he planted a vineyard.  Noah went back to work.  He did not suddenly feel that everything was owed to him.  When we accept Christ, we are called to work, not to be worshipped nor to demand the riches of this world.  Verse twenty-one states, And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.  Noah evidently made wine, and then drank too much.  Noah was the man who found mercy in the eyes of God, but he was not a perfect man.  He got drunk and fell asleep naked.  Verse twenty-two adds, And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.  Matthew Henry points out that the sin of Ham was not seeing Noah passed out naked, but in telling his brothers about it out in public.  He says that it was as if Ham was gloating about the fact.  We may see someone commit a sinful act, but we should never publicise it in an attempt to shame them or to make ourself look better.  Verse twenty-three declares, And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.  Shem and Japheth went out of their way to not look on Noah, their father, with disrespect.  We today should never look at the sins of others as an opportunity to look down on them, but we should do all we can to minimize the effect of the sin.  Verse twenty-four says, And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.  We are not told how Noah knew what Ham had done, but it may have been something that everyone was talking about.  All we are told is that when Noah awoke, or sobered up, he knew.  Verse twenty-five declares, And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.  Noah pronounced a curse on Canaan, Ham's son.   He was to be a servant to his brothers.  I still do not believe that God punishes children for the sins of their parents, but we are not told that this was something that God did.  I personally believe that just as Noah was wrong to pass out drunk and naked, so was he wrong in this action.  Verse twenty-six adds, And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.  Shem would be the father of the Israelites.  Noah did not say that Shem should be blessed but that God should be.  Verse twenty-seven concludes, God shall enlarge Japheth, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.  Japheth would be the father of the Gentiles, and Canaan would be a servant to both.  Verse twenty-eight says, And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.  Then verse twenty-nine states, And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.  Noah had a long life after the flood and overall.  Still, as with nearly all people, he died.  We can be certain that no matter how long we live, and no matter how good or bad we may be, that unless Christ returns before then, we will all die.  For followers of Christ, this is just a transition point though.  We move on to the rest of our everlasting life.

Genesis 9:12

Genesis 9:12 says, And God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:  After God made His promise to Noah to never again destroy the earth by water, God said He was going to provide a token, or sign, to remind people of His promise.  The sign that we have today to remind us of salvation through Christ is not just the cross, but the Holy Spirit living in us.  Anyone can make a cross, and some may claim to have splinters from the original cross, but only those who accept Christ as Savior and Lord have the Holy Spirit indwelling them.  Verse thirteen says, I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.  God put a rainbow in the sky to remind people of His promise.  I had a friend once who said he didn't believe the rainbow was a sign from God, because people could make a rainbow.  I know that on a very limited scale, when conditions are right, we can produce a small rainbow, but God is still in charge of the conditions and the laws behind the rainbow.  Verse fourteen adds, And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:  It is not Mother Nature that is in charge of the weather, but it is Father God.  I don't believe that God dictates every weather event, but I believe that He can if He so desires.  Verse fifteen proclaims, And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.  God did not promise that there wouldn't be floods that killed people, but only that there would never be another flood that destroyed all flesh.  Likewise, when we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord, God does not promise that we will never have problems, but promises that these problems will never destroy our everlasting life with Him.  Verse sixteen states, And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth.  I don't believe that God needs a reminder of His promise, but that this is simply a sign for people to know that God remembers His promise.  We can be certain that God will always remember and keep His promises.  Verse seventeen declares, And God said unto Noah, This is the token of the covenant, which I have established between me and all flesh that is upon the earth.  God told Noah this was a token, or sign, of His covenant.   As followers of Christ, as already stated, the sign that we have of the truth of God's promise to us is the Holy Spirit living in us.  We should need no other signs.  Verse eighteen says,  And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.  Then verse nineteen concludes,These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread.  These were the people, along with their wives, who would repopulate the earth.  As discussed earlier, those who see the mark of Cain as some physical trait that passed from generation to generation would have to acknowledge that none of Cain's descendants survived the flood, so even had there been a mark on his descendants, it would no longer be in existence.  Of course, I didn't believe that it passed to anyone else to begin with.

Genesis 9:1

Genesis 9;1 says, And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.  God blessed Noah and His sons.  That is the best that we can ever hope for, that we will be blessed by God.  For this to happen, we, like Noah must obey God and have a personal relationship with Him.  Verse two states, And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.  There was to be a change in the relationship between people and the other animals.  The other animals were to start to fear people.  People and animals had lived in harmony until this time.  Verse three proclaims, Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.  Noah was told that all animals could be used for food, just as all green herbs could be.  Later, under the Law, some restrictions would be placed on what animals could be eaten, and even later, under grace through Christ, those restrictions would be removed.  In all three cases though, God said that the animals were for food.  When someone says that Christians should not eat meat because it is against God's will, they do not know what God's word teaches.  Verse four adds, But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.  There was the restriction of not eating the blood of animals, which was seen as the life force.  Verse five declares, And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man’s brother will I require the life of man.  We are not to just needlessly kill animals or other people, and Matthew Henry says this is a warning against killing ourself.  Verse six says, Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.  This is a warning against murder and not against killing in wars or under the judicial system, nor does it apply to a death in an accident.  It refers to murder, as Cain murdered Abel.  Verse seven states, And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.  God once again called on people to multiply and abundantly repopulate the earth.  God wants people to be numerous, but He also wants them to be obedient to Him.  Verse eight declares, And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,  God didn't just speak to Noah, but He also spoke to Noah's sons.  God speaks to us each individually today, but the question is whether we will listen to Him or not.  Verse nine adds, And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;  God was once again establishing a covenant with mankind.  When God establishes a covenant with us, we do not get to change the terms of the covenant.  Verse ten continues, And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.  God's covenant with people would cover all of His creation.  Verse eleven concludes, And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.  God promised Noah and his sons that the earth would never again be destroyed by water, and that promise remains today.

Genesis 8:13

Genesis 8:13 says, And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.  On the first day of the first month, Noah removed the cover from the ark.  It was a new day of a new year for a new beginning.  When we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord, it is a new beginning for us.  Verse fourteen states, And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.  Noah still had not left the ark a month and twenty-seven days later, I believe because he was still waiting for God to tell him to go.  We may think things look right for us to do something, but until we know that God has told us to do it we must wait.  Verse fifteen declares, And God spake unto Noah, saying,  The word of God came to Noah.  Verse sixteen adds, Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons’ wives with thee. Then verse seventeen concludes, Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.  God had told Noah to build the ark, and he obeyed.  God had told Noah when to gather the animals and his family and get in the ark, and he obeyed.  God now told Noah that it was time to leave the ark with all the animals and his family and to repopulate the earth.  If we are following Christ, we do not reach a point where we just do everything on our own and assume that it is God's will.  Like Noah, we must wait on God's direction even when everything may look perfectly safe to proceed on our own.  Verse eighteen proclaims, And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him:  Verse nineteen adds, Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark.  Though Noah had waited until God told him to go, once God told him to go, Noah went.  When God tells us to go, there is no longer a need to wait until we feel things are right.  Just as we don't want to get ahead of God, we don't want to lag behind Him either.  Noah obeyed God, and so must we.  Verse twenty states, And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.  Noah built an altar and offered a sacrifice to God of every clean animal and bird.  We must always remember to thank God for all that He does for us, especially for providing for a way of salvation.  Verse twenty-one says, And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.  When Noah offered the sacrifice, God said He would not curse the ground anymore for the sake of mankind, even though the hearts of people were evil from their youth.  Fortunately, God does not destroy us the first time we sin, but offers us a way to salvation through faith in Christ.  Verse twenty-two concludes, While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.  God said that as long as the world stands that life would continue as it was created to be.  We still have this promise from God.

Genesis 8:1

Genesis 8:1 says, And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged;  God remembered Noah and all the living things in the ark.  I don't believe that this means that God had forgotten them at some point, but that He knew it was time to complete His promise to Noah.  God never forgets His promises to us.  God sent a wind to begin drying the waters off the earth.  Verse two states, The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained;  God also stopped the rains and the waters from the deep from continuing to flood the earth.  It was not enough to attempt to dry the earth if it was still being drenched, just as it is not enough for us to attempt to find forgiveness for past sins if we are still not trying to stop sinning.  Verse three adds, And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.  The waters begin to recede.  God could have returned the world to normal in an instant, but He chose to work through more natural means.  God still works through natural events to spread His gospel, His saving grace, for the most part today.  Verse four declares, And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.  The ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat.  There are people today who attempt to find the remnants of the ark, but I believe the ark served its purpose and is no longer of any value.  We either believe what God's word tells us or we don't, and it should never be based on having physical evidence of an event.  Verse five states, And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen.  The water continued to recede.  During this time, Noah had to simply wait on God to fulfill His promise, just as we must learn to wait on God.  Verse six declares, And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:  Forty days after settling on the mountain, Noah opened the window of the ark.  I believe that God led Noah to do this.  Verse seven adds, And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.  Noah first sent out a raven from the ark, and it flew all around.  Matthew Henry says that the raven came back to rest on the ark, but never came back in.  Verse eight states, Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground;  Noah also sent a dove out, to see if the waters had receded enough for all the people and animals to get out of the ark.  I believe that this was all because God led Noah to do these things.  Verse nine says, But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.  The dove returned because there was no resting place, and Noah brought it back into the ark.  Verse ten adds, And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;  Noah waited a week before sending the dove out again.  We must likewise patiently wait for God to fulfill His promise of everlasting life after Christ returns.  Verse eleven concludes, And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.  This time, the dove returned with an olive branch in its mouth, and Noah know the waters had receded.  I believe that God will always provide proof that He has kept His promises, but that it will be according to His time frame.  Verse twelve proclaims, And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.  Noah was still content to wait another week.  We must always be certain that we are not getting ahead of God.

Genesis 7:13

Genesis 7:13 says, 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;  These were the people who would repopulate the earth.  We really aren't told much about Noah's children's relationship with God, but I believe that they must have at least followed the example of Noah.  Verse fourteen states, 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.  All the animals were also aboard the ark.  Verse fifteen adds, And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life.   Though they went in two by two, we know that the clean animals had seven pairs going in.  I don't believe that Noah had to go hunt and herd the animals, but more that God brought them there and lined them up.  I do have to wonder what people around Noah felt by this time, with a giant boat sitting on dry land being filled with animals, but they were not interested enough to begin to look to Noah or God for answers.  There may be people today who are curious about what is going on in the church, or Christianity, but they are not interested enough to find out.  Like those around Noah, they will miss salvation if they only remain curious.  Verse sixteen says,  And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in.  We are told that they went in as God commanded them and God shut them in.  When we go to God through faith in Christ as our Savior and Lord, which is what God commands us to do for salvation, then God shuts, or seals, us into His kingdom.  Once we accept Christ, we are God's children forever.  God seals our salvation.  Verse seventeen declares, 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 came, just as God had said it would, and Noah and everyone and everything on the ark were safe.  God always keeps His promises.  Verse eighteen adds, And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters.  This simply says that as the waiter rose that the ark rose with it.  Verse nineteen continues, And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered.  Verse twenty concludes, Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered.  This flood didn't just cover the low areas, but covered the mountains as well.  There was no other place of sanctuary outside the ark, and there is no place of sanctuary spiritually today outside of faith in Christ.  Verse twenty-one says, 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 animals on land and all the people on the earth died.  Verse twenty-two adds, All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.  The fish survived, because they lived in the water.  Verse twenty-three states, 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.  Verse twenty-four concludes, And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.  The earth was covered with water for one hundred and fifty days.

Genesis 7'1

Genesis 7:1 says, 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.  God instructed Noah to go into the ark with his family.  Though following God's instructions to build the ark was important, going into the Ark was what would ultimately save Noah and his family.  Salvation is already provided for every person, but until we enter into a personal relationship with God through faith in Christ as our Savior and Lord, we cannot be saved.  Verse two states, 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.  I know we normally say that Noah took two of every animal into the ark, but he took seven pairs of the clean animals.  Since God is the One Who declared animals as clean or unclean, I am sure He was able to specify which animals were which to Noah.  Then verse three adds, Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.  Also, the birds were taken aboard in pairs of seven.  Verse four declares, 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.  Noah and his family and the animals were to be in the ark seven days before the rain started.  I am not sure if the significance of the seven days was because that was the duration of God's creative activity or not, but what He had declared good at the end of that first week He now declared very bad.  I personally am not certain that this was the first time that it had rained, but it is the first time rain is mentioned.  Verse five says, And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him.  Noah had obeyed God in building the ark, and now he obeyed God in doing what God had commanded him to do about getting in the ark.  We cannot be saved by simply getting ready to some day follow Christ.  We must fully enter into that personal relationship with Christ.  Verse six states, And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth.  Verse seven adds,, 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.  Noah's whole family went into the ark.  We could debate whether the rest of Noah's family were saved because of his faith in God, but even if they were physically saved by the faith of Noah, their spiritual salvation was still dependent on their own belief in God.  We may do everything possible to bring our children to salvation, but each must make their own personal choice in order to be saved.  Verse eight states, Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth,  Verse nine adds, There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.  Though this says they went in two by two, it also says that they went as God had ordered, so there would have been seven pairs of the clean beasts going in two by two.  Verse ten declares, And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.  After a week, the rain came, as God had said it would.  The rains lasted for forty days.  God could have easily flood the earth in the blink of an eye, but He chose this method.  We do not need to question God's methods, but we need to simply obey His word.  Verse eleven adds,  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.  Not only was the earth flooded by rain, but it was also flooded by the fountains of the deep.  Verse twelve adds, And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.  As already stated, the time to flood the earth lasted for forty days.

Genesis 6:11

Genesis 6:11 says, The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.  We can debate whether the conditions a person lives in or the way they are raised lead a person to sin, but God had created a good world and it was soon totally corrupt.  We might say that after being evicted from the garden of Eden that the world had been cursed, but I believe that this simply meant that people were going to have to work to meet their needs instead of them being provided for by God.  We certainly know that  Adam and Eve lived in a perfect environment, and still they sinned.  Verse twelve states, And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.  When God looked at the world that He had created and called good, He saw that it was totally corrupt.  Sin grows rapidly when people turn away from God.  Verse thirteen declares, And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.  God warned Noah of the coming destruction.  Noah was said to have found grace in the eyes of God, and this one righteous man kept the world from being totally destroyed.  I believe that the righteous, the followers of Christ, reaching out to the lost, keep the world from being destroyed today.  Verse fourteen says, Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.  God told Noah to make an ark, or a giant boat.  Even though Noah had found grace, he had to obey God's instructions to be saved.  In order to claim salvation today, we must obey God's instructions to accept salvation through faith in Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse fifteen states, And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits. Then verse sixteen adds, A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou make it.  This tells us how big the ark was to be, but all we really need to know was that it was big enough for God's purpose.  When we live by faith, we need to realize that God will always provide for our needs in order for us to do His will.  Verse seventeen declares, And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.  God pronounced the coming destruction of all flesh through a flood.  Then verse eighteen proclaims, But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee.  God established a covenant with Noah.  God would save Noah and his family.  God establishes a covenant with each individual who accepts Christ today.  He will save us, but our family cannot be saved by our faith.  Each person must accept Christ as Savior and Lord for themselves.  Still, if we live by faith we may lead our family to that same faith.  Verse nineteen states, And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.  Noah was also tasked with saving the other animals.  We today are to work to maintain God's creation.  Verse twenty adds, Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive.  Noah was to gather a pair of all living creatures to keep them from being totally destroyed.  Then verse twenty-one adds,  And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them.  Noah was to take enough food for his family and all the animals.  Not only did Noah have to build the ark, but he had to gather the animals and food as well.  He could only do this by acting from faith.  If we see what seems like an impossible task we feel that God is calling us to do, remember Noah and his task.  God will not call us to do something that He does not equip us to do.  Verse twenty-seven declares, Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.  Like Noah, we do not need to question God but we need to simply do what God instructs us to do.

Genesis 6:1

Genesis 6:1 says, And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,  God had intended for people to multiply and populate the earth, and they were doing so.  This does not mean that it was happening in accordance with God's will.  Verse two states, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.  Matthew Henry says this means that those men that God had given life to, who should have been as sons to Him, were not guided by God's Spirit when they chose wives.  They simply looked for the women who looked the best.  We cannot be guided simply by physical looks when we are looking for a spouse, but must be guided by the Holy Spirit if we want the best marriage.  Verse three declares, And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.  God was displeased with mankind, but He didn't immediately destroy them.  God gave a warning that people had one hundred and twenty years to repent or they would face destruction.  God is always patient in His grace before He comes to people in judgment.  Still, we can be certain that God's judgment will come.  Verse four says, There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of renown.  Though some attempt to interpret this as some lesser god or angels having children with human wives and creating a race of giants, if we believe God, we know that there are no other gods and that angels are a different form of creation than mankind.  Though people may have looked like giants to those around them, they were still just people.  No matter how big and important people may feel today, they are still simply a part of God's creation and powerless before Him.  Verse five proclaims, And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  God saw the wickedness of people, those that were to be the very best of His creation.  As such, God had given them free will.  We today are still the ultimate of God's creation, but we can still choose to ignore or defy Him.  Verse six adds, And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.  Mankind had become so evil that God was regretting having created them, and He was grieved because of it.  If we turn away from God continually, He will be grieved at our creation, of the life that He gives us.  Verse six declares, And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.  God said that He was going to destroy not only mankind but all animals as well.  The world was created to follow the laws of God and people were to care for the other animals.  If there were no people, there was no need for the other animals. Unlike people, animals simply live life and pass from existence at death, so this wasn't a harsh sentence for them.  God was not going to act out of anger, but out of disappointment and grief over the actions of people.  Verse eight states, But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.  There was one man, Noah, who was still following God.  Noah found grace in the eyes of God.  We need to be like Noah today, living for God so that He might delay the coming destruction of the world so that others will have a chance to repent and come to God.  Verse nine adds, These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.  I don't believe that this means that Noah never sinned, but that he attempted to live by faith in God.  One person walking with God can have a great impact on the world.  Verse ten says, And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.  Noah's sons would be a part of the saving of mankind.

Genesis 5:18

Genesis 5:18 says, And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch:  Verse nineteen states, And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:  Verse twenty adds, And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.  Verse twenty-one states, And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:  Then verse twenty-two declares,  And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:  We are told that Enoch walked with God.  I believe that Enoch had a very close personal spiritual relationship with God, and not that he walked with God physically.  Verse twenty-three states, And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:  Then verse twenty-four proclaims, And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.  Enoch is one of only two people who thee Bible tells us never died.  When Enoch was three-hundred and sixty-five years old, God took him on to heaven.  Verse twenty-five states, And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech:  Verse twenty-six adds, And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:  Then verse twenty-seven adds, And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.  The only thing of significance about Methuselah is that he lived longer than anyone else listed in the Bible.  Verse twenty-eight says, And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:  Verse twenty-nine states, 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.  We are told that Noah was to be a comfort to the people, but he became the one through whom mankind would be physically saved.  Verse thirty adds, And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:  Verse thirty-one concludes, And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.  Verse thirty two states, And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.  Instead of one son, three sons of Noah are named.

Genesis 5:1

Genesis 5:1 says, This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;  We are told that this book, or chapter will give the genealogy of Adam, and are reminded that Adam was created by God in the image of God.  Verse two states, Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.  God created both men and women.  Verse three says, And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:  We are not told about the birth of Cain and Abel, but of Seth when Adam was one hundred and thirty years old, and the genealogy will be followed through Seth.  Verse four states, And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:  We are told that Adam lived for eight hundred years after Seth was born, and he had more sons and daughters, about whom we have no information.  Verse five declares, And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.  Adam and Eve had not eaten of the tree of life, so after nine hundred and thirty years he died.  Physical death and suffering were a result of disobedience to God, and everlasting life with God can only be restored through our faith in Christ.  The next several verses list Seth and his descendants.  The only thing we might note is that all the descendants were not listed.  Verse six says, And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos: Verse seven adds, And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:  Verse eight concludes, And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.  Verse nine states, And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan:  Verse ten adds, And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters:  Verse eleven concludes,  And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died. Verse twelve states, And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel:  Verse thirteen adds, And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:  Verse fourteen concludes, And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.  Verse fifteen states, And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:  Verse sixteen adds, And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters:  Verse seventeen concludes, And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.

Genesis 4:18

Genesis 4:18 says, And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.  This is simply a list of the descendants of Cain, and there is nothing much to add to it.  The earth was being populated is about all that we might say.  Verse nineteen states, And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. In  this verse, we see that God's concept of marriage was already being corrupted.  What we must always remember is that marriage is an institution created by God, where a man and a woman become one flesh under the authority of God.  No man made law is ever going to change that, but unfortunately we too often leave God out of marriage.  Verse twenty says, And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.  This verse tells us of the occupation of the descendants of one of the sons of Adah, Jabal and his descendants.  The raised cattle.  Verse twenty-one adds, And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.   Adah's other son, Jubal, and his descendants were musicians.  Verse twenty-two declares, And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.  Zillah, the other wife of Lamech, had a son named Tubalcain,, and he was a metal smith, I guess would be accurate.  Zillah also had a daughter named Naamah, and we are not told what she did.  Verse twenty-three declares, And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.  Though we are not told who, we are told that Lamech called his wives to him and told them that he had killed a young man.  We are not told why or how he did this, but simply the fact that he did.  He knew that he had done wrong.  I guess confessing to his wives was a good thing, but it did not change the facts.  Confessing our sins, especially to those closest to us may be a good thing, but it does not excuse the sin.  Verse twenty-four adds, If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.  Lamech felt that his punishment would be much greater than Cain's was.  No sin is punished any greater for one person than it is for another.  All sin leads to death, to everlasting separation from God, unless we accept forgiveness through Christ.  Verse twenty-five states, And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.  I am not sure how much time passed, but at some point Adam and Eve had another son named Seth, whom Eve said was another seed because Abel had been killed.  He was not a replacement for Abel though.  I do not believe that one child can ever replace another, but can only be another blessing themself.  Verse twenty-six declares, And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.  Even though Adam and Eve had walked with God in the garden of Eden, we are told that with the birth of Enos, the son of Seth, people began to call on the name of the LORD, or the only real God.  No matter how close our parents may be or have been to God, we must call on Him individually to be saved.

Genesis 4:13

Genesis 4:13 says, And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.  Cain had killed his brother out of jealousy and anger, but he complained to God that his punishment was greater than he could stand.  Life was no longer going to be easy for Cain, but he should have been grateful that he was alive.  We too often seem to feel that our punishment is unfair when we should simply acknowledge that we should be grateful that we are alive and have the ability to repent and be restored to God, as did Cain.  I believe his attitude shows that he still had not taken responsibility for his actions.  Verse fourteen states, Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.  Though Cain would be a vagabond, he was not driven from the face of the earth.  We are not really told of anyone else knowing about what Cain had done, so we should question why everyone would want to kill Cain.  Of course, there is also the question of where everyone came from if Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel were the only people who existed.  Whoever the people were, Cain said everyone would want to kill him, possibly based on the way he treated Cain.  Cain was judging others based on his own attitude.  Verse fifteen declares, And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.  God protected Cain from being killed.  Today, if we are alive, even if we refuse to follow God's teachings or even believe in Him, we are alive because God sustains our life.  God said anyone killing Cain would be punished seven times worse, and he put a mark on Cain so that everyone would know who he was.  I don't believe that this was a mark that would pass to Cain's descendants as some claim, but was a mark unique to Cain.  His descendants, like ours, are not punished for our sins, but each individual is held accountable for his or her own.  Verse sixteen states, And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. Cain went to dwell in the land east of Eden.  Eden was not the only place in the world, and Cain was not the only one cast out, so his punishment may not have been as severe as he claimed.  We never find an account of Cain accepting responsibility for his actions and asking forgiveness, and since he evidently did not, then God's face was indeed hidden from Cain as he had stated earlier.  Sin, especially unconfessed sin that we know we are guilty of, will always stand between God and us.  Verse seventeen declares, And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.  We know that there were at least a few more people than what has been revealed, because Cain had a wife.  This does not make the account of Adam and Eve and the garden of Eden incorrect.  Cain and his wife had a son that they named Enoch and built a city named after Enoch.  Then, we begin the genealogy verses.

Genesis 4:1

Genesis 4:1 says, And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.  This is the first recorded birth, and God is credited with giving life to the baby, Cain.  We should always acknowledge God as the source of life.  Verse two states, And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.  Then, we have a record of the birth of Abel, and are told both Cain and Abel's occupation, so evidently some time had passed since their birth.  Abel was a shepherd and Cain was a farmer.  Verse three declares, And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.  After some time, Cain brought sacrifice to God.  This was before the sacrificial system was set up, so we must assume that this was something that Cain decided to do on his own.  This does not say that Cain brought the best of his fruit to God.  If we are going to give something to God, we need to make sure we are doing so with His guidance and that it is the best that we have.  Verse four states, 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:  Abel brought an offering to God, and we are told that it was the first and best of his flock.  We should always give the best that we have to God.  Verse five proclaims, But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.  Some people say that Cain's offering was not accepted because it was not a blood sacrifice.  We need to remember that this was before what was to be sacrificed was spelled out and that it was a voluntary sacrifice.  I believe the reason the sacrifice of Cain was not accepted was because of his attitude.  I believe Cain made the sacrifice to bring praise to himself and not to God.  Likewise, I believe that Abel's sacrifice was accepted because his attitude was to give God the best.  We cannot give to God for any reason other than to bring glory to Him and expect Him to have to accept our sacrifice and praise us.  I believe that Cain's countenance fell because he expected praise and did not receive it.  Verse six asks, And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?  God asked Cain why he was upset.  Like Cain, we really have no reason to be upset if we offer something to God for the wrong reason and He rejects it.  Verse seven adds, 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.  God told Cain that if his attitude toward God was right, then his sacrifice would be accepted.  God did not say that if Cain brought the right sacrifice that it would be accepted.  We should always bring the best that we have to God for His glory, and when we do our sacrifice will be accepted.  Verse eight states, 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.  We are told that Cain talked with Abel.  I believe that it was not a polite conversation on the part of Cain.  Cain was not satisfied with talking, but was so angry he killed Abel, who had done nothing to Cain.  I believe that self righteousness was behind the murder.  We can never allow the successful worship of God by someone else to make us angry.  If we feel that someone is being more blessed, then we should simply praise God for their blessing.  Verse nine proclaims, And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?  God asked Cain a simple question that He already knew the answer to.  Cain did not answer, but responded with a question for God.  We are never going to outsmart God, no matter how we may attempt to deflect His questions.  Cain asked if he was his brother's keeper, as if he didn't know what had happened to Abel.  We can be certain that when God asks us a question that He already knows the answer, and if we are guilty of sin our only response should be to confess that sin and ask for forgiveness.  Verse ten asks, And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.  God told Cain that He knew that he had killed Abel.  The truth can never be hidden from God, no matter how evasive we may be.  Verse eleven states, And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;  Then verse twelve adds, When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.  Sin will never go unpunished.  Even though Christ took on the punishment of our sins Himself, they were and are still punished.

Genesis 3:14

Genesis 3:14 says, And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:  The serpent was at least used by Satan in the deception of Eve, and but it was really Satan that was punished.  We may simply be following the deception of Satan when we sin, but we will still have to accept punishment for our sins.  Verse fifteen adds, And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.  Though spoken to the serpent, this relates more to the woman and Satan.  This refers not to the serpent, but to Satan.  The woman had been deceived by Satan, but now there would be an enmity between them.  Satan really is always the enemy of people, wanting only their destruction in an attempt to justify his own actions.  Then, there is a reference to Christ, the One Who would bruise Satan's head while Satan bruised His heel.  Satan may have felt almost victorious at the death of Christ, but it proved but a temporary bruise in terms of eternity.  Verse sixteen declares, 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.  The women was not left blameless.  Though she had been deceived, she was still responsible for her disobedience.  Pain in child birth was her sentence, and we could add the fact that her husband would rule over her.   Still, we should view this as with both husband and wife being obedient to God.  Verse seventeen says, 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;  Though Adam attempted to blame both the woman and God, he was told he was responsible for his own actions.  We cannot place the blame for our sins on anything but our own disobedience to God.  I don't believe that we are  guilty of sin simply because we were born, but are guilty of sin when we are capable of knowing what God wants us to do and not doing it.  God had made it clear to Adam what was not allowed, and Adam did it anyway.  Verse eighteen adds, Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;  Then verse nineteen continues, 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.  Instead of a garden where everything was in harmony, Adam was going to find the ground cursed and have to labor for his food.  I believe that we will always find life harder when we do not follow God's teachings.  Verse twenty states, And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.  Adam named the woman Eve, meaning she was the mother of all people who lived.  Verse twenty-one declares, Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.  God made coats of skins for Adam and Eve.  Someone may personally believe that it is sinful to wear fur and leather, but God certainly does not teach this.   We should never attempt to make things true when they go against Biblical teachings about God.  Verse twenty-two proclaims,  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:  Adam and Eve had eaten from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but had apparently not eaten of the tree of life.  God said that this was not going to happen.  Verse twenty-three adds, Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.  Adam and Eve were evicted from the garden of Eden, and sent to earn their own way.  Verse twenty-four states, 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.  We don't need to speculate where the garden of Eden was or is, because God has hidden it from us and prevents us from going there.  Our way to everlasting life with God is through accepting Jesus as our Savior and Lord, and that is what we really need to concentrate on.

Genesis 3:9

Genesis 3:9 says, And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?  God called to Adam, not because He didn't know where Adam was, but to allow Adam to respond to Him.  We do not have to find God, because He will always call us to Him.  Nor can we hide from God, since He always knows where we are, both physically and spiritually.  Verse ten states, And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.  Adam responded that he heard the voice of God and was afraid because he was naked, as he had always been.  Adam's physical state was not really what made him afraid, but his spiritual state was.  We have no need to be afraid of God unless we have been disobedient to Him.  Verse eleven asks, And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?  God asked how Adam knew he was naked.  Then, God asked if Adam had eaten of the tree that he had been told not to eat of.  When we sin, I believe that we will be made aware of it, and sin is always disobedience to God's will for us.  God knew what Adam had done, but He was waiting for Adam to acknowledge it.  God knows when we sin, and if there is to be forgiveness and restoration, we must acknowledge what we have done.  Verse twelve declares, And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.  Basically Adam answered that it wasn't his fault, but God's fault or at least the woman's fault.  Adam said you gave me the woman, and she gave me the fruit and said to eat it.  We cannot blame God for our sins, nor can we blame others.  Adam knew what God had said, but he chose to listen to the woman instead.  Verse thirteen asks, And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.  God asked the woman what she had done, and she answered that she was beguiled, or tempted and deceived by the serpent.  If we do not have an understanding of God's word or a firm belief in what He tells us, then we may likewise be tempted to disobey Him.  Like Adam, the woman attempted to put the blame elsewhere.  Ultimately, we must confess and accept the responsibility for our own sins.  Then we can either ask God's forgiveness or continue to bear the responsibility for our sins.