Just When You Thought It Couldn't Get Worse

For the Thursday Night Group study on March 1

Read Genesis 4 (yes, all of it; please try and stay awake for the middle part)

Use this link to read about the word used in verse 26 as "began", as in "...men began to call upon the name of the LORD."  Or if you have the Strong's Concordance, it's Hebrew word 2490.

Strong's Concordance

Consider:  How has the downward spiral of humanity begun and continued in this passage?  And yet, where is there hope?

• Adam and Eve didn't really repent for their meal, what about Cain?
• How does God show Cain mercy?  How does that effect his descendants?
• What seems strange to you about Lemmech's record?
• What clues are there in this chapter to Adam & Eve's faith? (at least 4?)
• What strikes you as strange and confusing about this passage?

That should be enough to chew on for the next several days.  I look forward to Thursday!

Blessings!

Why that little snake!

For Thursday, February 23:  Read Genesis 3

Question:  What was the only lie the snake told?

Consider:

• What are the clues that the snake knew more than he let on?
• How did Adam and Eve die that day?
• When did Eve get her name, and why?
• What about this chapter seems odd to you?

See you Thursday!

Why Two Creations?

For Tomorrow:  Read Genesis 2:4-25

Question:  If He already has a systematic description of creation, why does God then inspire another account recorded here?

Consider:

·         What are the differences?

·         What are the similarities?

·         What is different about the Creator in the second one?

See you Thursday!

What Is This About?

I believe the Bible is the written record of what the Creator of the universe wants His human creatures to know.  I believe He wants us to know it so that we will seek a relationship with Him, because that is what He wants with us.

It is completely irrational to expect such limited creatures, trapped on a planet from which they can only observe a small portion of the universe, to be capable of engaging the One responsible for that universe.  We are completely dependent upon the Creator for any engagement.  I believe the Bible is that effort on His part to initiate that engagement.

But what is the message it contains?  What is it that this Unapproachable Master of all matter wants us to know?  In other words, what is the Bible all about?  Well, how about we read it and find out?

This blog is a support and communication place for a small group from Journey Community Church in Fernley, Nevada.  The study is the Bible, and any question about the Bible is fair.  Bring it on.  It's not that I have all the answers.  I don't even know where to find all the answers.  But here's the thing, if the Bible really is God reaching out His human Creatures, then wouldn't He make it understandable?  I think so.  But I also believe that He didn't cover everything we might think is important, and stuck to those things He thought was important.

Another issue faced in working with the Bible is the cultural context it was intially communicated into.  I believe that He not only inspired the writings, but also preserved them so we have what He wants us to have.  While that may be, I still believe that He didn't inspire a record that ignored the intial group He spoke to.  Thier culture and "cosmology" would have prevented Him being understood had He used the "cosmology" understood today.  So, the Bible may not be a "science book", but I doubt our relationship with our Maker hinges on our understanding of science.

With this basic premise for approaching the Sacred Scripture of both Hebrews and Christians, my intent is to seek the message of the Master of the universe through the events and people He used to record His message.  I hope to begin with the accounts and people in Genesis and wind up somewhere around the Acts of the Apostles.  And I'm in no hurry to get there.  In this trip, I believe the journey is the key to discovering the face of our Maker.  And I suspect we will find Him smiling.