Rebellion and Redemption

Global Rebellion and the Patriarchs Lesson #3 for January 16, 2016

Scriptures: [Genesis 3:9-10; 4:1-15; 6:1-13; 22:1-19; 28:12-15; Psalm 51:1][i].

1.    This lesson will cover briefly the stories of Adam through Joseph-the patriarchs in the book of Genesis. In this series of lessons, we need to remember that we are talking about the great controversy over God’s character and His form of government.

2.    As we study the great controversy, it will be very important for us to think not only about God’s role in each of these stories but also Satan’s role? What did the creatures who surround God’s throne in heaven think about what God was doing? (Revelation 4:4-8ii) What did the beings in the rest of universe think as they watched Eve and then Adam distrust God, eat that fruit, etc.? (See Job 1:6iii.) What did they think about what Satan was doing?

3.    Read Genesis 4:1-15iv. Was that the first lamb to be offered? What was the role of worship in this story? Was worship involved in the story of Noah? Abraham? Jacob? Joseph?

4.    Think about how Adam and Eve felt at the birth of their first son, Cain. Read Genesis 4:1[v]. Eve fully believed that son was going to be the promised Redeemer. Try to imagine the experience of Adam and Eve as their first two sons, Cain and Abel, grew up. Where were Adam and Eve when Cain and Abel offered the sacrifices mentioned in Genesis 4? How many times do you think those two sons of Adam and Eve had observed their parents offering young lambs as sacrifices? Did that happen frequently?

5.    How do you think the onlooking universe responded to Adam and Eve’s first sin as recorded in Genesis 3:1-10vi. What did they think as they watched Adam and Eve trying to hide from God?

6.    Try to imagine what it would have been like to live on this earth when there were only three or four or perhaps a small handful of people alive at the same time. Almost the entire force of Satan and his angels could have had you on which to focus their evil intentions. What do you think God’s angels were doing at that time? Remember that in those days of Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel, Satan-although he had deceived one-third of the sinless angels-and his angels were really relative amateurs at causing evil. Imagine how much more skilled they are now!

7.    Read Genesis 4:9vii. How would you compare Cain’s response to God after killing Abel with Adam and Eve’s response to God after their sin? Adam hid because he felt he was naked. He was embarrassed, guilty; he felt shame and fear. Cain did not even seem to care about his brother. Instead, Cain was angry, cynical, rebellious, and defiant.

8.    Try to imagine Adam and Eve burying Abel. Did God instruct them on what to do with the dead body? Did Cain help dig?

9.    Fortunately for Adam and Eve, another son was born. His name was Seth. He seemed to be a wonderful replacement for Abel.

10.    How do you explain the almost total deterioration of the human race before the flood? Why does it seem like we are just born sinners? Is it really true that left to ourselves we would all self-destruct? (James 1:13-15viii) What does that tell us about the very nature of sin?

11.    Read Genesis 5:21-24; 6:9-10ix. What does it mean to walk with God? They spent a lot of time with God.

12.    When we read in Genesis 6 that “God could bear it no longer,” is the Bible suggesting that God lost control of His emotions? Not at all! The Bible writers were using human language to describe God. God sent the flood because He was about to completely lose contact with the human race. Apparently, only Noah was paying any attention to God.

13.    Try to imagine what the creatures standing around God’s throne thought as they watched God destroy this earth in a flood. In effect, wasn’t He destroying almost everything that He had created? Just before the flood, don’t you think that Satan felt that he was on the verge of winning the great controversy here on this earth? Did he accuse God of being unfair? What did Satan say to the onlooking universe about the flood? Didn’t he accuse God?

14.    Read Genesis 6:1-13[x]. We see a partial reversal of the special acts of creation: 1) Waters suddenly came from above and below; 2) The sea and the dry land once again merged; 3) The fish of the sea and the birds of the air were brought together; and 4) The earth was brought back almost to a condition of being “formless and empty.” (Genesis 1:2, NIV)

15.    What do you think you would have done if you had been God in the days of Noah? God decided it was necessary to send a flood in order to preserve the one contact He seemed to have on this earth. How many times has God had to start over?

16.    Genesis goes into considerable detail, discussing the life and experiences of Abram who later became Abraham. Abraham was called from his home in Ur/Haran in order to separate him from his idolatrous relatives. (See Joshua 24:2xi.) Is it easier to remain faithful to God if you are living among strangers? Or, if you are living with family members who are idolaters? Things had apparently become almost as bad as in the days of Noah. Abraham was 75 years old and had no children. When God called him from Haran, He promised him a son. That promise was repeated twice later as recorded in Genesis 13:16; 17:19xii.

17.    As Abraham spent time in Haran and later in Canaan, he convinced a large number of people to join his entourage and become faithful servants of God.

God called Abraham to be a teacher of His word, He chose him to be the father of a great nation, because He saw that Abraham would instruct his children and his household in the principles of God’s law. [Genesis 26:5xiii] And that which gave power to Abraham’s teaching was the influence of his own life.

His great household consisted of more than a thousand souls, many of them heads of families, and not a few but newly converted from heathenism. Such a household required a firm hand at the helm. No weak, vacillating methods would suffice. Of Abraham God said, “I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him.” Genesis 18:19. Yet his authority was exercised with such wisdom and tenderness that hearts were won. The testimony of the divine Watcher is, “They shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment.” Genesis 18:19. And Abraham’s influence extended beyond his own household. Wherever he pitched his tent, he set up beside it the altar for sacrifice and worship. When the tent was removed, the altar remained; and many a roving Canaanite, whose knowledge of God had been gained from the life of Abraham His servant, tarried at that altar to offer sacrifice to Jehovah.—Ellen G. White, Education 187.2. [Content in brackets and bold type are added.]

18. Read Genesis 22:1-19xiv. We know that Abraham had a number of stumblings and foibles in his life. Twice, he lied about his wife being his sister. (Genesis 12:10-20; 20:4-5)xv He took Hagar as a secondary wife in order to have the son that God had promised but did not come. (Genesis 16xvi) So, God saw that it was necessary to put him through that final test at the age of 120. What was the purpose of all that? Does God test us like that in any way?

It was to impress Abraham’s mind with the reality of the gospel, as well as to test his faith, that God commanded him to slay his son. The agony which he endured during the dark days of that fearful trial was permitted that he might understand from his own experience something of the greatness of the sacrifice made by the infinite God for man’s redemption. No other test could have caused Abraham such torture of soul as did the offering of his son. God gave His Son to a death of agony and shame. The angels who witnessed the humiliation and soul anguish of the Son of God were not permitted to interpose, as in the case of Isaac. There was no voice to cry, “It is enough.” To save the fallen race, the King of glory yielded up His life. What stronger proof can be given of the infinite compassion and love of God? “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32.

The sacrifice required of Abraham was not alone for his own good, nor solely for the benefit of succeeding generations; but it was also for the instruction of the sinless intelligences of heaven and of other worlds.

The field of the controversy between Christ and Satan-the field on which the plan of redemption is wrought out-is the lesson book of the universe. Because Abraham had shown a lack of faith in God’s promises,

Satan had accused him before the angels and before God of having failed to comply with the conditions of the covenant, and as unworthy of its blessings. God desired to prove the loyalty of His servant before all heaven, to demonstrate that nothing less than perfect obedience can be accepted, and to open more fully before them the plan of salvation.

Heavenly beings were witnesses of the scene as the faith of Abraham and the submission of Isaac were tested. The trial was far more severe than that which had been brought upon Adam. Compliance with the prohibition laid upon our first parents involved no suffering, but the command to Abraham demanded the most agonizing sacrifice. All heaven beheld with wonder and admiration Abraham’s unfaltering obedience. All heaven applauded his fidelity. Satan’s accusations were shown to be false. God declared to His servant, “Now I know that thou fearest God [notwithstanding Satan’s charges], seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from Me.” God’s covenant, confirmed to Abraham by an oath before the intelligences of other worlds, testified that obedience will be rewarded.

It had been difficult even for the angels to grasp the mystery of redemption-to comprehend that the Commander of heaven, the Son of God, must die for guilty man. When the command was given to Abraham to offer up his son, the interest of all heavenly beings was enlisted. With intense earnestness they watched each step in the fulfillment of this command. When to Isaac’s question, “Where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham made answer, “God will provide Himself a lamb;” and when the father’s hand was stayed as he was about to slay his son, and the ram which God had provided was offered in the place of Isaac-then light was shed upon the mystery of redemption, and even the angels understood more clearly the wonderful provision that God had made for man’s salvation. 1 Peter 1:12.—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 154.2-155.2. [Bold type is added. However, brackets and the content in brackets are present in the original.]

19.    Did Abraham ever understand why God asked him to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah?

Abraham had greatly desired to see the promised Saviour. He offered up the most earnest prayer that before his death he might behold the Messiah. And he saw Christ. A supernatural light was given him, and he acknowledged Christ’s divine character. He saw His day, and was glad.

[John 8:56] He was given a view of the divine sacrifice for sin. Of this sacrifice he had an illustration in his own experience. The command came to him, “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, . . . and offer him . . . for a burnt offering.” Genesis 22:2. [469] Upon the altar of sacrifice he laid the son of promise, the son in whom his hopes were centered. Then as he waited beside the altar with knife upraised to obey God, he heard a voice from heaven saying, “Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from Me.” Genesis 22:12. This terrible ordeal was imposed upon Abraham that he might see the day of Christ, and realize the great love of God for the world, so great that to raise it from its degradation, He gave His only-begotten Son to a most shameful death.—Ellen G. White, Desire of Ages 468.4-469.0. Genesis 12:2-3xvii: (John 8:56; Galatians 3:8)xviii. Abraham Saw Coming Redeemer-Christ said to them “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad” (John 8:56). How did Abraham know of the coming of the Redeemer? God gave him light in regard to the future. He looked forward to the time when the Saviour should come to this earth,

His divinity veiled by humanity. By faith he saw the world’s Redeemer coming as God in the flesh. He saw the weight of guilt lifted from the human race, and borne by the divine substitute (Manuscript 33, 1911). 1SDABC 1092.4. [Content in brackets is added. Bold type is added except the bold type of “Abraham Saw Coming Redeemer” which is bold in the original.]

20.    We know that Abraham prayed night and day for three days on his way to Mount Moriah. He came to trust in God’s promise although he did not know how it would work out. He was certain that God would either spare Isaac’s life or, if necessary, raise him from the dead. (See Hebrews 11:19xix.) How would you describe Abraham’s faith at that point in time? How certain was he about God’s former promises? Do we need faith like that?

21.    The story of Jacob and Esau is a sad one. Jacob wanted to do his best to serve God. Esau seemed to live only for himself. At the urging of his mother, Jacob managed to deceive his blind father, Isaac, and took the birthright which apparently should have been given to his older, twin brother. As a result, Esau was determined to kill Jacob after what-as he imagined-would be the imminent death of his father. Jacob was forced to flee, and his mother recommended he go to Laban’s house in Haran, her homeland.

22.    Fleeing through the desert, Jacob was forced to sleep on the ground with a stone as his pillow. Then, he received that vision from God, giving him the same promise that had been given to Abraham and Isaac before him. The entire land was to be given to his descendants. God promised to continue to be with Jacob.

23.   Twenty years later, then, a wealthy man-with two wives, two concubines, and many children-Jacob decided to escape from Laban and his dangerous sons and return to Canaan. Abraham was told to leave his relatives. Was it a good idea for Jacob to return to his relatives when he fled from his brother?

24.   What do you think Satan’s role was in the Jacob story? In deceiving Isaac? In the flight to Laban in Haran? And ending up with four wives? And Jacob’s flight back to Canaan? What about the dual at the Jabbok? What about the approach of Esau? God had to intervene by giving visions to both Laban and Esau to prevent them from harming Jacob.

25.   Read the initial story of Joseph as recorded in Genesis 37xx. How much was Satan involved in the animosity that developed in that family? How did God turn things around? Did the onlooking universe learn anything from the Joseph story? Who do you think sent those dreams to Joseph? Could Satan have sent them? Was Joseph a spoiled brat? Even after receiving those dreams, was it really necessary for Joseph to tell his family about them? Was that part of God’s plan? Or, was it Satan’s plan? What purpose did it serve?

26.   Of course, we know that Joseph ended up in Egypt as a slave; but, soon, he rose to a position of importance only to find himself unfairly accused by Potipher’s wife and thrown into prison. After years there, he succeeded in interpreting the dreams of the butler and the baker and then, Pharaoh himself to become the prime minister of Egypt.

27.   Think of the unfairness of Jacob’s attitude toward Joseph. Then, think of what happened to Joseph in Dothan. Suddenly, the privileged and favored son was on his way to being a slave. Notice these words about that experience from Ellen White.

Meanwhile, Joseph with his captors was on the way to Egypt. As the caravan journeyed southward toward the borders of Canaan, the boy could discern in the distance the hills among which lay his father’s tents. Bitterly he wept at thought of that loving father in his loneliness and affliction. Again the scene at Dothan came up before him. He saw his angry brothers and felt their fierce glances bent upon him. The stinging, insulting words that had met his agonized entreaties were ringing in his ears. With a trembling heart he looked forward to the future. What a change in situation-from the tenderly cherished son to the despised and helpless slave! Alone and friendless, what would be his lot in the strange land to which he was going? For a time Joseph gave himself up to uncontrolled grief and terror.

But, in the providence of God, even this experience was to be a blessing to him. He had learned in a few hours that which years might not otherwise have taught him. His father, strong and tender as his love had been, had done him wrong by his partiality and indulgence. This unwise preference had angered his brothers and provoked them to the cruel deed that had separated him from his home. Its effects were manifest also in his own character. Faults had been encouraged that were now to be corrected. He was becoming self-sufficient and exacting. Accustomed to the tenderness of his father’s care, he felt that he was unprepared to cope with the difficulties before him, in the bitter, uncared-for life of a stranger and a slave.

Then his thoughts turned to his father’s God. In his childhood he had been taught to love and fear Him. Often in his father’s tent he had listened to the story of the vision that Jacob saw as he fled from his home an exile and a fugitive. He had been told of the Lord’s promises to Jacob, and how they had been fulfilled-how, in the hour of need, the angels of God had come [214] to instruct, comfort, and protect him. And he had learned of the love of God in providing for men a Redeemer. Now all these precious lessons came vividly before him. Joseph believed that the God of his fathers would be his God. He then and there gave himself fully to the Lord, and he prayed that the Keeper of Israel would be with him in the land of his exile.

His soul thrilled with the high resolve to prove himself true to God-under all circumstances to act as became a subject of the King of heaven. He would serve the Lord with undivided heart; he would meet the trials of his lot with fortitude and perform every duty with fidelity. One day’s experience had been the turning point in Joseph’s life. Its terrible calamity had transformed him from a petted child to a man, thoughtful, courageous, and self-possessed.—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, pp. 213.1-214.1. [Bold type is added.]

28.    Read Genesis 45:1-11xxi. Try to place yourself in the position of one of those brothers as Joseph said, “I am Joseph.”

29.    Remember that Joseph had been talking to them through a interpreter. He had not gotten close to them. He was dressed as an Egyptian of royal birth.

30.    How many of us when being treated unfairly by friends or even family members or employers respond as Joseph did? Have you had an experience something like what Joseph had and made it an opportunity for Christian growth? If you had been Joseph, do you think you could have forgiven your brothers?

31.    Review once again the sudden reversals that happened to Adam and Eve when they discovered that Abel had been killed by Cain. Did Zipporah have any idea what was going to happen to her when she married Moses? When Leah was a young girl, could she have imagined what her life would actually end up being like?

32.    And what about Jesus? Do you think His family-especially Mary and Joseph-had any idea what was going to happen to Him as they watched that beautiful Baby grow up in their arms? Was there anything fair about the way Jesus was treated after He began His ministry?

33.    We often jokingly talk about sibling rivalry. How many stories in the Bible can you think of where sibling rivalry was a factor? How did the brothers of Jesus treat Him? How did His sisters treat Him? (See Matthew 13:56; Mark 6:3.)xxii

34.    What is the difference between faith and certainty? How certain could we be about something, based on our faith-our relationship with God? Read Jeremiah 17:9xxiii. It was clear to Jeremiah that the human heart was desperately wicked. How would you describe the condition of the hearts of those who opposed God’s people in our stories for this week? Do you see God at work in the great controversy in your own life or the lives of those around you? Do you see Satan at work in our world? How much worse could things become?

© 2015, Kenneth Hart, MD, MA, MPH. Permission is hereby granted for any noncommercial use of these materials. Free distribution of all or of a portion of this material such as to a Bible study class is encouraged.    Info@theox.org

i-Genesis 3:9 But the LORD God called out to the man, “Where are you?”

10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden; I was afraid and hid from you, because I was naked.”

4:4 Then Adam had intercourse with his wife, and she became pregnant. She bore a son and said, “By the LORD's help I have gotten a son.” So she named him Cain.[a] 2 Later she gave birth to another son, Abel. Abel became a shepherd, but Cain was a farmer. 3 After some time Cain brought some of his harvest and gave it as an offering to the LORD. 4 Then Abel brought the first lamb born to one of his sheep, killed it, and gave the best parts of it as an offering. The LORD was pleased with Abel and his offering, 5 but he rejected Cain and his offering. Cain became furious, and he scowled in anger. 6 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why that scowl on your face? 7 If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling;[b] but because you have done evil, sin is crouching at your door. It wants to rule you, but you must overcome it.”

8 Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let's go out in the fields.”[c] When they were out in the fields, Cain turned on his brother and killed him.

9 The LORD asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

He answered, “I don't know. Am I supposed to take care of my brother?”

10 Then the LORD said, “Why have you done this terrible thing? Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground, like a voice calling for revenge. 11 You are placed under a curse and can no longer farm the soil. It has soaked up your brother's blood as if it had opened its mouth to receive it when you killed him. 12 If you try to grow crops, the soil will not produce anything; you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”

13 And Cain said to the LORD, “This punishment is too hard for me to bear. 14 You are driving me off the land and away from your presence. I will be a homeless wanderer on the earth, and anyone who finds me will kill me.”

15 But the LORD answered, “No. If anyone kills you, seven lives will be taken in revenge.” So the LORD put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who met him not to kill him.

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 4:1 This name sounds like the Hebrew for “gotten.”

2. Genesis 4:7 you would be smiling; or I would have accepted your offering.

3. Genesis 4:8 Some ancient translations Let's go out in the fields; Hebrew does not have these words.

6:6 When people had spread all over the world, and daughters were being born, 2 some of the heavenly beings[a] saw that these young women were beautiful, so they took the ones they liked. 3 Then the LORD said, “I will not allow people to live forever; they are mortal. From now on they will live no longer than 120 years.” 4 In those days, and even later, there were giants on the earth who were descendants of human women and the heavenly beings. They were the great heroes and famous men of long ago.

5 When the LORD saw how wicked everyone on earth was and how evil their thoughts were all the time, 6 he was sorry that he had ever made them and put them on the earth. He was so filled with regret 7 that he said, “I will wipe out these people I have created, and also the animals and the birds, because I am sorry that I made any of them.” 8 But the LORD was pleased with Noah.

Noah

9-10 This is the story of Noah. He had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Noah had no faults and was the only good man of his time. He lived in fellowship with God, 11 but everyone else was evil in God's sight, and violence had spread everywhere. 12 God looked at the world and saw that it was evil, for the people were all living evil lives.

13 God said to Noah, “I have decided to put an end to all people. I will destroy them completely, because the world is full of their violent deeds.

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 6:2 heavenly beings; or sons of the gods; or sons of God.

22:1 Some time later God tested Abraham; he called to him, “Abraham!” And Abraham answered, “Yes, here I am!”

2 “Take your son,” God said, “your only son, Isaac, whom you love so much, and go to the land of Moriah. There on a mountain that I will show you, offer him as a sacrifice to me.”

3 Early the next morning Abraham cut some wood for the sacrifice, loaded his donkey, and took Isaac and two servants with him. They started out for the place that God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham saw the place in the distance. 5 Then he said to the servants, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there and worship, and then we will come back to you.”

6 Abraham made Isaac carry the wood for the sacrifice, and he himself carried a knife and live coals for starting the fire. As they walked along together, 7 Isaac spoke up, “Father!”

He answered, “Yes, my son?”

Isaac asked, “I see that you have the coals and the wood, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?”

8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide one.” And the two of them walked on together.

9 When they came to the place which God had told him about, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. He tied up his son and placed him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he picked up the knife to kill him. 11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!”

He answered, “Yes, here I am.”

12 “Don't hurt the boy or do anything to him,” he said. “Now I know that you honor and obey God, because you have not kept back your only son from him.”

13 Abraham looked around and saw a ram caught in a bush by its horns. He went and got it and offered it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 Abraham named that place “The LORD Provides.”[a] And even today people say, “On the LORD's mountain he provides.”[b]

15 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time, 16 “I make a vow by my own name—the LORD is speaking—that I will richly bless you. Because you did this and did not keep back your only son from me, 17 I promise that I will give you as many descendants as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the seashore. Your descendants will conquer their enemies. 18 All the nations will ask me to bless them as I have blessed your descendants—all because you obeyed my command.” 19 Abraham went back to his servants, and they went together to Beersheba, where Abraham settled.

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 22:14 Provides; or Sees.

2. Genesis 22:14 provides; or is seen.

28:12 He dreamed that he saw a stairway reaching from earth to heaven, with angels going up and coming down on it. 13 And there was the LORD standing beside him.[a] “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham and Isaac,” he said. “I will give to you and to your descendants this land on which you are lying. 14 They will be as numerous as the specks of dust on the earth. They will extend their territory in all directions, and through you and your descendants I will bless all the nations.[b] 15 Remember, I will be with you and protect you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done all that I have promised you.”

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 28:13 beside him; or on it.

2. Genesis 28:14 through you … nations; or all the nations will ask me to bless them as I have blessed you and your descendants.

Psalm 51:A Prayer for Forgiveness[a]

51 Be merciful to me, O God,

because of your constant love.

Because of your great mercy

wipe away my sins!

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 51:1 HEBREW TITLE: A psalm by David, after the prophet Nathan had spoken to him about his adultery with Bathsheba.

ii-Revelation 4:4 In a circle around the throne were twenty-four other thrones, on which were seated twenty-four elders dressed in white and wearing crowns of gold. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. In front of the throne seven lighted torches were burning, which are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

Surrounding the throne on each of its sides, were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and behind. 7 The first one looked like a lion; the second looked like a bull; the third had a face like a human face; and the fourth looked like an eagle in flight. 8 Each one of the four living creatures had six wings, and they were covered with eyes, inside and out. Day and night they never stop singing:

“Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,

who was, who is, and who is to come.”

iii-Job 1:6 When the day came for the heavenly beings[a] to appear before the LORD, Satan[b] was there among them.

Footnotes:

1. Job 1:6 Supernatural beings who serve God in heaven.

2. Job 1:6 A supernatural being whose name indicates he was regarded as the opponent of human beings.

iv-Genesis 4:4 Then Adam had intercourse with his wife, and she became pregnant. She bore a son and said, “By the LORD's help I have gotten a son.” So she named him Cain.[a] 2 Later she gave birth to another son, Abel. Abel became a shepherd, but Cain was a farmer. 3 After some time Cain brought some of his harvest and gave it as an offering to the LORD. 4 Then Abel brought the first lamb born to one of his sheep, killed it, and gave the best parts of it as an offering. The LORD was pleased with Abel and his offering, 5 but he rejected Cain and his offering. Cain became furious, and he scowled in anger. 6 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why that scowl on your face? 7 If you had done the right thing, you would be smiling;[b] but because you have done evil, sin is crouching at your door. It wants to rule you, but you must overcome it.”

8 Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let's go out in the fields.”[c] When they were out in the fields, Cain turned on his brother and killed him.

9 The LORD asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

He answered, “I don't know. Am I supposed to take care of my brother?”

10 Then the LORD said, “Why have you done this terrible thing? Your brother's blood is crying out to me from the ground, like a voice calling for revenge. 11 You are placed under a curse and can no longer farm the soil. It has soaked up your brother's blood as if it had opened its mouth to receive it when you killed him. 12 If you try to grow crops, the soil will not produce anything; you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”

13 And Cain said to the LORD, “This punishment is too hard for me to bear. 14 You are driving me off the land and away from your presence. I will be a homeless wanderer on the earth, and anyone who finds me will kill me.”

15 But the LORD answered, “No. If anyone kills you, seven lives will be taken in revenge.” So the LORD put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who met him not to kill him.

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 4:1 This name sounds like the Hebrew for “gotten.”

2. Genesis 4:7 you would be smiling; or I would have accepted your offering.

3. Genesis 4:8 Some ancient translations Let's go out in the fields; Hebrew does not have these words.

v-Genesis 4:1 Then Adam had intercourse with his wife, and she became pregnant. She bore a son and said, “By the LORD's help I have gotten a son.” So she named him Cain.[a]

vi-Genesis 3:3 Now the snake was the most cunning animal that the LORD God had made. The snake asked the woman, “Did God really tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?”

2 “We may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden,” the woman answered, 3 “except the tree in the middle of it. God told us not to eat the fruit of that tree or even touch it; if we do, we will die.”

4 The snake replied, “That's not true; you will not die. 5 God said that because he knows that when you eat it, you will be like God[a] and know what is good and what is bad.”[b]

6 The woman saw how beautiful the tree was and how good its fruit would be to eat, and she thought how wonderful it would be to become wise. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, and he also ate it. 7 As soon as they had eaten it, they were given understanding and realized that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and covered themselves.

8 That evening they heard the LORD God walking in the garden, and they hid from him among the trees. 9 But the LORD God called out to the man, “Where are you?”

10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden; I was afraid and hid from you, because I was naked.”

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 3:5 God; or the gods.

2. Genesis 3:5 know what is good and what is bad; or know everything.

vii-Genesis 4:9 The LORD asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

He answered, “I don't know. Am I supposed to take care of my brother?”

viii-James 1:13 If we are tempted by such trials, we must not say, “This temptation comes from God.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But we are tempted when we are drawn away and trapped by our own evil desires. 15 Then our evil desires conceive and give birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

ix-Genesis 5:21 When Enoch was 65, he had a son, Methuselah. 22 After that, Enoch lived in fellowship with God for 300 years and had other children. 23 He lived to be 365 years old. 24 He spent his life in fellowship with God, and then he disappeared, because God took him away.

6:9-10 This is the story of Noah. He had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Noah had no faults and was the only good man of his time. He lived in fellowship with God,

x-Genesis 6:1When people had spread all over the world, and daughters were being born, 2 some of the heavenly beings[a] saw that these young women were beautiful, so they took the ones they liked. 3 Then the LORD said, “I will not allow people to live forever; they are mortal. From now on they will live no longer than 120 years.” 4 In those days, and even later, there were giants on the earth who were descendants of human women and the heavenly beings. They were the great heroes and famous men of long ago.

5 When the LORD saw how wicked everyone on earth was and how evil their thoughts were all the time, 6 he was sorry that he had ever made them and put them on the earth. He was so filled with regret 7 that he said, “I will wipe out these people I have created, and also the animals and the birds, because I am sorry that I made any of them.” 8 But the LORD was pleased with Noah.

Noah

9-10 This is the story of Noah. He had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Noah had no faults and was the only good man of his time. He lived in fellowship with God, 11 but everyone else was evil in God's sight, and violence had spread everywhere. 12 God looked at the world and saw that it was evil, for the people were all living evil lives.

13 God said to Noah, “I have decided to put an end to all people. I will destroy them completely, because the world is full of their violent deeds.

xi-Joshua 24:2 Joshua said to all the people, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, has to say: ‘Long ago your ancestors lived on the other side of the Euphrates River and worshiped other gods. One of those ancestors was Terah, the father of Abraham and Nahor.

xii-Genesis 13:16 I am going to give you so many descendants that no one will be able to count them all; it would be as easy to count all the specks of dust on earth!

17:19 But God said, “No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son and you will name him Isaac.[a] I will keep my covenant with him and with his descendants forever. It is an everlasting covenant.

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 17:19 This name in Hebrew means “he laughs.”

xiii-Genesis 26:5 I will bless you, because Abraham obeyed me and kept all my laws and commands.”

xiv-Genesis 22:1 Some time later God tested Abraham; he called to him, “Abraham!” And Abraham answered, “Yes, here I am!”

2 “Take your son,” God said, “your only son, Isaac, whom you love so much, and go to the land of Moriah. There on a mountain that I will show you, offer him as a sacrifice to me.”

3 Early the next morning Abraham cut some wood for the sacrifice, loaded his donkey, and took Isaac and two servants with him. They started out for the place that God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham saw the place in the distance. 5 Then he said to the servants, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there and worship, and then we will come back to you.”

6 Abraham made Isaac carry the wood for the sacrifice, and he himself carried a knife and live coals for starting the fire. As they walked along together, 7 Isaac spoke up, “Father!”

He answered, “Yes, my son?”

Isaac asked, “I see that you have the coals and the wood, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?”

8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide one.” And the two of them walked on together.

9 When they came to the place which God had told him about, Abraham built an altar and arranged the wood on it. He tied up his son and placed him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he picked up the knife to kill him. 11 But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!”

He answered, “Yes, here I am.”

12 “Don't hurt the boy or do anything to him,” he said. “Now I know that you honor and obey God, because you have not kept back your only son from him.”

13 Abraham looked around and saw a ram caught in a bush by its horns. He went and got it and offered it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 Abraham named that place “The LORD Provides.”[a] And even today people say, “On the LORD's mountain he provides.”[b]

15 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time, 16 “I make a vow by my own name—the LORD is speaking—that I will richly bless you. Because you did this and did not keep back your only son from me, 17 I promise that I will give you as many descendants as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the seashore. Your descendants will conquer their enemies. 18 All the nations will ask me to bless them as I have blessed your descendants—all because you obeyed my command.” 19 Abraham went back to his servants, and they went together to Beersheba, where Abraham settled.

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 22:14 Provides; or Sees.

2. Genesis 22:14 provides; or is seen.

xv-Genesis 12:10 But there was a famine in Canaan, and it was so bad that Abram went farther south to Egypt, to live there for a while. 11 When he was about to cross the border into Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, “You are a beautiful woman. 12 When the Egyptians see you, they will assume that you are my wife, and so they will kill me and let you live. 13 Tell them that you are my sister; then because of you they will let me live and treat me well.” 14 When he crossed the border into Egypt, the Egyptians did see that his wife was beautiful. 15 Some of the court officials saw her and told the king how beautiful she was; so she was taken to his palace. 16 Because of her the king treated Abram well and gave him flocks of sheep and goats, cattle, donkeys, slaves, and camels.

17 But because the king had taken Sarai, the LORD sent terrible diseases on him and on the people of his palace. 18 Then the king sent for Abram and asked him, “What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say that she was your sister, and let me take her as my wife? Here is your wife; take her and get out!” 20 The king gave orders to his men, so they took Abram and put him out of the country, together with his wife and everything he owned.

20:4 But Abimelech had not come near her, and he said, “Lord, I am innocent! Would you destroy me and my people? 5 Abraham himself said that she was his sister, and she said the same thing. I did this with a clear conscience, and I have done no wrong.”

xvi-Genesis 16:1 Abram's wife Sarai had not borne him any children. But she had an Egyptian slave woman named Hagar, 2 and so she said to Abram, “The LORD has kept me from having children. Why don't you sleep with my slave? Perhaps she can have a child for me.” Abram agreed with what Sarai said. 3 So she gave Hagar to him to be his concubine. (This happened after Abram had lived in Canaan for ten years.) 4 Abram had intercourse with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When she found out that she was pregnant, she became proud and despised Sarai.

5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “It's your fault that Hagar despises me.[a] I myself gave her to you, and ever since she found out that she was pregnant, she has despised me. May the LORD judge which of us is right, you or me!”

6 Abram answered, “Very well, she is your slave and under your control; do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so cruelly that she ran away.

7 The angel of the LORD met Hagar at a spring in the desert on the road to Shur 8 and said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?”

She answered, “I am running away from my mistress.”

9 He said, “Go back to her and be her slave.” 10 Then he said, “I will give you so many descendants that no one will be able to count them. 11 You are going to have a son, and you will name him Ishmael,[b] because the LORD has heard your cry of distress. 12 But your son will live like a wild donkey; he will be against everyone, and everyone will be against him. He will live apart from all his relatives.”

13 Hagar asked herself, “Have I really seen God and lived to tell about it?”[c] So she called the LORD, who had spoken to her, “A God Who Sees.” 14 That is why people call the well between Kadesh and Bered “The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me.”

15 Hagar bore Abram a son, and he named him Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old at the time.

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 16:5 It's your fault … me; or May you suffer for this wrong done against me.

2. Genesis 16:11 This name in Hebrew means “God hears.”

3. Genesis 16:13 Probable text lived to tell about it?; Hebrew unclear.

xvii-Genesis 12:2 I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you,

But I will curse those who curse you.

And through you I will bless all the nations.”[a]

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 12:3 And through … nations; or All the nations will ask me to bless them as I have blessed you.

xviii-John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he was to see the time of my coming; he saw it and was glad.”

Galatians 3:8 The scripture predicted that God would put the Gentiles right with himself through faith. And so the scripture announced the Good News to Abraham: “Through you God will bless all people.”

xix-Hebrews 11:19 Abraham reckoned that God was able to raise Isaac from death—and, so to speak, Abraham did receive Isaac back from death.

xx-Genesis 37:1Jacob continued to live in the land of Canaan, where his father had lived, 2 and this is the story of Jacob's family.

Joseph, a young man of seventeen, took care of the sheep and goats with his brothers, the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father's concubines. He brought bad reports to his father about what his brothers were doing.

3 Jacob loved Joseph more than all his other sons, because he had been born to him when he was old. He made a long robe with full sleeves[a] for him. 4 When his brothers saw that their father loved Joseph more than he loved them, they hated their brother so much that they would not speak to him in a friendly manner.

5 One time Joseph had a dream, and when he told his brothers about it, they hated him even more. 6 He said, “Listen to the dream I had. 7 We were all in the field tying up sheaves of wheat, when my sheaf got up and stood up straight. Yours formed a circle around mine and bowed down to it.”

8 “Do you think you are going to be a king and rule over us?” his brothers asked. So they hated him even more because of his dreams and because of what he said about them.

9 Then Joseph had another dream and told his brothers, “I had another dream, in which I saw the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowing down to me.”

10 He also told the dream to his father, and his father scolded him: “What kind of a dream is that? Do you think that your mother, your brothers, and I are going to come and bow down to you?” 11 Joseph's brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept thinking about the whole matter.

Joseph Is Sold and Taken to Egypt

12 One day when Joseph's brothers had gone to Shechem to take care of their father's flock, 13 Jacob said to Joseph, “I want you to go to Shechem, where your brothers are taking care of the flock.”

Joseph answered, “I am ready.”

14 His father told him, “Go and see if your brothers are safe and if the flock is all right; then come back and tell me.” So his father sent him on his way from Hebron Valley.

Joseph arrived at Shechem 15 and was wandering around in the country when a man saw him and asked him, “What are you looking for?”

16 “I am looking for my brothers, who are taking care of their flock,” he answered. “Can you tell me where they are?”

17 The man said, “They have already left. I heard them say that they were going to Dothan.” So Joseph went after his brothers and found them at Dothan.

18 They saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted against him and decided to kill him. 19 They said to one another, “Here comes that dreamer. 20 Come on now, let's kill him and throw his body into one of the dry wells. We can say that a wild animal killed him. Then we will see what becomes of his dreams.”

21 Reuben heard them and tried to save Joseph. “Let's not kill him,” he said. 22 “Just throw him into this well in the wilderness, but don't hurt him.” He said this, planning to save him from them and send him back to his father. 23 When Joseph came up to his brothers, they ripped off his long robe with full sleeves.[b] 24 Then they took him and threw him into the well, which was dry.

25 While they were eating, they suddenly saw a group of Ishmaelites traveling from Gilead to Egypt. Their camels were loaded with spices and resins. 26 Judah said to his brothers, “What will we gain by killing our brother and covering up the murder? 27 Let's sell him to these Ishmaelites. Then we won't have to hurt him; after all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood.” His brothers agreed, 28 and when some Midianite traders came by, the brothers[c] pulled Joseph out of the well and sold him for twenty pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

29 When Reuben came back to the well and found that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes in sorrow. 30 He returned to his brothers and said, “The boy is not there! What am I going to do?”

31 Then they killed a goat and dipped Joseph's robe in its blood. 32 They took the robe to their father and said, “We found this. Does it belong to your son?”

33 He recognized it and said, “Yes, it is his! Some wild animal has killed him. My son Joseph has been torn to pieces!” 34 Jacob tore his clothes in sorrow and put on sackcloth. He mourned for his son a long time. 35 All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted and said, “I will go down to the world of the dead still mourning for my son.” So he continued to mourn for his son Joseph.

36 Meanwhile, in Egypt the Midianites had sold Joseph to Potiphar, one of the king's officers, who was the captain of the palace guard.

Footnotes:

1. Genesis 37:3 robe with full sleeves; or decorated robe.

2. Genesis 37:23 robe with full sleeves; or decorated robe.

3. Genesis 37:28 the brothers; Hebrew they.

xxi-Genesis 45:1 Joseph was no longer able to control his feelings in front of his servants, so he ordered them all to leave the room. No one else was with him when Joseph told his brothers who he was. 2 He cried with such loud sobs that the Egyptians heard it, and the news was taken to the king's palace. 3 Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But when his brothers heard this, they were so terrified that they could not answer. 4 Then Joseph said to them, “Please come closer.” They did, and he said, “I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 Now do not be upset or blame yourselves because you sold me here. It was really God who sent me ahead of you to save people's lives. 6 This is only the second year of famine in the land; there will be five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor reaping. 7 God sent me ahead of you to rescue you in this amazing way and to make sure that you and your descendants survive. 8 So it was not really you who sent me here, but God. He has made me the king's highest official. I am in charge of his whole country; I am the ruler of all Egypt.

9 “Now hurry back to my father and tell him that this is what his son Joseph says: ‘God has made me ruler of all Egypt; come to me without delay. 10 You can live in the region of Goshen, where you can be near me—you, your children, your grandchildren, your sheep, your goats, your cattle, and everything else that you have. 11 If you are in Goshen, I can take care of you. There will still be five years of famine; and I do not want you, your family, and your livestock to starve.’”

xxii-Matthew 13:56 Aren't all his sisters living here? Where did he get all this?”

Mark 6:3 Isn't he the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon? Aren't his sisters living here?” And so they rejected him.

xxiii-Jeremiah 17:Good News Translation (GNT)

9 “Who can understand the human heart?

There is nothing else so deceitful;

it is too sick to be healed.

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