Just as He Commands

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

JUST AS HE COMMANDS

Gen 6:11-22

11 Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. 13 So God said to Noah, "I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. 14 So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. 15 This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high.   16 Make a roof for it and finish the ark to within 18 inches of the top. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. 17 I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. 18 But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark — you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you. 19 You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. 20 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. 21 You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them."

22 Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

NIV

God instructed Noah, as we know from previous verses, because Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. God knew Noah was not like all the rest of mankind who had corrupted their ways and lived as violent people. We cannot imagine how horrible it must have been to live during that time. Since the flood and the refilling of the earth with people, there have been times and places where violence was, and still is, the way of life for some people. People still corrupt their ways, yet at the time of Noah, it must have been so corrupt that it caused pain in God's heart, and he decided to wipe out all mankind. We have thought about that before, but now we have Noah, whom God looked upon with favor. We can recreate what the ark looked like; in fact, one man has done that, at least what it was like on the outside, and possibly what it could have been on the inside. Some think they have located the site where the ark came to rest, finding the overall dimensions, or a reasonable facsimile. Interestingly, God caused all the animals, birds, and whatever moves along the ground to come to the place where Noah was building the ark. All the food for Noah, his family, and all living creatures would still have been made up of some type of plants, as everything that grows was food for them; they had not yet been given meat to eat. However, as interesting as all the building of the ark and God sending all living things in pairs to Noah is, there is this one basic truth that applies to those of us who have put our faith in Jesus and decided to follow him. We are told that Noah did everything just as God commanded him. We wonder how successful we have been and are at doing everything God commands us to do. We believe the first part of being obedient to his command is being willing to listen. It seems all too often when we pray, we do more talking than listening. How are we supposed to know what God wants us to do unless we hear from him? There may be times we may not actually hear his voice, but he still wants to show us what we are to do. Maybe it is just an open door, a sign, a prophecy, or some other way he gets our attention. What we can know for sure is that because we have decided to follow Jesus, we are not alone in this life. God wants to be involved and use us for his divine purpose, as he did with Noah. The choice we have is whether we are going to ignore him and do our own religious thing, or we are going to do everything he commands us to do. Have we decided what we want to do for the kingdom, or have we decided to do everything he wants us to do? We simply cannot do both. In reality, our ways are still corrupt, no matter how good we think we are. When we follow what we think is the best, it is not the best. Let us be willing to listen and then do everything just as he commands us to do. 

Finding Favor

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

FINDING FAVOR

Gen 6:5-10

5 The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6 The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth — men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air — for I am grieved that I have made them." 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

9 This is the account of Noah.

Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. 10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.

NIV

Man's wickedness is horrible to consider, regarding just how far their wickedness had gone that it caused pain in the heart of God, and that he grieved, or he was sorry that he had ever made man on earth. To think that God's heart was filled with pain. Then to think the inclination of man's heart was only evil all the time. That would mean there was never, ever, a moment in time when man's thoughts were about God. Man never gave any thought whatsoever about doing anything good, or seeking God, but only put his imagination to work finding more ways to do wicked things. Here is the proof of what will happen someday when he sits in judgment upon all those who continue to live in wicked ways. God wiped out all those whose hearts were inclined to evil all the time. Once again, a time is coming when God will wipe out all those whose hearts are bent toward evil all the time, those who refuse his salvation through Jesus. It will be different than causing a worldwide flood so that all the wicked would drown. This time the wicked will be sent into the lake of burning sulfur. We cannot even imagine how horrible that is going to be: to drown in burning sulfur, or to burn up and simply just perish, to be no more, to be completely destroyed. Why would someone choose that end for themselves? We know that kind of thinking, as once we were among those whose hearts were bent toward evil all the time, not even considering God, or that there was a God. However, somehow in a miraculous way the Lord broke through into our hearts and caused us to change the way we think about him. Here is where Noah comes onto the scene of history. He was a righteous man. There are two Hebrew words to define Noah: just and complete. He walked with God. This is where we come into this story. When we walk with God, we are then just and complete, or as we use the word, righteous; however, our righteousness is in Jesus. If we had not accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior and responded to his call to follow him, we would not have any righteousness whatsoever. However, because we have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior, are in Christ, and walk with God, we have found favor in his eyes. Being in Jesus is the only way to find favor. 

People of Renown

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

PEOPLE OF RENOWN

Gen 6:1-4

6:1 When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years." 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days — and also afterward — when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.

NIV

This may be one of the most misunderstood passages in Genesis. Some think these sons of God were fallen angels, immoral beings who took human wives, and their offspring were these giants of men, the heroes of old. However, the original language does not support that interpretation. At this point in human history, we have women who are descendants of Cain and Seth. We also know that at that time men began to call upon the name of the LORD. What the Hebrew words tell us is that there were men who were great men of God, called sons of God. We who follow Jesus, who take our faith to the fullest, living for God, accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, are told we have the right to be called children of God, or sons of God, holy and righteous because of Jesus. This is the meaning of the Hebrew word "ben," children, or son. Men who called on the name of the LORD, however, that does not mean they were all that righteous, for they intermarried with any women they chose, without discrimination of their birthright, or from what line or whose descendant they were, and of what spiritual qualities they possessed.  They chose wives for their outward beauty. The offspring of the giants, in the land, or tyrants, they produced are called heroes of old, men of renown. What we learn from this narrative is that this world has become obsessed with outward beauty. This seems to be the reason we are drawn to someone at the start. Our culture has created one of the largest businesses, all based on products to enhance the outward beauty, which God looks at the heart. We are told not to choose a mate based on their outward appearance alone, and that believers should not intermarry with unbelievers, that we should not be unequally yoked. As men of God, we should have wives who are women of God; it is that simple, although that may not be as it always is. There is also this truth that, as men and women of God, we should be known as heroes of people of renown, people of faith, who believe and trust God, whose lives reflect his glory. Let us live as heroes, people of renown. 

Walked With God

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

WALKED WITH GOD

Gen 5:1-32

5:1 This is the written account of Adam's line.

When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them "man."

3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth. 4 After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 5 Altogether, Adam lived 930 years, and then he died. 6 When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh. 7 And after he became the father of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters. 8 Altogether, Seth lived 912 years, and then he died. 9 When Enosh had lived 90 years, he became the father of Kenan. 10 And after he became the father of Kenan, Enosh lived 815 years and had other sons and daughters. 11 Altogether, Enosh lived 905 years, and then he died. 12 When Kenan had lived 70 years, he became the father of Mahalalel. 13, And after he became the father of Mahalalel, Kenan lived 840 years and had other sons and daughters. 14 Altogether, Kenan lived 910 years, and then he died. 15 When Mahalalel had lived 65 years, he became the father of Jared. 16 And after he became the father of Jared, Mahalalel lived 830 years and had other sons and daughters. 17 Altogether, Mahalalel lived 895 years, and then he died. 18 When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch. 19 And after he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 20 Altogether, Jared lived 962 years, and then he died. 21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away. 25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. 26 And after he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. 27 Altogether, Methuselah lived 969 years, and then he died. 28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. 29 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." 30 After Noah was born, Lamech lived 595 years and had other sons and daughters. 31 Altogether, Lamech lived 777 years, and then he died. 32 After Noah was 500 years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

NIV

We have the genealogy from Adam to Noah, and if we add up the ages of each father when their son was born, in that line, the total is 1,056 years. There are a few interesting facts. Many of the sons in that line were born early in their fathers' lives. We also have Noah's grandfather, Methuselah, who is the longest-lived man on record at 969 years. This would have meant that he met his death in the flood, as he would have been alive the whole time Noah was building the Ark. However, the most interesting event within this lineage from Adam to Noah is in the life of Enoch, the father of Methuselah. We know from the next chapters in the life of man that God was not pleased or grieved that he had made man because every inclination of their hearts was bent toward evil all the time. Yet, during the life of Enoch, we are told he walked with God. The result of walking with God did shorten his life span, but in the most glorious way, as God took him away. How wonderful that must have been to just resurrect up into heaven to be with God, right in the prime of life, as he was only 365 years old, especially when his son was the longest living man to ever live. Here, we are given a clue to God's mind and to how we should respond to his thoughts. Every person has a personal choice to make: either to let the thoughts of their heart be bent toward evil all the time or to walk with God. We know what happened in the world after Noah was instructed by God to build the Ark, and all the rest of mankind perished. Another perishing is going to happen, but not to those who are like Enoch and walk with God. The question that is before us is, what does it mean to walk with God? We sing those words, He walks with me, talks with me, and calls tells me that I am his own. Yet that does seem in reverse order, saying that God walks with me,  when instead we should be walking with him, because that means he is the one leading the way. When we walk with God, someday he will take us away. 

By Divine Plan

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

THE DIVINE PLAN

Gen 4:19-26

19 Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 21 His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute. 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah. 23 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. 24 If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times."

25 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." 26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the LORD.

NIV

This is a strange poem of sorts that Lamach tells his two wives. This is also the first record of polygamy, a practice against the natural order of God. In Fact, unless one man and one woman live in holy matrimony, any other arrangement or living condition is outside the natural order of God. This brings to mind that those called to serve as overseers must be the husband of one wife, which may preclude single men from being called to that position. However, back to the point. Lamech was the fourth generation from Cain, and because Cain was protected by the mark of God against being killed, Lamech wanted his wives to be assured they had nothing to fear from revenge against the descendants of Cain. But the important part of this narrative goes back to Adam and Eve and the birth of Seth, and at that time, men began to call on the name of the LORD. We know that Seth was to be Adam's son by divine design. Seth fathered Enosh, who became the father of Kenan, who became the father of Mahalalee, who became the father of Jared, who became the father of Enoch, who became the father of Methuselah, who became the father of Lamech (the second), who became the father of Noah. All this is by divine order: Noah was in the line of Seth, the only line that survived the flood, meaning God knew from the beginning that Jesus would come through that line. We come right back to God's perfect plan. This should give us cause to put our complete uninhibited trust in the plan of God for our lives, as we continue to call upon the name of the Lord.

 

In or Out

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

IN OR OUT

Gen 4:17-22

17 Cain lay with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. 18 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. 19 Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 21 His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute. 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah.

NIV

Now the back story about Adam and Eve is coming to light. It is clear that all the people who lived in Nod, where Cain went after he was cast out of the presence of God, were in his family. That is not to say they were all his brothers or sisters, as we know Adam was one hundred and thirty when Seth was born, but how many children had they had before Cain was born, and how many years difference were there between Cain and Abel, and how many children were born between them. Some of them were adults, left home, obviously mated, had children that could have grown up to mate and have children, and so on, so that there could have been hundreds, if not more, by the time Cain arrived in Nod. Again, as we check with our scholars of old, there are as many opinions as there are scholars, for that is all we are left with: an opinion. Nevertheless, we see the beginning of the line of Cain. We have to remember that none of the descendants of Cain live on due to the destruction of all mankind, with the exception of Noah, his wife, Ham, Shem, and Japheth, and their wives. Ham became the forefather of the Canaanites and other nations. But the point is that Cain found a wife and began a family, with a son named Enoch, who, although he is not recorded until the next chapter, was the father of Methuselah, the grandfather of Noah. What we know from this account is that this group of people lived outside the presence of God, or at least God hid his presence from Cain, and so all the rest who lived in Nod did not know the presence of God and became the evil-filled people that God grieved that he had made man on earth. These were all those who died in the flood. We learn it is always good to live in the presence of the LORD. He will not hide himself again, but people can attempt to hide from him, or at least refuse his presence in their lives, trying to live according to their own pleasures, or in a sense, their own will. We, believers, have left our will at the foot of Jesus, submitting it to the Lord, for we know the only way to life is in Jesus according to the will of God. Cain represents mankind who lives outside the will of God; all believers represent those who live within the will of God, or at least should be living within his will.  Those who live outside his will eventually will be cast out, while those who live within his will eventually will be ushered into his rest. It comes down to being in or out. 

His Presence

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

HIS PRESENCE

Gen 4:13-16

13 Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 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." 15 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. 16 So Cain went out from the LORD's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

NIV

No one has any idea what this mark was that the LORD put on him, although, as many theologians of old there are, there are just as many different ideas. However, there is something else here which strikes a chord with us. We notice that Cain was concerned because he was going to be driven from his homeland, and hiden from the presence of the LORD, that is, he would no longer be part of his family, or his family's worship of the LORD. Of course, he already disobeyed the LORD by killing his brother Abel. Nevertheless, now to be banished from his family was more than he could bear. Interestingly, the verbiage is very similar to what Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica about those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power. This was the judgment of Cain: to be shut out, hidden from the presence of the LORD. Yet the Psalmist asked, "Where can I flee from the Lord's presence?" If he went up to heaven, God is there; if he went to the depths, God is there; nothing would hide him from the presence of the LORD. Yet Cain was shut out, banished from the presence of God.  We are and will for the rest of this life be grateful that for Jesus, and that we have been accepted, adopted as a child of God. We are assured we will always be in his presence. Just as the LORD put some kind of mark on Cain, he has marked us with the Holy Spirit. Just as no one would be able to kill Cain because of that mark, no one can kill us because of the Spirit. Yes, our bodies may be destroyed somehow, killed, or simply die in some manner, but we will never die, because we have the Spirit of God dwelling within, and Jesus promised that although we die, we will live. Cain went to the land of Nod and found a wife, whom we will get to next, and there again, much has been said about who those people in Nod were. But for now, let us live in the wonderful presence of our Lord, giving him all the praise and honor he is due for his great love and compassion toward us in the person of Jesus Christ, who paid the price for us, and brought us back from the land of banishment, the land of darkness, into his wonderful light and his presence.