Bible DISCOVERY 8: When the Earth was ONE

 

There was a TIME the earth spoke ONE language.

11 And the whole earth 

was of one language, 

and of one speech.

Genesis 11:1 

King James Version

But we humans, being the ambitious and forgetful people we are, we try to outdo God.

2 And it came to pass, 

as they journeyed from the east, 

that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; 

and they dwelt there.

3 And they said one to another, 

Go to, 

let us make brick, 

and burn them thoroughly. 

And they had brick for stone, 

and slime had they for morter.

4 And they said, 

Go to, 

let us build us a city and a tower, 

whose top may reach unto heaven; 

and let us make us a name, 

lest we be scattered abroad upon the face 

of the whole earth.

Genesis 11:2-4 

King James Version

Thing is, God sees ALL.

5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, 

which the children of men builded.

Genesis 11:5 

King James Version

Of course, God knew what people were up to.

6 And the Lord said, 

Behold, 

the people is one, 

and they have all one language; 

and this they begin to do: 

and now nothing will be restrained from them, 

which they have imagined to do.

Genesis 11:6 

King James Version

So, God knew EXACTLY what to do with His power-hungry people.

7 Go to, 

let us go down, 

and there confound their language, 

that they may not understand one another's speech.

8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence 

upon the face of all the earth: 

and they left off to build the city.

Genesis 11:7-8 

King James Version

Thus, the origin of the name "Babel".

9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; 

because the Lord did there confound the language 

of all the earth: 

and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad 

upon the face of all the earth.

Genesis 11:9 

King James Version

Surely, the word "babble" came from "Babel"?

Whether as a noun, 

or a verb, 

the word "babble" means speech that is:

incoherent, 

foolish, 

meaningless, 

imperfect, 

thoughtless; 

or prattle.

Nonsense talk.

Oh, to be back to those days when we were all one, and coherent of each other!

This was the generation of Shem, one of NOAH's sons, and also the forbear of Terah, who had a son called ABRAHAM (called Abram then).

10 These are the generations of Shem: 

Shem was an hundred years old, 

and begat Arphaxad two years after the flood:

Genesis 11:10 

King James Version

26 And Terah lived seventy years, 

and begat Abram, 

Nahor, 

and Haran.

27 Now these are the generations of Terah: 

Terah begat Abram, 

Nahor, 

and Haran; 

and Haran begat Lot.

Genesis 11:26-27 

King James Version

And on, to the land of Canaan.

31 And Terah took Abram his son, 

and Lot the son of Haran 

his son's son, 

and Sarai his daughter in law, 

his son Abram's wife; 

and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, 

to go into the land of Canaan; 

and they came unto Haran, 

and dwelt there.

32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: 

and Terah died in Haran.

Genesis 11:31-32 

King James Version

2020 articles

Bible DISCOVERY

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Updated 22 January 2022

Bible DISCOVERY 7: Many FIRSTS in the BIBLE

 

Upon researching, these are the many FIRSTS I found on the Bible, from the Book of GENESIS, which may be of interest to you, too.

Why?

Because these are TIMELY, and yet PERPETUAL TRUTHS.

This was our foundation.

God created the FIRST man.

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.

27 So God created man in his own image, 

in the image of God created he him; 

male and female created he them.

Genesis 1:26-27 

King James Version

7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, 

and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; 

and man became a living soul.

Genesis 2:7 

King James Version

2 Male and female created he them; 

and blessed them, 

and called their name Adam, 

in the day when they were created.

Genesis 5:2 

King James Version

God gives man his FIRST "assignment".

15 And the Lord God took the man, 

and put him into the garden of Eden 

to dress it and to keep it.

Genesis 2:15 

King James Version

God gives man his FIRST "commandment".

16 And the Lord God commanded the man, 

saying, 

Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:

17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, 

thou shalt not eat of it: 

for in the day that thou eatest thereof 

thou shalt surely die.

Genesis 2:16-17 

King James Version

God's FIRST anger at man.

11 And he said, 

Who told thee that thou wast naked? 

Hast thou eaten of the tree, 

whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?

Genesis 3:11 

King James Version

13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, 

What is this that thou hast done? 

And the woman said, 

The serpent beguiled me, 

and I did eat.

Genesis 3:13 

King James Version

God metes out the FIRST punishment.

14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, 

Because thou hast done this, 

thou art cursed above all cattle, 

and above every beast of the field; 

upon thy belly shalt thou go, 

and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:

15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, 

and between thy seed and her seed; 

it shall bruise thy head, 

and thou shalt bruise his heel.

16 Unto the woman he said, 

I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; 

in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; 

and thy desire shall be to thy husband, 

and he shall rule over thee.

17 And unto Adam he said, 

Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, 

and hast eaten of the tree, 

of which I commanded thee, 

saying, 

Thou shalt not eat of it: 

cursed is the ground for thy sake; 

in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; 

and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, 

till thou return unto the ground; 

for out of it wast thou taken: 

for dust thou art, 

and unto dust shalt thou return.

Genesis 3:14-19 

King James Version

God creates His FIRST "fortress".

24 So he drove out the man; 

and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden 

Cherubims, 

and a flaming sword which turned every way, 

to keep the way of the tree of life.

Genesis 3:24 

King James Version

God establishes the FIRST two covenants -- with Noah.

18 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.

19 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.

20 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.

21 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.

Genesis 6:18-21 

King James Version

God gives His FIRST token, in honor of the SECOND* covenant with Noah.

12 And God said, 

This is the token of the covenant which I make 

between me and you and every living creature that is with you, 

for perpetual generations:

13 I do set my bow in the cloud, 

and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me 

and the earth.

14 And it shall come to pass, 

when I bring a cloud over the earth, 

that the bow shall be seen in the cloud:

15 And I will remember which is between me and you 

and every living creature of all flesh; 

and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.

Genesis 9:12-15 

King James Version

*The SECOND covenant which elicited that "token":

11 And I will establish my covenant with you, 

neither shall all flesh be cut off any more 

by the waters of a flood; 

neither shall there any more be a flood 

to destroy the earth.

Genesis 9:11 

King James Version

2020 articles

Bible DISCOVERY

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Updated 22 January 2022

Bible DISCOVERY 6: The MYSTERY of GOD

 

How much do we really know God?

Do we know Him at all?

Have we a love for our GOD?

Here are some unique ways God loves us, teaches us, names us, communicates with us, and even tests us.

1. God waits for the fullness of our actions.

16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: 

for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

Genesis 15:16 

King James Version

2. God listens to our prayers.

11 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, 

Behold, 

thou art with child and shalt bear a son, 

and shalt call his name Ishmael; 

because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.

Genesis 16:11 

King James Version

3. God knows how we will become.

12 And he will be a wild man; 

his hand will be against every man, 

and every man's hand against him; 

and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

Genesis 16:12 

King James Version

4. God comes in the form of a man -- however He wishes.

18 And the Lord appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: 

and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, 

and, lo, 

three men stood by him: 

and when he saw them, 

he ran to meet them from the tent door, 

and bowed himself toward the ground,

Genesis 18:1-2 

King James Version

20 And the Lord said, 

Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, 

and because their sin is very grievous;

21 I will go down now, 

and see whether they have done altogether 

according to the cry of it, 

which is come unto me;

 and if not, 

I will know.

22 And the men turned their faces 

from thence, 

and went toward Sodom:

 but Abraham stood yet before the Lord.

Genesis 18:20-22 

King James Version

33 And the Lord went his way, 

as soon as he had left communing with Abraham: 

and Abraham returned unto his place.

Genesis 18:33 

King James Version

24 And Jacob was left alone; 

and there wrestled a man with him 

until the breaking of the day.

25 And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, 

he touched the hollow of his thigh; 

and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, 

as he wrestled with him.

Genesis 32:24-25 

King James Version

5. God causes us not to sin against Him.

6 And God said unto him in a dream, 

Yea, 

I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; 

for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: 

therefore suffered I thee not to touch her.

Genesis 20:6 

King James Version

6. God can gift us with children, if it be His will.

17 So Abraham prayed unto God: 

and God healed Abimelech, 

and his wife, 

and his maidservants; 

and they bare children.

18 For the Lord had fast closed up all the wombs 

of the house of Abimelech, 

because of Sarah Abraham's wife.

Genesis 20:17-18 

King James Version

21 And Isaac intreated the Lord for his wife, 

because she was barren: 

and the Lord was intreated of him, 

and Rebekah his wife conceived.

Genesis 25:21 

King James Version

7. God opens our eyes so we may see.

19 And God opened her eyes, 

and she saw a well of water; 

and she went, 

and filled the bottle with water, 

and gave the lad drink.

Genesis 21:19 

King James Version

8. God tests us.

22 And it came to pass after these things, 

that God did tempt Abraham, 

and said unto him, 

Abraham: 

and he said, 

Behold, 

here I am.

Genesis 22:1 

King James Version

9. God answers our prayers before we're even done praying.

15 And it came to pass, 

before he had done speaking, 

that, behold, 

Rebekah came out, 

who was born to Bethuel, 

son of Milcah, 

the wife of Nahor, 

Abraham's brother, 

with her pitcher upon her shoulder.

Genesis 24:15 

King James Version

10. God loves us all.

31 And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, 

he opened her womb: 

but Rachel was barren.

Genesis 29:31 

King James Version

22 And God remembered Rachel, 

and God hearkened to her, 

and opened her womb.

23 And she conceived, 

and bare a son; 

and said, 

God hath taken away my reproach:

24 And she called his name Joseph; 

and said, 

The Lord shall add to me another son.

Genesis 30:22-24 

King James Version

11. God protects us from each other.

7 And your father hath deceived me, 

and changed my wages ten times; 

but God suffered him not to hurt me.

Genesis 31:7 

King James Version

12. God comes to us in our dreams, giving us messages.

24 And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, 

and said unto him, 

Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob 

either good or bad.

Genesis 31:24 

King James Version

13. God names us for His purpose.

28 And he said, 

Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, 

but Israel: 

for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, 

and hast prevailed.

Genesis 32:28 

King James Version

14. God withholds His Name from us, if He so wishes.

29 And Jacob asked him, 

and said, 

Tell me, 

I pray thee, 

thy name. 

And he said, 

Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my name? 

And he blessed him there.

Genesis 32:29 

King James Version

15. God allows us to see His face as a man.

30 And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: 

for I have seen God face to face, 

and my life is preserved.

Genesis 32:30 

King James Version

9 Jesus saith unto him, 

Have I been so long time with you, 

and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? 

he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; 

and how sayest thou then, 

Show us the Father?

John 14:9 

King James Version

16. God destroys us.

7 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.

Genesis 6:7 

King James Version

17. God guides me in my work.

Despite the VOLUME of material in Scripture, 

God creates the prompts, 

leads me to the verses, 

helps me organize all those, 

and we create blogs and posts for you, 

with the objective of bringing the WORDS of GOD 

to greater understanding, 

for all of us, 

especially in these end times.

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Bible DISCOVERY 5: There is Only ONE MASTER

 

Matthew 23:8-12 

King James Version

8 But be not ye called Rabbi: 

for one is your Master, even Christ; 

and all ye are brethren.

9 And call no man your father upon the earth: 

for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

10 Neither be ye called masters: 

for one is your Master, even Christ.

11 But he that is greatest among you 

shall be your servant.

12 And whosoever shall exalt himself 

shall be abased; 

and he that shall humble himself 

shall be exalted.

We humans scramble to outdo each other.

We want names and titles.

We want prestige, fame, wealth, power, glory, beauty.

But those are all of the world.

Only JESUS, the Son of God, deserves ALL the TITLES in the world and in Heaven -- and they all pertain to the SPIRIT -- of which we all are, the day God breathed life into us.

The verses above came from the LORD Himself, as He admonished the scribes and Pharisees, who He called "hypocrites".

The whole chapter on what Jesus said can be read here.

Related material:

GOD's POWER is STAGGERING

GOD's GLORY blogs

BORN AGAIN classics

Bible DISCOVERY 4: The GOD of RAIN

 

It may be a small thing for others, maybe even mundane, but for me it was important when I read something very telling, on the second chapter of Genesis.

In fact, I got all excited.

Here's what I found:

There was NO rain when God created earth!

5 And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, 

and every herb of the field before it grew: 

for the Lord God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, 

and there was not a man to till the ground.

6 But there went up a mist from the earth, 

and watered the whole face of the ground.

Genesis 2:5-6 

King James Version

Moisture was from a "mist" that came up FROM the earth.

I really found that fascinating.

Can you imagine a world without rain, and yet there was enough moisture around -- with the world pretty much taking care of itself?

But, of course, that all changed when Adam and Eve sinned against God.

God curses the ground because of Adam's disobedience.

17 And unto Adam he said, 

Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, 

and hast eaten of the tree, 

of which I commanded thee, 

saying, 

Thou shalt not eat of it: 

cursed is the ground for thy sake; 

in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; 

and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;

19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, 

till thou return unto the ground; 

for out of it wast thou taken: 

for dust thou art, 

and unto dust shalt thou return.

Genesis 3:17-19 

King James Version

Where before, there was not a "man to till the ground", now Adam was tasked to do just that after the fall from grace.

Adam will now till the ground.

22 And the Lord God said, 

Behold, 

the man is become as one of us, 

to know good and evil: 

and now, 

lest he put forth his hand, 

and take also of the tree of life, 

and eat, 

and live for ever:

23 Therefore the Lord God sent him forth 

from the garden of Eden, 

to till the ground from whence he was taken.

Genesis 3:22-23 

King James Version

Perhaps, now that Adam was to till the ground, there would be rain after he was asked to leave Eden?

But this much I know, God made it rain 40 days and 40 nights in the time of His faithful NOAH.

This was mentioned in an earlier article, but here's the verse that testifies to it.

God made it rain 40 days and 40 nights.

4 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.

Genesis 7:4 

King James Version

Here's how rain was described here.

The "windows of heaven were opened".

11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, 

in the second month, 

the seventeenth day of the month, 

the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, 

and the windows of heaven were opened.

12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights.

Genesis 7:11-12 

King James Version

If you want to know how high the water was, here's the verse:

All the high hills and mountains were covered.

19 And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; 

and all the high hills, 

that were under the whole heaven, 

were covered.

20 Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; 

and the mountains were covered.

Genesis 7:19-20 

King James Version

Why did God make the water so high?

There were giants in those days.

4 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.

5 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.

Genesis 6:4-5 

King James Version

Apart from Noah, his three sons, their wives, his wife, and the animals that God asked to be included in the ark, all men and animals on earth perished from the flood.

God is really the ONLY power there is.

Look what He did here:

The day the rains stopped.

8 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 assuaged;

2 The fountains also of the deep 

and the windows of heaven were stopped, 

and the rain from heaven was restrained;

3 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 

King James Version

Noah then made an altar, and God was pleased with Noah's burnt offerings, and made a promise in His heart:

The vow.

21 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.

Genesis 8:21 

King James Version

God abhors idolatry, disobedience, and wickedness, but He doesn't play favorites, just so you know.

God's rain falls on everyone.

44 But I say unto you, 

Love your enemies, 

bless them that curse you, 

do good to them that hate you, 

and pray for them which despitefully use you, 

and persecute you;

45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: 

for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, 

and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Matthew 5:44-45 

King James Version

As you have seen, God is really the one, true GOD of RAIN.

The Creator holds ALL power over man, earth, and Heaven.

How MAGNIFICENT the LORD is!

"God Asks Noah to Build an ARK"

2020 articles

Bible DISCOVERY

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Image: Cole Farlow

Updated 5 July 2022