I find it interesting that Jesus talks about loving your enemies and blessing the ones who hurt you. In the Beginning, we were all Enemies of the Father and yet He loved us and took pity on us. Jesus forgave Him Enemies even when He was on the Cross, and even one of them on the Cross who was a thief was forgiven and entered Paradise with Him. I wonder what that looked like. In loving your enemies and blessing them, you are taking part in perhaps helping to turn them back to Jesus.
There is the Dove, Anya.
I do love a fiery preacher.
Martin Luther imitates this in Luther & Eramus where Eramus presents fancy theology and Luther responds with name-calling and the Bible.
I have also wondered if John the Baptist was a Nazorite (sp)?
I find it interesting how the dove was sent out three times, but the raven, only once.
Psalm 3 reveals that the Lord is our protection and shield in times of severe trouble and hurt. He protects us from our enemies when we trust in Him, even when it is difficult and He will deliver us from them.
I wonder what it looked like when the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove. Is it a coincidence that Noah sent out the dove three times and that the Holy Spirit rested on Jesus in that way?
GIANTS!
Also, I find it notable that the animals “went” into the ark, Noah didn’t have to round them up.
The actual flood is fascinating because it water from above (a water canopy) and water from the deep (subterranean) flooded the Earth. Interestingly enough, scientists, if I remember correctly, say the whole Earth would be covered with water if flat. I believe there is significantly more water on the Earth NOW than before the flood.
Also, the ark has been found (reportedly) in Turkey, but it is very difficult to visit because of the Turkish government.
This is also, I believe, the FIRST promise made by the Lord to mankind: That the seasons will continue and that there never again be a flood of this kind.
Prior there were only curses.
This is clearly Joseph’s story as indicated by the warnings he received in dreams.
It is also interesting to note the specific astral phenomena of the “star” which was so specific as to indicate a HOUSE.
@johannes - I think Philip Schaff, and others who have researched this have speculated that it might have been a conjunction of planets. But that it stood over the house does seems to suggest that it was outside of the normal order of celestial events.
I find that Psalm 1 is particularly relevant to things in my life right now. When we walk in the ways of the Lord and follow after Him, He causes us to prosper in the things that He has prepared for us and wholeheartedly follow Him in every circumstance you are dealing with. Delighting in the Lord produces Good Fruit that benefits yourself as well as other people.
The thing that jumped out at me was the women mentioned in Christ’s genealogy; none of them were “socially upright.”
Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba (not mentioned by name) and Mary.
Nothing included is without significance. It is notable that these women were included.
@johannes - This is such a good point! Even though Matthew was writing mainly to Jews to show them that Jesus is their Messiah and King, from the very beginning he shows that the Messiah is not just for an elite group of Abraham's physical descendants, but for all people, the poor, the needy, the outcast, just as God promised Abraham, "in you and in your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed." Matthew is intentionally rocking their boat -- Ruth wasn't even a Jew, but a despised Moabite! Jesus came to seek and save all who are lost. Thanks for this key insight -- you're right, it is very significant.
I’d really like to read a translation without the words added for Grammar purposes.
I found it interesting that the Lord God banished man from the garden of Eden so he wouldn’t eat from the Tree of Life and “become like one of us.” This suggests to me that the two trees had real power and not just the prohibition of one and reward of the other. Had man NOT been banished from the garden, what would he have become?
Also what is meant when the Lord God talks about “one of us knowing good and evil?”
Who does the “us” refer to? The Trinity? The angels? Other gods?
All in all a good reading; I haven’t read it in a while.
@johannes - Thank you for your thoughts. For translations, in your Profile (top nav), you can select your preferred version, if you're reading on a device. No translation is perfect, but the most literal are the LSB and the NASB. I've read the former, and am currently reading (again) the latter.
@johannes - These are great questions! "what would we have become?" - Yes, I believe the trees did have real power. By eating of the forbidden tree we came to know good and evil, but in a fallen state, like Satan, but unlike him, mortal. If we had taken of the tree of life, then we would have become immortal in that fallen state, like Satan, a truly terrible outcome. God in His mercy prevented that, and had a plan in place for our ultimate redemption!
Yes I believe the "us" refers to the eternal fellowship of the Triune Godhead, likewise in Genesis 11.
Day 5 · Genesis 12–14 · Matthew 5 · Psalm 5
I find it interesting that Jesus talks about loving your enemies and blessing the ones who hurt you. In the Beginning, we were all Enemies of the Father and yet He loved us and took pity on us. Jesus forgave Him Enemies even when He was on the Cross, and even one of them on the Cross who was a thief was forgiven and entered Paradise with Him. I wonder what that looked like. In loving your enemies and blessing them, you are taking part in perhaps helping to turn them back to Jesus.
Day 3 · Genesis 6–8 · Matthew 3 · Psalm 3
The Lord punches David’s enemies in the face. HE has David’s back.
Day 3 · Genesis 6–8 · Matthew 3 · Psalm 3
There is the Dove, Anya.
I do love a fiery preacher.
Martin Luther imitates this in Luther & Eramus where Eramus presents fancy theology and Luther responds with name-calling and the Bible.
I have also wondered if John the Baptist was a Nazorite (sp)?
Day 3 · Genesis 6–8 · Matthew 3 · Psalm 3
I find it interesting how the dove was sent out three times, but the raven, only once.
Psalm 3 reveals that the Lord is our protection and shield in times of severe trouble and hurt. He protects us from our enemies when we trust in Him, even when it is difficult and He will deliver us from them.
I wonder what it looked like when the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove. Is it a coincidence that Noah sent out the dove three times and that the Holy Spirit rested on Jesus in that way?
@anya Good Catch! Nothing is without significance so you are probably right.
Day 3 · Genesis 6–8 · Matthew 3 · Psalm 3
GIANTS!
Also, I find it notable that the animals “went” into the ark, Noah didn’t have to round them up.
The actual flood is fascinating because it water from above (a water canopy) and water from the deep (subterranean) flooded the Earth. Interestingly enough, scientists, if I remember correctly, say the whole Earth would be covered with water if flat. I believe there is significantly more water on the Earth NOW than before the flood.
Also, the ark has been found (reportedly) in Turkey, but it is very difficult to visit because of the Turkish government.
This is also, I believe, the FIRST promise made by the Lord to mankind: That the seasons will continue and that there never again be a flood of this kind.
Prior there were only curses.
Day 2 · Genesis 4–5 · Matthew 2 · Psalm 2
This is clearly Joseph’s story as indicated by the warnings he received in dreams.
It is also interesting to note the specific astral phenomena of the “star” which was so specific as to indicate a HOUSE.
@johannes - I think Philip Schaff, and others who have researched this have speculated that it might have been a conjunction of planets. But that it stood over the house does seems to suggest that it was outside of the normal order of celestial events.
Day 1 · Genesis 1–3 · Matthew 1 · Psalm 1
I find that Psalm 1 is particularly relevant to things in my life right now. When we walk in the ways of the Lord and follow after Him, He causes us to prosper in the things that He has prepared for us and wholeheartedly follow Him in every circumstance you are dealing with. Delighting in the Lord produces Good Fruit that benefits yourself as well as other people.
@anya thanks for the good and encouraging word!
Day 1 · Genesis 1–3 · Matthew 1 · Psalm 1
The thing that jumped out at me was the women mentioned in Christ’s genealogy; none of them were “socially upright.”
Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba (not mentioned by name) and Mary.
Nothing included is without significance. It is notable that these women were included.
@johannes - This is such a good point! Even though Matthew was writing mainly to Jews to show them that Jesus is their Messiah and King, from the very beginning he shows that the Messiah is not just for an elite group of Abraham's physical descendants, but for all people, the poor, the needy, the outcast, just as God promised Abraham, "in you and in your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed." Matthew is intentionally rocking their boat -- Ruth wasn't even a Jew, but a despised Moabite! Jesus came to seek and save all who are lost. Thanks for this key insight -- you're right, it is very significant.
Day 1 · Genesis 1–3 · Matthew 1 · Psalm 1
I’d really like to read a translation without the words added for Grammar purposes.
I found it interesting that the Lord God banished man from the garden of Eden so he wouldn’t eat from the Tree of Life and “become like one of us.” This suggests to me that the two trees had real power and not just the prohibition of one and reward of the other. Had man NOT been banished from the garden, what would he have become?
Also what is meant when the Lord God talks about “one of us knowing good and evil?”
Who does the “us” refer to? The Trinity? The angels? Other gods?
All in all a good reading; I haven’t read it in a while.
@johannes - Thank you for your thoughts. For translations, in your Profile (top nav), you can select your preferred version, if you're reading on a device. No translation is perfect, but the most literal are the LSB and the NASB. I've read the former, and am currently reading (again) the latter.
@johannes - These are great questions! "what would we have become?" - Yes, I believe the trees did have real power. By eating of the forbidden tree we came to know good and evil, but in a fallen state, like Satan, but unlike him, mortal. If we had taken of the tree of life, then we would have become immortal in that fallen state, like Satan, a truly terrible outcome. God in His mercy prevented that, and had a plan in place for our ultimate redemption!
Yes I believe the "us" refers to the eternal fellowship of the Triune Godhead, likewise in Genesis 11.