A BRIEF HISTORY
From Adam to the Lord Jesus
THE CREATION OF ADAM AND EVE
The Bible lets us know that the Lord God formed man from the dust of the earth, and that He blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. A living soul with a will.
As it is written:
Genesis 2:7
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
The Bible also tells us that God named the man He created Adam and prepared a home for Adam to live in. Adam's home was in the Garden of Eden.
As it is written:
Genesis 2:15-17
15 And the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, of every tree of the garden you may freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it: for in the day that you eat thereof you shall surely die.
Note: Not only did God prepare a home for Adam, but God also decided to give Adam a helpmate.
As it is written:
Genesis 2:18
18 And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helpmate.
As it is written:
Genesis 2:21-23
21 And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that spot.
22 And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, He made a woman and brought her to the man.
23 And Adam said, this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of man.
THE FALL OF ADAM AND EVE AND THEIR DESCENDANTS
Disobedience In the Garden
Adam talked with Eve and told her all the commandments that God had given to him to obey. The most important commandment that Adam told Eve was that they were not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Satan, the fallen angel, knew about the tree that had the knowledge of good and evil. He also knew what God had spoken to Adam. The time came when Satan saw the opportunity to use God's Word to deceive Eve. He did so by using one of the beasts in the garden to speak God's Word to Eve.
As it is written:
Genesis 3:1-7
1 Now the serpent was more subtle [deceitful] than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, Yea, has God said, you shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Note: Before the beast was given the name "serpent" he was one of many four-footed beasts that God had created. The beast did not become a serpent (snake) until God pronounced His judgment on him. Genesis 3:14
2 And the woman said to the serpent, we may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden:
3 but of the fruit of the tree, which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, you shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.
4 And the serpent said to the woman, you shall not surely die:
5 For God do know that in the day you eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and you shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eye, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also to her husband with her; and he did eat.
7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons.
God Came Down to Visit Adam and Eve in the Garden
The relationship that God had with Adam and Eve, was one that God would often come down to earth to visit them. On a day that God came to visit; God being omniscient, knew that Adam and Eve had disobeyed His commandment.
On that day, what should have been a "normal" day for a visit from God; turned out to be a day that changed the lives of Adam and Eve forever. On that day they had to come face to face with God; knowing that they had disobeyed Him.
As it is written:
Genesis 3:8-10
8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves, from the presence of the Lord among the trees of the Garden.
9 And the Lord God called Adam and said to him, where are you?
10 And he said, I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
Note: Genesis tells us that when God saw Adam and Eve clothed in fig leaves; that He made garments of skin for them to wear.
As it is written:
Genesis 3:21
21 And the Lord God made garments of skins for Adam and his wife and clothed them.
Judgment In the Garden
Adam and Eve disobeyed God and brought God's judgment on themselves. Not only were they judged, the beast of the field was also judged. God pronounced judgment on the beast first, then He pronounced judgment on Eve. Adam was the last one to be judged.
As it is written:
Genesis 3:14
14 And the Lord God said unto the serpent, because you have done this, you are cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field, upon your belly you shall go, and dust shall you eat all the days of your life.
As it is written:
Genesis 3:16
16 Unto the woman He said, I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; in sorrow you shall bring forth children, and your desire shall be to your husband, and he shall rule over you.
As it is written:
Genesis 3:17-19
17 And unto Adam He said, because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you saying, you shall not eat of it; cursed is the ground for your sake; in sorrow shall you eat of it all the days of your life.
18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to you; and you shall eat the herb of the field.
19 In the sweat of your face shall you eat bread, until you return unto the ground; for out of it were you taken for dust you are, and unto dust shall you return.
Note: Because of their disobedience, and the judgment that God had pronounced on them, Adam and Eve could no longer live in the Garden.
As it is written:
Genesis 3:22-24
22 And the Lord God said, behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever.
23 Therefore, the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from where he was taken.
24 So, He drove out the man, and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden the Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Adam and Eve's Sinful Nature Was Passed on To Their Children
The sinful nature in Adam and Eve was passed on to their two sons: Cain and Abel.
As it is written:
Genesis 4:1-2
1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.
2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Note: Cain grew up to be a tiller (farmer) of the ground, while Abel grew up to be a keeper of the sheep (shepherd).
As it is written:
Genesis 4:3-5
3 Cain brought the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord,
4 And Abel, he also brought the first kind of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering.
5 But unto Cain and to his offering He did not have respect.
Note: God was pleased with the offering that Abel brought to Him, but He was not pleased with the offering that Cain brought to Him. Knowing that God was not pleased with his offering, Cain became angry, and his countenance fell. Knowing this, God came to Cain and talked with him.
As it is written:
Genesis 4:6-7
6 And the Lord said to Cain, why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?
7 If you do well, shall you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies [waits] at the door. It desires to have you, but you must rule over it.
Note: Cain made the choice not to do what God had spoken to him. He chose to be angry with his brother, Abel. In the process of time, Cain killed his brother Abel.
As it is written:
Genesis 4:8
8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
The crime that Cain committed did not go unpunished by God. He became a fugitive and a vagabond and lived in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. Genesis 4:12
One hundred and thirty years after the sudden death of Abel, Adam and Eve had another son, and they named him, Seth.
As it is written:
Genesis 5:3
3 And Adam lived a hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image, and called his name Seth.
DESCENDANTS OF ADAM AND EVE UNTIL THE TIME OF THE FLOOD
Cain
The first son born to Adam and Eve. His life span is not written.
Abel
The second son born to Adam and Eve. His life span is not written.
Seth
The third son born to Adam and Eve. His life span was that of 912 years.
As it is written:
Genesis 5:8
8 And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years and he died.
The Descendants of Seth:
Enos
The son of Seth lived 905 years. Genesis 5:11
Cainan
The son of Enos lived 910 years. Genesis 5:14
Maha'laleel
The son of Cainan lived 895 years. Genesis 5:17
Je'red
The son of Maha'laleel lived 962 years. Genesis 5:20
Enoch
The son of Je'red lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, for God took him. Genesis 5:23-24
Methu'selah
The son of Enoch lived 969 years. Genesis 5:27
Lamech
The son of Methu'selah lived 777 years. Genesis 5:31
Noah
The son of Lamech lived 950 years. Genesis 9:29
THE BUILDING OF THE ARK AND THE FLOOD OVER ALL THE EARTH
God's Judgment on His Creation Because of Their Wickedness
Adam and Eve could not undo what they had done in the Garden of Eden. They had sinned against God and caused generations of wickedness to come upon the human race. Because of this, God chose to destroy the human race from the face of the earth. But there was one man, Noah, and his family that God chose not to destroy.
God's Relationship with Noah and His Family
According to the Bible, Noah was a just man, perfect in his generation and he walked with God. Noah was married and he had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. All of Noah's sons were married, but they had no children at the time of the Flood.
The day came when God spoke to Noah: the end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
As it is written:
Genesis 6:3
3 And the Lord said, my spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be a hundred and twenty years.
As it is written:
Genesis 6:5-8
5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
7 And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for I regret that I have made them.
8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.
The Building of the Ark and the Flood
God talked with Noah about His decision to destroy man, animals, creeping things, and the fowls of the air. Noah was instructed, by God, to build an ark for himself and his family and for the animals that God wanted to be spared from the flood.
As it is written:
Genesis 6:13
13 And God said to Noah, the end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
As it is written:
Genesis 6:17
17 And behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and everything that is in the earth shall die.
As it is written:
Genesis 7:1-6
1 And the Lord said to Noah, come you and all your house into the ark; for you have I seen righteous before me in this generation.
2 Of every clean beast you shall take to you by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.
3 Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.
4 For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.
5 Noah did according to all that the Lord commanded him.
6 And Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters was upon the earth. And the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred and fifty days.
Noah, his wife, their three sons (Shem, Ham, and Japheth) and their sons wives went into the ark to live while the flood waters were over all the earth. The Bible lets us know that Noah and his family lived in the ark slightly over twelve months.
As it is written:
Genesis 7:11-12
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened.
12 And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nighty nights.
As it is written:
Genesis 8:3-4
3 And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated.
4 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.
As it is written:
Genesis 8:13-17
13 And it came to pass in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry.
14 And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried.
15 And God spoke to Noah, saying,
16 Go forth from the ark, you, and your wife, and your sons, and your sons' wives with you.
17 Bring forth with you every living thing that is with you, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth.
God's Covenant with Noah and His Sons After the Flood
After the flood, God blessed Noah and his sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth and made a covenant with them.
As it is written:
Genesis 9:8-13
8 And God spoke to Noah and his sons with him, saying,
9 And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you.
10 And with every living creature that is with you, of the fowl, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you; from all that go out of the ark, to every beast of the earth.
11 And I will establish my covenant with you, neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; neither shall there anymore be a flood to destroy the earth.
12 And God said, this is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
13 I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.
Note: The bow that God set in the cloud has come to be known as a rainbow. A rainbow is a multicolored curved line in the sky that forms when the sun's rays strike raindrops falling from rain clouds. This is why rainbows are visible on a sunny, rainy day.
The Genealogy of Noah's Three Sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth are written in Genesis Chapter 10, verses one through 32.
FROM THE DESCENDANTS OF SHEM CAME GOD'S CALL TO ABRAM
The Generations of Shem
From the three sons of Noah, God chose a descendant from the line of Shem to make known to the world that God was the only and true God and not idols. That descendant was Abram who would become the father of all nations.
As it is written:
Genesis 11:10
10 These are the generations of Shem: Shem was a hundred years old and had Arphaxad two years after the flood.
Shem
The son of Noah lived 602 years. Genesis 11:10-11
Arphaxad
The son of Shem lived 438 years. Genesis 11:12-13
Salah
The son of Arphaxad lived 433 years. Genesis 11:14-15
Eber
The son of Salah lived 464 years. Genesis 11:16-17
Peleg
The son of Eber lived 239 years. Genesis 11:18-19
Reu
The son of Peleg lived 239 years. Genesis 11:20-21
Serug
The son of Reu lived 230 years. Genesis 11:22-23
Nahor
The son of Serug lived 148 years. Genesis 11:24-25
Terah
The son of Nahor lived 205 years. Genesis 11:32
Abram
The son of Terah lived 175 years. Genesis 25:7
Terah and His Family
Terah, the father of Abram, lived in the Chaldean city of Ur with his three sons: Abram, Nahor, and Haran. After the death of his youngest son, Haran, Terah left Ur to travel to the land of Canaan. He took with him his son Abram, and Abram's wife Sarai, and his grandson Lot, the son of Haran. In route to Canaan, they arrived in the land of Haran and settled there. While living in Haran, Terah died.
As it is written:
Genesis 11:27-32
27 Now this is the line of Terah: Terah begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begot Lot.
28 Haran died in the lifetime of his father Terah, in his native land, Ur of the Chaldeans.
29 Abram and Nahor took to themselves wives, the name of Abram's wife Sarai and that of Nahor's wife Milcah, the daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and Iscah.
30 Now Sarai was barren, she had no child.
31 Terah took his son Abram, his grandson Lot the son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, the wife of his son Abram, and they set out together from Ur of the Chaldeans for the land of Canaan; but when they had come as far as Haran, they settled there.
32 The days of Terah came to 205 years; and Terah died in Haran.
GOD'S CALL TO ABRAM TO BE THE FATHER OF ALL NATIONS
After the death of his father, Terah, God spoke to Abram and told him to leave Haran and to continue on to the land of Canaan. Abram left Haran, with his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, and all that belonged to him, including the people that were living with him while he was in Haran.
As it is written:
Genesis 12:1-5
1 Now the Lord had said to Abram, get out of your country, and from your kindred, and from your father's house to a land that I will show you.
2 And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and your name great, and you shall be a blessing.
3 And I will bless them that bless you and curse him that curses you: and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed.
4 So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken to him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed out of Haran.
5 And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go to the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan, they came.
God Visits Abram in a Vision
As it is written:
Genesis 15:1-6
1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision saying, fear not Abram, I am your shield and your exceeding great reward.
2 And Abram said, Lord God, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?
3 And Abram said, Behold, to me you have given no seed: and lo, one born in my house is my heir.
4 And, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, this shall not be your heir; but he that shall come forth out of your own bowels shall be your heir.
5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if you are able to number them: and he said unto him, so shall your seed be.
6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Sarai Did Not Wait for the Child God Had Promised
In the process of time, Sarai took it upon herself not to wait for the promise that God had spoken to Abram that she would have a child. She made the choice to give her maid Hagar to Abram to wife in order to have a child through Hagar.
As it is written:
Genesis 16:3-4
3 And Sarai, Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
As it is written:
Genesis 16:15-16
15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
God's Covenant with Abram
As it is written:
Genesis 17:1-8
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, I am God Almighty; walk before Me faithfully and be blameless.
2 Then I will make my covenant between Me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.
3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,
4 As for Me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.
5 No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.
6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.
7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
8 The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.
As it is written:
Genesis 17:9-12
9 And God said to Abraham, you shall keep my covenant therefore, you, and your seed after you in their generations.
10 This is my covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you, and your seed after you: every man child among you shall be circumcised.
11 And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant between Me and you.
12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of your seed.
As it is written:
Genesis 17:15-17
15 And God said to Abraham, as for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
16 And I will bless her and give you a son also of her: yes, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.
17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
God's Promise of a Son to Abraham and Sarah Fulfilled
As it is written:
Genesis 18:1-2
1 And the Lord appeared to him in the plains of Mamre as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.
2 And he lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground.
As it is written:
Genesis 18:9-15
9 And they said to him, where is Sarah your wife? And he said, behold, in the tent.
10 And he said, I will certainly return to you according to the time of life; and lo, Sarah your wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, after I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?
13 And the Lord said unto Abraham, wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?
14 Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, but you did laugh.
As it is written:
Genesis 21:1-6
1 And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born to him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
5 And Abraham was a hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born to him.
6 And Sarah said, God has made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
As it is written:
Genesis 23:1-2
1 And Sarah was a hundred and twenty-seven years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.
2 And Sarah died in Kirjath-arba: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
Note: After Sarah died, Abraham married one of his concubines. Her name was Keturah, and she bore Abraham six sons. Abraham also had other concubines.
As it is written:
Genesis 25:1-10
1 Abraham took another wife, whose name was Keturah.
2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah.
3 Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. The descendants of Dedan were the Assyrians, the Letushim, and the Leummim.
4 The descendants of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Enoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were descendants of Keturah.
5 Abraham willed all that he owned to Isaac;
6 but to Abraham's sons by concubines Abraham gave gifts while he was still living, and he sent them away from his son Isaac eastward to the land of the East.
7 This was the total span of Abraham's life: one hundred and seventy-five years.
8 And Abraham breathed his last, dying at a good ripe age, old and contented; and he was gathered to his kin.
9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, facing Mamre,
10 the field that Abraham had bought from the Hittites; there Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife.
Isaac the Promised Son of Abraham and Sarah
There are no scriptures of the growing up years of Isaac. The only scriptures are those when God tested Abram and asked him to sacrifice his son Isaac. Genesis 22:1-19
After the death of Sarah, Abraham wanted a wife for his son Isaac from one of his relatives. Abraham had a brother by the name of Nahor. Nahor and his wife, Milcah, had a son by the name of Bethuel. Bethuel and Isaac were first cousins. Bethuel married and had a son Laban and a daughter Rebekah.
Rebekah and her brother Laban were Isaac's second cousins. Both Rebekah and Laban were the great niece and nephew of Abraham. At the age of 40 Isaac married his second cousin Rebekah and to them were born twins, Esau and Jacob.
In the process of time, the bible tells us that there was a famine in the land and God instructed Isaac to take his wife Rebekah and their twin sons, Esau and Jacob, and go and live in the land of Gerar.
As it is written:
Genesis 26:2-5
2 And the Lord appeared unto him and said, go not down into Egypt, dwell in the land which I shall tell you of.
3 Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and will bless you; for unto you and unto your seed, I will give all these countries and I will perform the oath which I swore unto Abraham your father.
4 And I will make your seed to multiply as the stars of heaven and will give unto your seed all these countries; and in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed:
5 because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. And Isaac dwelt in Gerar.
The Marriages of Isaac and Rebekah's Son, Esau
Esau and Jacob were twins, and the only sons born to Isaac and Rebekah. Jacob being the younger, both being the grandsons of Abraham. When it came time for marriage, Isaac and Rebekah did not want their sons to marry any of the women from Canaan. Esau, however, did marry women from the Canaanite tribe of the Hittites. Esau also went to his uncle, Ismael, the half-brother of Isaac, to marry his first cousin Mahalath, who became his third wife.
As it is written:
Genesis 26:34-35
34 And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:
35 Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah.
As it is written:
Genesis 28:8-9
8 And Esau seeing that the daughters of Canaan pleased not Isaac his father;
9 Then went Esau unto Ishmael and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.
The Marriages of Isaac and Rebekah's Son, Jacob
When the time came for Jacob to marry; Isaac blessed Jacob and told him not to take a wife from Canaan. Isaac sent Jacob to his Uncle Laban's home in Padanaram to marry his cousin Rachel, Laban's daughter.
As it is written:
Genesis 28:1-2
1 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him and said to him, you shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.
2 Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel your mother's father; and take a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother's brother.
When Jacob arrived at the home of his Uncle Laban, in Padanaram, he offered to work for him for seven years and the pay would be that Laban would allow him to marry his daughter Rachel, who was Jacob's cousin. When the seven years were completed, and it was time to marry Rachel, Laban gave a feast.
On the eve of the wedding, Laban tricked Jacob and gave Leah (Rachel's older sister), to be Jacob's first wife. A week later, Laban also gave Rachel to be the wife of Jacob, but Jacob had to work another seven years for Rachel.
Genesis 29:18-30
The Thirteen Children of Jacob
From the marriage of Jacob to his cousin Leah came six sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun; and one daughter: Dinah
From Jacob and Leah's maid Bilhah came two sons: Dan and Naphtali
From the marriage of Jacob to his cousin Rachel came two sons: Joseph and Benjamin
From Jacob and Rachel's maid Zilpah came two sons: Gad and Asher
The Birth Order of Jacob's Thirteen Children:
1 Reuben (son of Leah)
2 Simeon (son of Leah)
3 Levi (son of Leah)
4 Judah (son of Leah)
5 Dan (son of Bilhah)
6 Naphtali (son of Bilhah)
7 Gad (son of Zilpah)
8 Asher (son of Zilpah)
9 Issachar (son of Leah)
10 Zebulun (son of Leah)
11 Dinah (daughter of Leah)
12 Joseph (son of Rachel)
13 Benjamin (son of Rachel)
GOD CHANGES JACOB'S NAME TO ISRAEL
While on his journey to Padanaram God appeared to Jacob in a dream.
As it is written:
Genesis 28:11-14
11 And he came upon a certain place and tarried there all night because the sun was set. And he took the stones of that place and put them for his pillows and lay down in that place to sleep.
12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth and the top of it reached to heaven and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land whereon you lay to you will I give it, and to your seed.
14 And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. And in you and in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
Note: God appeared to Jacob a second when he came out from the land of Padanaram.
As it is written:
Genesis 35:9-15
9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him.
10 And God said unto him; your name is Jacob, your name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be your name, and he called his name Israel.
11 And God said unto him, I am God Almighty be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall be of you, and kings shall come out of your loins.
12 And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to you I will give it, and to your seed after you will I give the land. And God went up from him in the place where He talked with him.
14 And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where He talked with him, even a pillar of stone, and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.
15 And Jacob called the name of the place where God spoke with him, Bethel.
ISRAEL AND HIS FAMILY'S JOURNEY INTO THE LAND OF EGYPT
In the process of time, Jacob (Israel) gathered his family and left Padanaram and moved back to Canaan. Enroute to Canaan Rachel died after giving birth to Jacob's youngest son, Benjamin. Joseph and Benjamin were the only children of Rachel. Because Jacob loved Rachel more than Leah, he favored his first son from Rachel, Joseph. Of his twelve sons, Jacob favored his son Joseph the most.
While the family was living in Canaan Joseph's older half-brothers resented him and wanted to kill him. When the opportunity presented itself, rather than kill him, his brothers sold him for 20 pieces of silver to the Ishmaelites, who were Midianite traders, on their way to Egypt.
In Egypt Joseph was sold to Potiphar, the captain of the palace guard. After a number of years, Joseph became the highest official, second to the Pharaoh in Egypt.
In the process of time, there was a famine in Canaan, and Jacob sent his ten sons to Egypt for food. While there, the brothers learned that their brother Joseph was alive and second in command to the Pharaoh. Joseph later sent for his father Jacob (Israel), and the entire family moved to Egypt.
While living in Egypt the Bible tells us that Jacob (Israel), Joseph and all his brothers, and their families died in the land of Egypt. Exodus 1:1-6
After Joseph's generation died, the children of Israel continued to live in Egypt and their families increased. As time went on and there were new Pharaohs over Egypt, Joseph's position as a high official of Egypt, second to the Pharaoh, was forgotten.
One Pharaoh took notice of the people of Israel and saw that they were more Israelites than there were Egyptians. He also feared that if there was a war against the Egyptians the people of Israel would join with the Egyptians enemies.
So, the Pharaoh set over the people of Israel taskmasters to afflict them with a hard task. The people of Israel were forced to build for Pharaoh the treasure cities: Pithom and Ramses. What God had spoken to Abram came to pass.
As it is written:
Genesis 15:13-14
13 And he said to Abram, know of a surety that your seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years.
14 And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward they shall come out with great substance.
MOSES BRINGS THE ISRAELITES OUT OF EGYPT AND INTO CANAAN
Joseph and his generation died in Egypt. A new Pharaoh became ruler over Egypt. Seeing the increase in the population of the people of Israel, this Pharaoh decided to make slaves of them. Even as slaves the people of Israel continued to increase in the land of Egypt so much so that the Pharaoh commanded the midwives that if a child born to a Hebrew woman was a son, the child was to be killed. Exodus chapter one.
Growing up in the Pharaoh's house Moses saw the burdens of the Hebrew people. On one occasion when he saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand. When the Pharaoh heard what Moses had done, he sought to kill him. Moses left Egypt and went to live in Midian. In Midian he married Zipporah, the daughter of the Midian priest. Exodus chapter two.
Note: According to Acts 7:21-29, Moses was forty years old when he left Egypt.
Forty years later, at the age of 80, Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law on the backside of the desert, an angel of God appeared to Moses in a flame of fire in the midst of a bush. God called Moses by name from the midst of the burning bush, and said, come now therefore and I will send you unto Pharaoh, that you may bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt. Exodus chapter three.
Moses And the People of Israel Journey to Canaan
The Israelites were slaves in Egypt for 400 years just as God said they would be. God raised up Moses to be the one to bring His people out of the land of Egypt and to take them to the land that God had promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That land being Canaan. Moses was 80 years old, and his brother Aaron was 83 years old when they had the task of leading over 600,000 men along with women, children and a mixed multitude of people out of Egypt. God did not lead Moses and the Israelites through the land of the Philistines, but rather through the wilderness of the Red Sea.
As it is written:
Exodus 13:17-18
17 Now when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Phillistine's, although it was nearer; for God said, the people may have a change of heart when they see war and return to Egypt.
18 So God led the people roundabout, by way of the wilderness at the Sea of Reeds. Now the Israelites went up armed out of the land of Egypt.
The people of Israel, led by Moses left Egypt. On their journey to Canaan the people of Israel would camp in a number of places in the wilderness for a period of time while enroute to Canaan. These are the names of the places in the wilderness where the people of Israel camped:
Succoth - Exodus 12:37
Etham - Exodus 13:20
Pi-ha-hi-roth - Exodus 14:2
Wilderness of the Red Sea - Exodus 14:21-22
Shur - Exodus 15:22
Marah - Exodus 15:23
Elim - Exodus 15:27
Sin - Exodus 16:1
Rephidim - Exodus 17:1
Sinai - Exodus 19:2
Paran - Numbers 10:12
Taberah - Numbers 11:3
Kib-roth-hat-ta-a-vah - Numbers 11:34
Hazeroth - Numbers 11:35
Kadesh in the Wilderness of Paran - Numbers 12:16
Life in the Wilderness
Leaving Egypt, Moses, Aaron, and the people of Israel began their journey to Canaan. They took their journey from Succoth and camped in Etham at the edge of the wilderness. From Etham God instructed them to camp in Pihahiroth. Exodus chapter 13.
From Pihahiroth God parted the waters of the Red Sea and the people of Israel crossed over on dry land and went into the Wilderness of Shur. Finding no water in Shur the people traveled to Marah. The water in Marah was bitter, but God showed Moses a tree and told him to throw the tree into the water, and in doing so the water became sweet. The people of Israel were then able to drink the water. Leaving Marah, they camped in Elim, where there were 12 wells of water and palm trees. Exodus chapter 15.
Leaving Elim they traveled to the Wilderness of Sin. There the people murmured against Moses and Aaron because they had no food. God sent them manna for their bread, and quails for meat. Exodus chapter 16.
Going on from Sin, the people camped in Rephidim, and found that there was no water for them to drink. The people became angry with Moses. God sent Moses to Horeb and there Moses was commanded to strike a rock in Horeb with his rod, and in doing so, water came out for the people to drink. Exodus chapter 17.
While living in Rephidim the people of Amalek came out to fight against the people of Israel. Joshua and the men of Israel prevailed. Exodus chapter 17.
Moses, Aaron, and the people of Israel moved on from Raphidim to the Wilderness of Sinai. They camped in Sinai for two years. There God commanded Moses to prepare the people to meet Him at the mount, Sinai. At Mount Sinai the covenant was established by God with the people of Israel. Exodus chapter 19.
While living in the Wilderness of Sinai, God gave Moses the following:
● The Ten Commandments. Exodus chapter 20
● The Book of the Covenant. Exodus chapters 21-24
● The pattern for the construction of the Tabernacle. Exodus chapters 25-31
The people of Israel left the Wilderness of Sinai and traveled to Taberah. In Taberah the people complained against God and a number of them died and were buried there. Going from Taberah the people camped in the land of Hazeroth. Numbers 11:35.
From Hazeroth they journeyed to Kadesh, in the Wilderness of Paran. Numbers 12:16.
Entering the Land of Canaan
When the people of Israel, led by Moses, came to Kadesh in the Wilderness of Paran, they settled there. While there, God spoke to Moses and commanded him to send out one leader from each of the twelve tribes of Israel to go and search out the land of Canaan. The twelve men that Moses sent to search out the land of Canaan were:
1. Shammua - From the tribe of Reuben
2. Shaphat - From the tribe of Simeon
3. Caleb - From the tribe of Judah
4. Igal - From the tribe of Issachar
5. Hoshea - From the tribe of Ephraim (Moses called him Joshua)
6. Palti - From the tribe of Benjamin
7. Gaddiel - From the tribe of Zebulun
8. Gaddi - From the tribe of Manasseh (a tribe of Joseph)
9. Ammiel - From the tribe of Dan
10. Sethur - From the tribe of Asher
11. Nahbi - From the tribe of Naphtali
12. Geuel - From the tribe of Gad
The men Moses sent out to explore the land of Canaan, were to travel through Negev and on to the hill country. Once there they were to see what the land was like; good or poor. They were to find out how many people lived there, and whether or not the people were strong or weak. They were to find out if the towns were unwalled or fortified. They were to report if the land had trees and were told to bring back some fruit from the land of Canaan.
At the end of the forty days, the men returned from searching out the land. They brought back with them clusters of grapes, pomegranates, and figs. They reported to Moses and Aaron that the fertile land did indeed flow with milk, and honey. They reported that the cities were well fortified, and that the inhabitants were strong. Numbers 13:1-28
Caleb reported to Moses, that the men of Israel were well able to go up and overtake the land, and that they should do it at once. However, the other ten men that went up with Joshua and Caleb said that they were not able to go up against the people in Canaan because they were stronger than the Israelites. Numbers 13:30-32
Because of the evil report the men of each of the ten tribes spread among the people, the people murmured against Moses and Aaron, and wanted to choose another leader and return back to Egypt. Caleb talked with the people and asked them not to rebel against God, but rather to trust in God's protection. Numbers 14:2-10
The people of Israel who were 20 years old and above, who believed the evil reports of the ten spies, and murmured against God, did not go into the promised land. They would wander in the Wilderness of Paran until they died, and their children would bare their iniquities. For forty years the Israelites lived in Kadesh, in the Wilderness of Paran; one year for each day that the spies explored the land of Canaan. Numbers 14:27-35
Of the twelve men whom Moses sent to search out the land of Canaan; ten of them brought back an evil report and reported it to the people. Those ten men died by the plague before the Lord. Only Joshua and Caleb, who went to search out the land, lived to enter the land of Canaan.
Numbers 14:36-38
After forty-two years in the wilderness, Miriam, Aaron, and Moses did not enter Canaan, the Promised Land. Miriam died and was buried in the Wilderness of Zin. Aaron disobeyed the Word of God at the water of Meri bah, because of that, God said that he must die. Aaron died in Hor and was buried on Mount Hor. His son Aleizar succeeded him. Numbers chapter 20
Moses also disobeyed God. God told him to gather the people of Israel, and in their presence, Moses was to speak to the rock and water would come out. Instead, Moses struck the rock with his rod and water came out. Because of this, God told Moses that he would not enter Canaan, the Promised Land. Numbers chapter 20
The Five Books of the Law Written by Moses
Moses, under the inspiration of God, wrote the five books of the law: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These books were written during the 40 years that Moses and the people of Israel lived in Kadesh in the Wilderness of Paran.
Note: Chapter 34 in the book of Deuteronomy was not written by Moses.
As it is written:
Deuteronomy 34:1-12
1 And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan.
2 And all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea.
3 And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.
4 And the Lord said unto him, this is the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto your seed: I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over.
5 So, Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.
6 And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab over against Bethpeor; but no man knows of his sepulcher unto this day.
7 And Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.
8 And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so, the days of weeping and mourning for Moses was ended.
9 And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom: for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel listened to him and did as the Lord commanded Moses.
10 And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face,
11 in all the signs and wonders that God sent him to display in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his whole country,
12 and for all the great might and awesome power that Moses displayed before all of Israel.
THE JUDGES AND KINGS OF ISRAEL
After Moses, God chose Judges to rule over His people Israel.
As it is written:
Acts 13:20
20 And after that He gave unto them judges about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. The Judges were political and military leaders.
The Judges of Israel
Moses ruled 40 years - Deuteronomy 34:7
Joshua ruled 52 years - Joshua 24:29
Elders ruled - Judges 2:7
Othniel ruled 40 years - Judges 3:11
Ehud ruled - Judges 3:30
Shamgar ruled - Judges 3:31
Deborah (and Barak) ruled 40 years - Judges 5:31
Gideon ruled 40 years - Judges 8:28
Abimelech ruled 3 years - Judges 9:22
Tola ruled 23 years - Judges 10:2
Jair ruled 22 years - Judges 10:3
Jephthah ruled 6 years - Judges 12:7
Ibzan ruled 7 years - Judges 12:9
Elon ruled 10 years - Judges 12:11
Abdon ruled 8 years - Judges 12:14
Samson ruled 20 years - Judges 15:20
Eli ruled 40 years - I Samuel 4:18
Samuel ruled 20 years - I Samuel 7:2
The Kings of Israel
During the time of Samuel's reign, the Israelites no longer wanted judges (men chosen by God) to rule over them. They wanted to be like other nations; they wanted a king to rule over them, not God.
As it is written:
1 Samuel 8:4-7
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah,
5 And said unto him, behold, you are old, and your sons walk not in your ways, now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
6 But the thing displeased Samuel, when they said, give us a king to judge us. And Samuel prayed unto the Lord.
7 And the Lord said to Samuel, listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.
As it is written:
Acts 13:21
21 And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. This was the beginning of Kings reigning over the nation of Israel.
After the death of King Saul, God anointed David, from the lineage of Judah, to be King over the people of Israel. David reigned for forty years. After David his son Solomon reigned as king over Israel for forty years. After Solomon, his son Rehoboam reigned for 17 years as king over Israel. The Kings of Israel and Judah are in the book of I Kings.
The Israelites Were Divided into Two Kingdoms
1. The Northern Kingdom - Israel, with ten tribes: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, and Joseph.
2. The Southern Kingdom - Judah, with two tribes: Judah and Benjamin.
THE LAST ADAM...THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
As it is written:
1 Corinthians 15:45-49
45 And so it is written, the first man Adam became a living being the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.
46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.
47 The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven.
48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven.
49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.
Note: From the descendants of Shem, God chose Abraham's seed to be the people of God through whom Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior would be born.
As it is written:
Matthew 1:17
17 So, all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
Note: Joseph, whom God chose to be the husband of Mary, and the earthly father of Jesus; was from the lineage of King David.
As it is written:
Luke 2:1-4
1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
2 And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.
3 And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city.
4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David.
Note: The coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus was prophesied by the prophet Isaiah.
As it is written:
Isaiah 9:6-7
6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Note: The prophesy of Isaiah has been fulfilled.
As it is written:
John 1:14-17
14 And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father. Full of grace and truth.
15 John bare witness of Him, and cried, saying, He that comes after me is preferred before me: for He was before me.
16 And of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS THE CHRIST IS:
The Word - In the beginning was the Word, and the Lord was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1
The Messiah - The woman said to Him, I know that Messiah will come, which is called Christ: when He comes, He will tell us all things. Jesus said to her, I that speak to you am He. John 4:25-26
The Light of the World - Then Jesus spoke to them again and said, I Am the light of the world: he that follows Me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life. John 8:12
The Way, The Truth, and The Life - Jesus said to him, I Am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by Me. John 14:6
The Author and Finisher of Our Faith - Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrew 12:2
The Prince of Peace - Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you: not as the world gives, give I to you. Let not your heart be troubled; neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27
The Son of God - And a voice came out of the heavens: "You are my beloved Son; in you I Am well pleased." Mark 1:11
The King of Kings - And on His robe and on His thigh, He has a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. Revelation 19:16
THE GENEALOGY OF JESUS CHRIST
Luke, the physician and evangelist wrote his account of the Lord Jesus Christ in his letter to Theophilus, a government official.
As it is written:
Luke 1:1-4
1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the Word.
3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,
4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
Note: In chapter three of his letter to Theophilus, Luke has traced Jesus back to God through the lineage of Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus.
As it is written:
Luke 3:23-38
23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,
24 which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph,
25 which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esh, which was the son of Nagge,
26 which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda,
27 which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri,
28 which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmadam, which was the son of Er,
29 which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, watch was the son of Levi,
30 which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Judas, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim,
31 which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,
32 which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Boaz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,
33 which was the son of Amminadab, which was the son of Arni, which was the son of Hezron, which was the son of Perez, which was the son of Judsonah,
34 which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Terah, which was the son of Nahor,
35 which was the son of Serug, which was the son of Reu, which was the son of Peleg, which was the son of Eber, which was the son of Shelah,
36 which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Shem, which was the son of Noah, which was the son of Lamech,
37 which was the son of Methuselah, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Mahalaleel, which was the son of Cainan,
38 which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears My voice and opens the door,
I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me.
Revelation 3:20