Jun 26

  • aboverubies
    aboverubies added a text contribution a wife of my own kindred
    Throughout the Old Testament, we see the character of the patriarchs or "founders" of a tribe/family of people reflected in further generations, and in blessings or curses upon them. Abraham himself had cursed the Canaanites, but knew that God had promised an inheritance through his son Isaac, so he made his servant swear to see that Isaac would marry among his own people, so that his descendants would be a pure line of "chosen people". Read more »

Jun 18

  • aboverubies
    aboverubies added a text contribution "unto thee shall be his desire"
    I find the parallels between Genesis 3:16 & Genesis 4:7 very interesting. In verse 3:16, speaking to woman [Eve], God says, "thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.", while in verse 4:7, his is speaking to Cain of sin, saying, "unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." the praising is also parallel in the original Hebrew, with the same terms of speech being used - desire meaning the desire to control, rule over, and master. G… Read more »
  • aboverubies
    aboverubies added a text contribution Cain's Offering
    There are so many people wondering why Cain's gift was not acceptable to God, and scripture is not really clear on it. There are 3 things that I see as possiblities - 1) God usually asked for blood to be shed as part as an offering, as when he killed animals to clothe Adam & Eve, later in the temple sacrifices, and with the ultimate sacrifice of his Son Jesus Christ. 2) Abel brought the first of his flock, while Cain simply bought the fruit of the ground - he did not put God in the plac… Read more »
  • aboverubies
    aboverubies added a text contribution woman's desire
    A lot of people have questioned the meaning of this passage. I don't think it just means a woman will desire her husband emotionally or sexually, because God has already made them of one flesh, and told them to go forth and multiply, so they were made to need and desire one another. Also, that "desire" does not seem to carry the connotation of judgment or punishment that runs through this passage. Being a woman, and knowing hoe so many women struggle with control, I find the New… Read more »
  • aboverubies
    aboverubies added a text contribution good & evil
    Before eating the fruit, all that they knew was good, because that was all they have been given. The Amplified Version expands this into "good and evil, blessing and calamity". By eating the fruit, man's eyes was opened to evil and calamity, when instead they could have lived forever in the garden with God, knowing only his goodness and blessings. Read more »
  • aboverubies
    aboverubies added a text contribution adding to the word of God
    God did not tell Eve she couldn't touch the fruit, just not to eat of it. Read more »

Jun 17

  • aboverubies
    aboverubies added a text contribution He clothed them
    I find it amazing that even as he is telling them of the judgments and punishments that come from their disobedience, God clothes them. Since he used animal skins, this could be seen as the first sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins, and also as a form of protection as they are going to have to leave the garden. Even when God seemingly casts us away, if it is his will and a part of his chastisement, he will also protect us so that it is not more than we can bear. We see a similar thing in the… Read more »
  • aboverubies
    aboverubies added a text contribution Passing the Buck
    Adam blames Eve, Eve blames the serpent, but neither acknowledges that what they did was wrong. Read more »
  • aboverubies
    aboverubies added a text contribution Hiding from God Makes Things Worse
    There are so many times when I have felt guilt or shame over my own sins and tried to run and hide from God, usually dragging myself deeper into trouble, when I could find so much relief by running to God, asking his forgiveness and guidance, and repenting to turn away from sin. I don't know why we as humans try to run from our mistakes, or pass the blame off onto others, but I see here that it started very early on. How differently would our lives be now if Adam and Eve had called upon Go… Read more »
  • aboverubies
    aboverubies added a text contribution "her husband with her"
    I find it interesting that Adam was right there with her, yet seemed to just stand by. Also, that the serpent chose to talk with and tempt her first, and that Adam let her eat first. I wonder if he was watching to see what became of her before he tried the fruit for himself, and why he didn't at least question it or try to stop it. Maybe because they had not yet gained the knowledge of good and evil, they had no reason to expect evil motives or intentions behind the offer. Read more »
  • aboverubies
    aboverubies added a text contribution "leave his father and mother"
    So often we overlook this simple command, and it causes a lot of family stress. There are so many marriages where one or both people place their relationships and obligations to their parents [or children] ahead of their spouse, and it causes tension in strife. Yes, family is important, but you should be united with your spouse as one, placing their needs, desires, and feelings equal to, or even above, your own. The only person more important than your spouse is God, so let no person, no matter… Read more »
  • aboverubies
    aboverubies added a text contribution "help meet"
    I have seen people take this verse out of context and create the new word "helpmeet" or "helpmate" as a title to imply that a man's wife is somehow subordinate to him. However, the phrase actually means a helper suitable, adapted, & complementary to him, and is used elsewhere in the Bible to refer only to god as a helper of man - hardly a subordinate role. While it does place a wife in a position to help, complete, and support her husband, it in no way makes her les… Read more »
  • aboverubies
    aboverubies added a text contribution breath of life
    Our life comes from the very breath of God, so our lives should be filled with Him. Read more »
  • aboverubies
    aboverubies added a text contribution "in our image"
    This shows that God was there, in the plural - the Father, Son, & Holy Ghost [the spirit moving upon the face of the waters]. That in itself is amazing, even more so when you consider that the Son was present at the creation, seeing that it was good, even knowing that the creation, and later redemption, of man would mean his own torture, suffering, and death. God was there in paradise, with His holy & perfect Son, and still chose to create man and give him dominion over the earth, knowin… Read more »
  • aboverubies
    aboverubies added a text contribution After it's own kind
    God makes like bring forth like. This is echoed not only in the Levitical laws given later, which forbid mixing types of seeds or breeds of animals, and even weaving cloths of two types together. It makes practical sense, because hybrids tend to be sterile under most conditions. It also shows that even when people reproduce, they tend to create those like themselves, hence the curse upon the lineage of Canaan [Hamites], and the blessings upon the descendants of Abraham. As children of God, we ar… Read more »