Hey, should we promise a dollar to the first person to read through the Bible this year, starting at Genesis 1:1 and reading all the way to Revelation 22:21?...
In today's reading, there were 2 verses that stood out to me. The first was:
1:29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food." And it was so.
I guess I had never thought about the wild animals eating "every green plant for food" instead of meat. I guess they must have become meateaters at some point after God killed some animals to make clothing for Adam and Eve?
The other verses that stood out to me were:
3:6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, WHO WAS WITH HER, and he ate it.
It sounds like Adam was right there with Eve when the serpent was tempting her -- that she first tasted the fruit and just turned and gave some to Adam. I have always been led to believe Eve was by herself and went and found Adam and gave him the fruit to eat -- but is it possible that Adam was right there with her all along? Your thoughts on this would be appreciated. Thank you!
I found it striking that God takes the initiative to provide the solutions for our problems, from the temporary to the eternal. When Adam and Eve became aware of their nakedness due to their sinful actions, it was God who "made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them" (Gen. 3:21, TNIV).
God's provision here seems insignificant compared to His act of providing payment for our sins through Christ's sacrificial death on the cross. However, this display of God's unmerited generosity helps me to remember that we do not deserve any of the blessings that He lavishes on our lives. The Lord provides for us because He is love, not because of anything we have done.
If anyone wants to comment further on what Merry or Garth shared, that would be great.
Merry, regarding your question about the animals, it's interesting that even though we were originally vegetarians, God gave us canine teeth, designed for cutting and tearing meat. Hmmmm...
Check out Genesis 9:3.
Even Paul's writings (1 Timothy 2:14) make it sound as if Adam was no where in sight when Eve ate the fruit.
I think it's clear from the text that Adam WAS there and offered no "spiritual leadership" at all. This begs the question, does the patriarchal system, that has covered the vast majority of the planet for as long as history has been recorded, exist because that was God's intention from the start? Or, was it a result of "the fall"? See Genesis 3:16.
Garth, I enjoyed reading your thoughts about the significance of God making the clothes for Adam and Eve once they realized their nakedness. That's such a good point about God's provision and blessing being because He loves us and not because of anything we have done. Thanks! Janelle
Hey, should we promise a dollar to the first person to read through the Bible this year, starting at Genesis 1:1 and reading all the way to Revelation 22:21?...
In today's reading, there were 2 verses that stood out to me. The first was:
ReplyDelete1:29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food." And it was so.
I guess I had never thought about the wild animals eating "every green plant for food" instead of meat. I guess they must have become meateaters at some point after God killed some animals to make clothing for Adam and Eve?
The other verses that stood out to me were:
3:6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, WHO WAS WITH HER, and he ate it.
It sounds like Adam was right there with Eve when the serpent was tempting her -- that she first tasted the fruit and just turned and gave some to Adam. I have always been led to believe Eve was by herself and went and found Adam and gave him the fruit to eat -- but is it possible that Adam was right there with her all along? Your thoughts on this would be appreciated. Thank you!
Merry Sautter
I found it striking that God takes the initiative to provide the solutions for our problems, from the temporary to the eternal. When Adam and Eve became aware of their nakedness due to their sinful actions, it was God who "made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them" (Gen. 3:21, TNIV).
ReplyDeleteGod's provision here seems insignificant compared to His act of providing payment for our sins through Christ's sacrificial death on the cross. However, this display of God's unmerited generosity helps me to remember that we do not deserve any of the blessings that He lavishes on our lives. The Lord provides for us because He is love, not because of anything we have done.
If anyone wants to comment further on what Merry or Garth shared, that would be great.
ReplyDeleteMerry, regarding your question about the animals, it's interesting that even though we were originally vegetarians, God gave us canine teeth, designed for cutting and tearing meat. Hmmmm...
Check out Genesis 9:3.
Even Paul's writings (1 Timothy 2:14) make it sound as if Adam was no where in sight when Eve ate the fruit.
I think it's clear from the text that Adam WAS there and offered no "spiritual leadership" at all. This begs the question, does the patriarchal system, that has covered the vast majority of the planet for as long as history has been recorded, exist because that was God's intention from the start? Or, was it a result of "the fall"? See Genesis 3:16.
Garth,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your thoughts about the significance of God making the clothes for Adam and Eve once they realized their nakedness. That's such a good point about God's provision and blessing being because He loves us and not because of anything we have done.
Thanks! Janelle