Genesis 5:1-32
This is the written account of Adam's line.
When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them "man".
When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth. After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Adam lived 930 years, and then he died. When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh. And after he became the father of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Seth lived 912 years, and then he died. When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan. And after he became the father of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enosh lived 905 years, and then he died. When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel. And after he became the father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Kenan lived 910 years, and then he died. When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared. And after he became the father of Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Mahalalel lived 895 years, and then he died. When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch. And after he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Jared lived 962 years, and then he died. When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters.
Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.
When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. And after he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Methuselah lived 969 years, and then he died.
When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. He named him Noah and said, "He will comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed."
After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. All together, Lamech lived 777 years, and then he died. After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham and Japheth.
Again it is written that God made mankind. As much as genealogies tend to be long and boring, the futility of the list seems to take away from the truth that people are special. There is a reason God made people. The genealogy also shows that God was not handing out empty threats when he said death would come from disobedience. Person after person in the list were born, lived, married, and then they died. There is apparently nothing in the long lives of these ancient men which applies to the purpose of the Bible. It doesn't mean that their lives had no meaning. It just means their lives did not have bearing on the coming of man's reconciliation with God, other than that they lived, had children, and died.
Enoch and Noah are a different matter. As far as Enoch goes, he apparently lived closer to God in some way than any one else. It is not written that he did not sin, or that he was not normal. He took a wife and they bore children. And then, . . . he didn't die. Noah is extra special, as he does play a part in the coming reconciliation of man.
On another note, Adam was 130 years old when Seth was born, and so Adam was 235 when Enosh was born, and so Adam was 325 when Kenan was born, and so Adam was 395 when Mahalalel was born, and so Adam was 460 when Jared was born, and so Adam was 622 when Enoch was born, and so Adam was 687 when Methuselah was born, and so Adam was 874 when Lamech was born.
Adam lived another 56 years after the birth of Lamech. Adam died 57 years before Enoch walked with God. Adam died 126 years before Noah was born. So, Adam was known firsthand to Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methuselah, and Lamech, but Adam was not known firsthand to either Noah or his sons. So, no one who lived past the flood had a relationship with the First Man.
Wednesday, January 21, 2015
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Lamech the "Great" (in his own eyes)
Genesis 4:23-5:1
Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times." Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, "God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him." Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord. This is the written account of Adam's line.
This story is always offensive to me. The fact that Lamech killed a man is bad, but I wonder if it was in self defense. Up to that point, we don't know about this Lamech. But Lamech speaks up, and is not afraid to place himself in the place of God in appropriating God's protection of Cain by Lamech's own word and not God's. Not only that, but he places himself on a higher level of importance, declaring vengence to be seventy times greater.
Of greater interest is the implication that God had favor on Cain, and did not necessarily vent his anger on him. Sure, God drove him out, but what was the nature of the mark God put on him? Whatever it was, Lamech felt it was positive, perhaps even protective.
Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times." Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, "God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him." Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord. This is the written account of Adam's line.
This story is always offensive to me. The fact that Lamech killed a man is bad, but I wonder if it was in self defense. Up to that point, we don't know about this Lamech. But Lamech speaks up, and is not afraid to place himself in the place of God in appropriating God's protection of Cain by Lamech's own word and not God's. Not only that, but he places himself on a higher level of importance, declaring vengence to be seventy times greater.
Of greater interest is the implication that God had favor on Cain, and did not necessarily vent his anger on him. Sure, God drove him out, but what was the nature of the mark God put on him? Whatever it was, Lamech felt it was positive, perhaps even protective.
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Questions
Genesis 4:17-22
Cain lay with his wife, and she beame pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech. Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute. Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah.
In the place of profound conclusions, more questions arise instead. If Cain was the first born of the first man and woman, then who did he marry, and when? What does it mean "Cain was then building a city"? How big is that city? If there were even ten people in it, where did they come from? If these people were around for a very long time, then it makes more sense.
Cain lay with his wife, and she beame pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech. Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute. Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah.
In the place of profound conclusions, more questions arise instead. If Cain was the first born of the first man and woman, then who did he marry, and when? What does it mean "Cain was then building a city"? How big is that city? If there were even ten people in it, where did they come from? If these people were around for a very long time, then it makes more sense.
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Do the Right Thing
Genesis 4:1-16
Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man." Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was down cast. The the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?" The Lord said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hands. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth." Cain said to the Lord, "My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me." But the Lord said to him, "Not so; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the Lord's presence, and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
This is a strange story. I call it strange because a lot of things are not explained. For example, the bringing of gifts to God seems to already be happening. Although no instructions are recorded, there is a right way and a wrong way to bring an offering to God. Although it is easy to bring the rest of the Bible into it and say that Cain was rejected because he did not bring a blood sacrifice, it does not say that here. It does not even specifically say that Abel sacrificed the offering from his flock. What is detailed is that Cain brought some of his produce, while Abel brought some of the firstborn for his offering.
God does not chase Cain away. In fact, when God does not look with favor on Cain's offering, he gives instructions and tells Cain flat out that he will be accepted if he does what is right, whatever that exactly means here. Instead, Cain kills his brother in anger. God comes to Cain, and just like with Adam and Eve, he talks as if he does not know what Cain has done, even though it is obvious he does.
Two important points are: One, Cain does not want to be separated from God. He cringes at his punishment. He will go out from the community and wander. Second, God still does not say he no longer loves Cain. Rather, it once again sounds like God is merely explaining what will happen, and not what or why God will punish Cain severely.
Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man." Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was down cast. The the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?" The Lord said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hands. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth." Cain said to the Lord, "My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me." But the Lord said to him, "Not so; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the Lord's presence, and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
This is a strange story. I call it strange because a lot of things are not explained. For example, the bringing of gifts to God seems to already be happening. Although no instructions are recorded, there is a right way and a wrong way to bring an offering to God. Although it is easy to bring the rest of the Bible into it and say that Cain was rejected because he did not bring a blood sacrifice, it does not say that here. It does not even specifically say that Abel sacrificed the offering from his flock. What is detailed is that Cain brought some of his produce, while Abel brought some of the firstborn for his offering.
God does not chase Cain away. In fact, when God does not look with favor on Cain's offering, he gives instructions and tells Cain flat out that he will be accepted if he does what is right, whatever that exactly means here. Instead, Cain kills his brother in anger. God comes to Cain, and just like with Adam and Eve, he talks as if he does not know what Cain has done, even though it is obvious he does.
Two important points are: One, Cain does not want to be separated from God. He cringes at his punishment. He will go out from the community and wander. Second, God still does not say he no longer loves Cain. Rather, it once again sounds like God is merely explaining what will happen, and not what or why God will punish Cain severely.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Life or Death?
Genesis 3:20-24
Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the Lord God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
The Lord God made garments for Adam and Eve. It raises the picture of God's hand outstretched to the people who were banished, all the while holding a free gift that would cover the evidence of their sin. Adam and Eve were banished from The Garden. God did not say that Adam and Eve were unwanted, nor did he say they were unwelcome, nor did he say in any way that he did not love them anymore. What he did say is that they were to be prevented from taking the fruit which would doom them to living forever in their current state. Why is that?
There were at least two, but maybe only two mysterious trees of power in The Garden. The one gave enlightenment regarding the discernment of evil and was forbidden. The other gave eternal life. Presuming only that the man and woman would eat of either tree soon enough, it is hard to imagine the entire Garden of Eden narrative lasted a long time. Sure, Adam had his job of naming the animals, but that was not necessarily completed before The Fall.
Apparently God was going to allow only one tree to be chosen: Life or Enlightenment with Death. He had said they would die if they ate from the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. He did not detail what would happen if they ate from the Tree of Life, other than living forever. There are so far only a few indicators of what God's intended way of life for mankind was to be, but the presence of God among them and communication with him was part of it.
Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the Lord God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.
The Lord God made garments for Adam and Eve. It raises the picture of God's hand outstretched to the people who were banished, all the while holding a free gift that would cover the evidence of their sin. Adam and Eve were banished from The Garden. God did not say that Adam and Eve were unwanted, nor did he say they were unwelcome, nor did he say in any way that he did not love them anymore. What he did say is that they were to be prevented from taking the fruit which would doom them to living forever in their current state. Why is that?
There were at least two, but maybe only two mysterious trees of power in The Garden. The one gave enlightenment regarding the discernment of evil and was forbidden. The other gave eternal life. Presuming only that the man and woman would eat of either tree soon enough, it is hard to imagine the entire Garden of Eden narrative lasted a long time. Sure, Adam had his job of naming the animals, but that was not necessarily completed before The Fall.
Apparently God was going to allow only one tree to be chosen: Life or Enlightenment with Death. He had said they would die if they ate from the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. He did not detail what would happen if they ate from the Tree of Life, other than living forever. There are so far only a few indicators of what God's intended way of life for mankind was to be, but the presence of God among them and communication with him was part of it.
Monday, January 5, 2015
Justice or Mercy, or Perhaps Both?
05Jan15
Genesis 3:8-19
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?" He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" The man said, "The woman you put here with me -- she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it." Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." So the Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike at his heel." To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."
Some questions arise again. For example, if the man and the woman heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden, and Adam even says "I heard you in the garden," then how is that? Does God have a body? Does this mean it is Jesus? It certainly does not say so here.
The passage does not say that Adam and Eve felt naked, it says they did not know they were naked. This is odd, because they do not speak like totally naive children. Some people say that they were clothed in the visible glory of God, but if that were simply the case, wouldn't God have asked them how they became naked rather than asking Adam who told you?
It is important to take notice of the fact that Adam and Eve seem to be talking face to face with the Lord Creator. While they are depicted as talking like adults, God speaks to them as if they were very young children. Is this possible? God calls Adam a man, or does he mean mankind? Is Eve a woman, or is she womankind? God comes walking, they hide while he speaks as though he doesn't know where they are. Likewise, he asks "who told you you were naked?" as if he does not know. This kind of speech is either a put-on, which seems impossible considering who is speaking, or it is justified by the mental maturity of those he is speaking to.
Before, it was written that there were no plants of the field because of he lack of rain and there had been no man to work the ground (Gen 2). Now, man is told he will bring forth food by way of painful toil and the sweat of your brow. There is a quality to the condemnation which suggests this was not how event had to go. How long were Adam and Eve in the garden before The Fall? How would I feel differently I knew it had been for one afternoon, compared with if I knew it had been for a hundred years? I feel, but cannot prove from this passage, that the pronouncements are not so much God's punishment, as his explaining what will now result. I feel there is more explaining than deciding.
It does not seem that the punishment fits the crime. Therefore, I don't think that the passage is about crime or punishment, but rather about actions and outcomes.
Say, for the sake of consideration, that a choice to shun the tree of choices would enable the man and woman to transform to an expanded existence which requires a purity which knows no selfishness. The alternative is to become contaminated with a self seeking will which makes it impossible to become an expanded being, as the self centered will would expand as well. God would there explain why the man and woman can not go on to the higher life in their current condition. The judgment to death then becomes their protection from eternal doom yo a prison of self centered will, that is, a live like this one.
Genesis 3:8-19
Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?" He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" The man said, "The woman you put here with me -- she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it." Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." So the Lord God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike at his heel." To the woman he said, "I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you." To Adam he said, "Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, 'You must not eat of it,' Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return."
Some questions arise again. For example, if the man and the woman heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden, and Adam even says "I heard you in the garden," then how is that? Does God have a body? Does this mean it is Jesus? It certainly does not say so here.
The passage does not say that Adam and Eve felt naked, it says they did not know they were naked. This is odd, because they do not speak like totally naive children. Some people say that they were clothed in the visible glory of God, but if that were simply the case, wouldn't God have asked them how they became naked rather than asking Adam who told you?
It is important to take notice of the fact that Adam and Eve seem to be talking face to face with the Lord Creator. While they are depicted as talking like adults, God speaks to them as if they were very young children. Is this possible? God calls Adam a man, or does he mean mankind? Is Eve a woman, or is she womankind? God comes walking, they hide while he speaks as though he doesn't know where they are. Likewise, he asks "who told you you were naked?" as if he does not know. This kind of speech is either a put-on, which seems impossible considering who is speaking, or it is justified by the mental maturity of those he is speaking to.
Before, it was written that there were no plants of the field because of he lack of rain and there had been no man to work the ground (Gen 2). Now, man is told he will bring forth food by way of painful toil and the sweat of your brow. There is a quality to the condemnation which suggests this was not how event had to go. How long were Adam and Eve in the garden before The Fall? How would I feel differently I knew it had been for one afternoon, compared with if I knew it had been for a hundred years? I feel, but cannot prove from this passage, that the pronouncements are not so much God's punishment, as his explaining what will now result. I feel there is more explaining than deciding.
It does not seem that the punishment fits the crime. Therefore, I don't think that the passage is about crime or punishment, but rather about actions and outcomes.
Say, for the sake of consideration, that a choice to shun the tree of choices would enable the man and woman to transform to an expanded existence which requires a purity which knows no selfishness. The alternative is to become contaminated with a self seeking will which makes it impossible to become an expanded being, as the self centered will would expand as well. God would there explain why the man and woman can not go on to the higher life in their current condition. The judgment to death then becomes their protection from eternal doom yo a prison of self centered will, that is, a live like this one.
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Who Makes the Rules Around Here? -- Part One
04Jan15
Genesis 3:1-7
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
I had to stop myself on this one; this chapter is packed with too much to quickly pass through. First off, there are questions. Who is the serpent, and I mean the talking serpent? Is this the devil, a devil, a devilish snake, a dragon, a spirit, a bigfoot? Eve is not reported to recoil at the idea of a talking serpent, who apparently is known to be a crafty devil, no pun intended.
The crafty serpent certainly talks like the devil, whose work is to constantly deny the word of God. This makes us wonder what the mental maturity of Eve really is. Here comes God himself, the Lord Creator of The Universe, and he says something to the effect of "Don't eat from this one tree over here, got it?" I would think that settles the matter, but oh no, once the crafty serpent comes along, Eve is led to believe that, not only is God's word false (that she will die), but that God Himself, The Lord God, is somehow jealous of her getting wisdom, afraid of Adam and Eve becoming wiseguys.
On the other hand, there is no definite scene which details precisely who gives instructions to Eve. Suspiciously, she does not correctly repeat God's words, but adds the prohibition against touching the tree. This is peculiar and reminds me of my older brother. The Dad tells Mike that we are to understand he will watch the baseball game when he gets home. My brother Mike tells me that Dad decreed the television be dedicated to baseball until he returns. Wasn't it really Adam who gave instructions to Eve? Isn't this the same thing men in positions of authority in the church (or the home) do, that is, make constricting rules to keep us from getting close to misbehvaing? Good intentions, bad rules?
I can't let this passage go without commenting on the these words: her husband, who was with her. Adam was there when Eve fell. I have heard it preached that there was no fall until Adam himself sinned. This would be fitting in proportion to the level of control men exert upon their wives. Not necessarily a bad thing, I often told my family of five that, regardless of who does what, I alone am responsible for each of their actions as well as my own. They each are accountable as individuals, but as Husband and Dad, I am responsible for everything that happens. This ever present thought guided my actions for twenty years and more. This is no longer true as each of my children are adults and live on their own, but the relevance to the Fall of Eve remains.
Without a lot to go on, it looks bad for Adam. Did he really just stand there, curious to find out what would happen as a result of disobedience, but too chicken livered to do the deed himself?
Do I wait around for my wife to take an interest in something edgy, just so I can enjoy watching it without being accused by her? (OK, I am talking about Game of Thrones). Do I hope she gives me some gossip, so that I can participate, while retaining the card that says You were the one who brought it up . . .?
Genesis 3:1-7
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'" "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
I had to stop myself on this one; this chapter is packed with too much to quickly pass through. First off, there are questions. Who is the serpent, and I mean the talking serpent? Is this the devil, a devil, a devilish snake, a dragon, a spirit, a bigfoot? Eve is not reported to recoil at the idea of a talking serpent, who apparently is known to be a crafty devil, no pun intended.
The crafty serpent certainly talks like the devil, whose work is to constantly deny the word of God. This makes us wonder what the mental maturity of Eve really is. Here comes God himself, the Lord Creator of The Universe, and he says something to the effect of "Don't eat from this one tree over here, got it?" I would think that settles the matter, but oh no, once the crafty serpent comes along, Eve is led to believe that, not only is God's word false (that she will die), but that God Himself, The Lord God, is somehow jealous of her getting wisdom, afraid of Adam and Eve becoming wiseguys.
On the other hand, there is no definite scene which details precisely who gives instructions to Eve. Suspiciously, she does not correctly repeat God's words, but adds the prohibition against touching the tree. This is peculiar and reminds me of my older brother. The Dad tells Mike that we are to understand he will watch the baseball game when he gets home. My brother Mike tells me that Dad decreed the television be dedicated to baseball until he returns. Wasn't it really Adam who gave instructions to Eve? Isn't this the same thing men in positions of authority in the church (or the home) do, that is, make constricting rules to keep us from getting close to misbehvaing? Good intentions, bad rules?
I can't let this passage go without commenting on the these words: her husband, who was with her. Adam was there when Eve fell. I have heard it preached that there was no fall until Adam himself sinned. This would be fitting in proportion to the level of control men exert upon their wives. Not necessarily a bad thing, I often told my family of five that, regardless of who does what, I alone am responsible for each of their actions as well as my own. They each are accountable as individuals, but as Husband and Dad, I am responsible for everything that happens. This ever present thought guided my actions for twenty years and more. This is no longer true as each of my children are adults and live on their own, but the relevance to the Fall of Eve remains.
Without a lot to go on, it looks bad for Adam. Did he really just stand there, curious to find out what would happen as a result of disobedience, but too chicken livered to do the deed himself?
Do I wait around for my wife to take an interest in something edgy, just so I can enjoy watching it without being accused by her? (OK, I am talking about Game of Thrones). Do I hope she gives me some gossip, so that I can participate, while retaining the card that says You were the one who brought it up . . .?
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