The speaker introduces the theme of Advent and invites a fresh perspective on Isaiah 55, emphasizing God's abundance and provision. The passage from Isaiah 55 is read, highlighting God's invitation to the thirsty and the promise of an everlasting covenant.

Celebrating Advent and Isaiah 55

The speaker elaborates on the concept of seeking God, explaining its deeper meaning in Hebrew, and analyzes the literary structure of Isaiah 55 and its context regarding the exiles in Babylon.

Exploring the Theme of Seeking and Structure of Isaiah 55

The speaker emphasizes God's invitation to those who are poor and those who have plenty, urging them to seek what truly satisfies. A discussion on the difference between God's thoughts and human thoughts is presented, using nature as a metaphor for divine purpose.

God's Invitation to Abundance

The speaker highlights the rich imagery and metaphors in Isaiah 55, connecting them to biblical stories and themes, and draws connections between Isaiah 55 and various Old Testament figures and events, illustrating God's promises.

Imagery and Metaphors in Isaiah 55

A deep dive into the story of Cain explores themes of offering, anger, and God's persistent invitation for repentance, reinterpreting Isaiah 55 as a personal invitation to Cain, emphasizing God's mercy and desire for reconciliation.

The Story of Cain and God's Invitation

The speaker discusses examples of generosity in the Old Testament, showcasing how God uses individuals who embody this trait, and explains the significance of feasts and sacrifices, focusing on God's generosity and the importance of giving back the best portions.

Generosity and Sacrifices in the Old Testament

Discusses the instructions given to Moses and Aaron regarding offerings and the roles of the priestly class and Levites, linking Jacob's blessing of Judah to the promise of the Messiah and God's covenant with Abraham.

Moses, Aaron, and Jacob's Blessing

Explores the connection between Isaiah 55 and John 1, highlighting the theme of God's word and Jesus as the light, while unpacking the literary structure of the first seven chapters of John, connecting them to previous themes and stories.

Connections to John's Gospel

Describes Jesus' miracle at the wedding in Cana and his actions in the temple, symbolizing a challenge to religious practices. Covers the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus about being born of water and spirit, and highlights the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman, tying it back to Isaiah 55.

Miracles and Teachings of Jesus

Details Jesus' healing of a lame man on the Sabbath and describes the miracle of Jesus feeding 5000 people, showcasing his ability to provide abundantly. Discusses Jesus' invitation to the thirsty during the Feast of Tabernacles, linking back to Old Testament themes.

Jesus' Authority and Provision

Explores Jesus' teachings on eternal life and the significance of his statements about bread and thirst, illustrating Jesus' declaration about living water and its spiritual significance.

Eternal Life and Living Water

Narrates the moment Jesus washes his disciples' feet, emphasizing service and humility, and links Jesus' suffering and sacrifice to the themes of bread and blood, highlighting redemption. Discusses Jesus' command to love one another, connecting it to themes of anger and reconciliation.

Service, Sacrifice, and Redemption

Explores Jesus' teachings on glory and the necessity of sacrifice for new life, affirming the effectiveness of God's word in fulfilling His purposes. Describes Jesus' commissioning of the disciples and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Glory of the Son of Man and Commissioning the Disciples

Ends with a message of joy and peace, referencing Isaiah's promise of salvation, and encourages memorization of Isaiah 55 as it encapsulates the gospel and points to Jesus. Suggests reading the story of Abigail and David as a foreshadowing of Jesus' intercession, concluding with a reminder of God's salvation and an encouragement to trust in Him.

Joy, Peace, and the Gospel

# Advent Reflections: Embracing Abundance in Isaiah 55

## Good Morning!

As we celebrate the first day of Advent, we reflect on the profound truth that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world. Today, we invite you to explore Isaiah 55, a chapter rich with promise and hope. You might think of Isaiah as a book filled with judgment and wrath, but we encourage you to see it through a fresh lens—one that highlights God's abundance and provision.

### God is Near

If you’re feeling distant from God this morning, remember: He is near. Let the words of Isaiah soak into your heart as we read through this chapter together. Amy will read Isaiah 55, and then we'll examine how it guides us to reflect on God's promises and covenants while pointing us toward Jesus Christ, our Messiah.

## Key Verses from Isaiah 55

Here are some key verses to ponder as we delve into the chapter:

- **Invitation to Abundance**: "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters..."
- **God’s Everlasting Covenant**: "I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David."
- **Call to Seek**: "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near."
- **God’s Higher Ways**: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord."

### The Invitation to Seek

The central theme of Isaiah 55 is the invitation to **seek** the Lord. The Hebrew word for "seek" implies an ongoing inquiry—treading a well-worn path of exploration and understanding. As we journey through this chapter, we will observe how God calls us to engage our minds and hearts in seeking Him.

### Structure of Isaiah 55

Isaiah 55 is beautifully structured with a chiastic literary design, emphasizing:

- **God’s Invitation**: A call to generosity and abundance.
- **The Promise**: References to the Garden of Eden and creation.
- **Reason and Response**: An appeal to reason and a joyful response to God’s invitation.

### Contextual Understanding

Isaiah speaks to the exiles in Babylon, offering them hope and an invitation to a great wedding feast. This chapter is a continuation of the renewed covenant found in Isaiah 54, where God redeems His unfaithful people.

### Reflection on the Text

As we reflect on Isaiah 55, let’s consider:

- **The Thirsty and the Poor**: The invitation is extended to everyone, regardless of their status.
- **The Call to Repentance**: "Let the wicked forsake their ways..." God offers mercy and pardon to all.
- **God’s Word and its Purpose**: Just as rain nourishes the earth, so does God’s Word accomplish His will.

### Connecting to the Old Testament

Isaiah 55 serves as a signpost, linking us back to the promises made in the Old Testament:

- **Covenant with David**: A promise of a ruler and commander.
- **References to Moses**: Water from the rock and manna from heaven.
- **The Significance of Wine and Milk**: A connection to Jacob's blessing of Judah.

### The Story of Cain

In our exploration, we also reflect on the story of Cain, who was offered a chance for redemption. God reached out to him, inviting him back into His presence. Despite Cain's choices, God’s grace was evident in His willingness to forgive.

### The Abundant Generosity of God

As we move deeper into our reflection, we see that God’s feasts and sacrifices throughout the Old Testament revolve around two main themes: His abundant generosity and our call to give back the best portion of what He has provided. This is beautifully illustrated in Numbers 18, where God instructs Moses and Aaron about the offerings:

- **First Fruits**: We are reminded to present the best part of our harvest to God, symbolizing our trust in His provision.
- **Priestly Inheritance**: God tells the priests that He Himself is their share and inheritance, emphasizing His sufficiency.

### The Foreshadowing of Christ

Throughout the Scriptures, we see a consistent pointing toward Jesus. In Genesis 49, Jacob’s blessing of Judah hints at the coming Messiah, who would bring forth abundance. This theme continues in the New Testament, where John 1 proclaims that "the Word became flesh." 

- **Jesus at the Wedding Feast**: In John 2, Jesus transforms water into wine, showcasing His ability to provide abundantly.
- **The Bread of Life**: In John 6, Jesus declares, "I am the bread of life," inviting us to partake in His sustenance.

### Conclusion: An Invitation for All

As we close our reflection on Isaiah 55, let’s remember that God’s invitation is for everyone, including those who feel far from Him. He calls us to come, to seek, and to embrace the abundant life He offers.

- **Reflect on your own journey**: Are you seeking God with a heart open to His abundance?
- **Consider His promises**: How do they speak to your life today?

Let’s continue to explore and celebrate the richness of God's Word as we journey through this Advent season together.

---

Thank you for joining us on this reflective journey through Isaiah 55. We look forward to our next exploration as we continue to seek and celebrate the abundant life offered through Jesus Christ.

"Embrace Abundance: Reflections on Isaiah 55 This Advent"

- Celebrating the first day of Advent, focusing on Jesus Christ’s arrival.
- Reading Isaiah 55 to explore God’s promises and provisions.
- Encouragement to view Isaiah with fresh eyes, emphasizing God's nearness.
- Key themes include seeking the Lord, abundant provision, and mercy.
- Isaiah 55 is structured poetically, reflecting God's invitation to a wedding feast.
- The chapter addresses exiles in Babylon, highlighting redemption and renewal.
- Central message: God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours.
- Invitation to all, especially the needy, to find satisfaction in God’s offerings.

- God invites us to reason and reflect on our lives, referencing covenants with David and the coming Messiah.
- The call to repentance emphasizes forsaking wicked ways and seeking the Lord for mercy.
- God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours, illustrated by the complexity of creation.
- The imagery of rain and snow symbolizes God's word bringing life and nourishment.
- The poem connects to biblical stories, including those of Moses, Aaron, and Jacob's blessing of Judah.
- Wine and milk reference Judah's blessing, while rain relates to Noah's story.
- The poem also alludes to the thorns of Eden and the story of Cain, emphasizing the themes of sin and righteousness.

- Cain questions God about his responsibility for Abel's death.
- God informs Cain of his punishment: cursed land and restless wandering.
- Despite Cain's fear of being killed, God marks him for protection.
- God reaches out to Cain twice, offering kindness and a chance for redemption.
- Abel's offering was accepted because he gave the best; Cain's was rejected for being lesser.
- God invites Cain to return and offers forgiveness, highlighting His ways are higher than human understanding.
- The narrative reflects on other biblical characters who also strayed but were met with God's generosity. 
- Example of Rebecca illustrates the theme of generosity in God's chosen people.

- Old Testament feasts and sacrifices emphasize God's generosity and the importance of giving back the best portions.
- Key concepts include firstborn lambs and first fruits, linking back to Genesis.
- Instructions for offerings are detailed in Numbers, emphasizing the role of priests and Levites.
- Jacob's blessing in Genesis 49 foreshadows the Messiah and the covenant with Abraham.
- Isaiah 55 connects to the New Testament, particularly John 1, highlighting the Word made flesh.
- John 1-7 parallels themes from Isaiah 55, featuring stories of abundance, feasts, and Jesus' teachings.
- Key events include the wedding at Cana, healing miracles, and Jesus inviting the thirsty to come and drink, all referencing Old Testament feasts.

- Jesus turned over tables at the temple during Passover.
- Conversations with Nicodemus involved themes of manna and eternal life.
- Jesus offered living water to the Samaritan woman, symbolizing eternal life.
- He emphasized spiritual sustenance over physical food, declaring himself the "bread of life."
- Many followers were offended by his teachings and left.
- During the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus invited the thirsty to come to him for living water.
- Jesus demonstrated humility by washing his disciples' feet before Passover.
- He emphasized love and reconciliation among believers.
- Jesus taught about sacrifice and the importance of losing one's life for eternal life.
- After his resurrection, Jesus commissioned his disciples and bestowed the Holy Spirit upon them.

- Jesus breathes on his followers, granting them the Holy Spirit and authority to forgive sins.
- Isaiah 55 connects Genesis, the Old Testament, and the coming of Jesus, promising joy and peace.
- The passage emphasizes God's eternal promise and the fulfillment of salvation.
- Revelation 22 invites all to receive the gift of eternal life.
- Encouragement to read and memorize Isaiah 55 for its comprehensive gospel message.
- Suggested readings: 1 Samuel 23 (story of Abigail) and John 4 (Samaritan woman) for deeper understanding.
- Isaiah 12:2 highlights trust in God as salvation and strength.

- First day of Advent celebrates Jesus Christ's arrival.
- Reading Isaiah 55 explores God's promises and provisions.
- Encourages fresh perspective on God's nearness and mercy.
- Key themes: seeking the Lord, abundant provision, and redemption.
- Poetic structure reflects God's invitation to a wedding feast.
- Addresses exiles in Babylon, emphasizing renewal.
- Central message: God's thoughts and ways surpass human understanding.
- Invitation to the needy to find satisfaction in God.
- Emphasizes repentance and forsaking wicked ways.
- Imagery of rain and snow symbolizes God's life-giving word.
- Connects to biblical stories, including those of Cain and Abel.
- God's kindness and chances for redemption are highlighted.
- Generosity in Old Testament feasts and offerings is emphasized.
- Jacob's blessing foreshadows the Messiah and connects to the New Testament.
- Themes of abundance and spiritual sustenance are reflected in Jesus' teachings.
- Jesus offers living water and emphasizes love and sacrifice.
- Isaiah 55 promises joy and peace, linking to the fulfillment of salvation.
- Encourages memorization of Isaiah 55 for its gospel message.
- Suggested readings for deeper understanding: 1 Samuel 23 and John 4.

Today we're celebrating the first day of Advent and we're celebrating the fact that God sent his son Jesus Christ into the world And we're going to do that by reading through Isaiah 55.

And you may be sitting there thinking, well, Isaiah, the Old Testament, judgment and wrath, that doesn't have a lot to do with me sitting here today.

But I would like to just invite you to take a fresh Look at Isaiah with new eyes and listen for a new thing.

God is inviting us to change our thinking and to see the abundance and provision from his perspective.

If you feel far from God this morning, He is near.

Amy's going to read Isaiah 55, and then we'll dig in and kind of use the chapter to guide us to look back at God's promises and covenants and then look forward to Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters.

And you who have no money, come, buy and eat.

Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.

Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labour on what does not satisfy?

Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest affair.

I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.

See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a ruler and commander of the peoples.

Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations you do not know will come running to you because of the Lord your God, the Holy 1 of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor.

Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts.

Let them turn to the Lord and he will have mercy on them.

And to our God, for he will freely pardon.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth, and make it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth.

It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace.

The mountains and the hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the fields will clap their hands.

Instead of the thorn bush will grow the juniper, and instead of the briars the myrtle will grow.

This will be for the Lord's renown, for an everlasting sign that will endure forever.

Excellent, So join me in looking and working through this chapter in Isaiah chapter 55.

I encourage you to look at it in your Bibles.

And we're going to step through it line by line and have a look at what God wants to say to us this morning.

Okay, so the whole chapter, 55, is really focused by this small section here, Seek the Lord while he may be found.

And I just want to draw your attention to that word seek.

Sometimes we kind of think of it in terms of hide and seek where you kind of are looking for something and then you find it.

But when we look back at the Hebrew word for the word seek, in fact, it's much more about inquiring and questioning and asking and going back again and again.

In fact, the root Semitic word in Hebrew is to tread like a well-worn path.

And even in Arabic, it means to study or even to thresh grain.

Okay, so you guys know how I do PowerPoint a little bit.

So you'll see on the side there, the layout of the entire chapter.

Don't expect you to try and read that and squint and see.

But I will be highlighting sections so you just kind of know where we are in this poem.

Okay, so let's have a look at the poem itself, but first I just want to expand this idea of seeking.

So I'm a big cross-country skier, we live in St.

Bruno, so I get to go and ski on all the trails in Saint-Brunot.

So what you see there is a heat map of all the places that I go and go again and revisit throughout the whole winter.

And because we're exegeting Isaiah 55 and there's the word snow in there, I figured I'd start with that.

Okay, so Isaiah 55 is a beautifully structured chapter in the Hebrew Bible.

It's got a lot of repetition and imagery.

And so as we go through these verses, I just want you to just look for that repetition, look for the imagery, capture what it's trying to say about what you know in the Old Testament, and look for places where it's pointing to Christ in the New Testament.

We're going to de-assue or seek all through the chapter here.

So the context here is to the exiles in Babylon, okay?

So they've, the judgment of the Lord has come and they've been exiled and they're living in Babylon and they're reading this word of Isaiah to them.

And this is an invitation to a great wedding feast.

In fact, after the chapters we've just been looking at in the last couple of weeks, chapter 54 is a renewed covenant.

And the whole poem in 54 is about an unfaithful wife and the Lord coming back to redeem and renew the covenant with his people.

So coming into the beginning of 55, It's a great wedding feast.

So the literary structure here is really chiastic, like Doug spoke to us last week.

And you can see that there's kind of a book ending of how this poem is structured.

So what we have at the beginning is God's invitation to a generous abundance and at the end we have these pointers, these pointers back to the Garden of Eden with the thorns and the thistles becoming evergreens and fragrant trees.

And then in the middle we have heavens and the earth.

And whenever you see in the Bible those words together, heaven and earth or earth and sky, that's a key to think back to the Garden of Eden and to the beginning into creation.

And so in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth, and God said his word, let there be light, and there was light.

There's a lot of feedback on that last change.

Okay, and then we come a little bit closer into the chiasm here, and it's an appeal to reason and a joyful response that are back-ended there.

And this is an appeal to not just our soul, but our mind to reason with God and our heart to worship in response to God.

Coming a little bit closer to the center, he's asking us to incline our ear to life, to listen to those everlasting covenants, to listen to his word, and to have confidence in his word.

And then we have these 2 sections where there's really a gift of life from heaven.

We have the covenant's promise to the ruler, to David, and then the fact that that messiah that's promised will bring life.

Coming in even closer, we have these amazing words that God will abundantly pardon.

And we're asked to turn from our ways, to repent, and to give up the way that we do things and to start thinking from God's perspective in God's way.

And then finally at the center we have my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are not your ways, my ways are higher.

And so that's gonna be our focus today as we look back into the Old Testament at how God just provided abundantly for his people And then as we look forward to the abundant provision of Jesus Christ our Savior.

Those that have no money and buy without cost.

Okay, so this is an invitation to those that have nothing.

And then we have in the next verse, why are you spending your money on what is not bread and what on your labor which doesn't satisfy?

We have the really poor is the invitation, and we have an invitation to those that have money.

And moving along through, again, in the beginning of Isaiah we have a beautiful line, come now let us reason together.

God is asking us in this poem to use our minds and to really examine our life.

Listen that you may live, give ear and come to me.

References those everlasting covenants, those promises to David.

And then He goes through a prophecy of what that Messiah is going to be like.

Nations that you not know will come running to you.

And then there's a reference to the God of Israel, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Forsake the way that you think about the world, come and return to me because I have mercy and I will freely pardon.

And again, my thoughts are not your thoughts.

As the heavens are higher than the earth, think about the stars and the galaxies and the way that gravity and general relativity are all pulled together so that we can have life on this earth.

Think about the intricacy of what it takes to grow a plant, for a seed to germinate, and for the DNA to mitosis and then create new life.

All of that intricacy in life, that's the perspective that God wants us to have looking at His word.

And then as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, If you're in exile in Babylon and you're thinking about back to your homeland in Israel and you see rain and snow coming down from heaven, you're going to think about Mount Hebron covered in snow up to the north of Galilee.

In fact, the top picture there is looking for Tiberias across the Sea of Galilee up to the snow cap peak of Mount Hebron in winter.

And all of that rain and all of that watershed then comes down through, collected in the Sea of Galilee, and drains out to the Dead Sea through the Jordan.

And you can think back through all of the Bible stories that you know about Jesus coming and living around the Sea of Galilee, about being baptized in the Jordan down at the bottom there by the Red Sea close to Jerusalem.

This is God's Word coming down from heaven and of course it creates that life, that budding and flourishing and it creates the seed and the bread for us to eat.

And this is what God is comparing his word that comes from the Lord in heaven to us.

And then finally, a response in worship, that heart cry that we can go out in joy and be led forth with peace.

And you can imagine, this is a message of hope to the exiles in Babylon, and they're gonna come back hiking through the mountains into that land and be clapping their hands and walking through those fields.

And then we have this return to the promise and the recreation of Eden.

The thorn bush will be junipers, evergreens, the briars will be myrtles, a fragrant, fragrant tree.

And again, it's all for God's glory, it's all for the Lord's renown, and that will be a sign forever.

And of course, there's a path because we're going down a well-worn path today.

We're going to look at this poem a couple of times.

OK, so like I said, if we want to understand Jesus and the Messiah and the way he talks to first century Jews in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, We need to understand the metaphors and the comparisons he's making in those gospels.

And to do that, we need to go back through the covenants and promises that we see in the Old Testament.

Okay, so we're gonna use Isaiah 55 as a signpost to look back at the promises and covenants of God in the Old Testament and as a signpost to see the Messiah as well.

Okay, so I've highlighted 2 covenants there.

There's the covenant to David, and then there's the everlasting sign or covenant at the end of the poem.

So we can look at a couple of other areas.

Israel is referenced, the holy God of Israel.

And of course, when we talk about the holy 1 of Israel, we're really talking about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

It's a nice shorthand that the speaker uses here.

We have water from the rock, we have manna from heaven.

Now there's a tricky 1 here, I don't know if you can see it, but bud and flourish in the presence of God.

Aaron's staff was put in next to the Ark of the Covenant and the next day it bud and flourished and had almond blossoms and even almonds on it.

So the author is leading us back to all of these stories that you know in the Old Testament.

Okay this one's a great 1, I really like this 1.

Okay, so you know about the Israelites were coming into a land of milk and honey, right?

I don't know if you've ever done that before, but that don't really go together very well.

Well, wine and milk is a direct reference to Jacob's blessing of Judah in Genesis 49.

Now it's a bit small up there, don't expect you to read it, but it says his eyes, talking about the ruler that will come from the line of Judah, His eyes will be darker than wine, and his teeth will be whiter than milk.

Okay, so the author and the speaker in Isaiah 55 is taking you back to Jacob's blessing of Judah.

So Judah, now we have rain and snow coming from heaven.

He was saved by going into the ark from the rain that was newly coming from the sky.

And of course, Noah worked the land, so we have seed for the sower and bread for the eater.

Actually, in Isaiah 54, there's a number of verses on Noah as well.

Now the poem takes us all the way back to the thorns and the thistles of Eden.

So there's 1 more character here that I want you to pull out.

Okay, think about an everlasting sign, another person that worked the land, maybe a wicked person with unrighteous thoughts who was near, yes, who was near to God and labored the soil, but didn't necessarily do what was good.

So Cain, okay, so this poem is linking us all the way back to Cain.

Okay, so Cain may be a little bit far in your mind, so I'm just gonna read Genesis 4, just to refresh a little bit the story.

Okay, now Abel kept flocks and Cain worked the soil.

In the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord.

And Abel also brought an offering, fat portions of some of the firstborn of his flock.

The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, But on Cain, he did not look with favor.

Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

Then the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry?

If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?

But if you do not do what it is right, sin is crouching at your door.

It desires to have you, but you must rule over it.

Now Cain said to his brother Abel, let's go out to the field.

While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother and killed him.

Then the Lord again said to Cain, where is your brother Abel?

Listen, your brother's brother's blood cries out to me from the ground.

Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.

When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you.

You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.

Cain said to the Lord, my punishment is more than I can bear.

Today you are driving me from the land and I will be hidden from your presence.

I will be a restless wanderer on the earth and whoever finds me will kill me.

Anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance 7 times over.

Then the Lord put his mark or sign on Cain so that no 1 who found him would kill him.

So Cain went out of the Lord's presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Okay, so I took a bit of time there to read that portion of scripture, but I just want you to reflect on that because Jesus, or Jesus, yes, Jesus, but God came to Cain twice.

First time, came to Cain when he was angry and downcast, and reached out in kindness and in love to welcome him back.

The second time, after he had killed Abel, God still went out to reason with Cain.

Yes, there were consequences to the fact that he had killed his brother.

The land was not gonna yield its fruit as easily to him.

But he was still able to be in the presence of God, and to be in Eden.

They'd only been driven out of the Garden of Eden, right?

They were still in that general vicinity.

And I think the important point here is that God's ways are higher than our ways.

Even Cain was thinking, my brothers and sisters are going to kill me because I killed my brother.

But God came to him not in vengeance, not in fury or wrath or judgment, but came to him with an invitation to stay.

But Cain decided to leave the presence and go out.

And we know that the punishment for murder would have been death.

Because God says, well Cain says very clearly, people are going to try and kill me.

And then God very clearly says, because I've put a mark on you, vengeance 7 times on anyone who kills Cain.

So the concept of vengeance and the need for retribution was very clear even in these very first passages.

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12-01-2024