bts@unc.UUCP (Bruce Smith) (01/10/84)
It seems we can't agree on whether G-D hardened Pharaoh's
heart, or whether Pharaoh hardened his own heart. (See
Exodus 11:9 for a motive for G-D's doing it.) Personally, I
think it was Mr. Cholesterol who hardened Pharaoh's heart.
There's an earlier event, in Genesis, which it seems G-D
could have prevented if He'd only acted fairly. I'd like to
hear any comments on this story.
The following is from Genesis 4:1-8, in the KJV:
And Adam knew Eve his wife. And she conceived and bore
Cain. And she said, I have gotten a man from Jehovah.
And again she bore his brother Abel. And Abel was a
keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
And as time went on, Cain brought to the LORD an offer-
ing of the fruit of the ground.
And Abel also brought of the first-born of his flock
and of the fat of it. And the LORD had respect to Abel and
to his offering,
but He did not have respect to Cain and to his offer-
ing. And Cain was very angry, and his face fell.
And the LORD said unto Cain, Why are you angry, and why
did your face fall?
If you do well, shall you not be accepted? And if you
do not do well, sin crouches at the door-- and its desire is
for you, and you shall rule over it.
And Cain talked to his brother Abel. And when they
were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and
killed him.
Why didn't G-D "have respect to Cain and to his offering"?
If He had, a murder might have been prevented. Was it
because G-D's not a vegetarian? (Doesn't it go along with
unc!tim's claims for Him to be a carnivore?)
There's a Randy Newman song which starts out with Cain murd-
ering Abel. If anyone out there's got the words to that
song, they might be appropriate for the discussion, too.
_____________________________________
Bruce Smith, UNC-Chapel Hill
decvax!duke!unc!bts (USENET)
bts.unc@CSnet-Relay (lesser NETworks)gds@mit-eddie.UUCP (Greg Skinner) (01/10/84)
Genesis 4:7 (NIV) If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it. I believe that Cain knew exactly what he was doing -- he was stingy, and God rebuked him for it. Now you say, all this could have been avoided if God hadn't looked with disapproval on Cain's offering. But all this could have been avoided if Cain hadn't killed Abel. God didn't make Cain commit murder. -- --greg ...decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!gds (uucp) Gds@XX (arpa)
scc@mgweed.UUCP (Steve Collins) (01/10/84)
This last Sunday our pastor talked about that passage of Cain and Abel. He explained there was two reasons that God (note) was displeased with Cain. It explained that Abel was a sheperd of his flock. In those days the sheperd of a flock knew all the sheep. Even to the point of calling them by name. This would have been a great sacrifice not like just picking a vegitable from your garden. The second reason is the power in the Blood. When Jesus was crusified his blood washed away the sins of the world. Of course his sermon was around 30 minutes, so this is slightly condensed. If you would like any referances to particular passages just send mail.
bts@unc.UUCP (Bruce Smith) (01/11/84)
Steve Collins (scc@mgweed) says: S This last Sunday our pastor talked about that passage of Cain and Abel. T He explained there was two reasons that God (note) was displeased with E Cain. It explained that Abel was a sheperd of his flock. In those days V the sheperd of a flock knew all the sheep. Even to the point of calling E them by name. This would have been a great sacrifice not like just picking . a vegitable from your garden. The second reason is the power in the Blood. . When Jesus was crusified his blood washed away the sins of the world. The first reason, that Abel talked to his sheep, may be a strong argument in favor of talking to your plants. I don't see that it explains G-D's unfavorable reception of Cain's sacrifice. As for the second reason, the power of blood, it seems to me that His behavior led to more of it being spilt. Did the spilling of Abel's blood accomplish anything positive? _____________________________________ Bruce Smith, UNC-Chapel Hill decvax!duke!unc!bts (USENET) bts.unc@CSnet-Relay (lesser NETworks)