Today's assigned scripture is Genesis 4-6 and Matthew 2. Without further ado, here we go!
Genesis 4-6
This is the story of Cain and Abel and the story of Noah. It's all so fascinating. I learned from the footnotes that Abel's name means "breath, vapor" or "meaningless." It was a name that foretold his tragically short life. So sad!
What I took most from chapter 4 is the difference in the sons' attitudes. Whereas Abel gave the first and best in his offering to God, Cain just gave some, and then he was ANGRY when God did not accept his offering. Later, Cain gets angry with the Lord AGAIN when God punishes him for the murder of his brother! (Anyone else want to shout "Duh!" at this point? Because I do.)
Our attitude defines so much about us. It determines our motives, how we give and love others, how we serve God, how we react to difficulties, and everything else in our lives! Reading about Cain's angry heart makes me want to be sure I am constantly aware of my own heart so I set an example for my son, and also in order for the light of God to shine through me in order to glorify Him. Nothing about Cain's attitude brought glory and honor to God, that is for sure.
Still in chapter 4, we lean about a descendant of Cain's named Lamech. Not only did he practice polygamy, he also murdered a man. When God saw what Cain had done, He issued a punishment and a warning that anyone who killed Cain would be punished seven times. Well, Lamech had the audacity to issue his own warning (God didn't), saying that anyone who killed him (Lamech) would be punished seventy-seven times! So he didn't wait for God to issue a warning, and he even multiplied it to be more than what the Lord said was the maximum punishment! All I can think if here is the middle daughter on the TV show, Full House - "How rude!"
Chapter 5 was all about the genealogy again. You know I love those!
In Chapter 6, Noah receives the directions from the Lord about the ark and also receives the first explicit covenant promise from Him. How blessed was Noah to have found favor with the Lord! Noah's name means "rest" or "relief." His earthly father had hoped that Noah would bring relief from the hardships of farming. Instead, his Heavenly Father had other plans of relief for Noah. I love that God has a plan for us, and that His plans are far greater than anything that any earthly person could imagine!
By the way, that boat was HUGE! Just sayin'.
I love the footnote that I read, saying this: "Noah was to build a door and God would close it. God was the captain of this peculiar boat with no sail or rudder." This makes me want to jump up and shout AMEN! But I won't, as my son is still sleeping. ;)
Matthew 2
Ahh, the story of the wise men. The magi. The royal astronomers. I learned just a few years ago that the wise men didn't appear at the manger. I remember feeling like my mind had been blown! Whoa! The scripture says that they visited Mary, Joseph, and the child at a house. They'd been following the star for nearly two years! It still blows my mind. It makes me want to take everybody's wise men off their nativities! I don't suppose that'd be very sweet of me, though.
Also, Herod was paranoid and scary! Thank goodness the Lord warned the magi not to return to Herod in a dream. And how senseless of Herod to kill all the baby boys under age two for fear of losing his power to the Messiah! Of course, murder was no stranger to Herod as he'd murdered some of his wives and sons before. Again, our attitudes determine so much of our character.
I love etiology and figurative language, so I loved reading this tidbit in my Study Bible: "Caesar Augustus once said that he would rather be Herod's swine than his son (a play on words in Greek since the two words sound alike-hus, huios)."
Looking forward to more!
In Christ,
Dallas
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