Honey From The Rock

HE BROUGHT BREAD AND WINE

Victor Knowles — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 09:32:00 GMT

Yesterday we looked at Abram's exciting rescue of Lot and made a comparison to Christ's own rescue of us at Calvary. But we have more good things in store today, starting with this intriguing text. "After Abram returned from defeating Kedorlaomer and the kings allied with him, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley). Then Melchizedek king of Salam brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram..." (Gen. 14:17-19a NKJV).

The Valley of Shaveh is one of the valleys surrounding Jerusalem, possibly the Kidron Valley (see 2 Sam. 18:18). It was in this valley that Melchizedek, the king of Salem (later, Jerusalem) came out to meet Abram bringing bread and wine. These may have been rations for the hungry troops of Abram, but perhaps they symbolize something more spiritual. To learn more about Melchizedek read Psalm 110:4 and Hebrews 7:1-18. He appears to be a precursor of Christ in the Bible. Our text calls him "king of Salem" and "priest of God Most High." Jesus, of course, was both a priest (our High Priest) and a king (not just "king of the Jews" but "King of kings"). And what does he bring Abram and his weary, hungry men? Bread and wine. And what does our Lord bring us ~ we who are "weary and heavy laden"? The very same. When does this happen? You know better than I. When He meets us at His table (the Bible calls it the Lord's Table) with the Lord's Supper every first day of the week ~ the Lord's Day. It is not intended to satisfy our physical hunger but rather our spiritual hunger. Melchizedek, a type of Christ, met Abram with bread and wine and satisfied his physical needs. Christ meets us with bread and wine to satisfy our spiritual hunger. After all, is he not the Bread of Life? Is He not the True Vine? Just as Melchizedek blessed Abram so Christ bless us ~ the spiritual seed of Abraham! Think about that this Sunday, will you?

Prayer: Living, loving Father, we bless Your name today for sending Jesus with bread and wine to satisfy our spiritual hunger. It is in His blessed name we pray, Amen.

A HEBREW TO THE RESCUE!

Victor Knowles — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 09:04:00 GMT

Genesis 14:13 has the first use of "Hebrew" in the Bible. "Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew..." Lot had been kidnapped and one of his servants escaped and came to "Abram the Hebrew" with the news. The Ryrie Study Bible says, "Abraham was the first person to be referred to as a Hebrew, an ethnic designation that his descendants derived from him. The word comes from his ancestor, Eber (11:10-14). It also had a wider use as a general designation for nomadic people like Abraham, who would have been considered a migrant by the Canaanites, since he came from Ur and Haran." In the New Testament we have an entire book named "Hebrews" ~ Jewish people who had converted to Christianity. Paul declared himself to be "a Hebrew of of the Hebrews" (Phil. 3:5). The Bible also speaks of the Hebrew tongue, language, and letters (see Luke 23:38). The Hebrews are synonymous with the Jews.

Abram the Hebrew came to the rescue of Lot just like Jesus came to the rescue of those who were captives of sin. As soon as he heard that Lot had been kidnapped he armed his 318 servants and pursued the captors all the way to Dan in the north.(Isn't it interesting that the Bibles gives us the number of the servants?) He then routed the enemy near Damascus and brought back Lot, his goods, the women, and all the people (servants?) of Lot. Abram the Hebrew knew that he was his brother's keeper. Even though Lot had made a bad choice and paid dearly for it, Abram went after him. Christ did the same for us at Calvary. We too have made terrible choices and suffered the consequences of our sin. Christ is not content until all are safely in the fold. Today were are all sons of God through faith in Christ. It makes no difference who we are ~ Jew (Hebrew), Greek, slave, free, male, female, we are all one in Christ through our faith and baptism (Gal. 3:26-28). "And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal. 3:29). Praise His Holy Name!

"FOR WE ARE BRETHREN"

Victor Knowles — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 07:07:00 GMT

Does strife and division in the body of Christ bother you at all? It should. The very fact that it exists at all is a blot on Christianity. Jesus prayed that we might all be one (John 17:20, 21). The apostle Paul made a heartfelt plea for oneness (1 Cor. 1:10). Strife among fellow saints is the devil's harvest.

Today we come to an interesting passage in Genesis 13. Abram and his nephew Lot were so blessed that "the land was not able to support them, that they might dwell together, for their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together" (v. 6). Notice that the phrase "dwell together" appears twice in the text. God wants us to dwell together. David said, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity" (Psa. 133:1). However, our text goes on to say, "And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock" (v. 7a). You can see how the strife was not so much between Abram and Lot personally as it was between their employees. This was not a healthy situation. Strife never is. Notice a third thing: "The Canaanites and the Perizzites then dwelt in the land" (v. 7b). To me this means that outsiders were watching God's people fuss and fight with one another. That is never a good thing either! Many people do not darken the door of a church because they have seen strife between churchgoers ~ professing Christians.

But our text ends on a happy note. Abram was a wise man. It takes wisdom to diffuse division. He said to Lot, "Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren" (v. 8). Royal blood flows in our veins. We are blood brothers because of the blood of Christ. "Let brotherly love continue" (Heb. 13:1). Cain shed the blood of his brother but we are of Christ, not Cain! Then Abram does something very wise and generous. He suggested a solution to the problem. "Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, I will go to the left" (v. 9). "Abram was willing to maintain a loose grip on his rights and possessions; because of this, he was able to defer to his nephew and manage the growing conflict between his and Lot's herdsmen....Because he was older, Abram could have assigned Lot a parcel of land. He could have taken the best for himself." (The Leadership Bible). This is "crisis management" at its best!

"I WILL!"

Victor Knowles — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:23:00 GMT

On August 1, 1967, Evelyn and I said "I do" and "I will" in our wedding vows at the Hamburg Church of Christ, Hamburg, Iowa. We said them, meaning every word, in the presence of Almighty God, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the hosts of heaven (angels), and the assembled church. We have done our best to keep them, lo these 40-some years.

Almighty God said "I will" to Abraham five times in Genesis 12. These were solemn vows and promises He made and that intended to keep. Let's look at them today.

First, he told Abraham to go "to a land I will show you" (v. 1). Abraham did not know where this land was, but God did. It was the land of Canaan, later known as Israel. God kept His promise.

Second, "I will make you a great nation" (v. 2a). Abraham would not be a nation builder but God would. From one man he developed the mightiest nation on earth. Not the largest nation but a nation that had the blessing of God. No other nation had this (see Deut. 4:6-8).

Third, "I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing" (v. 2b). Did this happen? Of course it did. This is the sovereign God making these promises. I will bless you. I will make your name great. I will see to it that you will be a blessing to others. Sometimes we sing, "Let Him have His way with thee." Well, don't you think it is time to let God perform some "I wills" in your life? Don't try to make a name for yourself. Let God do it. Be a channel of blessing to others today knowing that it is God who is blessing others through your life of consecrated service to Him.

Fourth, "I will bless those who bless you" (v. 3a). And God did. He showed His favor and showered His blessings on those individuals (even kings) and nations who blessed Abraham. He will do the same today for He does not change. In fact, God told Abraham "And in you all the families [nations] of the earth shall be blessed" (v. 3c).

Fifth, "And I will curse him who curses you" (v. 3b). Just ask the enemies of Abraham and the nation of Israel if this did not come true! Ask Haman and Hitler and every anti-Semitic dictator who has tried to wipe Israel from the face of the earth. Israel is called the apple of God's eye. Those who stick their dirty fingers into the eye of God have and will experience His mighty wrath. I would not want to have the curse of God on my life, would you?

Prayer: Holy Father, how we thank and praise You for the five "I will" promises that You made (and kept) to Your servant Abraham. May we trust You to be faithful to all Your promises to us. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

GET OUT!

Victor Knowles — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 07:21:00 GMT

"Now the LORD had said to Abram: 'Get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land I will show you.'" (Gen. 12:1, NKJV).

Abram - as he was called then - was probably still in Haran when this call (originally given to him in Ur of Chaldee) was reiterated. Stephen's "Old Testament History 101" lecture records this. "The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran, and said to him, 'Get out of your country and from your relatives, and come to a land that I will show you" (Acts 7:3).

In both texts we hear God saying, "Get out!" God knew that His divine plan for redeeming man could not start until Abram/Abraham got out of his homeland. The Road to Redemption hinged on one man's obedience. To his credit, Abraham obeyed God, though it must have been very hard to do. Hebrews 11:8 says, "By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out not knowing where he was going." That is truly amazing and challenging to me!

Has God ever asked you to "get out" in some way or another? I can't say that I have heard the audible voice of God saying, "Victor, get out of your country and go to a land I will show you." Knowing when to leave one ministry and go to another part of the country has always been difficult for me. Should I stay one more year? Should I leave now? Sometimes I have wished that I would hear God speak to me in audible and specific terms! One thing I know. If I am in a situation or relationship that is displeasing to God, I need to hear those words ring in my ears: "Get out!" Remember Lot? He was one of Abram's relatives whom Abram brought with him when he left Haran (even though he was divinely told not to). Lot wound up in Sodom and it took two angels to convince him to leave. "Get your family out of here!" Everyone in Lot's family wanted to stay. He practically had to drag them kicking and screaming out of Sodom. Even at that, his wife could not resist looking back and was turned into a pillar of salt (Gen. 19:12-29). Part of our fleshly nature always wants to stay even when God says, "Get out!"

Prayer: Holy Father, You always know what is best for us. Teach us to be more sensitive to Your will and to the instructions for daily living that You have graciously given us in Your Holy Word. Through Christ we pray.

BABEL ON

Victor Knowles — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 07:15:00 GMT

"Now the whole earth had one language and one speech" (Gen. 9:1 NKJV). At first glance this looks very good. In our Western way of thinking that is. I have traveled to a number of countries and have always been frustrated by the language barrier. How often I have thought, "How nice it would be if we all spoke the same language." There would be no need for translators or interpreters. There would be no confusion because of mistranslation or misunderstandings. Or would there?

I like what the Ryrie Study Bible says about this verse. "The unbridgeable gap between animal sounds and human language, as well as the statement of this verse that originally all men spoke the same language, are inexplicable by the theory of evolution." Notice, too, that as the survivors of the flood spread out they settled down on the plains of Shinar and determined to build a city and a tower that reached to heaven "lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth" (v. 4). This was a direct defiance of God's command in 9:1 to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth. Their vanity is also seen in the statement "let us make a name for ourselves" (v. 4). Pride and rebellion still are here, even after the hard lesson of the flood! Their actions resulted in God going down to take drastic action. "Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech" (v. 7). Notice the plural here, Us (see 1:26). The Godhead revisits earth. The RSB continues: "By confusing language, God established the parent languages of the earth from which other languages and dialects developed (today, a total of 3,000). The result of this confusion was the scattering of mankind." That is what God desired in 9:1. "Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth" (11:9). "Babel" is a play on Hebrew words and means "to confuse." It sounds like "Babylon" (and is translated such in the NIV) or, as I have titled this study, "Babel on." The Leadership Bible notes, "God put an end to this autonomous project, and the people were scattered. Imagine the potential for human attainment and arrogance if we had always spoken a universal language!"

Prayer: Our Father in Heaven, we want to please You in all we say, think, and do. Prevent us from every lifting up our hearts or knowledge against You or the teachings of Your Holy Word. Through Christ we pray.

THE RAINBOW COVENANT

Victor Knowles — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:45:00 GMT

"And God said: 'This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth'" (Gen. 9:12, 13 NKJV).

I think that all of us enjoy a rainbow in the sky. I remember when we lived in Nebraska and saw a magnificent rainbow. It appeared after a summer storm and there on the flatlands of Nebraska you could see it from one end to the other. It was a "teachable moment" for our two little girls as we told them the story of Noah and the rainbow. In verses 15-17 God tells Noah that never again will He destroy mankind by a flood. The rainbow was actually for God's benefit. "The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth" (v. 16). The Open Bible says, "The promise is given never to destroy the earth again by a flood. The next time God destroys the earth, the means will be by fire (2 Pet. 3:10). The rainbow is designated as a testimony of the existence of this covenant and the promise never to destroy the earth by flood. As long as we can see the rainbow we will know that the Noahic Covenant is in existence."

Notice that the rainbow is of divine origin. It is God Himself who sets it in the clouds. He calls it "My rainbow." The rainbow was an act of divine kindness with mankind and the earth as the beneficiaries. When we see a rainbow today we should be overcome with gratitude to God. The rainbow is a picture of grace ~ God's grace. The rainbow, first introduced to us here in Genesis, appears again the the last book of the Bible. John saw the Lord on His throne, "and there was a rainbow around the throne" (Rev. 4:3). "And in the vision of the glorified Church (Rev. 4:3) the rainbow again appears, pointing back to the early sign, connecting them a parts of one scheme, and visibly setting forth the glory of God in His mercy and grace" (Pulpit Commentary).

Finally, notice that the rainbow was not just for Noah but for "perpetual generations" ("all future generations" ESV). The Abrahamic Covenant was for Abraham and Israel but the Noahic Covenant was for future generations, including this one. Remember that the next time God sets His rainbow in the sky!

Hymn/Prayer: "O Joy that seekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to Thee; I trace the rainbow through the rain, and feel the promise is not vain that morn shall tearless be." (George Matheson)

A YEAR IN THE ARK

Victor Knowles — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:46:00 GMT

"Then the LORD said to Noah, 'Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation" (Gen. 7:1 NKJV).

Even though Noah built the ark it was God who invited him to come into the ark. We may build a church (physically) but it is Christ who bids us to enter. Note too that his household was invited in as well. The NIV says "you and your whole family." It is wonderful when the whole family serves the Lord. I was raised in a family like this and it brings Evelyn and me great joy to know that our whole family is serving the Lord. "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" (3 John 4).

Noah and his family spent 371 days in the ark (53 weeks). I am sure there was much discussion that took place. I believe that they probably prayed to God. But there is no record of God communicating with them during their year-plus in the ark. Would that test your faith? It would mine. But then comes a verse that thrills my soul. "But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded" (Gen. 8:1 NIV). "But God remembered Noah..." And aren't we all glad that He did? I know that Noah and his family must have breathed a sigh of relief. The rain stopped falling (8:2) and the waters started to recede (8:3). Finally the ark came to rest on the mountains (notice, plural) of Ararat (8:4). Noah opened the window (notice, singular) and sent out a raven and then a dove. The dove returned because it could find no place to alight. After seven days Noah sent the dove out again. At evening the dove returned with an olive leaf in its beak. A third time he sent out the dove and this time the dove did not return. It took awhile for things to dry out and then Noah removed the covering from the ark (8:13). What a task that must have been! Finally, God speaks: "Then God said to Noah, 'Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives..." (8:15 NIV). The long year was over! The first thing Noah does is build an altar and offer a sacrifice to God (8:20). God was pleased with this and said: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man ... And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease" (8:21, 22 NIV). The year in the ark was a year that Noah and his family would never forget. God had proved His faithfulness and they had proved their unquestioning obedience. Each year that we live can be the same!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank You and praise You for Your faithfulness to us! May we always be obedient to Your Word. Through Christ we pray.

A CHARGE TO KEEP

Victor Knowles — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 07:43:00 GMT

"And God said to Noah, 'The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence . . . Make yourself an ark . . . And this is how you shall make it . . . . ' Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did." (Gen. 13-15, 22 NKJV).

This is the fourth time we have seen the word "commanded" in Genesis (2:16; 3:11, 17). The Hebrew word is tsavah and it means "to constitute, enjoin, charge." Noah was charged with building an ark. Aren't you glad he did not take a cavalier attitude to the command of God? So many today (even professing believers) do not take seriously the commands of God. We must give much credit to Noah for being such a humble and obedient servant of God. The NIV says, "Noah did everything just as God commanded him." This same thought is repeated in Gen. 7:5, 9, and 16. The writer of Hebrews gives us additional insight into Noah's obedience. "By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith" (Heb. 11:7 NIV).

Note: The task of building the ark was monumental. The Ryrie Study Bible says the ark was "450 feet long, 75 feet broad, and 45 feet tall, with a displacement of about 20,000 tons and gross tonnage of about 14,000 tons. Its carrying capacity equaled that of 522 standard railroad stock cars (each of which can hold 240 sheep). Only 188 cars would be required to hold 45,000 sheep-sized animals, leaving three trains of 104 cars each for food, Noah's family, and 'range' for the animals. Today it is estimated that there are 17,600 species of animals, making 45,000 a likely approximation of the number Noah might have taken into the ark."

But the point we do not want to miss is how Noah carried out this divine charge. He believed God and did everything just as God commanded him, saving his family and becoming an heir to righteousness as a result. We need to take God's Word as seriously as did Noah.

Hymn: "A charge to keep have I, A God to glorify; Who gave His Son my soul to save, And fit it for the sky" (Charles Wesley)

GRIEF AND GRACE

Victor Knowles — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 07:21:00 GMT

"And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the LORD said, 'I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth ... for I am sorry that I have made them.' But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD" (Gen. 6:6-8 NKJV).

Have you ever thought that your sins cause God to have grief in His heart? Our text says this is true. Verse 6 in the NIV says, "His heart was filled with pain." Imagine then the pain God must have felt when he saw mankind whom He had made wholly given over to the pursuit of sin. How bad was it? Wickedness was "great" in the earth (v. 5). "Every" intent of the thoughts of men's hearts was "only evil continually" (v. 5). The earth was "corrupt" before God (v. 11, 12). It was "full of violence" (v. 11, 12, 13). "Violence" is mentioned three times. Brutality and bloodshed was the order of the day. Was it for sport? Did gangs roam the earth like they roam our cities today? It was so bad that God decided to do an "extreme makeover." He decided that He would destroy man whom he had created. "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth" (v. 7 NIV).

But there was an exception ~ Noah! This man found grace (favor) in the eyes of God. Noah stood out like a beautiful flower in a barren desert of black basalt. The Bible calls him a just (righteous) man, perfect (blameless) in his generation. "Noah stood with God while the rest of the world stood against Him. Not one person outside Noah's family showed any interest in the Creator of humankind. In fact, had it not been for Noah, God would have destroyed all people. Think about that for a moment ~ the only thing standing between the continuation of the human race and its extinction was a single righteous man and his family" (The Leadership Bible). Peter adds that he was a "preacher of righteousness" (2 Pet. 2:5). He practiced what he preached and he preached what he practiced. Noah stands out in Scripture like a spiritual lighthouse in Stygian darkness.

May we also find grace in the eyes of the Lord. "The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth" (Psa. 34:15, 16 NKJV). We do not know the name of one person who perished in the flood (unless it was Methuselah, who died the year of the flood.) "The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot" (Prov. 10:7 NKJV).

Prayer: Holy Father, hear our prayer. Make we always find favor in Your sight. Look upon us in mercy and spare us from this wicked generation. Through Christ we pray.

SIN GOES VIRAL

Victor Knowles — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 08:45:00 GMT

We have seen the terrible consequences of sin in the life of the first family. Adam and Eve were expelled from the beautiful Garden of Eden (Cherubim were even placed east of Eden with a flaming sword to keep them attempting a reentry, Gen. 3:24). Eve would bring forth children in pain and Adam would have to battle the earth just to put bread on the table. Then one of their sons (Cain) kills their second-born (Abel). God marks him for life. Lamech kills a young man and brags about it. Adam finally dies and sets off a death march that is temporarily halted when Enoch is translated. Then sin goes viral!

"Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Gen. 6:5). What a contrast this verse is from all those times when God saw everything He had made and declared it to be good! Now God sees that everything is bad - very bad! Where once He saw goodness now He beholds wickedness. And that wickedness is described as being great in the earth. The Hebrew word here is rab meaning "abundant, exceedingly, full." Sin had spread from Eden throughout all the earth. God also saw that every intent ("inclination" - NIV) of the thoughts of man's heart was only evil continually ("evil all the time" NIV). The human race was now infected with the virus of sin to the point that it had total domination over their mind, words, and actions. Notice God's divine commentary on man even after the flood: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood" (Gen. 8:21 NIV). The NKJV uses the word "youth." The Hebrew word is neurah meaning "the state (juvenility) or the persons (young people) - childhood, youth." Notice that the Bible does not say that every inclination of man's heart is evil from birth but from childhood. But, as we shall see tomorrow, even in a world like this there was a man who stood out like a candle in the night. There remained a remnant of righteousness on the earth, and God took note of him.

Prayer: Holy Father, how it must have grieved You to see what man became in such a short time. How our sin must grieve Your heart. Look upon us in mercy and we be found faithful in Your sight ~ through Christ our sin-covering Savior!

THE MAN WHO WALKED WITH GOD

Victor Knowles — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 07:12:00 GMT

"And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years; And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him" (Gen. 5:21-24 KJV).

These four verses are packed with all kinds of goodies. First of all, Enoch (to be distinguished from Enos, v. 6-11) means "dedicated, or disciplined and well-regulated." Names mean something. Enoch lived up to his name in a time when morals and discipline were slipping. Second, he was 65 when he became a father. I will be 65 this year and I do not believe I want to go through fatherhood again! But Enoch did. Third, Enoch was the father of Methuselah ~ the oldest man in the Bible (969, see v. 27). Longevity does not necessarily mean you are good or bad. Methuselah died the year of the great flood! If he died before the flood came, he may have been died a righteous man. But if he died after the flood came . . . well, we know he was not inside the ark! Fourth, Enoch walked with God. I have underlined those words in both v. 22 and v. 24. When God repeats something in His Word we must sit up and take notice. God walked in Eden but Adam and Eve hid from His presence (see Gen. 3:8). Here, for the first time, we find man walking with God! Sweet fellowship was theirs to enjoy. God wants us to walk with Him today. Do we want to walk and talk with Him? Psalm 16:8 says, "I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved." Fifth, Enoch "walked with God" after he became a father. In my Bible, given to me by my father in 1965, I circled the word after. There is something about becoming a parent that makes us want to be a better person. We now have a child that we are responsible for. Parenting is serious business. God has entrusted us with an eternal soul! So Enoch began a relationship with God after he became a father. Sixth, God blessed Enoch and his wife (who is unnamed in the text) with additional sons and some daughters as well (see v. 22). The Bible says that children are a heritage from the Lord (Psa. 127:3). Seventh, Enoch ended the long march of death. All of the people mentioned in the "death march" chapter of the Bible have a three word postscript after their names: "and he died." But not so with Enoch for the Bible says, "and he was not." The NIV says, "then he was no more." But that does not mean he died. Hebrews 11:5 gives us more light. "By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death; he could not be found, because before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God." Enoch was a believer ("by faith"). He was "translated" so that he would not experience death. Evidently his mysterious disappearance cause a search among his family and friends because "he could not be found." And before his translation he received a commendation ~ from God Himself! "You please me, Enoch!" Wow! What a man! Eighth, he was not because God took him. Herbert Lockyer writes, "One day, while taking his long, accustomed walk with God it seemed as if the two were loathe to part, and so God said to His companion in whom He had pleasure, 'Enoch, why not go home? Come all the way home with Me,' and the two went to the Father's home, to continue without a break in their companionship for ever hereafter."

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to walk with You and please You as did our friend and Your friend Enoch! Grant us his dedication and discipline we pray through Christ our Lord.

THE WORLD'S OLDEST CEMETERY

Victor Knowles — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 07:44:00 GMT

One of my father's favorite pastimes was to walk through a cemetery. Sometime he took me with him when walking quietly in the Hubbard, Iowa Cemetery where my grandfather was buried. He would point out the names and dates on tombstones of family members and old friends too, and tell me their stories. Ever since then I too have enjoyed strolling through cemeteries with contemplative thoughts in mind.

J. Vernon McGee says that reading Genesis 5 is like walking through a cemetery. Remember, God had told Adam, "...in the day that you eat of it [the tree of knowledge of good and evil] you shall surely die" (Gen. 2:17). Paul tell us, "For the wages of sin is death..." (Rom. 6:23). He also says, "For as in Adam all die..." (1 Cor. 15:22). Now let us begin this walk through the world's oldest cemetery. "So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died" (Gen. 5:6). Seth lived to be 112; "and he died" (Gen. 5:8). Enosh lived to be 905, "and he died" (Gen. 5:11). The long funeral cortège continues through Genesis 5. So and so lived so many years. "And he died." The three words are repeated over and over, like a solemn drum roll. "And he died...and he died...and he died."

As I write these words a good friend of mine is in the hospital, surrounded by loving family memories. A few days ago she suffered a massive brain hemorrhage. She is nearly 96 and has lived a long, rich, full and satisfying life. I have sat at her table countless times enjoying food and fellowship with her. But now she is dying. The family has already asked me to participate in funeral service, which I will be honored to do. She, "as in Adam," will die. But thank God for Jesus, the "second Adam," in Whom she put her trust many years ago. Yes, we will all die some day. But we have a living hope because of Jesus Christ, who said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live" (John 11:25). All those who have died in Christ will some day come forth from cemeteries all over the world to meet their Lord in the sky. What a day that will be! "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first" (1 Thess. 4:16). This promise should cause us all to say, "O Death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?" (1 Cor. 15:55).

Prayer: Loving Father, thank You for removing the sting of death through Christ our Lord. We praise you that the grave has no victory over us through Christ our Lord!

THE FIRST PRAYER

Victor Knowles — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 07:16:00 GMT

We often take prayer for granted. It is a priceless privilege, of that there can be no doubt. But how often do we avail ourselves of this wonderful opportunity to call upon the Lord? An old hymn reads, "Oh, what peace we often forfeit. Oh, what needless pain we bear. All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer." Here's another thought: Who was the first to pray in the Bible? When did people begin to pray? The answer to those questions may be found in today's text.

"And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, 'For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.' And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD" (Gen. 4:25, 26 NKJV). Notice that men began to pray to God after the murder of Abel. After the birth of Seth. More specifically, after the birth of Enosh. I wonder if Eve breathed a prayer of thanks when God replaced Abel with Seth. Did Seth realize that Messiah would come from his line and thus thank God? We shall never know until we get to Heaven and ask them. I would like to think that prayer began in the family circle of Adam. Our family had a weekday evening "family circle" when I was growing up. We all gathered together before we went to bed and my father read the Bible to us and then mom and dad would lead us in prayer. Eve has something to thank God for: a new son and grandson. Remember it would be through her seed that Messiah would come (Gen. 3:15). She recognized that this was the work of God: "For God has appointed another seed for me..." It is possible that Eve breathed the first prayer that was heard by the Lord? Soon it became a general practice for devout people to call on the name of the Lord. I am not sure if this was private or public worship, but it was definitely a matter of people calling on God. Was it praise? petition? thanksgiving? We can only wonder but it is a wonder that men did not begin to call upon the Lord until this point in time. Sometimes desperate times call for desperate measures. A murder had been committed. Lamech took two wives, thus introducing bigamy. Lamech also murdered a young man for wounding him (Gen. 4:23, 24). Society was becoming violent. Soon the earth would be filled with violence. In times like these, men began to pray. And why not?

Hymn: "Living below in this old sinful world. Hardly a comfort can afford; Striving alone to face temptation sore, where could I go but to the Lord? Where could I go? O where could I go? Seeking a refuge for my soul? Needing a friend to save me in the end, Where could I go but to the Lord?" (J. B. Coats)

MURDER, HE WROTE

Victor Knowles — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 07:16:00 GMT

"This book is called 'Genesis' because it records the beginning or generation of things. It sets forth several beginnings: that of the world, of life, of domestic relationships, of institutions, of the moral order, of sin and its consequences, of the scheme of redemption and of the Messianic nation" (New Analytical Bible, (c) 1964, Chicago, IL). And now we come to the beginning of death. In fact, it was a murder. The first murder. More terrible to think, it was fratricide ~ a brother killing another brother. How could this be?

"And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him" (Gen. 4:8 KJV). Domestic violence in the first family. And it sprang from unchecked anger that God had warned Cain about earlier. Abel's death does not appear to be accidental. Notice that it happened "in the field." Perhaps Cain lured Abel there with the intent of killing him there where no one could see them. If so, this would be premeditated murder, not merely manslaughter. Jesus said that out of the heart proceeds murder. Cain could not contain the hatred he felt for his brother (probably because God accepted Abel's sacrifice and not his own). 1 John 3:12 (ESV) sheds light on this shedding of blood. "We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous." This also helps us understand John 8:44 where Jesus said that Satan was a murderer "from the beginning." Murder, he wrote ("he" being Satan in this case).

Cain was his brother's keeper, even though he denied it. His unchecked anger caused him to become his brother's murderer. God told him that his brother's blood cried unto Him from the ground! (Had Cain hidden his brother's body in a shallow grave?) I have been to the "killing fields" of Poland six times. I remember walking through the forests at Treblinka and Sobibor with this thought in mind: how much blood cries unto God from the ground of these dark places? Millions, yes, millions were summarily liquidated in Poland. Does their blood still cry out to God for justice? Because of this deed God places a curse on both Cain and the earth (see vs. 11, 12). But let me close on a positive note by pointing to the One who removed the curse of sin by His own blood. "But you have come to...Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel" (Heb. 12:22, 24 NKJV).

Prayer: Loving Father, fill our hearts with love and rid our hearts of all anger and hatred. Help us never to be like Cain, who was of the evil one. Infuse us with Your holiness and rightousness we pray in Jesus' name.

THE FIRST OF THE FLOCK

Victor Knowles — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Genesis is the book of beginnings. In chapter 3 we saw the beginning of sin. Now in chapter 4 we will see the beginning of sacrifices. Sin demands sacrifice. But it is not Adam who offers the first sacrifice, or even Eve. It is the sons of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, who brought offerings to the Lord. Were they required to do so? The Bible is silent on this matter. They may have been asked to do so or perhaps it was something they felt they should do. In any event, God did not respect Cain's offering (Cain was a farmer and brought an offering of the fruit of the ground). But God did accept Abel's offering. "Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering" (Gen. 4:4). Somewhere in my college days I underlined that word firstlings ("firstborn" in the NIV).

To me this is the key word in understanding this story. Cain had an attitude problem after his offering was rejected (anger) and God had to address that problem (Gen. 4:6, 7). I wonder if his attitude in bringing the offering was not good either. We are warned in Scripture about giving "grudgingly" or "of necessity." Maybe that was Cain's problem too. But we want to focus on Abel's offering here today. His offering was not just a sheep (or a lamb) from his flock, it was the firstlings ~ and their fat. It was the finest he had to offer. Perhaps it was because it was a blood sacrifice that brought the approval of God. Much later God would tell Aaron, Israel's high priest, "You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar, and burn their fat as an offering made by fire for a sweet aroma to the LORD" (Lev. 18:17).

Another passage to consider is Proverbs 3:9, "Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase." "Firstlings...firstborn...firstfruits." There is something about giving God that which is first or best or the finest that seems to be the secret of an offering that is acceptable to Him. Abel's offering may have cost him more, thus revealing a greater love for the Lord. David once said that he would not give anything to the Lord than did not cost him anything. There is an important lesson for us here in this text. God wants our very best.

Hymn: "Give of your best to the Master, give Him first place in your heart; Give him first place in your service, consecrate every part. Give, and to you shall be given, God His beloved Son gave; Gratefully seeking to serve Him, give Him the best that you have..."
(Howard B. Grose)

THE FIRST MESSIANIC PROMISE

Victor Knowles — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 07:03:00 GMT

Now we come to the first Messianic promise in the Bible. How ironic is it that it is spoken to the serpent! "And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Gen. 3:15 KJV). Some have called this verse the Protoevangelium, the first announcement of the Gospel. In the Bible my father gave me in 1965, I underlined the portion of this verse that reads "it shall bruise thy head." The promised Messiah would bruise the head of the serpent some day! It implies that there would be a long, hard struggle between Jesus and Satan, but our Lord would win in the end.

Notice that the battle would be between the seed of Satan and the seed of woman. Interesting, is it not, that the writer does not say seed of man but rather seed of woman. I believe that this is a clear reference to Mary and the virgin birth (see Isa. 7:14). Consider what Paul declared. "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons" (Gal. 4:4, 5 ESV). God patiently waited for centuries until the time was just right for the right woman (the virgin Mary) to give birth to His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, Messiah. And you and I are included in this passage - "so that we might receive adoptions as sons." Praise His holy name!

It would seem to me that Jesus bruised the head of Satan at the Cross, when Satan bruised His heel. Which wound is worse? A wounded head or a wounded heel? Jesus recovered from His heel wound three days after the Cross. Satan has never recovered from the head wound he suffered at the Cross. Christ took on flesh so that "through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil" (Heb. 2:14 NKJV). On the Cross Jesus "disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it" (Col. 2:15 NKJV). Jesus Christ prevailed at the "showdown at the Cross."For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8). I am so glad that in the midst of sin, selfishness, and subsequent sorrow that God included this first Messianic promise ~ this first promise of the Gospel. I am so glad that Jesus was born of the virgin Mary to save us all from Satan's power and to save us from all our sins (Matt. 1:21).

Hymn: "God rest you merry, gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay, Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas Day; to save us all from Satan's power When we were gone astray. O tidings of comfort and joy..." (Traditional English Carol, 18th century).

THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN

Victor Knowles — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 07:26:00 GMT

Sin always has consequences. After the Fall there were consequences for the serpent, the woman, and the man. They are spelled out for us in Genesis 3:14-19. The serpent was told that because of his wicked work of beguiling he would be viewed with contempt. "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly shall you go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life" (3:14 ESV). Then Eve is singled out. "I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you" (3:16 ESV). Finally, Adam receives his punishment. "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return." (3:17-19 ESV).

The first time this passage became real to me was when we were just married and we were living in Hamburg, Iowa. Evelyn was pregnant with our first child. We had very little income and I often hired out to farmers to make enough money to put food on the table. One hot summer day I was cutting thistles out of a field. At noon I sat down, mopped my brow, and ate my sandwich. I thought about the consequences of Adam's sin. Here I was doing exactly what God told Adam he would have to do because of his sin. Soon my wife would give birth to our child but she would have to go through much pain in the process. I almost cursed Adam and Eve that day! Sin does not go unpunished. The consequences of sinning against God continue to this day. That's why tomorrow's study will be so important. Hidden in this passage is a verse we have not looked at yet ~ the first Messianic promise.

Prayer: Holy Father, may this study today remind us of the terrible consequences of disobeying Your Holy Word! May we never listen to false teaching or counsel that contradicts those divine words! Through Christ, the promised Messiah, we pray.

SELF: THE ROOT OF EVERY SIN

Victor Knowles — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 07:55:00 GMT

I believe that selfishness is the root of every sin that we commit. I base this on today's passage, Genesis 3:6. "And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat." Even though God had told Adam and Eve that a death penalty would be imposed upon them if they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (see Gen. 2:17), Eve let her selfish desires take over. The world has paid a terrible price for that act of selfishness!

I am sure that all the other trees in the garden where nice to look at too. But once the serpent had introduced the idea of there being no death penalty, the woman was overcome with the beauty of the tree. Adam was complicit with her in this sin. I have often thought that he should have said to her: "Woman, what are you doing with the piece of fruit? You know God told us not to eat of it. Put it back!" But, alas, he did not; then he showed his own disregard for God's command when he tasted of the fruit as well. The ESV Study Bible says, "The fact that Adam was 'with her' and that he knowingly ate what God had forbidden indicates that Adam's sin was both an act of conscious rebellion against God and a failure to carry out his divinely ordained responsibility to guard or 'keep' (Gen. 2:15) both the garden and the woman that God had created 'as a helper fit for him' (2:18, 20). The disastrous consequences of Adam's sin cannot be overemphasized, resulting in the fall of mankind, the beginning of every kind of sin, suffering, and pain, as well as physical and spiritual death for the human race."

It is interesting that the apostle Paul cites this very account in stating his reasons why a woman is not to teach or usurp authority over the man in the church. "I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor" ( 1 Tim. 2:12-14 ESV).

Prayer: Holy Father, help us to always take seriously the commands that You have given us in Your Word. May we lay aside self and seek only to please You. In Jesus' Name we pray, Amen.

"IT IS NOT GOOD"

Victor Knowles — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 07:49:00 GMT

"And the LORD God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him" (Gen. 2:18 KJV).

Today we come upon something interesting. This is the first time God has made something and then said, "It is not good." Up to now everything that God made, He declared to be good. But now, seing Adam alone in the beautiful garden, God says, "It is NOT good . . . it is not good that the man should be alone." This teaches us that we were not made to be alone. We need friendship, relationship, and companionship in life. In the movie Cast Away, a man (Tom Hanks) is stranded on an island after the plane he was on went down in the ocean. He is so starved for companionship that he forms a strange friendship with a soccer ball (that survived the crash) that he dubs "Wilson." For years he converses with "Wilson" and when "Wilson" is lost at sea, Hanks cries his name over and over again in genuine anguish.

So God looks at Adam and says, in a sense, "This is not good. This man needs someone to be his friend and companion." And the result was woman. God created woman from a rib He takes from Adam so that she would stand by his side. Adam names her "Woman" because she was taken from Man. Then the Scripture says, "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh" (Gen. 1:24 KJV). The Ryrie Study Bible says, "This verse emphasizes the complete identification of the two personalities in marriage. The passage tells us that God instituted marriage and that it is to be monogamous, heterosexual, and the complete union of the two persons." The Hebrew word for "cleave" means "stick like glue." This union was intended to be indissoluble. Jesus cites this passage in the New Testament and adds divine commentary. "For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.' So they are no longer two but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man no separate" (Mark 10:7-9 NIV). What you have here, then, is a leaving, a cleaving, and a weaving. The man leaves his parents. The two cleave to one another. God weaves their total beings together, making them "one flesh." That is why divorce hurts so much. That is why the death of a mate is one of the greatest pains experience on earth.

Prayer: Holy Father, thank You for the wonderful design of godly marriage. Bless those today who have suffered the hurt of divorce or the pangs of losing a mate. May we who are still "one flesh" rededicate ourselves to those we promised to cherish and honor until the day we are parted. Through Christ we pray.