Good News Part 3

Good News!  

Part 3 

 After Eden 

In the first two parts of this study, we discovered that the Good News begins not in the Apostolic Writings, but in the opening pages of Genesis. We saw that YHWH Elohim created the heavens and the earth, made mankind in His image, and desired fellowship with those He had created. Yet through Adam and Hawwah's choice to distrust the Creator and follow another voice, sin entered the world, bringing separation, suffering, and death. 

Even amid judgment, however, the Creator revealed His mercy. He sought the man and the woman who had hidden themselves, promised that the serpent's victory would not be final, and provided a covering for their shame. From the very beginning, YHWH revealed that His purpose was not to abandon mankind, but to begin restoring what had been lost. 

As we continue through the Scriptures, we discover that mankind's rebellion did not end outside the Garden of Eden. Instead, each new generation drifted farther from the Creator. Violence increased. Wickedness spread throughout the earth. Even after the judgment of the Flood, the heart of man remained unchanged, and once again humanity united in pride rather than humble obedience. 

Yet alongside this tragic account runs another story—one of the unwavering faithfulness of YHWH. While mankind repeatedly broke fellowship with Him, He never abandoned the promise He had spoken in Eden. Throughout the generations, He preserved a faithful line, demonstrated His mercy, and continued working out His purpose. The darkness grew deeper, but the promise endures. 

In this part of our study, we will trace the generations from Adam to the nations scattered at Babel. Along the way, we will see both the increasing consequences of sin and the steadfast faithfulness of the Almighty Creator. By the time we reach the end of Genesis 11, one truth will have become unmistakably clear: mankind cannot redeem itself. If hope is to come, it must come from YHWH Elohim. That realization prepares us for the next great chapter of the Good News. 

(Gen 4:1 [TS2009]) 

And Aḏam knew Ḥawwah his wife, and she conceived and bore Qayin, and said, “I have gained a man, יהוה.” 

(Gen 4:2 [TS2009]) 

And again, she gave birth to his brother Heḇel. And Heḇel became a keeper of sheep, but Qayin became a tiller of the ground. 

(Gen 4:3 [TS2009]) 

And it came to be, in the course of time, that Qayin brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to יהוה. 

(Gen 4:4 [TS2009]) 

And Heḇel also brought of the first-born of his flock and of their fat. And יהוה looked to Heḇel and his offering, 

(Gen 4:5 [TS2009]) 

but He did not look to Qayin and his offering. And Qayin was very wroth, and his face fell. 

(Gen 4:6 [TS2009]) 

And יהוה said to Qayin, “Why is he wroth towards you? And why is your face fallen?  

(Gen 4:7 [TS2009]) 

“Is it not if you do good, you are to be accepted? And if you do not do good, towards the door is a sin. He is lying and towards you is his desire, and you must rule over him.” 

(Gen 4:8 [TS2009]) 

And Qayin told Heḇel his brother. And it came to be when they were in the field, that Qayin rose up against Heḇel his brother and killed him. 

After leaving Eden, it did not take long before mankind once again turned away from YHWH Elohim. The first family was soon divided by jealousy, anger, and violence as Qayin rose up and murdered his brother, Heḇel. 

Just as Master YHWH warned Adam concerning the tree in Eden, He now warns Qayin before he sins. Once again, the Creator speaks before judgment comes. Once again, mankind is given a choice. 

Yet even here we see the mercy of YHWH Elohim. Although Qayin would bear the consequences of his sin, the Creator did not permit others to take his life. Instead, He placed a mark upon Qayin to protect him. Even in judgment, His mercy is still evident, as we see in the following verses. 

(Gen 4:9 [TS2009]) 

And יהוה said to Qayin, “Where is Heḇel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s guard?” 

 (Gen 4:10 [TS2009]) 

And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. 

 (Gen 4:11 [TS2009]) 

“And now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 

 (Gen 4:12 [TS2009]) 

“If you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 

(Gen 4:13 [TS2009]) 

And Qayin said to יהוה, “My punishment is too great to bear! 

 (Gen 4:14 [TS2009]) 

“See, You have driven me from the face of the ground today, and I am hidden from Your face. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and it shall be that anyone who finds me kills me.” 

(Gen 4:15 [TS2009]) 

And יהוה said to him, “Well, if anyone kills Qayin, vengeance is taken on him sevenfold.” And יהוה set up a sign for Qayin, lest anyone finding him strikes him. 

As the generations pass in Genesis 5, one phrase is repeated again and again: “and he died.” The consequence first spoken in Eden had become the common experience of every generation." 

The Flood  

Sin did not remain confined to one act in one family. Like a disease left untreated, it spread from generation to generation. The following verses describe an increase of mankind upon the earth, but also their wickedness, too; “that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” 

(Gen 6:1 [TS2009]) 

And it came to be, when men began to increase on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 

(Gen 6:2 [TS2009]) 

that the sons of Elohim saw the daughters of men, that they were good. And they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. 

(Gen 6:3 [TS2009]) 

And יהוה said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever in his going astray. He is flesh, and his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” 

(Gen 6:4 [TS2009]) 

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of Elohim came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, the men of name. 

(Gen 6:5 [TS2009]) 

And יהוה saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 

(Gen 6:6 [TS2009]) 

And יהוה was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 

(Gen 6:7 [TS2009]) 

And יהוה said, “I am going to wipe off man whom I have created from the face of the ground, both man and beast, creeping creature and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 

There is a lot that can and has been said concerning the verses we have read above. One could (and many have) speculate on verse 4, and its meaning. However, that is a study unto itself, and the focus of this study concerns the Good News.  

The verses above reveal that YHWH Elohim was grieved by mankind's wickedness. The wickedness of man had become so great that He comes to a monumental decision. He will destroy mankind from the face of the earth.  

Yet once again, judgment is not the whole story. Amid a corrupt world, the Scriptures introduce a man named Noah. 

(Gen 6:8 [TS2009]) 

But Noaḥ found favour in the eyes of יהוה. 

Master Yehoshua later pointed His disciples back to the days of Noah when describing the time preceding His return (Matthew 24:37–39). I encourage you to read that passage in its entirety. It is one of many examples of how the Apostolic Writings direct us back to the earlier Scriptures. 

One of the great joys of studying the Scriptures, is discovering how often they illuminate one another. As we become familiar with the Tanakh (“Old Testament”), we begin to recognize the many ways in which the Apostolic Writings (“New Testament”) build upon what has already been revealed. Time and again, Master Yehoshua and His taught ones direct our attention back to the earlier Scriptures, inviting us to read them more carefully and understand them more fully. 

(Gen 6:13 [TS2009]) 

and Elohim said to Noaḥ, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them. And see, I am going to destroy them from the earth. 

(Gen 6:14 [TS2009]) 

“Make yourself an ark of gopherwood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with a covering.

(Gen 6:15 [TS2009]) 

“And this is how you are to make it: The length of the ark is three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 

(Gen 6:16 [TS2009]) 

“Make a window for the ark, and complete it to a cubit from above. And set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. 

(Gen 6:17 [TS2009]) 

“And see, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life from under the heavens – all that is on the earth is to die. 

(Gen 6:18 [TS2009]) 

“And I shall establish My covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. 

(Gen 6:19 [TS2009]) 

“And of all the living of all flesh, two of each, you are to bring into the ark, to keep them alive with you – a male and a female. 

(Gen 6:20 [TS2009]) 

“Of the birds after their kind, and of the cattle after their kind, and of all creeping creatures of the ground after their kind, two of each are to come to you, to keep them alive. 

(Gen 6:21 [TS2009]) 

“As for you, take of all food that is eaten and gather it to yourself. And it shall be food for you and for them.” 

(Gen 6:22 [TS2009]) 

And Noaḥ did according to all that Elohim commanded him, so he did. 

Continuing the narrative of Genesis 6, we discover yet another promise from YHWH Elohim. Although He was about to bring judgment upon the earth, He also promised to preserve Noah and his family. Once again, we see both the justice and the mercy of the Creator working together. 

We also learn an important lesson about faith. Noah did not merely hear the word of YHWH; he believed it. His trust in the Creator was demonstrated by his obedience. When YHWH Elohim commanded him to build the ark, Noah did exactly as he was instructed. His actions did not create the promise—they were the response of a man who trusted the One who had made it. 

YHWH Elohim Keeps His Promise 

Just as Almighty YHWH had promised, Noah, his family, and every living creature safely came out of the ark after the waters had subsided. 

(Gen 8:18 [TS2009]) 

So Noaḥ went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him, 

The judgment of the Flood had passed, but the faithfulness of the Almighty Creator remained. The One who had warned Noah, instructed him to build the ark, and promised to preserve him had fulfilled every word. Noah's first recorded act after leaving the ark was not to build a home or begin cultivating the land. Instead, he worshiped Master YHWH. 

(Gen 8:20 [TS2009]) 

And Noaḥ built a slaughter-place to יהוה, and took of every clean beast and of every clean bird, and offered ascending offerings on the slaughter-place. 

This simple act speaks volumes. Noah recognized that his deliverance was not the result of his own strength or wisdom, but of the mercy and faithfulness of the Almighty. Throughout the Scriptures, we will continue to see this same pattern: YHWH makes promises, faithfully keeps them, and those who trust Him respond with worship, gratitude, and obedience. 

(Gen 8:21 [TS2009]) 

And יהוה smelled a soothing fragrance, and יהוה said in His heart, “Never again shall I curse the ground because of man, although the inclination of man’s heart is evil from his youth, and never again strike all living creatures, as I have done, 

Let's pause for a moment and consider what YHWH reveals in this verse. Although He had faithfully preserved Noah and his family through the Flood, He also declares something about the human condition that remains true: "the inclination of man's heart is evil from his youth." 

The Flood had removed a wicked generation, but it had not removed the problem of sin from the human heart. Noah and his family still needed the same mercy and redemption as those who had come before them. 

This is an important truth for us to remember as we continue through the Scriptures. Although our surroundings and circumstances influence us, the Scriptures consistently point to a deeper problem: the human heart. If mankind is to be redeemed, that redemption must come from YHWH. 

The Covenant with Noah 

After Noah and his family left the ark, YHWH Elohim spoke once again. This time, He established a covenant with Noah, his descendants, and every living creature upon the earth. 

(Gen 9:8 [TS2009]) 

And Elohim spoke to Noaḥ and to his sons with him, saying, 

 (Gen 9:9 [TS2009]) 

“And I, see, I establish My covenant with you and with your seed after you, 

 (Gen 9:10 [TS2009]) 

and with every living being that is with you: of the birds, of the cattle, and of every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth. 

The word covenant is one we will encounter many times as we continue through the Scriptures. It describes a solemn relationship established by YHWH Himself. Here, it is YHWH who takes the initiative. He is the One who establishes the covenant and declares His promise. 

(Gen 9:11 [TS2009]) 

"And I shall establish My covenant with you, and never again is all flesh cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again is there a flood to destroy the earth." 

YHWH then gave a visible sign of this covenant. 

(Gen 9:12 [TS2009]) 

And Elohim said, “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living being that is with you, for all generations to come: 

 (Gen 9:13 [TS2009]) 

“I shall set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. 

Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, it serves as a reminder of the covenant YHWH established after the Flood. The rainbow is not merely a beautiful part of creation; it is a testimony to the faithfulness of the Almighty Creator and His promise that He will never again destroy all flesh by a flood. 

As we continue through the Good News, we will discover that this is only the first of several major covenants revealed in the Scriptures. With each covenant, YHWH unfolds another part of His plan of redemption, gradually revealing the hope first promised in the Garden of Eden. 

Noah's descendants multiplied and spread across the earth, becoming the families and nations from whom the peoples of the world descended. (Genesis Chapter 10). 

The Tower of Babel 

(Gen 11:1 [TS2009]) 

And all the earth had one language and one speech. 

 (Gen 11:2 [TS2009]) 

And it came to be, as they set out from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shin‛ar, and they dwelt there.  

 (Gen 11:3 [TS2009]) 

And they said to each other, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. 

 (Gen 11:4 [TS2009]) 

And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens, and make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered over all the face of the earth.” 

Even after the Flood, mankind once again chose its own way rather than the way of the Almighty Creator. United by one language and one speech, the people settled together in the land of Shinʽar and determined to build both a city and a tower. 

Why? They tell us themselves: 

"...let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered over all the face of the earth." 

Rather than seeking to honor Master YHWH, they sought to exalt themselves. Rather than trusting His purposes, they pursued their own. Instead of obeying the Creator's command to fill the earth, they united around a common purpose that placed mankind at the center. 

This temptation has not disappeared with the passing of time. Throughout history, mankind has continually sought security, significance, and greatness apart from the Almighty. Babel reminds us that when humanity seeks to exalt itself instead of YHWH, the result is confusion rather than blessing. 

(Gen 11:5 [TS2009]) 

Then יהוה came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 

 (Gen 11:6 [TS2009]) 

And יהוה said, “Look, they are one people and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do! And now, they are not going to be withheld from doing whatever they plan to do. 

 (Gen 11:7 [TS2009]) 

"Come, let Us go there and confuse their language, so that they do not understand one another’s speech.” 

 (Gen 11:8 [TS2009]) 

And יהוה scattered them from there, over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 

(Gen 11:9 [TS2009]) 

That is why its name was called Baḇel, because there יהוה confused the language of all the earth, and from there יהוה scattered them over the face of all the earth.  

The response of YHWH was swift. The people desired to remain united in rebellion and make a name for themselves, but the Creator would not allow their plans to stand. 

By confusing their language, YHWH brought an end to the building of the city and the tower. The very thing the people hoped to avoid—being scattered across the earth—came to pass. The place became known as Babel because there YHWH confused the language of mankind and scattered them over the face of the earth. 

Genesis Chapters 1–11 isn't simply a collection of famous stories. It's a carefully arranged account demonstrating, again and again, that every attempt by mankind to establish life, security, righteousness, or greatness apart from YHWH ends in failure. 

Once again, the Scriptures remind us that mankind's plans cannot overturn the purposes of the Almighty. Humanity sought its own glory, but YHWH accomplished His will. 

The picture is unmistakable. From Eden to Cain, from the Flood to Babel, mankind has repeatedly demonstrated its inability to restore what was lost. Yet the promise spoken in the garden has not been forgotten. The Creator is about to do something entirely unexpected. Rather than beginning with a mighty nation or a powerful king, He will call one man. Through Abram, YHWH Elohim will begin revealing how the promise first spoken in Eden will ultimately bless all the families of the earth.