Truth Seeker
  Trivial Questions
 

Trivia & Side Issues

Page Index: From index #2 there are page links embedded!
  1. Where did Cain get his wife from?
  2. Was the Earth created in six literal days, or in 6000 years?
  3. Did Elijah or Enoch go to heaven?
  4. Amos 5:18 Is is wrong to crave the day of God?
  5. Founding of the World

Where did Cain get his wife from?

Quite by accident a few years back, I got a male dog on my son's insistence. Then an other chance event brought a homeless female into our household.  These were kept inside the house and were not exposed to other dogs. Now I got more than ten dogs!  How could this happen?  If you can answer that intelligently then you know where Cain got his wife from.
Genesis says about Adam, "Genesis 5:4-5, "And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years; and he begot sons and daughters."
We also read about Cain!
(Tyndale, ca 1525) Genesis 4:16-17,  And Cain went out fro the face of the LORde and dwelt in the lande Nod on the east syde of Eden. 17And Cain laye wyth hys wyfe which conceaved and bare Henoch

(NW) With that Cain went away from the face of Jehovah and took up residence in the land of Fugitiveness to the east of Eden. 17 Afterward Cain had intercourse with his wife and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. . . .

Thus Cain didn't get his wife from a different country; rather, she was his sister and he 'married' his sister since there were no other women made available. He had intercourse with her, and the place they lived was called Nod  where it seems Cain's first son Enoch was born.  In KJV and a great many other translations, the word "knew her" is used. This language is found several times. In (Webster) Gen 4:1, we read, "And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bore Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD."  From this, it is seen that this is an old not commonly used phrase that refers to a man having intercouse with a woman, be it his wife or not.
Gen 4:17, And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived, and bore Enoch: and . . .  (Webster)

Did God create the earth in six literal days or in six thousand years?

The Bible's teachings here inspire great confidence in Christians who today are exposed to a lot of skepticism. The Bible was not written to be a scientific paper on the universe's, on the earth's, and on animals' creation.  However, where it speaks about science it is never wrong!  This applies in a particularly obvious manner to the above question!

The Bible simply states that the creation of the universe at large and the earth took place in the beginning, in the old from everlasting. This last tidbit is found in the book of Micah and specifically refers to when the pre-human Jesus originated. Nonetheless, Jesus was definitely created in the beginning, and the wording shows the great age being referred to.

Here it states in – (Webster)
Micah 5:2, "Beth-lehem Ephratah, [though] thou art little among the thousands of Judah, [yet] out of thee shall he come forth to me [that is] to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth [have been] from of old, from everlasting."
Gen 1:1,"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep:
Thus we see that when scientist say that this took place billions of years ago, that pretty much may be stated eloquently and simply as the beginning and in the old from everlasting from a human standpoint

The seven creative days themselves are also of immense unknown length, not 24 hour days! How do we know?  In Genesis chapter one, verses 27 to 32, the Bible tells us that right after Adam was created the end of the sixth creative day came about. Next, we are told that the seventh creative day started and with it God's rest period!
Genesis 2:1-3 So the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the furniture of them. 2And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made: and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done. 3And he blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. (DRC)

Hebrews 4:1-6 1Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left of entering into his rest, any one of you might seem to have failed of it . 2For indeed we have had glad tidings presented to us, even as they also; but the word of the report did not profit *them*, not being mixed with faith in those who heard. 3For we enter into the rest who have believed; as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, If they shall enter into my rest; although the works had been completed from the foundation of the world. 4For he has said somewhere of the seventh day thus, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works: 5and in this again, If they shall enter into my rest. 6Seeing therefore it remains that some enter into it, and those who first received the glad tidings did not enter in on account of not hearkening to the word. (Darby)

The scriptural evidence from Hebrews is that the seventh day remains yet to be completed and in fact the implication is that the thousand year reign of Christ is to be part of it since the promised REST the Christians are expecting pertains to the fulfilment of their hope of entering into God's rest.  From this it is obvious that each creative day is at least 7,000 years long.  It is accepted by most Christians that from Adam till now at least 6,000 years have passed.  Including the thousand year reign in this day of rest of God's, and we reach a minimum length of 7,000.  However, since there is no indication in the Bible that God's day of rest will end right after the thousand year reign is over, we cannot say that this is the length of a day.  A creative day may be much longer.

How long each day may be is discussed here, Creation.

Questions are welcome.


Did Elijah or Enoch go to heaven?

The Bible states that Christ learned obedience through suffering -- 100% obedience. John tells us that the meaning of love is that we obey God's commandments! We must therefore be on guard to accept the Inspired Word when it without ambiguity, clearly and in definitive manner states:
John 3:13 And no one has gone up into heaven, save he who came down out of heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven. (Darby)
That one scripture penned by John ca 96CE under inspiration by God should be more than enough for all to say,
"OK, it must be so! I may not understand what happened to Enoch and Elijah, but clearly they didn't go to heaven! "
So, having this mental attitude to obey, to accept divine knowledge, we accept that by the year 96CE nobody had yet to go to heaven except for Christ, we accept the scripture as true while we still strive and desire to understand exactly what happened in both cases.

So, let's examine what is stated then about these two questions:


Enoch

Here the explanation is extremely easy!  Paul who wrote about Enoch in Hebrews said this:
Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him; for before his translation he has the testimony that he had pleased God. (Darby)
What does that mean? Well, there is really no need to guess or assume anything because what Paul said about Enoch in verse five, he expounds on in verse thirteen.  Here, he explains it clearly:
Hebrews 11:13 All these died in faith, not having received the promises . . . (Darby)
What does Paul explain under inspiration by Holy Spirit? That Enoch died like all the rest of the faithful patriarchs and faithful women of the past. What does the prior scripture mean when it says that "Enoch was translated so that he should not see death?" In the context of the information available, we see that:
A. Christ is the only one ever to go to heaven by the year 96CE
B. Enoch died!
C. Translated so as not to see death then must refer to his manner of death!  He was obviously unaware of dying, and his body was removed so as not to be abused by those seeking to harm him.

God must have made his passing unnoticeable to Enoch by perhaps giving him a vision or otherwise making Enoch unaware of his body's dying processes.  When it says that Enoch was nowhere to be found, we are reminded of how God's archangel buried Moses' body so that even Satan couldn't find it and misuse it! In the same manner, God must have protected Enoch's dead remains from desecration by the evildoers trying to harm him by divinely disposing of the remains!
About Moses:
Deuteronomy 34:6 6and He burieth him in a valley in the land of Moab, over-against Beth-Peor, and no man hath known his burying place unto this day. (YLT)

Jude 9 yet Michael, the chief messenger, when, with the devil contending, he was disputing about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring up an evil-speaking judgment, but said, `The Lord rebuke thee!' (YLT)

Elijah

Once again, until the year 33CE when Christ died and was resurrected, even until 96CE, no other human being had gone to heaven! (John 3:13) What happened then to Elijah?

Around 917BC:
II Kings 2:11 And it came to pass as they were going, they went on talking; and behold, a chariot of fire appeared, with horses of fire, and it separated the two of them; and Elijah was taken up in a whirlwind into heaven. 12And Elisha saw, and cried, Father, father, the chariot of Israel, and its horseman! And he saw him no more. And he took hold of his garments, and tore them into two pieces. (AB)
Here a study of chronology will assists in determining what occurred.

In 2 Kings 1:17,18, the Israelite King Ahaziah dies according to the word Elijah spoke! Jehoram of Israel whose father was Ahaziah started reigning in his stead in the year 917BC ca in the second year of the king of Jehoram of Judah.
(Darby)
And he died according to the word of Jehovah that Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram (of Israel - my insert) began to reign in his stead, in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; for he had no son. 18And the rest of the acts of Ahaziah, what he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
Now we read on, and also into 2 Chronichles

Around 908BC:
(Darby)
II Kings 8:16,17 And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, began to reign. 17He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

II Chronicles 21:5-15 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 6And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of Jehovah. 7But Jehovah would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he had promised to give to him always a lamp, and to his sons. 8In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and they set a king over themselves. 9And Jehoram went over with his captains, and all the chariots with him; and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites who had surrounded him, and the captains of the chariots. 10But the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time from under his hand, because he had forsaken Jehovah the God of his fathers. 11Moreover he made high places on the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto .

12And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet saying, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of David thy father: Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13but hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, like the fornications of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren, thy father's house who were better than thyself: 14behold, Jehovah will smite with a great stroke thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy substance, 15and thyself with sore sicknesses, with a disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day.
Here we see a message coming from Elijah to the king of Judah who then is Jehoram of Judah. The date of this is approximately 908BC.

Even without the chronology, we can see from the Bible itself that the date is later than when the chariot of fire took him. However, with the chronological evidence, it
becomes clear that he was reassigned from the Kingdom of Israel to the Kingdom of Judah. He did not go to heaven, and he died as all men do.


Jehoram of Judah dies soon after this message from Elijah and his son Ahaziah of Judah starts ruling in ca 906BC

Though this demands a lot of studying, the fact that Elijah lived on and hadn't gone to heaven becomes clear! It also is clear that such tedious study becomes unnecessary if one simply accepts the words of the Apostle John. Words that had no ambiguity about them. Obedience to the word is a must when things are crystal clear.

Of course, it is great fun to solve intractable mysteries!

Amos 5:18 Woe to those who are craving the day of Jehovah!

What does it mean?

Amos 5:18-20 Alas for them who are longing for the day of Yahweh,?What good to you, is the day of Yahweh? it, being darkness and not light: 19As if a man should flee from the face of a lion, and there should meet him?a bear! or he should have entered the house, and leaned his hand upon the wall, and there should bite him?a serpent! 20Shall not the day of Yahweh be, darkness, and not light? yea, thick darkness and no brightness in it? (Rotherham)

To understand such text one needs to meditate on what Amos says. Ask yourself questions!

  • Is the day of Jehovah something desirable? No!
  • Why does it come? Because the Israelites are obedient servants of God? Or isn't it rather the opposite!
  • Would the day of Jehovah with all its afflictions come if the Israelites had obeyed their God? No!

Then the answer to what "Alas for them who are longing for the day of Yahweh" means is obvious! Jehovah is saying this to those who by their rank disobedience forces this day of Jehovah to come; in this manner, they are longing, craving Jehovah's day!

 
Amos 4:6-12
6Moreover also, I, have given you cleanness of teeth throughout all your cities, and want of bread throughout all your dwelling-places,—Yet have ye not returned unto me, Declareth Yahweh.

7Moreover also, I, have withholden from you the abundant rain, when yet there were only three mouths to the harvest, Or I might rain upon one city, and, on another city, might not rain,—One portion, would be rained upon, and, the portion whereupon it should not rain, would be dried up;

8Then would two or three cities totter to one city to drink water, without being satisfied,—Yet have ye not returned unto me, Declareth Yahweh.

9I have smitten you with blight and with mildew, When your gardens and your vineyards and your fig-trees and your olive-trees have increased, the creeping locust would devour them,—Yet have ye not returned unto me, Declareth Yahweh.

10I have sent among you pestilence, in the manner of Egypt, I have slain, with the sword, your young men, and therewith have been taken captive your horses, And I have caused to ascend—the stench of your camps, even into your own nostrils, Yet ye have not returned unto me, Declareth Yahweh.

11I have made an overthrew among you, like the divine overthrow of Sodom arid Gomorrah, and ye have become like a brand snatched out of the burning,—Yet hate ye not returned unto me, Declareth Yahweh.

12Therefore, thus, will I do unto thee, O Israel,—Because this thing I will do unto thee, Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. (Rotherham)


Founding of the World

Most Christians and Christian churches seem to misunderstand what the Bible has to say about this subject.  Once the scriptures collectively have been examined, this problem is easily corrected.  The subject itself is not complex.

Jesus defined the phrase "founding of the world" in the following to be from Abel which makes eminent sense.  From this we see that the founding of the world means not the creation of the world but from when people were born that would be the foundation of the world around us, society.   Obviously, the evil Cain will not be a founder of anything – neither now, nor in the future, or in the past.

This point Paul also agrees with in Hebrews below.  Here Paul tells us that God's works were finished from the foundation of the world, and we know that the seventh day began just after Eve had been created as the scripture in Hebrew implies.

Luke 11:50-51, that the blood of all the prophets, that is being poured forth from the foundation of the world, may be required from this generation; 51from the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, who perished between the altar and the house; yes, I say to you, It shall be required from this generation. (YLT)

Hebrews 4:3-5, For we who have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4For he spoke in a certain place of the seventh [day] on this wise, And God rested the seventh day from all his works. (Webster)

The founding of the world is thus seen to be counted from after Adam and Eve’s creation and not as some claim it to be from before the earth’s creation.

Genesis 3:14-15, Then said Yahweh God unto the serpent—Because thou hast done this, Accursed, art thou above every tame-beast, and above every wild-beast of the field,—on thy belly, shall thou go, and dust, shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. 15And enmity, will I put between thee, and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed,—He shall crush thy head, but, thou, shalt crush his heel. (Rotherham)

1 Peter 1:19,20, but by precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and unspotted--of Christ, 20who was indeed foreknown before the foundation of the world, but was manifested in the last times because of you. (ACV)

Revelation 13:8, And all who dwell upon the earth will worship it, whose name has not been written in the book of life of the Lamb who was killed from the foundation of the world. (ACV)

Revelation 17:8, The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and is about to come up out of the abyss, and to go into perdition. And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, they whose name hath not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast, how that he was, and is not, and shall come. (ASV)

From the above scriptures (Genesis on down), it is evident that since Christ was foreknown before the foundation of the world that this refers to after the sin in what is stated in the first prophecy in Genesis 3:14, 15 and before offspring had been brought forth by Adam and Eve.  The following scriptures all agree with this interpretation.


 
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