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NASB | Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God (Elohim) created [by forming from nothing] the heavens and the earth. [Heb 11:3] |
Bible Question:
I have spent alot of time trying to read the posts about Cain's wife. I believe that Adam and Eve's children did commit incest. Tonight I have tried to find the exact post by markarios where he quotes Adam as saying that Eve is the mother of all living...I can't find it right now...but, that is what convicted me of this issue. I am puzzled as to how people are trying to defend this incest. I agree with the biological points brought up...the probability of genetic abberations from incest were significantly decreased back then. But I am not sure that this should be used as a defense (isn't it extra-biblical?). And the Bible begins to give us God's law(s) later. But, isn't the purpose of the law to see where we do not measure to God's standard? To see that we fall short of God's glory? And God's glory and standard is eternal..so even though the law was not written down in Genesis 1:1, isn't it presumptuous of us to say that God looked upon the incest of Adam and Eve's children differently than he would look upon any incest that would happen today? (I acknowledge that there is now guilt and conviction when it happens today...and I am not prepared to argue whether or not there was guilt and conviction for Adam and Eve's children). What I am saying is why should we not believe that the Scripture says that Adam and Eve's children committed incest...just because we know that incest is an abomination to God? Is it important for a Christian to be willing to defend the incest of Adam and Eve's children? Or, if confronted with it, can't we just shrug and acknowledge that they sinned, just like every man, beginning with Adam, has fallen short of the glory of God? And there is a thread on this page about ceremonial laws vs doctrinal laws. I've only been a Christian for three years...and although I've read the OT, I've been studying the NT. I've now decided to study to OT, and that's what led me to this forum...searching for information about Genesis. When I get to the laws (which may be years from now at the progress I am making), what should I know to be on the lookout regarding categorizing laws? I thought that they were all God's standard. Oh, and there is a thread here too about sacrificing. Is an offering the same as a sacrifice? Cause Genesis 4:3 says that Cain and Abel were bringing offerings to the Lord. Even though God does not tell us about his requirements for sacrifices and offerings later on in Genesis (or maybe not until Leviticus...I am not sure right now), Cain and Abel knew something about them. And if God prefers obedience to sacrifice, then would he ask/require offerings of Cain and Abel if they were obedient? So, why should we feel called upon to defend an act of theirs? Doesn't the bible say that no man was righteous? Thank you for your time...and I do apologize for digging up a thread that is so old. I was going to try to read everything first...but there is alot of stuff to read. Steph P.S. I am going to build a profile tonight, although I will try to read everything replied to this post, I would greatly appreciate it if people who reply to me either have a profile telling me of their knowledge of Christ, or tell me in the post. Just so that I can know where you are coming from. Thanks, Steph |
Bible Answer: Where did Cain get his wife? [Numbers in brackets (e.g. [1], [2], [3]) are footnote references. To read the footnotes and the entire article, go to (http://christiananswers.net/q-aig/aig-c004.html)] ------------- 'Cain's Brothers and Sisters 'Cain was the first child of Adam and Eve recorded in Scripture (Genesis 4:1). His brothers, Abel (Genesis 4:2) and Seth (Genesis 4:25), were part of the first generation of children ever born on this earth. 'Even though only these three males are mentioned by name, Adam and Eve had other children. In Genesis 5:4 a statement sums up the life of Adam and Eve -- "And the days of Adam after he had fathered Seth were eight hundred years. And he fathered sons and daughters." This does not say when they were born. Many could have been born in the 130 years (Genesis 5:3) before Seth was born. 'During their lives, Adam and Eve had a number of male and female children. The Jewish historian Josephus wrote that, "The number of Adam's children, as says the old tradition, was thirty-three sons and twenty-three daughters."[11] 'The Bible does not tell us how many children were born to Adam and Eve. However, considering their long life spans (Adam lived for 930 years -- Genesis 5:5), it would seem reasonable to suggest there were many! Remember, They were commanded to "Be fruitful, and multiply" (Genesis 1:28). 'The Wife 'If we now work totally from Scripture, without any personal prejudices or other extra-biblical ideas, then back at the beginning, when there was only the first generation, brothers would have had to have married sisters or there would be no more generations! 'We are not told when Cain married or any of the details of other marriages and children, but we can say for certain that some brothers had to marry their sisters at the beginning of human history. 'But what about God's Laws? 'Many people immediately reject the conclusion that Adam and Eve's sons and daughters married each other by appealing to the law against brother-sister intermarriage. Some say that you cannot marry your relation. Actually, if you don't marry your relation, you don't marry a human! A wife is related to her husband even before they marry because all people are descendants of Adam and Eve -- all are of "one blood." The law forbidding marriage between close relatives was not given until the time of Moses (Leviticus 18-20). Provided marriage was one man to one woman for life (based on Genesis 1 and 2), there was no disobedience to God's law originally when close relatives (even brothers and sisters) married each other. 'Remember that Abraham married his half-sister (Genesis 20:12). God blessed this union to produce the Hebrew people through Isaac and Jacob. It was not until some 400 years later that God gave Moses laws that forbade such marriages. ------------- (...) 'Conclusion 'Many Christians cannot answer the question about Cain's wife because they focus on today's world (and the problems associated with close relations marrying), and do not understand the clear historical record God has given to us. 'They try to interpret Genesis from our present situation, rather than understand the true biblical history of the world and the changes that have occurred because of sin. Because they are not building their world view on Scripture, but taking a secular way of thinking to the Bible, they are blinded to the simple answers. 'Genesis is the record of the God who was there as history happened. It is the word of One who knows everything, and who is a reliable witness from the past. Thus, when we use Genesis as a basis for understanding history, we can make sense of questions that would otherwise be a mystery' (http://christiananswers.net/q-aig/aig-c004.html) ------------- Read more about Cain at (http://christiananswers.net/q-aig/aig-c004.html) |