violence Archives - Page 4 of 10

This episode of the One Verse Podcast provides a short summary of Genesis 4. This helps you get up to speed in this Podcast if you have missed most of the studies of Genesis 4. There are similar summary episodes for Genesis 1, 2, and 3 as well.

Of course, in today’s episode, we don’t look only at Genesis 4, but also look at the flood account in Genesis 6–8, and a verse or two out of Genesis 50. Doing so shows us what Genesis is all about. This is important, since Genesis is the introduction to the Bible.

If you want to understand Genesis and the Bible as a whole, make sure you listen to today’s One Verse Podcast.

In this discussion of Genesis 4 we look at:

A summary of how sin and scapegoating leads to civilization
A look ahead to Genesis 6–11 and the rest of Scripture
How the book of Genesis ends the way it begins, showing us the overall message of the book of Genesis
The alternative to violence which God reveals in Genesis, Scripture, and ultimately, in Jesus Christ

Resources:

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[#59] Genesis 4:16-26 – How Civilization is Founded on Sin, Death, and Religion

By Jeremy Myers

1 Comment

What event is at the foundation of all human society and civilization? We see what the answer is as we look at Genesis 4:16-26.

It is important to understand what forms the foundation of society and civilization because doing so helps us understand our own lives, and also what is going on all around us all the time in current events and culture.

The Text of Genesis 4:16-26

Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son—Enoch. To Enoch was born Irad; and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehujael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lamech.

Then Lamech took for himself two wives: the name of one was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah. And Adah bore Jabal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute. And as for Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah.

Then Lamech said to his wives:
“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech!
For I have killed a man for wounding me,
Even a young man for hurting me.
If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold,
Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”

And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, “For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.” And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord.

In this discussion of Genesis 4:16-26 we look at:

What Genesis 4 reveals about the human problem of sin
How rivalry and scapegoating form the foundation of human civilization and culture
How rivalry and violence escalate out of control
The fact that God is the ultimate scapegoat for human violence
The origin of religion

Resources:

Downloadable Podcast Resources

Those who are part of my online discipleship group may download the MP3 audio file for this podcast and view the podcast transcript below.

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[#58] Genesis 4:13-15 – Three Ways out of Violence

By Jeremy Myers

2 Comments

There is lots of turmoil in the United States right now because of the election results. The increasing turmoil makes me nervous because history, theology, and psychology show that there are typically only three ways out of such turmoil, and I am not yet sure which way our country will go.

In this episode, I briefly discuss these three ways out of violence and turmoil, and explain from Genesis 4:13-15 which of these three approaches humans usually choose.

The Text of Genesis 4:13-15

And Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.”

And the Lord said to him, “Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.

In this discussion of Genesis 4:13-15 we look at:

The three main ways humans deal with rivalry and violence
The way that Adam, Eve, and Cain chose
Why Cain in not whining about his punishment in Genesis 4:13
Why Cain blames God in Genesis 4:13-14
Why God takes the blame and protects Cain
How god tries to stop the cycle of violence

Resources:

Downloadable Podcast Resources

Those who are part of my online discipleship group may download the MP3 audio file for this podcast and view the podcast transcript below.

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You can see the list of available courses here, and if you join the Discipleship group, you can take all the courses at no additional cost. Go here to learn more and join now.

[#56] Genesis 4:8 – The Founding Murder

By Jeremy Myers

1 Comment

Genesis 4:8 contains the account of Cain murdering his brother Abel. This is the first death in Scripture and reveals something significant about death and violence.

If you have been listening to my podcast for the past year, you may recall that as we were working our way through Genesis 3, I kept mentioning the six foundational and revolutionary truths from Genesis 2, 3, and 4. We looked at the first 5 of these, and then I haven’t really mentioned too much more about them. So maybe you were thinking, “Hey! What about the sixth?”

Well, that is what we are finally getting to today. Genesis 4:8 contains the sixth and final revolutionary and foundational truth. Understanding this will help you understand the Bible, God, yourself, your relationships, politics, economics, history, and pretty much everything else that goes on in the world.

The Text of Genesis 4:8

Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.

In this discussion of Genesis 4:8 we look at:

The murder of Abel by Cain
Why the first death in Scripture is a fratricide
The sixth foundational and revolutionary truth from Genesis 2–4
What Genesis 4:8 teaches us about God, ourselves, Scripture, history, politics, economics, and pretty much everything else in life.

Resources:

Downloadable Podcast Resources

Those who are part of my online discipleship group may download the MP3 audio file for this podcast and view the podcast transcript below.

You must join a discipleship group or login to download the MP3 and view the transcript.

Thanks for visiting this page ... but this page is for Discipleship Group members.

If you are already part of a Faith, Hope, or Love Discipleship Group,
Login here.

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Do you like learning about the Bible online?

If you want to deepen your relationship with God and better understand Scripture, take one (or all) of these courses. They are great for personal study or for a small group Bible study.

You can see the list of available courses here, and if you join the Discipleship group, you can take all the courses at no additional cost. Go here to learn more and join now.

Is God a wife beater?

By Jeremy Myers

9 Comments

Here’s a question for you:

Is God a wife beater?

The God that is often portrayed by many pastors and many Christian books is a God who wants to inflict pain on you for your sin.

His wrath is terrible. His vengeance fierce. His anger is poured out upon sinners.

And so when you sin, you better watch out, because God is going to get you!

When we remember that the church is referred to as the “Bride of Christ” and we recognize that Jesus represents God, this whole angry-God imagery makes people think of God as a wife beater.

And do you want to know where this imagery of God begins? It begins in the very beginning, when God sets out to inflict pain on Eve because she ate the wrong piece of fruit (Genesis 3:16).

Imagine you are walking through the park one day and you hear a man saying this to his wife:

I can’t believe you ate my pear! When we get home, are you ever going to get it! That was MY pear! I told you not to eat it! When we get home I am going to beat you so hard! I am going to pound you into a pulp. You have never have known such pain! I will inflict pain on you such as you have never imagined! And you know what? I’m going to beat our daughters too. They need to learn to mind me and obey me. They need to learn to do what I say. So I’m going to whip you good and then whip our daughters.

I believe if you heard this, you would call the police immediately. At least, I hope you would.

And yet, in Genesis 3:16, here is what God says to Eve:

I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children.

Why does God say He is going to “bring the pain”? Because Eve ate a piece of fruit she wasn’t supposed to. Yes, yes, I know there was more to it than this, but even still ….

It just doesn’t seem right for God to inflict pain on Eve for what happened, and not only on Eve, but on all women who follow after her as well.

The traditional way of reading Genesis 3:16 has God inflicting pain on Eve and all her daughters because Eve ate fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

Does this sound much like a God you want to love, honor, and serve?

Well…

I’m going to try to resolve most of these issues in an upcoming podcast episode. This episode was supposed to be done this Thursday, but I’ll be honest … Genesis 3:16 “brought the pain” to me as well. So far, in the last two weeks, I have logged over 20 hours just studying this one single verse. Actually, I spent this time on just the first half of the verse, the part I quoted above.

I think I have a pretty good solution to the problem of God inflicting pain on women, which I will present in my podcast when it comes out, but I am not yet ready to record it. Hopefully by next week.

But guess what? There is still plenty you can listen to between now and then! I was recently interviewed by two different podcasts, and here the links so you can go listen to them. The “Life Uncut” podcast will have a “Part 2” later, so I will include it then. Make sure you subscribe to both of the podcasts as well, since both are fantastic.

Holy Soup Podcast

Thom Shultz, CEO of Group Publishing, Interviews me about Biblical Illiteracy (and why I don’t think it is a crisis in the church).

Listen and subscribe Here

Life Uncut Podcast

A Discussion with Tom Walter and Jeremy Myers. This is only Part 1, and I imagine that Part 2 will be out next week.

Listen and Subscribe Here

[#60] Genesis 4 Overview – Sin and Civilization

In this discussion of Genesis 4 we look at:

Resources:

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[#59] Genesis 4:16-26 – How Civilization is Founded on Sin, Death, and Religion

The Text of Genesis 4:16-26

In this discussion of Genesis 4:16-26 we look at:

Resources:

Downloadable Podcast Resources

Do you like learning about the Bible online?

[#58] Genesis 4:13-15 – Three Ways out of Violence

The Text of Genesis 4:13-15

In this discussion of Genesis 4:13-15 we look at:

Resources:

Downloadable Podcast Resources

Do you like learning about the Bible online?

[#56] Genesis 4:8 – The Founding Murder

The Text of Genesis 4:8

In this discussion of Genesis 4:8 we look at:

Resources:

Downloadable Podcast Resources

Do you like learning about the Bible online?

Is God a wife beater?

Is God a wife beater?

Holy Soup Podcast

Life Uncut Podcast

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Bible Study Archives

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