To begin our study I want to mention a Hebrew word found in
Genesis 1:1. “In the beginning G-d created the heaven and the earth.” The Hebrew word used here for create is “Bara”. This word is only used when describing what G-d creates. Bara means creating something from nothing. G-d spoke and it was. Only G-d can do that.
When man makes something, the Hebrew verb Yatzer is used. Man must make or form things using existing material. Hebrew is such a rich language. The same word create might be used in English but it is not the same in Hebrew. Bara is only used when talking about G-d.
B’resheet (In the Beginning)B’resheet/Genesis 1:1-6:8
1.Genesis 4:8-10 tells the story of Cain murdering his brother Abel. What was Cain’s response to G-d’s question about his brother? Do we see his attitude in today’s society? What was Cain’s condition in verse 16? How does scripture describe Cain? What can we learn from this story?
Did Cain respond to G-d’s question with a confession or repentance?
He denied moral responsibility.
He basically said why should I be concerned about the welfare of my brother or anyone else for that matter.
Why should we not do what we want if we have the power to do so?
Have you ever heard someone say, “I am responsible only for myself.”
G-d expects us to be His example to our world. We are to be people who take responsibility both personally and morally. We are to be active and not passive. When bad things happen we are not to avert our eyes and look the other way.
What example does Yeshua give us of how we are to live? If something is wrong let us work to put it right.
What does verse 16 tell us about Cain’s condition?
Verse 16, “And Cain went out from before the L-rd.”
In Hebrew went out is Yetzah.
This word is more closely translated as exited.
This same word is used to exit a building.
A more common word would be “elech” which would mean “he went.”
Using the word Yetzah in Genesis 4:16 says Cain took himself out of G-d’s presence.
He made no effort to reconcile what had happened. As far as we know he never faced what he had done.
We must never come to the place of taking ourselves out of G-d’s presence.
The Father is always there and willing to be reconciled to us.
However, Cain took himself out of G-d’s covering and never faced what he had done.
How does scripture describe Cain?
Jude warns false teachers and says they followed the way of Cain.
Jude 1:11-12, “Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion. These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves.”
I John 3:11-12, “For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.”
Hebrews 11:1-4, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at G-d’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith Abel brought G-d a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when G-d spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.”
2.Why did G-d accept Abel’s gift and not Cains?
Genesis 4:3-5, “In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the L-rd. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The L-rd looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
Notice that Cain offered some of the fruits,
Abel offered fat portions from the first born of his flock.
This difference may seem trivial, but to the L-rd it wasn’t;
a person giving up their first fruits or firstborns is giving their best to the L-rd.
In withholding his first fruits, Cain’s offering wasn’t looked upon with favor
Also, there was something in Cain’s motivation and heart attitude. This also made his offering unacceptable to G-d. It was something he was aware of and could remedy,
What did G-d tell him in Genesis 4:7, “You will be accepted if you do what is right.”
Cain still had a chance.
Cain did not make the right decision and repent.
When G-d is talking to us about sin in our life we too have an opportunity to stop and deal with it. We can immediately repent and change. If not, we too can be moving out of the presence or covering of G-d.
3.In Genesis 2:16-17 why did G-d show Adam the tree of knowledge of good and evil and then say do not eat of it?
Why put temptation before them in the first place?
G-d did not want robots. He wants us to make the right decision when temped. We are to choose G-d’s way. When we overcome temptation we grow stronger. He wants us to be overcomers and be a people growing every day.
Cain was being tempted in Genesis 4:6-7
Then the L-rd said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
G-d warned Cain about his anger that Satan is at his door but he has a choice and could rule over him.
When we miss the mark we can go to G-d and repent. We can learn from our mistakes and go on with our walk, stronger than we were before.
We too have a choice. So He put the tree in reach. Adam had to make the decision on what to do – as we do each day. Temptation is always within reach.
4.Why did Adam and Eve choose to eat from the one and only tree forbidden to them? Look at the interchange between the serpent and Havah (Eve) in Genesis 3:1-6.
What appealed to Eve in Genesis 3:1-6?
In verse 6 she says, “The tree was good for food,” then, “it was pleasant to the eyes.” And lastly, “A tree to be desired to make one wise.”
What do these three have in common? They are those doors into our spirit.
How do we slip into sin today? Through things that appeal to our appetite, both physical and carnal. Things that appear to be pleasant to the eyes or that appeal to our ego.
The serpent used all these in effect telling Eve that G-d had held back on them by eating of this tree they could become as G-d.
How can we relate this?
When we put ourselves in G-d’s place or put something in G-d’s place what are we doing?-We are committing Idolatry.
Eve’s progression was,
lust of the flesh, (good for food),
lust of the eyes (pleasant appearance)
desire to become like G-d (making one wise).
Contrast this with how Yeshua was described in Phil. 2:5-11, “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Yeshua the Messiah: Who, being in very nature G-d, did not consider equality with G-d something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross! Therefore G-d exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,that at the name of Yeshua every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue acknowledge that Yeshua the Messiah is L-rd, to the glory of G-d the Father.”
For us today we are bombarded by these same three temptations.
They still pull us, but thank G-d we, through Messiah’s example, we have another way, a more perfect way. May we each rise above temptation and be what G-d has called us to be.
Adam and Eve had choices:
The tree of life or the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Choosing is an essential part of being human. We can choose good, which is the way of life, or disobedience, which results in death. We choose between the two trees countless times every day.