Scripture Snippets [Insights from Genesis]

 

CHAPTER 4

• Did Adam and Eve have kids before verse 1? Did they have any kids in the garden? Is verse 1 emphasized because Cain was their first son?

• In verse 2, instead of saying what Cain was first, they say what Abel did (which was a keeper of the flocks) and then says “but” Cain was a tiller of the ground.  Why was the word “but” used and why did it flip flop the sentence structure?         

• In verse 6, before Cain kills Abel, the Lord actually speaks to Cain and tells him to beware because sin is crouching at his door but that he must master it.  Apparently, he didn’t master it and it caused him to kill Abel. In verse 7, it says that Cain told Abel. What did Cain tell Abel I wonder?

• After killing Abel, we see God using questions again with Cain (v. 9) like He did with Adam and Eve, not because He didn’t know the answer but because He wanted Cain to come to terms with what he had done.

• In consequence for killing Abel, Cain’s farming skills were greatly diminished and he would be a wanderer of the earth (v. 12). This situation is the exact opposite of what we learn about in our textbooks, which say man started off as a hunter-gatherer species and then settled down into farming communities.

• God also pronounces a curse on the land again, "Now you are cursed from the ground… when you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you…" (v12). Is this a continuation of the curse God pronounced on Adam in chapter 3? Or is this a newer curse?

• At the revealing of this consequence from the Lord, Cain was terrified that someone would kill him (v. 15) This implies that there were other people living in this world, more than just Adam, Eve, and Abel. Who were these people? Were they Adam and Eve’s other children? As an example of God’s grace, He puts a sign on Cain so that no one will kill Him and also states that if anyone does kill Him, God’s vengeance will rest on him sevenfold. Cain then had a son with his wife (v. 17), who was probably his sister. Cain’s eventually built a city and named it after his son Enoch. This probably means that he no longer was a nomad but had some stability in his location.

• In verse 17, the first city of Cain could be Eridu, where they worshipped Enki. Could be where the Tower of Babel was located.

CHAPTER 5

• This chapter kicks off the genealogy of Adam. I find it interesting that when talking about Adam’s sons, it starts with Seth and does not mention Cain, Abel, or anyone else (v. 3). Was it because of the end of chapter 4 where it says that after Adam had Seth, “men started to call upon the name of the Lord”? When the 10 names mentioned in here are put together it gives a gospel message according to Chuck Missler.

Adam = Man

Seth = Appointed

Enosh = Mortal

Kenan = Sorrow;

Mahalalel = The Blessed God

Jared = Shall come down

Enoch = Teaching.

Methuselah = His death shall bring

Lamech = The despairing

Noah = Rest, or comfort.

Scripture Snippets [Insights from John]

 

CHAPTER 10

• In this chapter Jesus starts off by saying that robbers and thieves climb over the fence to get into the sheepfold instead of coming in by the gate (v.1). Jesus goes on to say that He is the gate to the sheep (v.7). It makes me think of all the religious teachers and spiritual philosophy that comes our way on a daily basis. We must ask ourselves is it coming through to us through the gate (Jesus) or is it  “jumping over the wall” to capture our interest and attention?

• The purpose of the thief (Satan) is to kill, steal, and destroy.  The purpose of the shepherd (Jesus) is to bring life, life more abundantly. (v.10)

• Our salvation is secure. No on can snatch us out of the hand of Jesus, the shepherd because God gave us to Jesus (v.29).

• Jesus mentions at least twice, to consider His actions not just His words (v. 25, 37-38)

CHAPTER 12

• V. 11 states that because on account of him [Lazarus], many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus. This indicates that because of Lazarus being raised from the dead, people were believing in Jesus. So doesn’t this contradict the story in Luke 16 where the Rich Man asks Abraham,

30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”?

One thing to consider is that the passage said the priests were convinced to now kill Lazarus too because of this event (v.10). So this event reflects more a situation of a heart issue and whether that would cause a person to believe and have faith or to turn away and rage. In the Luke 16 parable, Jesus was describing a heart issue of someone who won’t believe, even if they see a miracle. 

Additionally, just because someone has a surface level belief, it does not mean they also have a repentant faith. It’s possible some believed, like the rocky soil (Matt 13:5) but did not continue in their belief.

• It’s interesting to note that in vv. 42 and 43, we find out that some of the Jewish leaders also believed but because they loved human praise more than praise from God they wouldn’t admit it. I believe from other passage, Nicodemus (John 3) and Joseph of Arimathea (John 19) were secret disciples. 

Q. So how does that kind of example seem to comport with Matthew 11:33, which says that, “But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.”?

A. Technically, they never denied him from what we read, they just were not very open to telling people. Later on, we see them doing things that would have shown their allegiance to Jesus. Nicodemus defended Jesus when he was speaking the Jewish council of leaders (Jn 7:50–51) and publicly helped with His burial and Joseph laid his reputation on the line when he asked Pilate to bury Jesus’ body.