Good Morning, my friends.  Let’s begin with the comments from last week’s assignment dealing with Chapters 4-6.  I'd like to remind everyone that we can slow down and only do a chapter a week and allow more time for discussion, comments and "digging"....I am summarizing key points from each chapter.  If you would like to linger or have me address more in each lesson, please let me know.  This is YOUR study!

Chapter 4:  I’m sure everyone knows the names of Adam and Eve’s first two sons.  There was another lie that surfaced after an evil, selfish action.  Cain was the firstborn son.  His job was to work with the soil.  Farming, I would assume.  Abel, second born son was a shepherd.  Now look closely at the offerings brought to God.  Verse 3, Chapter 4, “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.”  (Emphasis in caps is mine.) Appears Abel brought the first fruits, the best to the Lord while Cain decided from himself what to offer.  Not good.

God was favorable with Abel and not with Cain.  Each man had the opportunity to give to God his best, but one decided he’d just give “some”, not the “first”.  Next, God uses this as a teaching moment to remind Cain, you will be accepted, too, but you need to do what is right.  I love the next comment.  (Kathy, this goes back to our discussion about evil and good being within each individual.  It’s our choice to choose good.)  God tells Cain, “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.”  NIV, verse 6, Chap. 4

Cain, a man full of evil intentions, asked his brother to go with him into the fields where Cain proceeds to eliminate the problem…so he thinks.  When God asks Cain later the whereabouts of his brother, here comes the lie, “I don’t know.”  “Am I my brother’s keeper?”  I don’t think this family is catching on they are dealing with Almighty God, Maker of Heaven and Earth!

Consequences to Cain….even though you work the land, it won’t produce for you.  You are going to be a “restless wanderer on the earth.”  Furthermore, God protects Cain from being killed.  No quick getting away from this judgment. 

When I asked to compare the genealogies and the names, I wanted you to be aware that the same names come up over and over again.  Sometimes we have a tendency to get those confused. 

Chapter 5: Did you notice the beginning of this chapter and how it reads?  Look at verse 3, “When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image, and he named him Seth.”  Almost sounds like a clean slate with another child?  And then the genealogy of Adam is given through his son, Seth.  The genealogy continues until Noah is mentioned.  Now look closely at the name of Noah’s father.  Lamech is Noah’s father and then there is a Lamech in Cain’s lineage as well.  Be careful as you compare names and genealogies!

Chapter 6:  What was going on to cause God to become so angry with mankind he decided to destroy them?  Little hints stand out in scripture to me.  “the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful and they married any of them they chose.”  Sounds like society today, doesn’t it?  Instead of asking God’s guidance and prayerfully considering a life’s mate, let’s go with who looks good.  Beauty is still a factor today that gets a lot of people in marital trouble and woes.

Another factor is the definition of the Nephilim.  There are several websites that describe who the Nephilim actually were, but it appears they could be an antediluvian race (pre-flood) which are referred to in the Bible as giants.  Other suggestions say they could be offspring of the descendents of Seth with those of Cain; or they were hybrid offspring of fallen angels with human women.  Whatever site you read for reference, a marked agreement seems to be they were declared powerful, large, mighty men that were described as “giants”.

 NOTE: The other mention of the Nephilim in scripture was during the time of Moses when the twelve spies were asked to stake out the Promised Land.  Remember the comments of ten of those spies?  They said the land couldn’t be taken because the men were as giants.  The only individuals in disagreement were Joshua and Caleb.      

Now onto Noah….descriptions?  Noah was a righteous man.  Scripture tells us he was blameless among the people of his time.  That he walked with God.  Wow.  I’d love for God to have someone pen those words about me.  How precious to be noted as a man that walked with God.  And to use the word blameless!  Not to mention righteous??   What an epitaph for a gravestone…Cookie, she walked with God!  Okay, back to the study.

Noah was quite a guy.  And he only had three sons when men of this time were having children all over the place.  Remember the length of their years?  So it appears that God is changing the span of years after Noah.  In verse 3 of Chapter 6, “My Spirit will not content with man forever, for he is mortal.  His days will be a hundred and twenty years.”

So God begins to instruct Noah in the building of an ark and the gathering of every kind of animal two by two.  What an overwhelming job for this man and his family.  However, what was Noah’s reaction?  I would have probably made some sort of comment or suggestion of how I needed a little extra help or a larger timeframe, but Noah?  Last line of Chapter 6, “Noah did everything just as God commanded him.”  Now that’s a man who walks with God.

Assignment for next week: February 22

Let’s read two chapters this week.  Chapters 7 and 8 

This will give a little time for catch up.  I don’t want to overload any of you and I want you to have enough time to really study and let God’s Word “sink” into your hearts and minds.

Chapter 7:  I’d like you to role play as you read this chapter.  Suppose you are the wife of one of Noah’s sons.  You follow the lead of your husband and his father and help with the building of the ark or perhaps you help with gathering the animals.  You are asked to get into the ark and the door closes.  People on the outside are beginning to realize the rain is not stopping and the ground and their homes are flooding.

You hear their cries to open the door and let them in…some are possible acquaintances, people you attend synagogue alongside.  What are you feeling?  What’s going on in your mind?  Then there is the rain and the constant being inside this ark….many of you just went through days and days of being in the house after huge snowstorms.  I heard many were going “stir-crazy” not being able to move about.  What about being in an ark with numerous animals and only seven other people?  Is there an end in sight with the rain and no windows?

Chapter 8:  What word would you use to describe this chapter?  How would you feel when you are finally out of the ark?  Describe the feeling as you stand around the altar and possibly hear the audible voice of God in verses 21 and 22?

NOTE:  As an additional answer to a question that was sent to me this morning, I have included information I found via the internet this morning on the individuals Enoch and Enosh.  Please remember there are several individuals with the same name in the Bible.  Enoch is one of those repetitive names, but only one did not see death and was "taken" by God.  I hope this more clearly sheds light on the question asked.

ENOCH
Who was this Enoch, whose name is attached to the book? Enoch is mentioned in the Scriptures, but we are told little about him. Just four verses in all--two in the Old Testament, and two in the New. That little, however, is sufficient to distinguish him as one of the outstanding men of all times. He is listed as the seventh of the ten patriarchs between Adam and Noah. He was the father of Methuselah, the man holding the world's record for longevity. Interestingly, Enoch became a believer and started "walking with God" after his son was born. Soon he became known for his exceptional piety and godliness. The most remarkable fact of all is that he did not die.
"Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him."
He is one of the only two men mentioned in the Bible who were translated to Heaven without tasting death.
 
There are three Enochs mentioned in the Bible (the highly similar name Hanoch is treated separately). The first Enoch is a son of Cain and the second Enoch is a town named after the first (Gen 4:17). The third Enoch is a son of Jared, of the line of Seth, third son of Adam and Eve. This Enoch, who famously "walked with God," is the seventh generation (where Adam is the first).

The name Enoch comes from the verb (hanak 693) meaning dedicate, begin. Fuerst reports additional meanings of imprint, pierce into, instruct, make wise. Derivatives are (hanik 693a) trained servant; (hanukka 693b), dedication. This noun reappears in Hanukkah, the still celebrated Feast Of Dedication (John 10:22).
Remarkably, the root (hnk 692) also yields the derivative (hek 692a), palate, mouth, with connotation of speech.

The name Enoch means Initiated (Jones) or Dedicated (NOBSE).

ENOS; ENOSH [ISBE]
ENOS; ENOSH - e'-nos, e'-nosh ('enosh, "mortal"; 'Enos): In the New Testament (the Revised Version (British and American) and the King James Version) and the Old Testament (the King James Version except 1 Ch 1:1), the form is Enos; in the Old Testament (the Revised Version (British and American) and 1 Ch 1:1 the King James Version), the form is Enosh. The son of Seth and grandson of Adam (Gen 4:26; 5:6 ff; 1 Ch 1:1; Lk 3:38). Enosh denotes man as frail and mortal. With Enosh a new religious development began, for "then began men to call upon the name of Yahweh" (Gen 4:26).
Enosh is the son of Seth, the third son of Adam and Eve.
Enosh is one of a few words to indicate man or mankind and it is rooted in the word ('nsh 135, 136, 137):
(anash 135) means desperate, woeful, very sick (TWOTOT , "most frequently it is used to describe a wound or pain which is incurable..." This may shed some light on the enigmatic Beast From The Sea and the fatal wound of which it was healed - Rev 13:3; if not the healing caused by the Christ - Matt 8:17/ Isa 53:4).
('nsh 136) is the root of (enosh 136a) meaning man or mankind in its frailty and weakness.
('nsh 137) is the assumed root of ('ishsha 137a), wife, woman, female.

The name Enosh means Man Frail And Miserable (Jones) or Mortal (NOBSE).
Other names that have to do with words for man are: Adam (Earthling), Gabriel (God's Guy), Methushael (Man Of God), and Zecheriah (YHWH's Male) and Ishi (My Man).


Father, Thank you for walking with us through Your Holy Word.  May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be totally pleasing and acceptable to You, our Almighty God.  In Your Son's name...our Good Shepherd, Jesus, we pray.  Amen  
 
  
 
 


Comments

Cindy Roberts

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:31:44

Cookie - I just wanted to tell you how much I am enjoying this study. You explain things so clearly, that it makes me want to continue reading the next chapters. My friend Jan (I am blessed to work with her) told me about this - and I am so thankful that she did. Thanks again, and I'm sure that the further we get into the Old Testament, I will have some questions for you. Thanks again! Cindy

 

Cookie

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:08:47

Cindy, welcome aboard!! It was wonderful receiving your note and I am looking forward to meeting you someday! I am excited you have joined our Biblical journey and am humbly honored with your gracious comments. God is good...and I'm learning more and more all the time! God bless!

 

Jan

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:05:01

Cookie,
Thanks for slowing it down a bit. I will admit I am not absorbing all that I should based on your wonderful post-assignment reviews. And the genealogy I definitely did not capture all that I should have there, so that will definitely require more study for me to better understand all that.
Reading your comments on Chapter 6 has left me thinking for the past week about how Noah has been remembered - and consequently how I would want to be remembered. This has been a tough self-evaluation because as I thought of ways I would like to be remembered, I've challenged myself with the question of am I living my life in a way to in fact be remembered the way I would hope....hmmm
And the difference between Enoch and Enosh - amazing how 1 letter can result in an entirely different meaning!! Thanks for digging so deeply Cookie!
Our BLBS has generated a number of family discussions, so now I pose a question raised by my better-half. If Adam and Eve had 3 sons, Cain, Abel and Seth, where did the women come from that Cain & Seth took as their wives?
...On to Chapters 7 & 8:
As for roleplay, well, Kathy & I were on a boat (cruise ship) with inclement weather. After 1 night of rough seas, our travel group looked longingly as we approached Key West - I believe one person even said they would "kiss the ground" as soon as we docked. Then overhead we heard the announcement - we were changing course and off for a day at sea because the rough seas made docking in Key West unsafe. Our merry band of fair-weather cruisers had a meltdown moment. So how would I have felt as s daughter-in-law, leaving behind my parents and/or siblings to drown, and go off floating in rough seas, with only 3 decks (no pool deck was mentioned :) for what was over a year of togetherness? Knowing that one rough seas night on a pleasure cruise was tough, I can't imagine the anxiety, apprehension, fear, turmoil the extended family of Noah may have felt - - or did they? Was their faith so incredibly solid that their trust in the Lord may it all good?
When the days/months are referred to - is that in our calendar terms? In other words, did the flood begin February 17th (17th day of the 2nd month), and end on the following January 1 (1st day of the 1st month)?
Cahpter 8 - I would use the word "Hope" to describe this chapter. I think the initial reaction stepping off the boat would be mixed - relief to be on dry ground, excitement over everything new, yet sadness for those who perished. Standing at the altar would be a time of thankfulness, reverence and oneness with God - especially when he made the commitment to never again destroy every living thing on earth as He did this time.

 

Cookie

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 18:24:12

Jan, I will be addressing some of the points your bring to light...and the "Bongo Man"...good question! Stay tuned for the answers...forth coming on Monday. If you read my blog I am currently in the midst of suffering with my allergies...so I must wait for the morning and a good night of rest to clear my mind so my answers are readable! Thanks for being honest about the reading assignments. If we need to spend a week for "catch up" I have no problem with that...I want us all to learn and enjoy learning...not feel like we're swimming against the current! God's Word is to be enjoyed....one piece (verse of scripture) at a time!

 



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