Genesis

Non-Christian religions will point to a place in history and the circumstances of their origin. Without even realizing it, they are testifying to the One True God, Yahweh. Because in their history, they must acknowledge a simple fact - "something happened BEFORE." The first sentence of the Holy Bible sets Yahweh apart forever because there is no history before God. Genesis opens with that foundation: Who? - God. What? - Created. Where? - Everywhere that exists. When? - THE Beginning. - "In the beginning God CREATED." The word for create used here is בָּרָא Bara’ – to shape, fashion, create "FROM NOTHING." This is completely different from the verb עָשָׂה asah - to do, make, or shape from existing matter, used six verses later "So God MADE the expanse" (v7). It is also completely different from the word יָצַר yatsar – to form, or fashion from existing matter (like a potter), used in the following chapter of Genesis "Then Yahweh God FORMED man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and so the man became a living being." (2:7). A well-known scientist and atheist Herbert Spencer died in 1903. He is known for one great discovery. He was thought to be the first to discover that all reality and all that exists in the universe can be contained in five categories: Time, Force, Action, Space, and Matter. He even listed them in that order. But he wasn't the first. Moses wrote it as God delivered it in Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning (Time) God (Force) Created (Action) the heavens (Space) and the earth (Matter). Spencer wasn't even the second. The Apostle John said the same thing in different words 2,000 years ago "All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being." (John 1:3)

As schools quickly embrace and teach the theories that counter biblical truth, we are conditioned to miss obvious insight from Scripture. Such as in Genesis 2:19 "...Yahweh God had formed every beast ...and He brought each to the man to see what he would call it...". This puts Darwin and evolution in a bind because the word "every" has to include the beasts that are living today, as well as those that are now extinct. And since God brought "every" beast to "the man," we know that man and dinosaurs had to exist at the same time, in the same place. These things aren't so difficult to accept when we remember that man and beast were vegetarians living in harmony (1:26,28-30) prior to sin entering the world (which sadly occurs only three chapters into the Bible). Consider too verses 9 and 19. Some want to suggest that the descriptions in these verses contradict the chronology of creation delivered in Genesis chapter one. There is a mistake to assume that the Bible contains errors, but that does not mean every translation and copy is correct. Some translations fail to translate the Hebrew יָצַר yatsar - formed (v19) in its correct "pluperfect" form, which reads "had formed." The ESV, NIV, LSB, and others do this, while others do not. Understanding that God placed man into a garden He "had created" and brought to man the beasts He "had formed" allows us to see not a contradiction of the timeline but a focus on man that is intentional, not contradictory.

God gave Adam a clear command: And Yahweh God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may surely eat; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat from it; for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” (Gen 2:16-17). This command had been communicated to Eve, but EVE lied to Satan about what God said, even before she had eaten from the tree of knowledge of good and evil: And the woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God said, ‘You shall not eat from it, AND YOU SHALL NOT TOUCH IT, lest you die.’” (Gen 3:2-3, capitalization emphasis added). Satan can even be interpreted to have spoken honestly when he said, "You surely will not die!" (v4) because God did not say she would die if she "touched" the fruit. Eve's lie proved to be false when she "took from its fruit" (touching it) without dying. But Satan's greater deception had been achieved. Satan intended for Adam and Eve to doubt God ("Indeed, has God said...?" 3:1). With that doubt solidly entrenched, founded on Eve's disproven lie, there was no pause whatsoever in then violating God's command: Then the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, so she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. (Gen 3:6). Doubt can be a good thing when it prompts us to seek God (Jer 29:8-13). But doubt that leads to sin is death (Gen 2:17; Rom 6:23).

Eve acknowledges God's help in delivering to her a son (v1) using His name "Yahweh" rather than "Elohim" as she had when earlier speaking with Satan (3:2-3). Cain and Abel may have been twins, although not clearly indicated. Cain was born first, nonetheless. When the two brought their offerings to Yahweh (vv3-4), it is possible this would have been to the gate blocking the entrance to the Garden of Eden, where they would have known a flaming sword (3:24) as a visible reminder of God's presence. The distinction between the regard God had for Abel's offering (v4) and that He did not have for Cain's (v5) might have been apparent in flames consuming Abel's offering and not Cain's. God's response to Cain was not of condemnation but of counsel to do well (v7). There is a more obvious indication of Cain's premeditated murder of Abel in the ancient Genesis manuscripts, which add "let us go into the field"(v8). The curses of the first murder mark a division of the lineage of mankind. Although all lines eventually must reconverge to Noah (because of the Flood, 7:17), Scripture reveals several persistent elements. In the seventh generation of Adam, along Cain's cursed line, we arrive at Lamech, another murderer. Lamech fathers the namesake of celebratory music, Jubal (v21), and then, notably, the forger of implements of bronze and iron (weapons), Tubal-cain (v22). This strongly suggests that Lamech's words of vv23-24 to his wives were a boast or even a threat to his potential enemies - "I am ten times more dangerous than Cain!" The final verses (vv25-26) set the stage for the restored (blessed) lineage of mankind through Seth, where that seventh generation is of epic contrast.