Adam and Eve – the Cozy Couple And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. – Genesis 2:25 It is heartwarming that the first…
Adam and Eve – the Cozy Couple
And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed. – Genesis 2:25
It is heartwarming that the first married duo in recorded history, in the persons of Adam and Eve as seen in the Holy Bible, can be described as a cozy couple.
Our reference passage today says it all: they were both naked in the garden and were also very conscious of each other’s nakedness, but each party was neither ashamed of his or her own nudity nor despise the other party’s nakedness. They were that comfortable with each other.
It is pertinent to state that this was before they both ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, as that could be used to explain away their carefreeness about their nakedness. However, that was not the case. The truth is both were fully aware of their own and the other person’s nudity. Otherwise, it would not have been so recorded in the Bible. The only difference was that, although they were aware of their starkness, they did not know if it was good or bad to be naked. Therefore, they had no opinion about it. So the awareness was there alright and shared by them both.
Meanwhile, the fact that they were not ashamed of their own or each other’s nakedness pointed to the level of freedom they derived from each other’s company. Each had no reason to cover his or her private parts in the sight of their partner. They were comfortable in their own skin and had had no feeling of self-consciousness being with each other.
As straightforward as this may sound, it is not a common practice among married couples, either those in the early days when civilization was not so rife, or those in our modern world today. While there are marriages where the partners are pretty close and intimate, with no holds barred or any secret they would rather not have the other person know about, couples since Adam and Eve’s era have always been guarded and secretive with each other. So, it is refreshing to note the disposition of the first couple to openness.
No matter their mistakes or whatever we may think of them concerning the fruit they ate (we may never hear the end of that!), Adam and Eve set an example for all married couples across the age in terms of intimacy and openness. They had no inhibition whatsoever in their dealing with each other. They had no boundary, no borders, no trespass or no-go area.
They were pretty much a cozy couple, and they must have had a good time exploring the intimate parts of each other’s life and frame without feeling violated or disrespected, or having an intention to do so. That is worth emulating.
Cain – The Man God Did Not Respect And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to…
Cain – The Man God Did Not Respect
And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord… And the Lord…did not respect Cain and his offering. – Genesis 4:3-5
But then, what could be the reasons God accepted Abel’s offering, whereas Cain had both his person and his sacrifice rejected? While there have been many submissions on what might be responsible, the Bible does not expressly provide a detailed background on what led to what. However, there is a reason to draw a strong inference from the events leading to that point to help us know why Abel was accepted and Cain was rejected.
Let’s consider the passage below:
And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering… – Genesis 4:3-5 [Emphasis ours]
This passage helps to see that it was the extra effort that Abel put in that got him accepted by God, whereas indifference might have cost Cain so dearly as to have him rejected by God. This is because the Bible provides additional information about the kind of offering that Abel brought, the firstling and the fattest, there was no such descriptor to qualify Cain’s own sacrifice.
That suggests he probably just picked whatever came to hand for the sacrifice and was not deliberate in choosing the best and the premium of his harvest as his present to God. And because God is very choosy and rather discriminating (yes, you read that right, God is very picky) as to the kind of offering that is presented to Him, He refused to acknowledge both Cain and his offering.
Therefore, Cain went down on record as the first man to be rejected by God because he was rather random and carefree in the choice of sacrifice he offered to God, unlike his younger brother who went out of his way to pick the very best among his flock as presents to God. That is a mark of honor.
It is possible that many of us today may be falling guilty of the same mistake that Cain made by not being deliberate in the service we render to God. This is even more tricky in our days where we do not really offer tangibles such as animals and farm produce to God. Our time, our attention, our efforts, our money, and our priorities are the sacrifice that we mostly offer to God today. The big question is, what is the quality of these resources that you devote to God? Is the quality premium or questionable?
As far as God is concerned, there is no middle way. You are either pleasing or displeasing Him. The same applies to your service to Him, whether quality or poor. The offering that is acceptable to God is the one without blemish, that means it must be of the highest standard. Please take some time to read in detail the kind of offering God accepts here.
God has described Himself as a jealous God, which means He has sensibilities which can be gratified when pleased, or offended when His preferences are not met, ignored, or disregarded. May you not be reckoned as someone who displeases God.
Men in the Bible: Cain – The Man that God Did Not Respect And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the…
Men in the Bible: Cain – The Man that God Did Not Respect
And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord… And the Lord…did not respect Cain and his offering. – Genesis 4:3-5
Another man in the Bible that we will consider today is Cain, the firstborn of Adam and Eve. Cain was a farmer, a tiller of the ground, while his brother Abel was a shepherd.
At some point, Cain and Abel decided to present an offering to God from their produce. But while God accepted the offering of the younger Abel, there was a poignant twist to the sacrifice of Cain, as the Bible records that God neither respected him nor his offering.
This is a heartbreaking development for anyone. Imagine making so much fuss about offering a sacrifice to God, with all the ceremonies of picking and preparing the offerings, only to get to the place of worship and receive a verdict of “not accepted” from God. May that not be your portion in Jesus Name.
But then, what could be the reasons Abel’s offering was accepted by God, whereas Cain had both his person and his sacrifice rejected? While there have been many submissions on what might be responsible, the Bible does not expressly provide a detailed background on what led to what. However, there is a reason to draw a strong inference from the events leading to that point to help us know why Abel was accepted and Cain was rejected.
Men in the Bible: Abel – A Man that God Respected Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and…
Men in the Bible: Abel – A Man that God Respected
Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering. – Genesis 4:4
The second man in the Bible we will explore in this series is Abel. Although shortlived, as the Bible passage above tells us, Abel was respected by God.
Now, it is not often that one reads that God respects mortals. In fact, Abel was the only person in the Bible to be so conferred with the honor of commanding God’s respect. The question is, why was this so, and what did he do to impress God and command His respect?
A leaf through previous verses before our reference passage shows that both Abel and Cain, his senior brother, offered sacrifices to God from the produce of their labor. However, Abel did something very unusual, which would later become a divine requirement thousands of years later for anyone who wishes to offer things to God.
Abel offered the firstborn of his flock and the best (the fat) among the lot to God as a sacrifice. By this token, he showed his honor and respect for God. Little wonder that God repaid the gesture by showing him respect in return.
Thousands of years after Abel’s offering, God would later command Moses and also establish in the holy scripts that the firstborn of every creature, both man and beast, were His and must be offered as a sacrifice to Him or redeemed with money or animals in the case of human firstborn. God also stipulated that anyone who wanted to bring a sacrifice to Him should bring the fattest (the best) of whatever items they are offering to Him. If they were meant for God, whatever is being offered must be the best of the pack, not the worst of the lot.
Abel, on his own part, was not privy to these preferences of God as he lived several years before God communicated them to His servants, and they were codified in the books of the law. However, of his own volition, Abel willingly and cheerfully offered the best of his breeds to God as a sacrifice, and with this gesture, he provoked the admiration of God and, by so doing, became a man that God respected.
Bosses in the Bible: A Boss that Empowers Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born…
Bosses in the Bible: A Boss that Empowers
Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is north of Damascus. So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people. – Genesis 14:14-16
Another good example we can learn from Abraham’s character is that he was an astute boss who believed in the development of his workers. He was a classic example of a boss who empowers his workers.
It is interesting that this unique ideology of human capital development was not lost to Abraham several thousand years ago, whereas many modern bosses seem to be oblivious of its importance and therefore do not subscribe to it. From the reference passage, when Abraham learned that his nephew had been captive he mobilized his men, all of them slaves born in his house, to go and battle the ravaging kings who took his brother captive.
It is curious that these men, the whole 318 of them, were born in Abraham’s house at a time when the number of slaves one had was one of the metrics for assets, because the more slaves one had, the more workers he would have working his farm.
Meanwhile, Abraham was different as a boss, he did not bask in the glory of cheap labor added to him, on the contrary, he was vested in the development and empowerment of his workers, a fact that was demonstrated in the way he trained them all in important life skills, one of which was fighting in battle.
Imagine if Abraham had not invested in training his workers and developing their capacity to do much more beyond plant cultivation and animal husbandry. Imagine if he had condemned all his workers to only till the land or rear livestock. For sure, he would not have been able to call on them for battle when he needed an army to advance and take on the kings who took his brother away.
As noted earlier, it is refreshing that Abraham knew and practised this desirable attribute in a principal. That was why he could call his workers when he needed them and rely on them to deliver at the battlefront, thus enhancing the success of his war campaign to free Lot. The workers you do not empower may not deliver.
Another lesson we can learn from God is His disposition to a balancing act. He is not a God of extremes. Even though some who profess to follow Him go to extremes in His name or make extreme claims on His behalf, extreme is not a label that one can pin on God. He balances the acts.
Understanding God: He is Not Moved by Sentiments
Another lesson we can learn from the personality of God is that sentiments do not move Him. Therefore, He cannot be deceived into making a wrong judgment or call, as humans tend to do.
Understanding God: He is A Creator
He is a Creator. This is not to be interpreted loosely, particularly in the light of our contemporary use of the word. God is the ultimate Creator, as He created all things, even the ends of the earth (Isaiah 40:28).
Understanding God: God of the Beginning
There is no better way to begin this journey of exploring the people and entities in the Bible than to start with God. He is not just the beginning but is the origin of all things.
Women in the Bible: A Paragon of Beauty
What made Sarah’s beauty so compelling that kings and nations took notice? Explore the deeper layers of grace, favour, and mystery surrounding one of Scripture’s most unforgettable women — and discover why her story still provokes wonder today.
Men in the Bible: A Man of Ambition and Adventure
Terah may not have reached Canaan, but his courage to start a life-changing journey laid the foundation for Abraham’s destiny. Discover how ambition and bold steps mark a life of significance.
Men in the Bible: An Impetuous and Impudent Man
A revealing glimpse into a man whose choices exposed deeper issues of character, showing how hastiness and entitlement can quietly shape a destiny, and why his story still speaks to us today.
Men in the Bible: A Man with Little Foresight
Sometimes what looks like a smart choice can hide the seed of a mistake. This reflection from Scripture invites us to think again about how foresight — or the lack of it — shapes a man’s story.
Men in the Bible: The First Man to Tithe
Before laws, temples, or traditions, one man honoured God with his substance. Abraham’s tithe was not commanded, demanded, or enforced. It flowed from reverence.
Fathers in the Bible: A Destiny-Shaping Father
What makes a man a truly aware father? Discover how one man’s prophetic foresight shaped his son’s destiny and changed generations forever.
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