God's love

Use this forum to discuss the August 2019 Book of the month, "I Will Make of Thee a Great Nation: Old Testament Stories" by Val D. Greenwood.
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Katherine Smith
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Re: God's love

Post by Katherine Smith »

I think that the story of Cain and Abel showed God's love. It is human to expect retribution or revenge when a loved one is killed. God showed that mercy should be shown even in the most direst of circumstances such as the murder of Abel. The mark of Cain was a way for God to prevent evil from happening to Cain just like the phrase "an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind". I liked that the other readers used the banishment of Adam and Eve from the garden as an example of God's love.
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Post by BookPower9 »

It's countless. Many stories in the Bible shows unlimited Love of God to human kind. In the Old Testament, through Moses, God we're able brought out the Israelites from the slavery of Egyptians. In the New testament, by bringing Jesus to the life of the People. John 3:16. God heals people through Jesus. God forgive sins by offering his son Jesus. It's countless. Love is never ending offering of God.
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Post by mariana90 »

Jsovermyer wrote: 02 Aug 2019, 05:57 I think most of the stories show God's wrath. Why did he put the Tree of Good and Evil in the Garden in the first place? Just to be a temptation? Why did he require a blood sacrifice in the Cain and Abel story? Also the big Angry God story is the Flood. He killed everything on the earth that wasn't on the ark.
My six year old nephew asked me the other day why had God killed everyone in the flood, even the children. :P I couldn't find any answer to satisfy his curiosity and still make him believe that God was good lol.

I agree that God in the Old Testament was written to inspire fear in his followers, not love. I guess the writers thought it was a more effective method to control people :eusa-think:
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Post by Jsovermyer »

mariana90 wrote: 06 Aug 2019, 21:11
Jsovermyer wrote: 02 Aug 2019, 05:57 I think most of the stories show God's wrath. Why did he put the Tree of Good and Evil in the Garden in the first place? Just to be a temptation? Why did he require a blood sacrifice in the Cain and Abel story? Also the big Angry God story is the Flood. He killed everything on the earth that wasn't on the ark.
My six year old nephew asked me the other day why had God killed everyone in the flood, even the children. :P I couldn't find any answer to satisfy his curiosity and still make him believe that God was good lol.

I agree that God in the Old Testament was written to inspire fear in his followers, not love. I guess the writers thought it was a more effective method to control people :eusa-think:
I think a lot of the stories in the Bible are just parables, meant to teach a lesson. I don't believe they are all true events.
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Post by Gracedscribe »

I think God's love is evident throughout - creation with such loving attention to detail, His relationship with Adam and Eve, His mercy toward Cain, etc. This is evident only when one reads between the lines. So while the anger and judgement are readily seen on the surface, it is the result of a great deal of hurt and betrayal.
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Post by Ellylion »

Jsovermyer wrote: 02 Aug 2019, 05:51 I think the story of Cain shows God's love. Eventhough Cain murdered his brother Abel, God put a mark on Cain to prevent others from killing him.
A very deep and interesting thought! I tend to agree, I think, God gave Cain a chance.
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Post by mariana90 »

Jsovermyer wrote: 06 Aug 2019, 22:08 I think a lot of the stories in the Bible are just parables, meant to teach a lesson. I don't believe they are all true events.
Aren't the parables the teachings of Jesus? I'm no expert on the Bible, but I thought that one has to interpret it maybe not 100% literally, but thereabouts?

I guess interpretation is in the hands of the reader, and that's why in the old days the Church didn't want anyone with that access.
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Post by Jsovermyer »

mariana90 wrote: 07 Aug 2019, 17:53
Jsovermyer wrote: 06 Aug 2019, 22:08 I think a lot of the stories in the Bible are just parables, meant to teach a lesson. I don't believe they are all true events.
Aren't the parables the teachings of Jesus? I'm no expert on the Bible, but I thought that one has to interpret it maybe not 100% literally, but thereabouts?

I guess interpretation is in the hands of the reader, and that's why in the old days the Church didn't want anyone with that access.
I agree with you. I guess I meant fables instead of parables.
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Post by Lisa A Rayburn »

MatereF wrote: 03 Aug 2019, 05:06
Jsovermyer wrote: 02 Aug 2019, 05:51 I think the story of Cain shows God's love. Even though Cain murdered his brother Abel, God put a mark on Cain to prevent others from killing him.
This is a true sign of love from a God who continues to protect us to this day.
But looked at in another way, this could also have been an act of judgment. By God ensuring that he lived, he also ensured that Cain had to carry the guilt of killing his brother for the rest of his life.
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Post by Nyambura Githui »

I think every story in the book shows God's love for his people. He put the Tree in the garden to give them free will, a choice, and every choice has its consequences.
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ernest kafuna wrote: 02 Aug 2019, 13:06 The story of Adam and Eve shows Gods great love when God sends them out of the garden of Eden in order to prevent Adam and Eve from eating any fruit from the tree of life.These really shows Gods love for his creation
Yes I must agree with you because God could have punished Adam and Eve more severely but he did not. This definitely shows God's love.
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Post by Elizabeth Pass »

God's love is everywhere. He created this great and wonderful world for us. He gave us food and livestock. He gave us night and day. He gave us free-will. When people say he shouldn't have put the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden if he didn't want Adam and Eve to eat the fruit, I remind them that if He hadn't, they wouldn't have faced the choice. Choice is a gift.
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Post by Sweet Psamy »

The story of Cain reflected the merciful aspect of God's love to us. I appreciated that the most.
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Post by Miercoles »

I think most of the stories of the Old Testament show God's love. He is depicted like a parent who has to constantly admonish and punish his errant child but still loves him despite everything that he does.
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Post by Wallaceo »

God's love is shown in very aspect of the bible no matter what book of the bible you read this is clear, for the Lord keep giving us time to be a better person and chances to be with him in the promise land.
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