9/27/19

Does God Tempt People? by Eric Lyons, M.Min.



Does God Tempt People?

by Eric Lyons, M.Min.
In his February 12, 2009 debate with Kyle Butt, Dan Barker alleged that he “knows” the God of the Bible cannot exist because “there are mutually incompatible properties/characteristics of the God that’s in this book [the Bible—EL] that rule out the possibility of His existence.” Seven minutes and 54 seconds into his first speech, Barker cited James 1:13 and Genesis 22:1 as proof that the God of the Bible cannot exist. Since James 1:13 says: “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man” (KJV), and Genesis 22:1 affirms that “God did tempt Abraham” (KJV) to sacrifice his son, Barker asserted that God is like a married bachelor or a square circle—He cannot logically exist.
If Genesis 22:1 actually taught that God really tempted Abraham to commit evil and sin, then the God of the Bible might be a “square circle,” i.e., a logical contradiction. But, the fact of the matter is, God did not tempt Abraham to commit evil. Barker formulated his argument based upon the King James Version and only one meaning of the Hebrew word (nissâ) found in Genesis 22:1. Although the word can mean “to tempt,” the first two meanings that Brown, Driver, and Briggs give for nissâ in their Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament is “to test, to try” (1993). Likewise, the Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament (1997) defines the word simply “to test” (Jenni and Westermann, 1997, 2:741-742). The Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament agrees that nissâ is best translated, whether in secular or theological contexts, as “testing” (Botterweck, et al., 1998, 9:443-455). For this reason, virtually all major translations in recent times, including the NKJV, NASB, ESV, NIV, and RSV, translate Genesis 22:1 using the term “tested,” not tempted.
When David put on the armor of King Saul prior to battling Goliath, the shepherd realized: “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested (nissâ) them” (1 Samuel 17:39, emp. added). Obviously, this testing had nothing to do with David “tempting” his armor; he simply had not tested or tried on Saul’s armor previously. God led Israel during 40 years of desert wanderings “to humble...and test” them (Deuteronomy 8:2, emp. added), not to tempt them to sin. Notice also the contrast in Exodus 20:20 between (1) God testing man and (2) trying to cause man to sin. After giving Israel the Ten Commandments, Moses said: “Do not fear; for God has come to test (nissâ) you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin” (Exodus 20:20, emp. added). If one were to use Barker’s reasoning that nissâ must mean “to tempt,” regardless of the context, then he would have to interpret Exodus 20:20 to mean that God tempted Israel to sin, so that they will not sin.
When a person interprets the Bible, or any other book, without recognizing that words have a variety of meanings and can be used in various senses, a rational interpretation is impossible. Many alleged Bible contradictions, including several of those that Dan Barker mentioned in the Butt/Barker Debate, are easily explained simply by acknowledging that words are used in a variety of ways. Is a word to be taken literally or figuratively? Must the term in one place mean the exact same thing when in another context, or may it have different meanings? If English-speaking Americans can intelligibly converse about running to the store in the 21st century by driving a car, or if we can easily communicate about parking on driveways, and driving on parkways, why do some people have such a difficult time understanding the various ways in which words were used in Bible times? Could it be that some Bible critics like Barker are simply predisposed to interpret Scripture unfairly? The evidence reveals that is exactly what is happening.
Rather then contradicting James 1:13, Genesis 22:1 actually corresponds perfectly with what James wrote near the beginning of his epistle: “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (1:2-4, emp. added). By instructing Abraham to sacrifice his promised son (cf. Hebrews 11:17), God gave Abraham another opportunity to prove his loyalty to Him, while Abraham simultaneously used this trial to continue developing a more complete, mature faith.

REFERENCES

Botterweck, G. Johannes, Helmer Ringgren, and Heinz-Josef Fabry (1998), Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans).
Brown, Francis, S.R. Driver, and Charles B. Briggs (1993), A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (Electronic Database: Biblesoft).
Butt, Kyle and Dan Barker (2009), Does the God of the Bible Exist? (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press).
Jenni, Ernst and Claus Westerman (1997), Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson).

Keys Promised to Peter by David Vaughn Elliott



Keys Promised to Peter
by David Vaughn Elliott

He who holds keys controls entry. Is Peter standing at the gates of heaven, deciding who enters? No, that is just sacrilegious joke material. Well then, will Peter be standing at the gates of a future millennium reign of Christ, deciding who enters? I never heard of any premillennialist teaching that. 

What, then, is Jesus telling Peter in Matthew 16:18,19? "I will build My church... I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven." Notice 1) In practically the same breath, with no hint of changing subjects, Jesus speaks of the church and the kingdom, apparently equating them. 2) Peter would use the keys to bind "on earth," thus it was to be done during his lifetime. 

Since Jesus does not fail, His promises amount to prophecy.  Thus this is a prophecy about the kingdom. The prophecy says that Peter will open the way into the kingdom and that he will make binding decrees regarding the kingdom. Even futurist-premillennialists apply this prophecy to Peter's earthly ministry beginning on the day of Pentecost. Thus they inadvertently confess that the church is the kingdom and that the kingdom of God began on the day of Pentecost in the year 30 A.D. 

Since Jesus promised Peter "the keys of the kingdom," it is no coincidence that Peter was the leading spokesman on the day of Pentecost. Keys open doors. Once open, others can enter. Thus, Christ designated Peter to unlock the doors, telling people how they could enter the kingdom: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38). The doors of the kingdom have been open for 2000 years. Those who listen to the holder of the keys are privileged to enter. 

God speaks to man by Eugene C. Perry



God speaks to man


When God speaks we should be listening. We should by all means be tuned in, on the right wave length, to receive, assimilate and translate into obedient action whatever instruction or admonition God sends our way.
Although I do not claim to be an authority, I will make some observations on this subject. I cannot but have questions when I hear of the variety of strange messages men are claiming that they receive from God. Pilgrimages, mass suicides, polygamous marriages, “holy” wars, etc. have been proclaimed to be responses to divine messages.
We are forced to the conclusion that men often make plans, decide what they want to or think they should do, and then manage to convince themselves and announce that such was revealed to them as God’s will. The same process has, I fear, even been true regarding doctrines that relate to salvation, worship and Christian living.
There is a difference between being open and receptive to God’s communications and looking for and expecting his support for preconceived plans, ideas and concepts. Whatever the manner of communication, it is important that the message not be “wrested” to fit our agendas. When someone tells you that God spoke to them, that they heard his actual words, do you wonder why you never had such an experience?
Through the history of his dealings with humans, God has communicated in a variety of ways. Certainly, “what has been made” speaks to us of “his eternal power and divine nature” (Rom.1:20). He had a conversational relationship with Adam, Enoch and others. He spoke to and through patriarchs (fathers of families), prophets and chosen people. He communicated in visions, dreams and demonstrations. In considering this the writer of Hebrews began the letter, “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways,” (Heb.1:1). However, these former processes are contrasted with, “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,” (v.2a).
Since Jesus is not physically with us today, it appears that he has made provision for us to hear his message from others whom he chose for the purpose rather than in some mystical way, perhaps “better felt than told”. The inspired writer proceeds to point to the “binding” nature of the messages received “by angels” and uses this to warn us of the grave consequences of ignoring “such a great salvation,” (Heb.2:2,3), the message by his Son.
The message of God regarding our great salvation was spoken by Jesus himself, refreshed in the memories of his apostles by the Holy Spirit (Heb.2:3,4) and confirmed for us (its source established) by means of miracles. The New Testament scriptures have long been recognized as the end result of this process, written by those that heard Jesus and saw his great works and later were enabled to do similar works to establish what they spoke and wrote. This body of teaching, “the faith”, is described as “once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 3). Hence, it appears that we should not expect any new or different message from modern day theologians, scholars or “prophets”.
There are those who are seriously asking whether God is speaking to churches today through “theological voices” as he did through Paul and the other New Testament writers. Today’s scholars cannot be God’s messengers in the same way that the apostles were. They have not seen or heard Jesus nor has he promised them a Comforter to put his message in their minds.
On the individual, personal level, communication from God via the scriptures may seem too general and to God by prayer, too one-way. Because of this some claim that God actually responds verbally or, perhaps, in some still small voice. Others, having no direct message, feel that they do not experience God in an intimate way. Current literature on “Experiencing God” appears to be an attempt to respond to these feelings.
Some are urging us to practise “listening prayer”. Certainly, we should, while praying, let God know that we are open to his message and really do seek his response whether it is through scripture, circumstances or our brothers and sisters. It is not uncommon to hear, in a prayer, the request that God “guard, guide and direct us”. Yes, we need protection. Yes, we fumble around and are lost without his guidance and direction. God has taken care of much of this through the scriptures and our relationship with one another in his family.
God’s message is provided to and for the seeker. (John 7:17, Matt.7:7,8). Cornelius’ prayer resulted, not in God telling him what to do to be saved, but in his coming to this knowledge through God’s chosen agent (Acts 10). God’s medium today is the New Testament scriptures and not individual direct messages and not some modern day prophet speaking differently then those scriptures, either more or less.
We must tune in, - study with open minds and receptive hearts. Let us, first of all, be willing to receive and submit to the clear and obvious rather than look for less likely messages delivered in some other way.
God speaks to us today through Jesus and those he appointed. Let us tune in, be receptive and humbly obey.

Eugene C. Perry


Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)

WOW! by Gary Rose




Look at that expression! Only one word comes to mind – WOW! Since young children are amazed at a great many things, I can’t even hazard a guess as to what might be causing a reaction like this. Apart from your childhood, what could cause you to have an expression like this? Winning the publisher Clearing house sweepstakes, inheriting several million dollars, getting engaged to be married, or the birth of your firstborn child?

As I think about this, I remember The Apostle Paul, on the Damascus road and then suddenly...


Acts 9 ( World English Bible )
Act 9:1, But Saul, still breathing threats and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest,
Act 9:2, and asked for letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
Act 9:3, As he traveled, it happened that he got close to Damascus, and suddenly a light from the sky shone around him.
Act 9:4, He fell on the earth, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
Act 9:5, He said, “Who are you, Lord?” The Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Act 9:6, But rise up, and enter into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
Act 9:7, The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the sound, but seeing no one.
Act 9:8, Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one. They led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.
Act 9:9, He was without sight for three days, and neither ate nor drank.
Act 9:10, Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias!” He said, “Behold, it’s me, Lord.”
Act 9:11, The Lord said to him, “Arise, and go to the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judah for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus. For behold, he is praying,
Act 9:12, and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight.”
Act 9:13, But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he did to your saints at Jerusalem.
Act 9:14, Here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.”
Act 9:15, But the Lord said to him, “Go your way, for he is my chosen vessel to bear my name before the nations and kings, and the children of Israel.
Act 9:16, For I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”
Act 9:17, Ananias departed, and entered into the house. Laying his hands on him, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me, that you may receive your sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Act 9:18, Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized.


I think being directly confronted by the post-resurrected Jesus would cause anyone to have an expression like the child in the picture. Paul, especially, for he had persecuted the church (the body of Jesus). This was obviously a life-changing event; and the change was total. From persecutor to chief advocate, Paul’s life was never the same.

Question: Has knowing Jesus changed your life and if you don’t know HIM, what’s preventing you from doing so? Why wait? You too, will say WOW!

9/25/19

"THE THIRD EPISTLE OF JOHN" Imitating The Good (11-12) by Mark Copeland 


"THE THIRD EPISTLE OF JOHN"

Imitating The Good (11-12)

INTRODUCTION

1. After describing "the spirit of Diotrephes" in verses 9-10, John
   encourages his beloved Gaius to be careful about what he imitates:

   "Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does
   good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God. Demetrius has
   a good testimony from all, and from the truth itself. And we also
   bear witness, and you know that our testimony is true." - 3Jn 11-12

2. Following upon the condemnation of Diotrephes, and followed by the
   commendation of Demetrius, it is easy to infer...
   a. That John was warning Gaius not to be like Diotrephes
   b. And encouraging him instead to be like Demetrius

3. But why does John feel the need to exhort Gaius in this way?
   a. Haven't we seen that Gaius was a man whose soul was prosperous?
   b. Haven't we observed that he was walking in the truth?
   c. Haven't we noticed that he was commended for his hospitality?
   -- Wouldn't this make Gaius himself a man worthy of imitation?

4. Yes, and perhaps this should tell us something...
   a. About ourselves as imitators
   b. About the need for everyone to have good role models that we can
      imitate

[In this lesson, "Imitating The Good", I would like for us to reflect
on the idea of being imitators.

Let's begin by observing that...]

I. WE ARE NATURALLY IMITATORS

   A. CHILDREN IMITATE THEIR PARENTS...
      1. Especially in their early years, children seem to delight in
         imitating their parents
      2. They quickly pick up their parent's mannerisms:  the way they
         talk, walk, etc.
      3. It is as though there was some innate reason for them to 
         imitate mom and dad


   B. TEENAGERS IMITATE THEIR PEERS AND POPULAR IDOLS...
      1. As children get older, they may not seek to imitate their 
         parents, but they are still active imitators
      2. For better or worse (usually worse), they seek to emulate
         those in their peer group, or those whom they hold in high 
         regard (athletes, musicians, etc.)
      3. Despite frequent claims to want to "be themselves", you can
         usually tell by their behavior who they have been watching or
         listening to

   C. CHRISTIANS IMITATE THOSE THEY HOLD IN HIGH REGARD...
      1. I have observed that many brethren often reflect the 
         attitudes, dispositions, and conduct of those preachers or
         elders for whom they have much respect
      2. This can be good, but in some cases it is not...
         a. I have known some Christians (including preachers) whose
            behavior greatly disturbed me, wondering how they could 
            justify their conduct
         b. But when I saw their peers, or those brethren whom they 
            held in high regard acting in the same way, I began to 
            understand

[For whatever reasons, then, we seem to be natural born imitators. Once
we are aware of that fact, we are in a position to appreciate John's 
exhortation to Gaius in verse 11.

That leads us to our next point...]

II. WE SHOULD IMITATE ONLY THE GOOD

   A. IN OUR TEXT, JOHN EXPLAINS WHY...
      1. "He who does good is of God"
         a. The one who does good, truly and naturally, bears evidence
            that they have been born of God - cf. 1Jn 5:18
         b. Such was the case of Demetrius, whose life bore testimony
            from all who knew him - 3Jn 12
      2. "He who does evil has not seen God"
         a. The one who consistently engages in evil demonstrates that
            he or she is has not seen God, and is in fact a child of
            the devil! - cf. 1Jn 3:6b,10
         b. The implication seems to be that Diotrephes was 
            demonstrating that he had not seen God
      3. Who is a better role model for us?
         a. One whose life bears witness that they have come to know 
            God, and are led by Him?
         b. Or one whose life demonstrates that despite their claims to
            the contrary they have yet to come to know God?

   B. THERE IS ANOTHER GOOD REASON TO IMITATE ONLY THE GOOD...
      1. We become like those we imitate!
         a. Yes, I know this is redundant
         b. But it needs to be stressed, for some believe they can act 
            like others, dress like others, and yet somehow not be like
            them
      2. Children become like their parents, teenagers like their peers
         and idols, Christians like those they hold in high regard
      3. If we imitate the good, we become good; if we imitate the 
         evil, then it is evil we become!

[So if by nature we must be imitators, then let us be selective in who
we follow.  Fortunately...]

III. WE HAVE MANY GOOD EXAMPLES TO IMITATE

   A. WE CAN IMITATE DEITY...
      1. As Christ encouraged us to do, in showing kindness to our
         enemies - Mt 5:43-48
      2. As Paul instructed the Ephesians to walk in love - Ep 5:1-2
      3. What better example do we have, than that of God and Jesus Christ?
      4. Indeed, some of the very titles we wear imply such imitation:
         a. Children of God
         b. Disciples of Jesus Christ
      5. Do you seek to learn as much about God and Jesus as you do 
         other role models?

   B. WE CAN IMITATE NEW TESTAMENT EXAMPLES...
      1. To the degree they imitate Christ, as Paul wrote to the
         Corinthians - 1Co 11:1
      2. The New Testament is filled with good examples for Christians today...
         a. For married couples, there is the example of Aquila and
            Priscilla - Ro 16:3-5
         b. For those blessed with things of this life, there is the
            example of Philemon and Gaius - Phm 1-7; 3Jn 5-8
         c. For women, there is the example of Dorcas - Ac 9:36,39
         d. For young men there is the example of Timothy - Php 2:19-22
      3. This does not mean to preclude many fine Old Testament 
         examples as well:  Joseph, Daniel, Barzillai the Gileadite (an
         old man who helped David in his affliction - 2Sa 17:27-29;
         19:31-39) and many others
      4. Indeed, the Scriptures are filled with many wonderful examples
         worthy of our emulation!

   C. WE CAN IMITATE MANY OF OUR FELLOW CHRISTIANS TODAY...
      1. As Paul encouraged his fellow Christians to imitate those who
         provided a similar pattern as he - Php 3:17
      2. Yet we should be careful, for not all who profess to be 
         Christians behave as they should - cf. Php 3:18-19
      3. It is important, therefore, that we know the Scriptures well
         enough to know when someone is worthy of our emulation

CONCLUSION

1. Since it appears that we are creatures who will imitate something,
   let us make the choice to imitate the good!
   a. Only then do we have the hope of  being "of God"
   b. Only then can we have a testimony like that of Demetrius, to 
      which all bore witness
   -- The only alternative is to imitate the evil, which prevents us
      from ever "seeing God"
   
2. We close by adding these words of the writer to the Hebrews:

   "And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the
   full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become
   sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit
   the promises." - He 6:11-12

Let us therefore look to the example of Gaius and Demetrius, and beware
of the example of Diotrephes!

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2016

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Does God REALLY Know Everything? by Eric Lyons, M.Min.



Does God REALLY Know Everything?

by Eric Lyons, M.Min.
Numerous passages of Scripture clearly teach that God is omniscient. The Bible declares that God “knows the secrets of the heart” (Psalm 44:21), that His eyes “are in every place” (Proverbs 15:3), and that “His understanding is infinite” (147:5). Of Jehovah, the psalmist also wrote:
O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.... Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there (139:1-4,6-8).
The New Testament reemphasizes this truth: “God is greater than our heart, and knows all things” (1 John 3:20, emp. added). Not only does He know the past and the present, but the future as well (Acts 15:18; cf. Isaiah 46:10). According to the Bible, there is nothing outside of the awareness of God.
Atheist Dan Barker, however, alleged in his February 12, 2009 debate with Kyle Butt that the Bible paints a contradictory picture of God and His knowledge. Whereas some scriptures indicate that God knows the future, supposedly, the God of the Bible cannot exist because other passages reportedly teach that God does not know the future. Twelve minutes and 54 seconds into his first speech, Barker exclaimed:
Look what God said after he stopped it [Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac—EL]. He said: “Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for I know now, I now know, that you fear God, seeing that you have not withheld thy son.” I know now? I thought God knew everything. The Bible says God knows the future but here He is saying, “I didn’t even know.” The Bible even says that God searches and understands all the imaginations of the heart. The God of the Bible knows the future. The God of the Bible does not know the future (2009).
Is Barker correct? Does the Bible paint a contradictory picture of God’s knowledge? Do some passages testify to the omniscience of God, while others indicate that He is finite in His understanding?
The kind of language found in Genesis 22:12 actually is present throughout Scripture. As early as Genesis chapter three, God asked Adam, “Where are you?” (3:9). In Genesis four, He asked Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” (4:9). The book of Job reveals that at the beginning of God’s first speech to Job, God asked the patriarch, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?” (38:4, emp. added). Are we to assume questions like these or statements like those found in Genesis 22:12 and 18:21 (“I will know”) imply a lack of knowledge on God’s part?
First, one must acknowledge that questions often are asked and statements frequently are made for a variety of reasons. Are we really to assume that the Creator of heaven and Earth was ignorant of Adam’s whereabouts when He asked him, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9)? Are we to believe that God did not know where Job was when He made the world (Job 38:4)? Certainly not! What father, having seen his son dent a car door, would imply ignorance by asking, “Who did that?” Obviously, the father did not ask the question to obtain information, but to see if the son would admit to something the father knew all along. On occasion, Jesus used questions or made statements for the same purpose. When He questioned the Pharisees’ disciples and the Herodians regarding whose inscription was on a particular coin, it clearly was not because He did not know (Matthew 22:15-22). Likewise, when Jesus asked the multitude that thronged Him, “Who touched Me?” (Luke 8:45), it was not because the woman who touched Him was hidden from Him (Luke 8:47). Jesus knew the woman who was made well by touching His garment before she confessed to touching Him (Mark 5:32). His question was intended to bring attention to her great faith and His great power (Mark 5:34). In no way are the questions God asks or the statements He makes an indication of Him being less than omniscient.
Second, the term “know” (Hebrew yada, Greek ginosko) or one of its derivatives (i.e., knew, known, etc.) is used in Scripture in a variety of ways. Several times it is used in reference to a man and woman having sexual intercourse (Genesis 4:1,17,25; Judges 11:39; 19:25). Jesus used the term to refer to His regard for His sheep (i.e., people—John 10:27). In contrast to the way of the wicked that will perish, the psalmist wrote that God “knows” (i.e., approves, takes delight in, etc.) the way of the righteous (Psalm 1:6). Paul used the term “know” in Ephesians 3:19 in the sense of knowing “experimentally what intellectually is beyond our powers of knowing”—the love of Christ (Jamieson, 1997). The fact is, like so many words in Scripture (and in modern times) the word “know” has a variety of meanings. What’s more, neither Dan Barker nor any Bible critic can prove that the term “know” in Genesis 22:12 directly contradicts God’s omniscience.
Third, the Bible’s usage of phrases such as “now I know” (Genesis 22:12) or “I will know” (Genesis 18:21) in reference to God actually are for the benefit of man. Throughout the Bible, human actions (such as “learning”) frequently are attributed to God for the purpose of helping us better understand His infinity. When Jehovah “came down to see the city and the tower” built at Babel (Genesis 11:5), it was not for the purpose of gaining knowledge. Anthropomorphic expressions such as these are not meant to suggest that God is not always fully aware of everything. Rather, as in the case of Babel, such wording was used to show that He was “officially and judicially taking the situation under direct observation and consideration” (Morris, 1976, p. 272). Almighty God visited Sodom and Gomorrah likely “for appearance’ sake, that men might know directly that God had actually seen the full situation before He acted in judgment” (p. 342). “These cities were to be made ensamples to all future ages of God’s severity, and therefore ample proof given that the judgment was neither rash nor excessive (Ezek 18:23; Jer 18:7)” [Jamieson, 1997]. Similarly, in the case of God testing Abraham regarding Isaac, although God already knew what Abraham would choose to do, there still was a reason to allow Abraham the opportunity to actually show his great faith and know that God indeed had witnessed (in real time and not just in His foreknowledge), Abraham’s actions. God came “to know” of Abraham’s faith by actual experiment. The meaning of the phrase, “now I know” (Genesis 22:12), therefore, “is not that God had, by the events of this probation, obtained information regarding Abraham's character that He did not previously possess; but that these qualities had been made apparent, had been developed by outward acts” (Jamieson, 1997).
Similar to how God instructs man to pray and make “known” to Him our petitions for our benefit (Philippians 4:6), even though He actually already knows of our prayers and needs before they are voiced (Matthew 6:8), for our profit the all-knowing God sometimes is spoken of in accommodative language as acquiring knowledge.

REFERENCES

Butt, Kyle and Dan Barker (2009), Does the God of the Bible Exist? (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press).
Jamieson, Robert, et al. (1997), Jamieson, Fausset, Brown Bible Commentary (Electronic Database: Biblesoft).
Morris, Henry M. (1976), The Genesis Record (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).

Does Genesis 4 Indicate that God Specifically Created Others Besides Adam and Eve? by Eric Lyons, M.Min.





Does Genesis 4 Indicate that God Specifically Created Others Besides Adam and Eve?

by Eric Lyons, M.Min.
If Adam and Eve were the only human beings that God miraculously created, where did all of the people come from who were of great concern to Cain? After God sentenced the murderous Cain to be “a fugitive and a vagabond” on the Earth (Genesis 4:12), recall that Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear” (4:13). Cain then said: “Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me” (4:14, emp. added). God then responded to Cain, saying, “Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him seven-fold.” So, “the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him” (4:15, emp. added). Do the references to “anyone” and “whoever” in these verses suggest that God specially created others besides Adam and Eve?
Before answering these questions, one must keep in mind that Genesis chapters 1-11 cover approximately the first 2,000-plus years of human history (Butt, 2002; cf. Lyons, 2002). The following 1,178 chapters of the Bible tell us about the next 2,000 years. Although the first 11 chapters of Genesis are undeniably literal, historical language (cf. Thompson, 2001), God chose to reveal to man only a few important facts about the first 2,000-plus years of man’s existence—and most of this revelation is about Creation, the Fall, and the Flood. What’s more, Genesis chapters 4-5 likely cover a period of more than 1,400 years. Thus, a lot of time can pass between events without the text specifically expressing exactly how many decades or centuries elapsed.
How much time elapsed in Genesis 4:2? Immediately following the announcement of Cain and Abel’s births (4:1-2), the text says, “Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground” (4:2). Most likely, at least 20 years had passed by this time, and it could be that several more decades had expired before Cain and Abel finally settled on their respective vocations. (How many people today do not settle on a profession until they are 35 or 40 years old?)
How much time transpired when the Bible says, “And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord” (4:3, emp. added)? How long was Cain angry with Abel before God spoke to Cain about his anger (4:6)? How long was it before Cain spoke with Abel (4:8)? (Have you ever known people, even family members, to hold-in feelings of resentment for years or decades?) Genesis 4:8 says, “It came to pass when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him” (emp. added). Again, we cannot know exactly how much time transpired between the conversation that Cain had with Abel and the day that he actually murdered Abel (4:8).
The fact is, Cain could have been 100 years old or more by the time he killed his brother. [Keep in mind that since the patriarchs often lived to be several hundred years old (e.g., Adam died at the age of 930), being 100 in that day, was somewhat comparable to being 20 today.] What’s more, Adam and Eve may have had 50 children or more by the time Cain killed Abel (cf. Genesis 5:4). They may have had 300 grandchildren by then. There could have been three or four generations of Adam’s descendants on Earth by the time God sentenced Cain to be “a fugitive and a vagabond.”
How many children, and possibly grandchildren, did Adam and Eve have when God said, “Whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold”? How many people had descended from Adam by the time God “set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him”? Who were the “whoever” and “anyone” that both God and Cain mentioned? They were the dozens, hundreds, or possibly thousands of people on Earth by that time—all of whom were descendants of Adam, “the first man” (1 Corinthians 15:45) and Eve, “the mother of all living” (Genesis 3:20). In no way does reason or inspired revelation forbid a literal interpretation of Genesis; on the contrary, it demands such.

REFERENCES

Butt, Kyle (2002), “The Bible Says the Earth is Young,” Apologetics Press, http://apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=9&article=885.
Lyons, Eric (2002), “When Did Terah Beget Abraham?” Apologetics Press, http://apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=13&article=624.
Thompson, Bert (2001), “Genesis 1 thru 11—Mythical or Historical?” Apologetics Press, http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=451.

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