Sunday Recap 9-26-10

Morning: The message, "Look Up!," focused on Ecclesiastes 2:17-25.  This passage begins with Solomon at rock bottom.  In this passage, Solomon explores the lessons his life had taught him.  He was grieved by the reality that he could not take his accomplishments with him when he died.  He was grieved by the thought of someone who hadn't worked for it getting all of his stuff.  He was burdened by work that was painful and wearisome.  Yet in this passage, we find a message of hope.  Solomon's focus shifts from life under the sun to a life under God's blessing.  Solomon's message is a reminder that work is not something that should be shunned or worshiped.  Work has its place within God's good creation.  Work can be done to the glory of God, and bring enjoyment to man as he does it. Only when Solomon turn his focus toward God does he begin to hope.

Evening:  Tonight, we went through Foundations part four, "The Descent of Mankind."  The focus was on Genesis 4-5.  Chapter four describes the downward spiral of sin.  Chapter five gives us the genealogy from Adam to Noah and his sons.  Here are the principles we looked at:

• Attitude, especially the attitude of faith, matters (see Heb. 11:4).
• Hatred and its cousin, anger, are dangerous.
• God desires repentance.
• Sin becomes our master quicker than we think.
• We are responsible for our brothers (fellow human beings).
• Murder is an abomination because it is an attack on the image of God.
• There is a high cost for taking human life.
• Disobedience always spirals downward.
• Genesis 5:1-2 link Genesis 1:26-27 and Genesis 2.  It demonstrates that both accounts are really one account.
• Genesis 1:14 teaches us that the sun, moon, and stars were given as signs to tell the seasons, days, and years.  In light of Genesis 5:3, we know that the time between the creation of Adam and the birth of his son, Seth, is 130 years.

Some questions addressed:

Where there other people?  1 Corinthians 15:45 refers to Adam as the first man.  Romans 5:12-21 expresses that Adam brought death upon his descendants (the human race).  Acts 17:26 informs us that the nations were all made from one man.  Genesis 3:20 tells us that Adam named his wife, Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.  The strong implication of all these facts is that Adam and Eve were the first and only people created by God.

Where did Cain get his wife? Since the Bible teaches that Adam and Eve were the humans created directly by God, we must conclude that Cain married his sister (or a niece).  Genesis 5:4 tells us that Adam and Eve had many sons and daughters.  Even Abram (Abraham) married his half-sister.  It isn't until the Law is given at Sinai that humans are forbidden from marrying their close relatives.

Why did they live so long?  There are many possible explanations.  Most likely their lifespans were longer because they had less genetic mutations than later generation.  It could also have to do with diet and climate.  Although, it is not clear why they lived so long, we should understand the ages as accurate.