Day 2 Chronological Bible Study Timeline. Map. Go to today's Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): Genesis 4:1–6:8; 1Chronicles 1:1-4
Judgment and Grace
Note: This Bible study is also available in audio format
Parents want their adult children to live responsible or even godly lives. However, sometimes they cause them grief. They commit crimes, use drugs or become alcoholics. Or, they do foolish things, get into financial trouble, mistreat their family members, and end up divorced if married. This can happen even after parents faithfully and lovingly support their children and all their activities. They may take their children to church, and their children may even make professions of faith and get baptized. If parents have done these things, how is it that their children sometimes turn away from God? How can they return to him? Today’s Bible study may help us answer these questions.
Our Sin Causes God to Judge
In our Bible reading in Genesis, we last left Adam and Eve cast out of the Garden of Eden, and God had proclaimed curses on each of them for their sins. Now, as they procreated, their sin natures genetically passed on to their children. Thus, we have the first reason people turn away from God, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, NIV). “Sin entered the world through one man [Adam], and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12b, NIV). Each person inherits a sin nature from his parents, but every man and woman is personally responsible for his own sins (Ezekiel 18:20).
God Judges Cain for Murder
Sin causes jealousy and strife. There is a sibling rivalry between Cain and Abel, the two adult boys of Adam and Eve. The two boys bring offerings to the LORD. Cain is angry because God accepts Abel’s offering but not his. Why does God favor Abel’s offering over Cain’s? The answer is that Cain’s offering is a grain offering, a contribution from his crops (the text does not say his grain offering is the first fruit of his crops). Abel’s offering is a sacrifice, the sacrifice of one of his firstborn sheep. It is a better gift born from a righteous heart (Hebrews 11:4). His gift pictures what Jesus would later do for us— the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world by offering himself as a sacrifice for our wrongs (John 1:29; 1Peter 3:18).
God favors Abel’s sacrifice, and this makes Cain jealous. Jealousy is volatile. The LORD tells Cain sin is “crouching [like a lion ready to devour] at the door. You must master it” (Genesis 4:7, NIV). How can Cain master it? Cain can master it in the same way we can—through faith in God and obedience to him! Cain fails, and it leads him to murder his brother. Because of Cain’s sin, God banishes him from the garden and places a curse on him. The results of sin are often devastating. In God’s mercy, he does not kill Cain—he graciously protects him.
In Genesis 5, there is a genealogical record of Adam’s descendants. The reader might first notice that there is a chosen line of descendants from Adam (this is called a Toledot). Adam’s firstborn son is Cain, but God does not mention him in this genealogy. Seth is the first of the chosen line, and thereafter, certain individuals from his family tree are also part of it. Why is this? The answer is that God is selecting a family line which he is choosing to favor. This line will lead to the formation of the nation of Israel through Abraham’s seed and later to Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:1-16). The red ribbon of God’s salvation traced through much of the Scriptures begins with this Toledot.
Although most of us are not Jewish, God now offers us the opportunity to become adopted into his family through his Son Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:3-14).This is amazing grace.
To be clear, however, we are not saying God gave the Jews spiritual life because they were in the line. And, we do not need to become Jews to become saved. Jesus came to his own people, but they didn’t welcome him, but to all who receive him, he gives the right to become children of God (John 1:12).
Because of God’s Judgment and Grace, We Lead Others to God for Salvation
Seth, Enoch, and Noah are bright lights in Adam and Eve’s family line. When Enosh, Seth’s son, was born, “men began to call upon the name of the LORD” (Genesis 4:26, NIV). Did this happen by chance? Probably not. Seth took his new fatherly role seriously; he led his children to seek the LORD, when for a time his own generation did not.
If Seth did this for his family, should we not do the same? Do we set the example of worship and devotion by daily spending personal time with God? This one-year daily chronological Bible study is a good way to do that, and they help you stay on track. Do we lead our families to seek the LORD by spending time with them in Bible study and prayer? Do we go to church with them? Do we serve the LORD together? If we do, our children will learn to call upon the name of the LORD and seek him.
A casual reading of Genesis 5 also shows us that sins’ consequences bring death. they live a very long time, death comes to Adam and Eve and all their descendants. The Apostle Paul would later write, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23, NIV). Have we accepted God’s gift of eternal life? If so, here is another application: Christians, it is good to live for God, for we only have a brief life on this earth to please him (James 4:14). ).
A question many people have when they read the early chapters of Genesis is, how did the people in that era live so long? Christian apologists have different theories about this. Look in the more insights page for answers to this question (or search AnswersinGenesis.org).
Perhaps, because of our sin nature, God does not want us to continue living long lives. We may feel grief over the loss of a good person, but we feel relief over the death of an evil person.
God Judges the World, but one Family Receives his Grace
What kind of world would we have if evil people could live, not just 70-80 but 800 to 900 years?
In Noah’s day, man’s wickedness was so great that “every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time” (Genesis 6:5, NIV). This grieved God. Because of this, he was going to wipe all people, land creatures and fowl off the face of the earth. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (v.8, NIV). This is judgment, but in God’s judgment, he is often gracious.
Focus Verse
Psalm 143:1 (NIV) “O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.”
Discussion
What things result from sin?
Sin is like a lion, crouching and ready to devour. How do we master it?
What can we do in our family to help our children seek the Lord?
Does God only care about judgment? Explain
Focus Verse
Psalm 143:1 (NIV) “O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.”
See the more insights page, Longevity; How did people live so long in the early ages of the earth?
Please join me for a prayer response to today’s Bible study:
Dear Father in Heaven, great and righteous is your name, your character, your very being. You must judge sin, not because you are mean or unfair, but because you are holy and good. You long to bless us and save our souls from eternal destruction. Dear LORD, I pray we would remember your judgment and grace, and because we love our family, friends, and acquaintance, share the gospel with them. I pray we would be a good witness of what God has done for us, and the love of Christ would constrain us to witness. Please give us a daily portion of courage. Please forgive our sins and lead us from temptations that would ruin our testimony. May our lives be lived to the praise of your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen
Please send your comments to me, Rod
Looking Ahead: Will God put up with evil forever? When is there a need for God to Remove evil and Renew the world? Find out in our Next Lesson.
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