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Searching for Truth in the First Book of Begats
Although I now use the English Standard Version as my study Bible, when I first started out so many years ago, I used the King James Version—a translation that I loved because of the more poetic language it used in the presentation of the Bible Story. The one aspect of that translation that I did not care for, though, was its use of the word “begat” in the many genealogies recorded for us in scripture. “Begat” always sounded so harsh and impersonal that its use made those already tedious and uninteresting passages all the more difficult to get into and to appreciate. And yet, when I was finally able…
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Closing the Case on Cain and Abel
Before we can leave the story of Cain and Abel behind, there are still a few matters that we need to attend to; for, we have yet to identify… The Life Lessons to be learned from their story; The Contributions their story makes to the One Big Story being played out on the Heavenly Stage above us; and, Any Revelations of God that their story holds for us. The Life Lessons are ones involving… 1. Choice One of the first lessons to be learned from the story of Cain and Abel is that each person, at some point in his or her life, will have to choose whether to continue…
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The Fruit of the Fall
When we last saw Adam and Eve—at the end of Vignette #3 of God’s One Big Story—they were being evicted from their Garden home for violating God’s one and only condition in their lease agreement, which was to not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This tree was one of two special ones located in the middle of the Garden and by partaking of its fruit, they became guilty of disobeying God, sinners with a firsthand knowledge of Evil. This meant that they could no longer stay in the Garden where they would have continued access to the other tree at the Garden’s center, the…
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The Capstone of God’s Creation
As we wait for the curtains to re-open for Vignette #2, here at Stage #1 of God’s One Big Story, let’s take a moment to recall where we were in the Story when these very same curtains were closed so abruptly on Vignette #1—The Creation of the World. At the time, we had just witnessed the most astounding display of power, wisdom, order, and creativity ever, as God in three Persons created, out of nothing, the cosmos and everything in it—everything that is, except the human life which had been His ultimate objective from eternity past. It was at this pivotal moment, when everything else in God’s created order was…
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Here at Last, at Stage #1…
Well, we have finally arrived at Stage #1—the place where the Bible: The Love Story of the Ages will soon begin to unfold before us. As we depart the Truth Train, let’s be sure to carry with us the Program Guides that we were given on the most recent leg of our journey. We will find that as we watch the many smaller stories of the Bible being acted out on the Earthly Stage before us, these Guides will help us make sense of the One Big Story taking place simultaneously on the Heavenly Stage above us. So, please find a good seat and make yourselves as comfortable as…
