In the days that were before the flood they were … marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark. Matthew 24:38.
In Noah’s day brute force was the prevailing influence in the world. By threatened punishment, men intimidated other men.
Instead of doing justice to their neighbors, they carried out their own unlawful wishes. They had a plurality of wives, which was contrary to God’s wise arrangement. In the beginning God gave to Adam one wife—showing to all who should live upon the earth, his order and law in that respect. The transgression and fall of Adam and Eve brought sin and wretchedness upon the human race, and man followed his own carnal desires, and changed God’s order. The more men multiplied wives to themselves, the more they increased in wickedness and unhappiness. If one chose to take the wives, or cattle, or anything belonging to his neighbor, he did not regard justice or right but if he could prevail over his neighbor by reason of strength, or by putting him to death, he did so, and exulted in his deeds of violence. They loved to destroy the lives of animals. They used them for food, and this increased their ferocity and violence, and caused them to look upon the blood of human beings with astonishing indifference.
The descendants of Seth were called the sons of God; the descendants of Cain, the sons of men. As the sons of God mingled with the sons of men, they became corrupt and, by intermarriage with them, lost, through the influence of their wives, their peculiar, holy character, and united with the sons of Cain in their idolatry. Many cast aside the fear of God and trampled upon His commandments. But there were a few that did righteousness, who feared and honored their Creator. Noah and his family were among the righteous few.
Polygamy was practiced at an early date. It was one of the sins that brought the wrath of God upon the antediluvian world…. It was Satan’s studied effort to pervert the marriage institution, to weaken its obligations and lessen its sacredness; for in no surer way could he deface the image of God in man and open the door to misery and vice.
Conflict and Courage p. 36
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Prayer Requests
—– My baby girl is sick. We had a rough night. Prayers would be appreciated! Danielle
—–Please pray for L who is in the hospital. B
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
How loving our Saviour is. When he was upon the earth, his work was to
“preach good tidings unto the meek; …to bind up the brokenhearted, to
proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them
that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day
of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them
that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy
for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that
they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD,
that he might be glorified.” Isa 61:1-3 He did not push people farther
down by a spirit of harshness, but He lifted them up with a spirit of
kindness and love. When Mary Magdalene was brought to Jesus , he did
not condemn her. He forgave her, but he did not leave her there. He
said, “Go and sin no more.” John 8:11 Because of Jesus’ kindness, Mary
became a close follower of Him. The Bible says she “sat at His feet.”
John 10:39 She listened to His words. She made changes in her life
because of the loving way Jesus treated her. She was the one who had the
privilege of anointing Jesus for His burial. see Matt 26:12 She was the
first person who saw Jesus after His resurrection. see John 20:17 What
blessings she would have lost if Jesus had treated her in a harsh and
condemning
manner. What an example of repentance and change of life style we would
have lost. How do we treat those who we feel have wronged us? How do we
treat those who we feel are unlovely? Are we harsh and overbearing? Do
we threaten and shove them away? Or are we kind and loving to them? Do
we work with them and point them to the Saviour Who can restore them? It
is our choice. Their future is in our hands.
May we have the kindness of Jesus in our dealing with others is my
prayer.
Rose