WHY? – Genesis 4:6 –

WHY?

Genesis 4:6

And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? (Genesis 4:6)

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Introduction

   The word why is used twice in verse 6 of Chapter 4 in the book of Genesis. The first time it is revealing the wrath of man, and the second time, it is his fallen countenance. This is more than just the outward countenance of man, but it is what has robbed man of his glory within and without because of his sin. As Adam’s countenance was fallen when he trespassed against God in the garden, we have a further degradation in Adam’s first son. So, let’s begin looking at this word WHY. Let us see the fullness of this three-letter question that leads to the unknown. This is a question that ALL ask when dealing with the unknown. The word why is a giant curtain with all types of answers hidden behind. The first mention of this word is used by the Almighty. It is asked of a transgressor who has enmity in his heart against God and for his own disobedience against God.

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The Tale of Y

  As a youth of twelve years old, I had a totally black cat except for the shape of a white Y on his forehead. I named the cat Y. Now I had not planned it, but this name produced a lot of fun for when anyone asked, ‘What is the name of your cat?’ I would answer Y. Then they would again ask that they would like to know the cat’s name. And I would reply, Y. And this would continue on for a while, or until the person became upset. Then I would finally say, ‘The cat’s name is Y,’ and they would see the humor in the name of the cat. Now let’s put this question to God and ask God Y (WHY) and see His answers many times through the word of God. Let’s see what this three-letter word will discover for us and about us.

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Why art thou wroth?

CAIN ENRAGED

   The first mention of the word why was to a transgressor whose name was Cain as God rebuked a sinner for his actions in the land of thorns and thistles. It was not only the voice of God, but we find later in this Chapter that Cain was in the presence of God. And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. (Genesis 4:16) God asked Cain, Why art thou wroth? What was the seat of Cain’s sin? He had been instructed with the same instructions that Abel, his brother, received, but Cain was disobedient when it came to the sacrifice for, he brought the works of his own hands. God had established the Law of Sin and Death in the garden of God. After Adam sinned, and his glorious countenance was fallen God provided a covering for his sin in the sacrifice of two first born lambs without spot without or within. This was the FIRST SACRIFICE, and it was at the hand of God. WHY? Because God was looking to the fullness of time when it would be God the Father, who offered His Son, the perfect and righteous sacrifice for all man, on the cross of Calvary. The first two lambs were offered as shadows of that which was to come thousands of years later when Christ would say on the cross, It is finished. It would be Christ who would be the LAST lamb to be led to the slaughter. He would be the LAST lamb to bear the sin of man. He would be the Lamb slain from the foundations of the world to redeem man unto Himself, and to open the book that has concealed all the names of His precious children who have been bought by His precious blood more valuable than all the silver or gold or treasures of the earth. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law. (Galatians 4:4) Christ came in the fullness of time to complete the determinate counsels of God according to His foreknowledge when He offered the two lambs in the garden for the sin of Adam of Eve. Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: (Acts 2:23) Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. (Acts 2:24)

   It is quite evident, according to the word of God, that from the foundation of the world a body was prepared for the Lord Jesus Christ which in the foreknowledge of God would be the sacrificial Lamb upon the cross of Calvary in the fullness of time, when God would judge the sin of the WHOLE world upon His beloved Son, and His beloved Son would complete the determinate counsels of God in the words, It is finished, and then, commit His Spirit to His heavenly Father. This body is revealed to us in Hebrews 10:5, it reveals a body that was much greater than ALL the sacrifice’s that went before. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.

   All those sacrifices before Christ could only cover sin for a limited time, even under the Law there had to be a day of atonement every year, but Christ as the perfect and righteous sacrifice was ONCE offered to take away the sin of the WHOLE world, and in the likeness of flesh would take man’s sin upon Himself where God the Father would judge that sin in the fires of His righteousness. Psalm 22 discloses the inward and outward sufferings of Christ, and the very depth of that suffering when He declared, My God, my God why has thou forsaken me? This severe judgment (both outwardly and inwardly) was God burning the sacrifice of sin by His righteousness on the cross of Calvary in His only begotten Son, His ONLY Son, the son of righteousness with healing in His wings; it was the travail of Christ and the agony of God the Father, one being the sacrifice and the other watching the sacrifice according to His own determinate counsels. The soul, the very soul, the soul of creation, the soul of God’s word, the soul of all humanity, and the soul of heaven above became the sacrifice for sin. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. (Isaiah 53:10)

   So, I ask you, Why art thou wroth? Why is thy countenance fallen? Why is thy soul cast down when God, through Christ, opened the door of redemption as wide as the heavens themselves, so that through the sacrifice of Christ those who are born again in Christ receive the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus freeing them from the Law of Sin and Death. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2) If I may show you the sequence from the garden to the land of the thorns and thistles, beginning with the sacrifice of the two lambs, and their skins covering Adam and Eve. They were told by God that they were going to be sent to a land of thorns and thistles; at this, Adam once again rebelled against God, showing his enmity and the tremendous distance that had separated him from God in sin. They both refused to leave and had to be driven out of the garden in their rebellion. Sin had become such a huge wall that they would no longer obey God. So, God had to DRIVE them out of earth’s paradise to a land of thorns and thistles, and to BLOCK the way so that they could not return; thus, God stationed Cherubims and a flaming sword that turned every which way. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. (Genesis 3:24) NOTHING could enter into the garden because God must preserve and protect the tree of life from man in Adam. Next time someone tells you that man discovered fire, tell them to open the Bible to Genesis 3, and you will see that God revealed fire to man TWICE: once on the altar of sacrifice of the two lambs, and the second time to keep man from entering into the garden of God.

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WHY

The More Excellent Sacrifice

   Now, let’s look at Revelation 2:7, why is this such an important verse? It reveals to us the completion of the fullness of time when Christ opened the gates to the paradise of God. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. (Revelation 2:7) It is only the overcomer who enters into the paradise of God. It is all those who have overcome by the blood of the Lamb. It is the overcomer in the whole Church Age, and ONLY the overcomer who will partake of the tree of life in the paradise of God. It is Christ who is the Spirit of life, and it is He who possesses ALL life and is life in Himself. Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. (Hebrews 7:16)

   Let’s return to Cain in the land of thorns and thistles. He was the first recorded transgressor in this land. He disobeyed God in bring an offering of his own hands made up of the curse, for God had put a curse on the land of thorns and thistles, and this is where Cain gleaned his offering from in disobedience to God. If we want to see the true order of sacrifice, we must look at Abel’s sacrifice for he was a keeper of the sheep. God does not call Abel a grower, but a keeper because those who are of the herds of sheep according to Psalms are possessed by God. The cattle on a thousand hills belong to Him, so that all sacrifices were from the herds of God for they belonged to God. Man is just a keeper of what God has given. We see the obedience of Abel in Genesis 4 and in Hebrews 11:4. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. Remember, that it is God who asks the first question of WHY to mankind. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. (Genesis 4:2) In verse 2 of Genesis Chapter 4, we have God’s proper order and ordinance of sacrifice: Abel is brought out as a keeper of the sheep, so in verse 4, Abel brought of the firstling of his flock to offer a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11:4) The Lord had respect unto the offering of Abel because of his faith and his obedience to God. Abel is the first man of faith recorded in Chapter 11 of the book of Hebrews. And his faith is confirmed in the excellent sacrifice that he offered to God. Abel was also the first man to adorn the fruits of righteousness and before God righteous IN CHRIST. It is quite evident that God in great detail because of its importance, gave the rights of sacrifice and the offerings that he would accept to both Abel and Cain. Cain KNEW what sacrifice God would receive and accept, but in disobedience and the enmity of his heart, and sin at the door, he brought the works of his own hands. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee [shall be] his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. (Genesis 4:7) Cain was truly the first religious person who desired to approach God with the works of his own hands for he felt that he was above the desires and the will of God. We see just the opposite in Abel, from the very moment that God presented His ordinance of sacrifice to Abel, Abel diligently sought after God through faith. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. In Hebrews 11:6 we find Cain without faith, so that it would be impossible for Cain to please God. Through Hebrews 11:4, we find a man of faith, and because he was obedient in his offering, he was diligently seeking after God, and Abel pleased God so much so that in Hebrews 11:4 it is the ONLY time in all of scripture that God calls the sacrifice that was offered unto Him, a more excellent sacrifice.

   This FIRST offering by man (Abel) was the FIRST offering in the land of sin. This was the FIRST blood shed by Abel which transfigured the blood and the greater value of that blood over all the sacrifices from Abel to the fullness of time before the Almighty God and that foreshadowed the much greater blood in the Lord Jesus Christ. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: (Hebrews 9:13) How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14) God uses the words how much more to signify the excellent sacrifice, the ONLY sacrifice that God could accept would be the offering of His beloved Son. This is confirmed in Ephesians 5:2, And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. The words sweetsmelling savour reveals the acceptance of God the Father of this more excellent sacrifice and the value of the blood of Christ IN that sacrifice for God had accepted a divine sacrifice in the image of the invisible God, the fullness of the Godhead bodily, His beloved Son. It was a sweetsmelling savour to God with ALL divine acceptance, however, man still refuses this sacrifice today. Man still brings the works of his own hands. Man’s religion is based on what man builds, and it is all the outward and nothing inward. He builds his buildings, he builds his organizations, and in this he shows God that he does not need that more excellent sacrifice. All that man does in his religions are works without faith. He gleans from the curse to offer his own works to God, and just as Cain received NO respect for his offering, they also receive no respect for their offerings today. A good example of this is found in the days of Christ in Luke Chapter 18, beginning at 17 through 27.

Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.(Luke 18:17)

And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? (Luke 18:18)

And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. (Luke 18:19)

Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. (Luke 18:20)

And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. (Luke 18:21)

Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. (Luke 18:22)

And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. (Luke 18:23)　

And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! (Luke 18:24)

For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. (Luke 18:25)

And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? (Luke 18:26)

And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. (Luke 18:27)

   In these ten verses we are reminded of those ten commandments, however, we see a man who claimed that his stature was keeping the whole Law; nevertheless, God in Christ does not look on the outward works of man, but on the heart of man. Christ reveals the inward covetousness of this man: that his own possessions and his wealth were more important than God. He did all the religious things, but could not surrender all to God, consequently, the Lord Jesus revealed the true heart, and this man left with a sad heart because he could not give up that which he held most dear: his wealth. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein. In verse 17, we see the faith aspect as a little child, a little child is more concerned about those who are caring for him; he is not concerned with what the world is, or what it can give. A child only looks to his provider for life, so those who come to Christ have to look to Him with the faith of a little child that He is the great provider. He is the water of life, He is the bread of life, He is the most excellent sacrifice, and He is the provider of eternal life to those who believe in Him. It is in our makeup, under sin, to break the Law of God. Within every person there is the root of sin which Adam brought into the world. In fact, if one breaks one of the commandments, he is guilty of all. WHY? Because the ten eternal commandments are out of the reach of mankind in Adam. Man cannot see or obey these commandments etched in stone for they condemn man in his sinful state before God.

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1)

Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. (Galatians 5:2)

For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. (Galatians 5:3)

Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. (Galatians 5:4)

For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. (Galatians 5:5)

For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. (Galatians 5:6)

Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? (Galatians 5:7)

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What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. (Romans 9:30)　

But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. (Romans 9:31)　

Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; (Romans 9:32)　

As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. (Romans 9:33)　

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For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10) 

But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. (Galatians 3:11)

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Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.  (Galatians 2:16)

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For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. (James 2:10)

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WHY

The Law of Faith

   In the reality of what James tells us that one lie breaks the whole law, so it is impossible for man to be justified by the Law. It is through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that man is justified. Through faith man becomes an overcomer. He has entered into the Law of Faith that was established in man in Abel. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. (Romans 3:27) By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. (Hebrews 11:4)

   Abel was the first recipient of faith as man on earth. We believe through faith that the Lord Jesus formed the world by the Word of God, and all creation is accepted by the child of God by faith to fulfill the Law of Faith in us. It behooves each and every child of God to live by faith, not only are we saved by faith, but each and every moment after our salvation is received in our hearts by faith and of faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Galatians 2:20 we live through the faith of the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself for us. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. The Spirit of God wants us to understand how much a force faith is in our hearts and in our souls. When God gives us the faith of Jesus Christ in our hearts that Spirit comes with the faith that is IN Jesus Christ. He is the Author and Finisher of my faith. This shows a continuation through the life of faith that it has a beginning, and it has a conclusion of my 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.(Hebrews 12:2) In the book of Hebrews our faith is directly connected to the throne of grace where Christ is sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high. The throne of grace is connected to faith in that faith is the gift of God that leads us to grace. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8) Abel was the recipient of God’s faith and of God’s grace. Cain could not understand God’s provision in His ordinance of sacrifice because Cain was NOT instructed by faith. He heard the same words of God that Abel heard, yet Cain would not obey because faith was not in him. In Cain’s disobedience he became enraged with God and refused the faith that Abel had accepted. Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? God looked on Cain’s heart and saw the enmity of Cain. Cain had no reason to be cast down for he had the same opportunity as Abel, but Cain would not be obedient to God for sin lieth at the door, and because of the sin of Adam within every man, sin lieth at the door. Sin is a weight waiting to enter into the heart. James tells us in James Chapter 1:14 and 15 that there is a progression of sin before sin is let in there is a lust within the heart, and when lust brings forth sin the door is opened, and sin takes hold of the heart because of one’s own lust. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. (James 1:14) Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. (James 1:15) The word lust has many significations: we have the lust of the flesh, the lust of money, the lust for power, the lust for fame, and then many more lusts constantly face us. It is the lust within that lead to sin without, and then when sin has finished it brings forth death . . . and why is thy countenance fallen? This answers WHY Cain’s countenance was fallen because of the lust of disobedience and the self satisfaction that he had in the works of his own hands that they were even acceptable to be offered to God. However, God had no respect concerning the offerings of Cain. One should also see that with the Law of Faith that there is also the path of obedience as in Hebrews 11:6. Cain was NOT diligently seeking God. He was seeking his own way by the works of his hands. His own religion . . . his own way to God, and he brought the things from the ground that God had cursed. God could not accept the accursed thing. Only the righteous sacrifice could bring God’s approval, and because God is righteous He must judge accordingly against sin. Cain opened the door of sin through his own lust and became a child of the wicked one. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. (1^st John 3:12) Abel obeyed and diligently sought after God and became a child of faith. Abel pleased God in his offering of a more excellent sacrifice because it was a foreshadow of the Lamb of God: Jesus Christ. Abel’s faith was fulfilled on the cross of Calvary by Christ for He was the divine sacrifice on the cross.

   We also see in Cain the seed of the devil as we see in Abel the seed of faith. Cain had a heart of total rebelliousness. It was the sin of Lucifer being magnified by Cain. Cain was performing the ‘I will’s’ of the devil that are found in Isaiah Chapter 14, verses 13 and 14. For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: (Isaiah 14:13) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. (Isaiah 14:14) Cain refused to repent, so, sin multiplied itself, and led Cain to be the first manslayer, which there have been many of.

Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, (1^st Timothy 1:9) For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine. (1^st Timothy 1:10)

   Do you think that all is well in your world? The devil wants you to be comfortable in his world of sin so that he can devour you. He places the sin at the door, the door to the heart that has enmity against God. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. (Genesis 4:7) Cain was a usurper, and his spirit has not changed among the children of this world, the children of the devil/Lucifer. The first things that we see in Cain are exactly the very same things that we see in Judas, the betrayer of the Lord Jesus Christ. Long before the night of Christ’s betrayal by Judas, the Lord Jesus had already marked him out for being of the devil. Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? (John 6:70) He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve. (John 6:71) This, of course, shows that the Lord Jesus was in full possession of an omniscient mind, knowing all things especially when it involved the sons of men. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, (John 2:24) And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man. (John 2:25) If we reflect back on Isaiah 14, verses 13 and 14, we see the five ‘wills’ of Lucifer. When Adam sinned, those five ‘will’s’ became buried deep into the chasms of man’s heart of enmity. All men might not reveal these things, but they are all deeply buried in mankind because of sin. Man wants to be a usurper, if it was not so, we would not have wars, we would not have slavery, we would not have governments burdening their people, we would not have man wanting power of heaven and upon earth. Man has not flown into the great unknown in the heavens to be a subject of heaven in his space travel. He has gone there to be the usurper and the ruler of the heavenlies. Man has not changed from the land of thorns and thistles to the great beyond among the planets and the stars. He is only showing his great hatred for God through the enmity in the deep dark mind of his heart where the five ‘I will’s’ of Lucifer have their tentacles reaching out to all man born of Adam. Lucifer wanted to be as God. And the more that we examine humankind, we see the head and the tail of the devil drawing them to him until one day the devil will have a king in the man of sin ruling over the whole earth. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; (2^nd Thessalonians 2:3) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. (2^nd Thessalonians 2:4)

   The Bible tells us that rebellion is as witchcraft, and witchcraft is idolatry which was the transgression of Cain influenced as Judas Iscariot by the devil. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, (Galatians 5:19) Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, (Galatians 5:20) Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:21) Lucifer was the first transgressor in heaven, and Cain was the first transgressor in the land of thorns and thistles, a world under the curse of God. Even in the Church, or among those who profess Christ, but have not His seed, there is the seed of Lucifer. It may be many man-made idols, or an idol of one’s own heart through one’s own lust, but nevertheless, all comes from a heart of enmity against God. Many do not show this enmity outwardly, but it is deeply buried within the fiber of their very being. Some may not even realize it until as Cain they stand before God and THEN the rage, the wroth, of their hearts comes out against God. But ALL this comes from that seed of the evil one that transformed the heart in Adam into a rebellious and deceitful heart. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9) I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. (Jeremiah 17:10) I want you to see in Jeremiah Chapter 17 that God is not talking to one individual, He is not even talking to the nation of Israel, but He is speaking to the whole world and to every man. It is God Almighty searching YOUR heart, looking into the depth and the breadth and the height of all of your transgressions just as He examined the heart of Cain BEFORE Cain stood before Him. God saw the enmity of sin and the self will of the sinner that was given to Adam in his sin against God. More transpired at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil than we realize. Not only did Adam lose the glory of God upon him, but Lucifer inserted his venomous sin, the sin of self, the ‘I will’s’ of a sinner. To see the depth of Cain’s rebellion, one must remember Cain was standing in the presence of his Creator; yet Cain did not acknowledge the majesty or the glory of the Almighty God. The opposite of this is seen in Revelation Chapter 1, when John turned and saw the Son of man, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator of all things. John fell on his face as though he was dead. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: (Revelation 1:17)

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; (Ephesians 3:8)

And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: (Ephesians 3:9)

To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, (Ephesians 3:10)

According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: (Ephesians 3:11)

In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. (Ephesians 3:12)

    We see the opposite in Cain. Cain did none of these, he would not bow the knee to the Almighty God, he would not address the Almighty with reverence and godly fear, instead he spoke out against his Creator with the complaints of his own depraved heart, as a shadow of the ‘I will’s’ of Lucifer.

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WHY

Unable to See the Glory of God

   The second WHY, is why is thy countenance fallen? (Genesis 4:6) Cain’s composure, his expression and his demeanor not only completely changed but revealed the fury of the turmoil within him. Cain was furious because God refused to accept and approve him. He wanted to be accepted on his own values, his own laws within himself; however, the law within him was The Law of Sin and Death. In all the children of Adam, this Law of Sin and Death controls their thoughts, their actions, and their possession in the devil’s hands. As God molds His children according to God’s perfect will, Lucifer molds his children after his own character in the sin which is still in Lucifer’s heart to fulfill all the ‘I will’s’ of Lucifer’s mind, heart and soul. We see the opposite of a man given over to God as Abel walking by the seed of Christ and the faith within Christ, as the Author and Finisher of faith. Psalm 19 gives us a man who comes into this world as a sinner under The Law of Sin and Death, but he finds the miracle of faith in Almighty God, and God opens his heart to see the majesty of God in all around him. He acknowledges his Creator by magnifying the very creation that God possesses. The heavens declare the glory of God as we behold the heavens above, each and every day, the glory of the sun rises from the horizon to declare the glory of God in all His majesty. Day after day, and night unto night, the glory of God watches over us as the moon reflects the light from the sun, and this moon is surrounded by innumerable lights twinkling as their light comes to us from the celestial pushing their light through millions of miles of darkness so that from the beginning of time man can see the glory of God reflected in their brightness night after night through the ages of time. It is the Almighty God reflected and revealed in ALL his creation, if only man would stop his quest to rule over the things of God and see that it is the Almighty who truly rules over man. I urge you to read the whole of Psalm 19, I will post it at the end of this article, but for now, let’s take this to another level. Let’s turn to the New Testament, There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. (1st Corinthians 15:40) There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. (1st Corinthians 15:41) God has given each one of these a glory unto themselves to reflect and to be a manifestation in type of His ultimate glory as the Creator, the Almighty God. Each one of those twinkling lights in the heavens has a glory of its own. Each one has a brightness that God has given to that particular star, even the sun and the moon are linked together in the glory of the sun as the Church is linked to Christ in His glory, and in the beauty of His holiness. Just as the children of God proclaim the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to a dying world, the heavens declare the glory of God to all men day unto day, and night unto night. And the small reminder: Who is the brightness of God’s glory, and the express image of God’s Person? Yes, it is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3) For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2^nd Corinthians 4:6)

   The stars above us with their glory stood in the blackness of night over Cain as they still shine over us today. The same sun came up in the new day and presented itself to Cain, the same moon watched over him at night, yet Cain was blind to the majesty of God and to the glory of God, and the glory of God’s creation because sin lieth at the door. If man had been born with inherent righteousness instead of falling into sin, he would see all the beauties of his Creator in all that surrounds him, and he would also see (through the eyes of God’s righteousness) the tremendous tragedy of sin that brings forth death. It is a plague upon all men with only one cure, and this is belief in God’s dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

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WHY

The Door

   In the fourth Chapter of Genesis, we see another first, we see the word door. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee [shall be] his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. (Genesis 4:7) The first door in scripture is a door to sin, and this door to sin is opened from the inside because of Adam’s inherent sin given to all men because of Adam’s disobedience. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12) Now in the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, there are seventeen verses with the word door. Because of lack of space and time and the present message, I will only deal with two of these verses briefly: Mark 1:33 And all the city was gathered together at the door. and John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

   Each one of these seventeen verses has a message of importance to one’s heart, soul and spirit. And I wish that you would take each one and examine them by the Spirit of God. It will enrich you in the process. In Mark 1:33, And all the city was gathered together at the door. We begin with numbers (1:33): there is ONE God and in (1:33) we have a duplicate of the UNSEEN Godhead and the revelation of the Godhead to man in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ as the fullness of the Godhead bodily. Now we have all the city was gathered together at the door. Christ stood between the two door posts and the lintel as they gathered to hear Him. He not only spoke to them but by Him being in the doorway we see the great past in Egypt as the pascal Lamb. For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite [you]. (Exodus 12:23)

  Christ first entered INTO the house where Simon’s wife’s mother was sick with a fever and simply raised her up, and IMMEDIATELY the fever was gone. And then He turned and walked to the doorway and looked out upon the throng, all the city was gathered together at the door. He healed the lepers. He gave strength to the lame, He healed all manner of sicknesses, and He also cast out the devils, and He restrained them NOT to tell the multitude who He was.

But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her. (Mark 1:30)

And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. (Mark 1:31)

And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils. (Mark 1:32)

And all the city was gathered together at the door. (Mark 1:33)

And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. (Mark 1:34)

   As one once said after the crucifixion and the burial and the resurrection of Christ, these things were not done in a corner, they were open to all, and proclaimed to all. But here in this city, every man, woman and child saw the great miracles of the pascal Lamb in the doorway. Soon it would be His blood on the cross of Calvary to give man life and to protect man from the angel of death.

   Let us consider the door in John 10:9, I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. We have another number collection in 10:9. This number begins with the Law, what is required of man that man cannot keep, and the number 9 gives us the finality or completion of God’s work. (Three goes into nine three times, and in Christ we have a witness of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.) Nine is the finality of His work of grace for all man. He is not ONLY A DOOR, HE is THE DOOR, and once again, He used the title as the great I AM, and the first four words of John 10:9 are I am the door. And the way that it is written, there is no other, thus, we have the full definition of the door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved. He leaves no doubt that man has to enter in, he cannot stand outside, he cannot wish to be in, he MUST, through Christ, believe in the Son of God, in heart, soul, and spirit to enter in for salvation is WITHIN God’s righteousness in Jesus Christ and not by the outward works of righteousness, which only one can do if they have entered in by the Door, which is Jesus Christ, and shall go in and out and find pasture. Here is the day-to-day care by God for His own, and the power that He gives them to be a witness for God in a wicked world, and they can only find rest or pasture by the guidance of the Shepherd who is the Door of their salvation.

   Let’s move on, let’s reaffirm the door AFTER the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. In John’s great vision, in the book of the Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, Chapter 3, verse 20, presents the Lord Jesus standing at the door. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Remember the first mention of door in Genesis 4:7, the door was the place where the deceptive and deceitful sin lies waiting. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. However, here we see the continual knocking AT the door of man’s heart. If any man of all of Adam’s children, any of his descendants open the door to Christ, the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ will come in and feed the soul with the manna of life.

   But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. In the first mention of the word door in the gospels in Matthew 6:6, we have a message to mankind in the number six, and the message to all men in the repeat of the number six, it is very close to Revelation 3:20. We see the relationship in Matthew 6:6 to God the Father behind the door in the secrecy of prayer and here the heart cries out to the Father in this secret place that God the Father who sees in secret shall reward thee openly.

   In Revelation 3:20, Christ comes in as the manna of heaven. Those who hear His voice and hear the knocking and open the door will be fed with the manna of life in the Lord Jesus Christ. He will present the truth in all its holiness in the word of God to your heart as He did to the two on the Emmaus Road. As He sits at His table, He will expound to the heart all things concerning Himself from Moses and the prophets, and the Psalms, and of course, also all the books in the New Testament including the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

   We have many witnesses in the New Testament, we have the words of Jesus, which are spirit and life, we have the witness of them who heard Him, and we have the witness of the Holy Spirit of God to lead us into all truth. An unction from on high to give us the mind and the Spirit of Christ that we can approach Him and learn of Him as the Almighty and the Creator of all things will come in through that door and sit down at His table of truth and feed the sheep of His pasture with the word of God. Now it is quite fitting that the last mention of door is seen in Revelation 4:1. After this I looked, and, behold, a door [was] opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard [was] as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. As we depart from this world (four is the earth number) we pass through the door to the Almighty (the number 1). There is ONE God of heaven and earth, and the Door to heaven has been opened by the fullness of the Godhead bodily both now and forever. We who are born of God begin our journey as newborn babes seeking the milk of His word that we may grow thereby through faith and diligently seeking Him we grow into maturity so we can discern the fruit of the tree judging between good and evil. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:14)

   Through the word of God, God the Holy Spirit breathes life into the very words and through the word of God we learn of our eternal inheritance, the riches that Christ has given to us in heavenly places: all the promises of God are fulfilled in His beloved. We are partakers of the heavenly calling. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. (Hebrews 3:1) Our salvation and election are secured in the determinate counsels of God. He has opened the book of life and revealed the names that were written BEFORE the foundations of the world. His foreknowledge and perfect will would be secured for us by all the eternal working and power of God. We have been translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. (Colossians 1:13) We have entered into God’s rest. (Hebrews 4) And we are partakers of the seventh day of rest waiting for the eighth day when we will be changed. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1^st John 3:2) We shall see Him as He is and be like Him.

When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)

And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:23)

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. (Romans 8:29)

Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:21)

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God Ask’s Today

WHY

　Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? (Genesis 4:6)

   From Cain to this present-day man still shakes his fist in the face of God and denies the Almighty. Man cries out before God and the angels, ‘This is MY earth, I possess it, and not God.’ All the actions of mankind speak and testify to the very words that I have written. In the day of the crucifixion of Christ, man walked by mocking their Creator while He was suffering and dying on the cross. He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. (Matthew 27:42) They cried out against His power, He saved others, let him now save himself. They even denied Him in His death. Pilate had written a plaque that the Lord Jesus was the King of the Jews, yet they even mocked and denied that. Four times it is recorded in scripture that this title was placed over the Lord’s head at the cross, thus, condemning the world for their denial of their God and Creator.

1. And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. (Matthew 27:37)
2. And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS. (Mark 15:26)
3. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. (Luke 23:38)
4. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. (John 19:19) This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. (John 19:20)

   They had earlier cried out in wroth as Cain had cried out in anger. But they cried out, Away with [him], away with [him], crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. (John 19:15) In Revelation 6, man in his unity shakes his fist once again in the face of the Almighty.

And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; (Revelation 6:15) And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: (Revelation 6:16) For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? (Revelation 6:17)

   In verse 15 the Almighty God starts with all men of every sort: from the kings to the lowest serf, to the slave and the bondman; they all hide themselves from the face of God and the Lamb that was slain. This takes place in the day of the judgment of the earth when God will shake the very foundation of the earth, and man will know that it is the judgment of God upon them. Yet, they will REFUSE to repent and will hide themselves from God in the dens, in the caves, in their hidden bunkers, but God finds all, and the rocks from above fall upon them. At the end of Revelation Chapter 6, we see the same heart that was in Cain. It once again reveals itself as the Almighty again asks the question, WHY? And He asks the same question today to all who have come into this world as sinners, Why art thou wroth? Why is thy countenance fallen? The scriptures continually remind us that man from Cain to mankind today, now IS and WILL BE children of their father, the devil.

Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. (John 8:43)

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. (John 8:44)

And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. (John 8:45)

Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? (John 8:46)

He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. (John 8:47)

   In our day we have no excuse. We have the complete revelation of God in His divine word from Genesis to Revelation. It is the divine will that we in our present day should see the complete flow of the word of God from Genesis to Revelation not as bits and pieces, but ALL the word of God. It should be a continuum of God’s mind and will for us and we should see every word as a building block as line upon line, and precept upon precept.

   The Pharisees in John Chapter 8 were of the same heart as Cain. This is why the Lord Jesus identified them with Cain, for he was a murderer from the beginning. And as Cain’s father was the devil, so Christ identified them (Pharisees) as children of the devil. And in these verse in John 8, the Lord revealed their hearts openly through His words. He looked at them in their eyes and in their hearts, and exposed them for whom they were, and He stopped them cold. Remember, they were so furious that at the end of this 8^th Chapter, one and all, the children of the devil, picked up stones and their intent was to murder the Prince of life. But He being God cloaked Himself and passed through their mist UNSEEN. They had Moses and the prophets, yet they would not obey the writings of Moses nor of the prophets. They had the Living Word of God before them, and they hardened their hearts as in the provocation when they wandered in the land of sin. Even the last throes of a dying nation, when Israel had filled up the cup of sin, God reminded them, before their captivity into Babylon, that there was no remedy for their sin and disobedience. And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: (2^nd Chronicles 36:15) But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against his people, till there was no remedy. (2^nd Chronicles 36:16)

   Think of the condition of mankind today, even the leaders of the world are from the vilest and lowest sort of mankind. Their sin has also filled up the cup, for more than two thousand years the gospel has been preached to a dying world. It has been preached to their dying hearts, to their dying spirits, and their dying souls. Yet they still rebel against God, and still refuse the message of God’s prophets to repent and to cast oneself upon a merciful God for their salvation. The present evil world, as Paul called it, is still with us today. It is a world of wrath, death and destruction because of the sin of man and the enmity of Satan, the old serpent, the devil.

   In the Philadelphian Church, the sixth church in Revelation Chapter 3, the Lord Jesus sets before them an open door that no man can shut. He makes His word available to all, and His witness through His creation is witnessing today as in the beginning, twenty-four hours a day, day unto day, and night unto night; yet man is still wroth with God. In Cain we see the first child of the wicked one, and he is the first of many to walk upon this earth, led by his father, the devil. In Abel, we see the seed of faith in Christ Jesus. So it is in this world today, the children of God are few and the children of the serpent, the devil, are many. There is no middle ground. Even those who now have the Spirit of Christ were once children of wrath.

And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; (Ephesians 2:1)

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (Ephesians 2:2)

Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. (Ephesians 2:3)

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, (Ephesians 2:4)

Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) (Ephesians 2:5)

And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: (Ephesians 2:6)

That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:7)

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8)

Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:9)

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

   We as the children of Christ remember our past that we also were children of wrath but now through the mercies and grace of God we have walked through the veil of darkness into God’s marvelous light in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We now have the heavenly hope of all saints to be with Christ in His glory and see Him as He is. Oh, blessed Savior, what wonder we see in Thee for Thy name’s sake, the name of Jesus: Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace . . . the great I AM. We thank you with all our heart, soul, and spirit.

Amen, so shall it be.

The Door in the Four Gospels

MATTHEW

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. (Matthew 6:6)

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. (Matthew 25:10)

And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. (Matthew 27:60)

And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. (Matthew 28:2)

MARK

And all the city was gathered together at the door. (Mark 1:33)

And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive [them], no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them. (Mark 2:2)

And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him. (Mark 11:4)

And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre. (Mark 15:46)

And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? (Mark 16:3)

LUKE

And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. (Luke 11:7)

When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: (Luke 13:25)

JOHN

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. (John 10:1)

But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. (John 10:2)

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. (John 10:7)

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. (John 10:9)

But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. (John 18:16)

Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also [one] of this man’s disciples? He saith, I am not. (John 18:17)

© Copyright 2023, Michael Haigh

This article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.

All Scripture references are from the King James Bible. (KJB)