kjv@Genesis:1:1@ In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
kjv@Genesis:1:2@ And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
kjv@Genesis:1:3@ And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
kjv@Genesis:1:4@ And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
kjv@Genesis:1:5@ And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
kjv@Genesis:1:6@ And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
kjv@Genesis:1:7@ And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
kjv@Genesis:1:8@ And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
kjv@Genesis:1:9@ And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
kjv@Genesis:1:10@ And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
kjv@Genesis:1:11@ And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
kjv@Genesis:1:12@ And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
kjv@Genesis:1:13@ And the evening and the morning were the third day.
kjv@Genesis:1:14@ And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
kjv@Genesis:1:15@ And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
kjv@Genesis:1:16@ And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
kjv@Genesis:1:17@ And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
kjv@Genesis:1:18@ And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
kjv@Genesis:1:19@ And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
kjv@Genesis:1:20@ And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
kjv@Genesis:1:21@ And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
kjv@Genesis:1:22@ And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
kjv@Genesis:1:23@ And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
kjv@Genesis:1:24@ And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
kjv@Genesis:1:25@ And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
kjv@Genesis:1:26@ And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
kjv@Genesis:1:27@ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
kjv@Genesis:1:28@ And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
kjv@Genesis:1:29@ And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
kjv@Genesis:1:30@ And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
kjv@Genesis:1:31@ And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
I see two possible explanations as to why the language very similar to kjv@Genesis:1 would be used here. 1a: This coming judgment will so severe as to symbolically set Israel/Judah back to the beginning as if none of this covenant had ever been. 1b: It will be so devastating as to appear as dark and chaotic as earths infancy. 2: Gap theory suggests a gap between kjv@Genesis:1:1 and kjv@Genesis:1:2 where this type of judgment actually occurred to a pre-Adamic human or angelic race on earth; that what we read is not an account of creation but of a earth's first restoration. Both explanations may not be exclusive as well.
The questions raised by this description of Lucifer are numerous. Of primary importance would be when did this fall happen and where, especially if the where was here on earth. If on earth, that would most likely place the when between kjv@Genesis:1:1 and kjv@Genesis:1:2 suggesting a gap between creation, a world that then was, and later a complete 6 day restoration following a major judgment perhaps like the world has since never known (not even the flood). This would explain why the Spirit hovered over a earth that was void and without form.
Of the many details about creation given in this first chapter, perhaps the most peculiar is the division between verse strkjv@Genesis:1:1 'in the beginning' and verse strkjv@Genesis:1:2 'and the earth was'. To me the key word is 'was' which I suggest more properly should be translated 'became' as used in other text. Notice Heaven and Earth created in the beginning strkjv@Genesis:1:1. Notice Heaven and Earth not being divided till strkjv@Genesis:1:9. What happened that they were in the beginning but not divided until the third day? Many would say that they were created without form and void, the native language can just as easily say they became uninhabitable being a place suffering judgment.
Another peculiarity we should not let escape our attention is that while there is a division between light and dark strkjv@Genesis:1:3-5 called Night and Day, the actual objects visually determining those observances for earth were not until kjv@Genesis:1:14-19 after even vegetation. Light and darkness till then were from a different source and that source was sufficient for massive plant life. In kjv@Revelation:21:23 we see a similar occurrence in the new earth.
We see another situation where incest was not forbidden but, required to continue the race. Eventually the genetic components of the seed would become more and more damaged to the point where soon it's produce would be disgusting and the act would be forbidden.
Great names, great cities, eventually great nations and kingdoms; it doesn't take long to repopulate the earth. Many of these names we will see in several other places in the Bible. Most will become enemies of Israel. Some are even spoken of in the end times.
They, the race at that time (either majority or all) journeyed in an attempt to remain one people to a place in the valley of Babylon where they could make one large city. It does not seem to be opposed at first by God until He saw what they were trying to build in it's midst.
The imagination of men is one suspect thing, the collective imagination of all men together is quite another. The tower symbolized a collective imagination that God was not going to allow, not even for the sake of human unity, not if the unity meant this. Most likely there are religious impurities written all over the designs of this tower. By succeeding in this, man would have had the back bone to succeed at most anything that he collectively set his corrupt imagination to. We have our collective imaginations at work even today.
This is the first of three times that the Lord appears to Abraham (kjv@Genesis:17:1kjv@Genesis:18:1). If no one can look upon the Father and live the Lord must be the Son or else this is figurative. Jacob also has an appearance but, specifically states that he saw the Lord face to face kjv@Genesis:32:30 .
This is the beginning of what we call the Abrahamic Covenant. It is a covenant based totally upon God's grace; the land will be a gift, the seed will be a gift. The Lord leads Abraham away from his kin to show him this land. The seed will not begin to come for another 20 some years and the land not for another 450+ years. In the mean time Abraham and Sarah stumble trying to make it happen on their own.
We are seeing now a repetition of alters built at places where either the Lord has appeared or where He has spoken. We see these personal alters as the places to call upon the Lord. There were priest such as Melchizedek in the day, no Levitical priests yet, no temples, no Mosaic Law, no written scripture, perhaps some oral tradition (not mentioned), feasts and Sabbaths (?). From Cain and Abel we know that there would be some form of offerings. This is a glimpse into the religious life of Abraham at that time.
Lot choose his land selfishly and yet unknowingly his choice was the same as the Lord had already made. We often make the same seemingly obvious choices based upon appearances also. The wide open fertile land is not always the best choice just as the wide open door of opportunity. This choice turned out to be a big problem for Lot.
It is often said in the modern classroom that religion is the number one cause of war. And in that they mean to imply specifically Judeo-Christian religion. Massive wars were waged long before our religion had any influence to do such, massive wars have been waged despite, massive wars have been waged on our religion, massive wars have been waged alongside our religion, but, few wars have been waged by our religion. This war in particular is a case where war was waged and our religious figure after the fact went in to deliver a relative out of his captivity. Abraham strongly disallowed himself from any personal gain that may have rightfully been his as victor. The number one cause of war is mankind's sinful nature; a nature that even pressures and penetrates religion.
If everything stood as is, Abraham's legal heir would be his steward Eliezer of Damascus. Abraham is beginning to come to the realization of what God intends to do.
Possible explanation: he was morally certain of the Lord's willingness/ability and as a result the Lord's righteousness was also inter-weaved into his moral fabric. He took on the Lord's rightness as his own through sustainable trust/expectation.
Abraham believes enough to be inventoried as righteous yet he asks for reassurance. How strong was his belief? We can expect the same. The Lord strengthens his faith by allowing him deeper into the future prophecy showing more of the grit and hardship his seed's seeds will face. Sometimes belief in what will be is fed by more of what will be, not necessarily some direct tangible evidence. But, then the Lord also lights and burns Abraham's offering right before him. It all began however with a certain measure of belief in the Lord Himself. That then extends into the assurance of what He is able and will do.
I think it is a part of all of us when considering God's promises to rationalize how God would be able to do that unless I do this (fill in the blank). Though we may start out strong in the trust, after delay, we begin to think that God is waiting for me to do this, or that He has left it up to me, or that He must have meant something other; well you can see how the purer form of trust dissolves. Like Sarah, we can create a lot of turmoil and anguish for ourselves. I don't see this as a peculiar fault of Sarah, it is more of a trait in all of us. This is not to say that there may not be something that we do need to do, it means we should continuously seek the Lord's direction and wait upon His answer before proceeding.
The token of the remembrance of this everlasting covenant was quite simple, male circumcision. Even Ishmael, who would later leave and become his own great people received this token in his flesh. The covenant itself is based entirely upon God's grace, the token is secondary and a fleshly symbol of a remembrance towards His grace. Mankind would still yet require a circumcision of heart to receive their savior/salvation; again entirely by God's grace. The descendent's of Ishmael should be made aware of this as well.
Perhaps our ears can't hear it but there is a cry to a city. Perhaps some cry more than others, but, cry none the less. There is justice and judgment and the effect of such. From that effect a noise calls out from the streets and alleys and market places to the heavens above. What does the cry sound like in your city? There are people within the city whom believe the Lord and it is woven in to them as righteousness. For the righteousness they believe certain in God they perform judgment and justice with an equal hand; standing the gap between the oppressed and the wicked. It is for these people few though they may be perhaps that a city is saved from outright ruin. There are also the men who please the Lord by engaging Him with petitions for the righteous. Though He will always do what is right, He loves to hear His people petition Him so.
Is there anything too hard for the Lord? Of course not. Is there anything that He will not do? Yes, sin. Did Abraham or Sarah ask this blessing of Him? Did they ask Him to spare a city for sake of the righteous? No and yes. There are times we can ask Him to do something for us that as long as it doesn't ask Him to sin and is in agreement with His further plan that He'll gladly do. There are things that we ask that are intended to bend His will, demote Him as servant to our whim and pleasure, things based out of fear or pride or foolishness or ignorance that He certainly will/can not be part of. There are times where His grace alone must be sufficient. There are times when He intends to do for us great things that we don't even need to ask.
A whole range of human reactions come forth from this catastrophic event. There is no telling how you or I would react given such frantic and out of control a situation. We tend to judge Lot and his wife and his daughters and son's in law by a story line only we now are privy to see. No doubt each and every one of them could have reacted better, but, this is what happens to us when situations explode and judgments are laid down.
2012 - pBiblx2 Field Wise Bible System Version 2.0.9d - GPL3
