Keep My Commandments

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King James Bible Study[Mark 8:34  And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]

Date: Monday, January 03, 2022
Chapters: Genesis 6-8
Message: Keep My Commandments

Hello My Friend,

I just learned a new word today, well, another abbreviation for AM, [Anno Mundi; (from Latin “in the year of the world”, abbreviated as AM or A.M., or Year After Creation.] So, if we were to apply this year to when God created the earth, we would be in the year 5871 until September actually, that is when the new year starts according to Jewish calendar. And here we are three days into the new year, and I am already thinking, how fast this month is going. I was actually thinking that it felt like 2020 and 2021 were just one giant year. It is funny, when we are little, one year seems like ten, but the older we get the more we realize just how fast a year does go by, and life in general. With that said, we can understand why God says that one year seems like a thousand to Him, [But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. – 2 Peter 3:8-9]

Repentance, that is an interesting word, which means, [Real penitence; sorrow or deep contrition for sin, as an offense and dishonor to God,] In other words, repentance is a change of mind, or a conversion from sin to God. And since we really do not know when our last day on earth will be, the older we do get the more we understand just how precious time and life are. So, instead of using this year to fulfill our every desire, how about we use it to fulfill God’s desire, and let Him take care of the rest, [And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. – Luke 12:29-31]

As we continue in the reading of Genesis, we come to see what happens when there are no laws, and people do what they want to do. The Jewish calendar dates creation at around 3761 BC, according to Usher, who did an extensive study into the timelines, it was more like 4004 BC. Nevertheless, it is about the year, AM 1556/BC 2448, and in a matter of about fifteen hundred and a fifty years after God created the earth, mankind became so corrupt that it grieved God that He even created it.

[And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. – Genesis 6:1-6]

[My spirit shall not always strive with man,] This is why we must receive Christ as our Saviour before God even notices us. As precious as man is to God, He will not come to one person who does not come to Him through His Son first, [Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. – John 14:6]

[and it grieved him at his heart.] The lawlessness, ruthlessness, violence, disrespect for God, people, and the earth itself, this is what grieved God. Even the ones who He known as the sons of God corrupted themselves and became just as if not more evil than the world. In fact, it grieved God so much that He repented over creating the earth. This is a different form of repentance and means, [a change of mind, as it appears to one who repents, of a purpose he has formed or of something he has done.] In other words, God changed His mind of the purpose that He had for creating the earth. So, what exactly was God’s purpose for creating the earth? The same purpose that we have for wanting people around us, love, [For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.. – John 3:16-18]

What was God to do? They certainly would not listen to Him so there was no use trying to talk some sense into them. He saw no other option, but to destroy the earth, but then something happened to give God a little bit of hope that not all mankind has evil, and that was Noah, [And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch. – Genesis 6:7-10,13-14]

[a just man and perfect in his generations,] This does not mean that he never sinned, even though he had no Bible, feared God and lived a moral life, he did not associate with the rest of the world, taught his family to fear God, and offered up sacrifices in honor of God. However, at this time, it had come to the point that there were none that feared God, not enough to turn away from their wicked ways anyway. God goes on to tell Noah what is going happen and why He instructed him to build the ark.

[And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee. And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. Of fowls after their kind, and of cattle after their kind, of every creeping thing of the earth after his kind, two of every sort shall come unto thee, to keep them alive. And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food for thee, and for them. Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he. – Genesis 6:17-22]

[And take thou unto thee of all food that is eaten,] This was a years worth of food for both the people and creatures. Some common sense needs to be used when wanting God to bless us, we can ask Him for the things we need all we want, but unless we make some kind of effort, and follow His commands, He will not do anything. We must come to Him by faith, and then do what He asks us to do. So, if He tells us right now that the only way to be blessed by Him is to receive His Son as our Saviour first, then so be it, [And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. – Acts 17:30-31]

This giant boat, which actually is a picture of Christ, did not get finished in a few months or years, it actually took one hundred and twenty years. Noah, might not have understood why God was doing this, but did as God commanded, [And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female. Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth. For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth. And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him. – Genesis 7:1-5]

[For yet seven days,] They had exactly seven days to get the food, water, creatures, and themselves on the ark. During that time, I am sure that Noah and his family was begging the other people to get on the ark, and even though they refused, Noah did as God commanded and got everything on the ark, [There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah. In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, into the ark; They, and every beast after his kind, and all the cattle after their kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind, and every fowl after his kind, every bird of every sort. And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life. And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in. – Genesis 7:9,13-16]

[and the LORD shut him in.] I love this, it was God who closed the door and shut them in to protect them from the catastrophe that was about to take place in an instant. It actually grieves God more to watch His very creation reject His Son, He does not want to see one soul in hell, but that is the choice they make, He will not force anyone to come to Him, but He will deny all who do, [Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. – Matthew 10:32-33]

Not only did the rain come down for forty days and forty nights, water sprang up from the earth, rivers, springs, seas, lakes, and every body of water that existed flooded upon the dry land. If they could take pictures from satellites back then, they would see the entire earth as nothing, but a body of water. You know how fast water pours out of a faucet and fills up a tub, well, every living thing, people, creatures, plants, trees, all gone, and life as they knew it was gone within a matter of hours.

[And the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lift up above the earth. And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters. And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days. – Genesis 7:17-19,22-24]

[And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days] It might have only rained for forty days and nights, but the water remained on the earth, which was higher than the tallest mountain, for five months. Then God remember Noah, and everything on the ark, and began to dry up the water from the earth, [And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated. – Genesis 8:1-3]

[and the waters asswaged;] The water did not just disappear in an instant, it subsided slowly, or so it appeared to be, but then again, the water was twenty-two feet above the tallest mountain, so, there was a lot of water to dry up. I could imagine what Noah and his family were thinking while on the ark, even after a day being cooped up in my house I want to get out and get into the fresh air. And here they are surrounded by water, and forty days later still in the ark. At this point, they were now going on a hundred and ninety days on the ark, that was when Noah opened the window and sent a raven out of it and kept flying back and forth until the water subsided completely. Noah, also sent a dove out a few times before he finally got some good news.

[And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. – Genesis 8:6-11]

[her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off:] The dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, her bringing that leaf from the tree was God’s way of letting Noah know that He was with them, and they have waited long enough, and it was now time to come out of the ark and live. God does not want to keep us from living life, He wants us to live life to the fullest, only follow His commands in doing so, [Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. – Proverbs 7:2]

And exactly one year after the rain began and the flood destroyed the earth, the land was dry, and life was sustainable on it once again. God commands Noah, his family, and all the creatures to come out of the ark and simply live, [And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry. Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him: Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark. – Genesis 8:13,17-19]

[Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee,] This is what God commands us to do, preach the Gospel to the lost, tell them how they too can find grace with God and be saved after their breath of life is removed from them, [Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. – 2 Timothy 4:2-4]

While we do get caught up in the wake of God’s judgments, He will not punish all of us for what someone else does. Noah, may not have understood why this happened, or even what life would be like anymore, but He did understand that it was by God’s mercy and grace that he and his family were alive. Noah and his family did as God commanded, they come out of the ark and begin living on earth again, the very first thing he did was build an altar for God, [And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. – Genesis 8:20-22]

[And the LORD smelled a sweet savour;] This was the very first sacrifice that would become law for anyone who wanted to come to God and be reconciled with Him. Since Jesus was not there in the flesh yet, God would command the sacrifice of unblemished animals to reconcile with those who did love Him so that they could fellowship with Him, [For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. – Hebrews 10:1,5-6,12,14]

[for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth;] And this is why God keeps His promise to give us eternal life through our faith in His Son. Man does not need Satan to commit evil, we do that naturally on our own through the imagination of our heart. The more hatred in their heart the more wicked they become, but as for those who love God, they will run to Jesus so they can be reconciled with God.

[As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; – Romans 3:10-12,20,23-25]

Let Us Pray: God, You make it simple to have a blessed life here on earth, follow Your commands and life, but that only happens by first accepting Your Son as our Saviour. In doing so we not only get saved through our faith in Your Son, we receive Your favor, and that is truly amazing. I am humbled to be one of the faithful and few who serve You continually, but it is not of my own doing, it is You who lives in me that I am who I am, and I am justified freely through my faith in Jesus. Lord, lead me and guide me, fill me with Your grace, keep my heart open and tender as I deal with the floods of life with You, let it always be willing to serve You however You lead me, and enable me with Your mercy, power, and strength to follow Your commands and live. In pray this in Your name, Jesus, Amen.

God Bless You, I am praying for you,

Christina

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