[George]

Originally Posted by Nehemiah

Hello Everyone,
"I'm Nehemiah; I'm somewhat new here; I'm very analytical and word alert; I believe THE ENTIRE WORD of GOD ("All Scripture...") to be just as Literal, as some others believe it to be figurative; my mentality is to keep it simple enough for me to understand it (KISS), as I am definitely NOT the sharpest knife in the drawer; I believe that GOD Says what HE Means, and Meant Everything that HE Has Already Said; and I'd really like your answers to the following questions, along with a very very civilized discussion regarding them:"

1) What happened between Genesis 1:1 ("In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."), and Genesis 1:2a ("And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.")? (Please note: I DO NOT believe the so-called "Evolutionary gap theory"!)

2) Was Adam really only, "the first man... (1Cor. 15:45)"?

3) What was GOD'S Real Purpose for Adam in Genesis 2?

4) Who was Cain's Wife?

5) Who were "the sons of GOD (Gen. 6:2,4;Job 1:6;2:1;38:7)"?

6) Who were "the daughters of men (Gen. 6:2,4)"?

Aloha Nehemiah,

I ALSO BELIEVE "THE ENTIRE WORD of GOD". And so I will attempt to answer your questions, although I am curious as to WHY you are asking them:

"1) What happened between Genesis 1:1 ("In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth."), and Genesis 1:2a ("And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.")? (Please note: I DO NOT believe the so-called "Evolutionary gap theory"!)"

I too - "DO NOT believe the so-called "Evolutionary gap theory", BUT, on the other hand, since God has chosen to give us very few details about the Creation, I do not spend much time "speculating" as to what could or could not have occurred between Genesis 1 and Genesis 2. What does it matter WHAT I "think" - might (or might not) have happened?

I believe that Almighty God (THE GOD of "the Scripture of truth") created the whole of Creation: The Universe (and all that is within it); the Earth (and all that is within it); and every single living thing that lives above the "firmament" and under "the firmament" (in the universe, in the air, in the sea, on the surface, and below the surface). All of life and creation came from God, and there is nothing made that was made without Him. [John 1:1-4]

I also believe (according to the Bible) that the Earth has undergone some CHANGES since the ORIGINAL CREATION. And God has had different "COVENANTS" with men down through the ages:

#1. Earth before the fall of man: No Bible, Possibly no rain, no thorns, no thistles, no pain, no sickness, no death - Paradise on earth.

#2. Earth after the fall: No Bible, Possibly no rain, extreme longevity, the earth cursed (thorns & thistles, etc.), pain, sickness and death ushered in - Paradise lost.

#3. Earth soon after the flood: No Bible, rain, diversity of tongues, diminishing longevity.

#4. Abraham to Moses: No Bible, God chooses a people for Himself – The "Hebrews" (later known as Israelites, i.e. Jews).

#5. Moses to the Lord Jesus Christ: Old Testament, God makes a nation out of His chosen people - "Israel".

#6. Death, Burial, and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ to the present: New Testament, God temporarily sets aside the nation of Israel – [His chosen people], and takes out a people from among the Gentiles for His Son – (the church - the body of Christ).

#7. The future of the world and mankind: Israel will be reinstated, Christ will rule and reign over ALL the Earth and Universe, and we will rule with Him (for we shall be like Him) - Paradise will be restored.

"2) Was Adam really only, "the first man... (1Cor. 15:45)"?

You answered your own question: YES! According to the Holy Scriptures - Adam was the very "FIRST MAN" (and ONLY MAN "created" by God)
[1 Corinthians 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.]

"3) What was GOD'S Real Purpose for Adam in Genesis 2?"

Adam was to take care of the Garden. [Genesis 2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.]

"4) Who was Cain's Wife?"

The Bible does not address the issue, and so it remains for us to either believe that Cain married one of his "sister's" (one of Adam & Eve's daughters), or God made more women (out of who's rib?) for Adam's sons. (the Bible doesn't even "hint" at this "solution", which would be pure "speculation" on our part)

"5) Who were "the sons of GOD (Gen. 6:2,4;Job 1:6;2:1;38:7)"?"

There are only 11 places in the Scriptures where the term "the sons of God" is used:

Genesis 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

Genesis 6:4 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.

Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.

Job 2:1 Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD.

Job 38:7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.

Philippians 2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

1 John 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

The above verses "qualify WHO are "the sons of God".

In the beginning - "the sons of God" were "present" at the creation [Job 38:1-7]- so they cannot be just Adams "sons"; or Seth's "sons", or Enos' "sons" (men were NOT "present" when God "laid the foundations of the Earth"). The "sons of God" are God's "SONS"!

"6) Who were "the daughters of men (Gen. 6:2,4)"?"

Again, you answered your own question. To put it as simply as I can - "the daughters of men" are the female offspring of Adam, Cain, Enoch, Lamech, Seth, Enos, Cainan, etc., etc. The "daughters of men" are - "THE DAUGHTERS OF MEN"!

As to your statement: "I believe THE ENTIRE WORD of GOD ("All Scripture...") to be just as Literal, as some others believe it to be figurative; my mentality is to keep it simple enough for me to understand it (KISS)"

Since the words "literal" and "figurative" are NOT in the Holy Bible I subscribe to the Scriptural "command" concerning the word of God:

[2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.]

I seek to "rightly divide the word of truth". If there is an "allegory", or a "parable", I take them as such. If there is a "type", or a "picture", or an "illustration", I take them as such also. In other words, I try my hardest to "rightly divide the word of truth".

In my lesson on "How to Study the Bible", I said:

The Bible (The Scriptures) = A Timeless Book!

In the past: The Old Testament filled the needs of the Jews and the nation of Israel. After Israel’s rejection of Christ the Messiah, It also served the needs of Christians in the early churches and all of the churches throughout history.

Today: The complete Bible serves our needs today and will continue to do so until the Translation of the church of God.

Future: It will be sufficient for the tribulation saints and will be used in the millennium and throughout all eternity.

All Scripture has 3 applications:

#1. Historical

#2. Spiritual

#3. Doctrinal

All Scripture must be taken literally – unless it is impossible to do so.
John 6:53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

The Scriptures are not to be privately “interpreted”.
2Peter 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20 Knowing this first that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

All Doctrines derived from the Scriptures must be drawn from and built upon Scripture only.
Isaiah 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weanedfrom the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

Isaiah 28:13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

I have politely and courteously answered your questions; perhaps you will have the courtesy answer mine:

WHY do you ask these questions?

WHAT purpose do these questions serve, if all things are to be done for edification? {Romans 14:19; 1Corinthians 10:23; 14:5,12,26; 2Corinthians 12:19; Ephesians 4:12,16,29; 1Thessalonians 5:11; 1Timothy 1:4}

I too welcome you to our Forum. I do hope that you will be a source of edification for all of the brethren here.