The Message, Genesis 1-9

"Do not even touch it..."

God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the Tree-of-the-Knowledge-of-Good-and-Evil, but when the serpent asked Eve about the tree, she said, "we can't eat it or even touch it, or we'll die."  I've heard it taught numerous times that Eve added to God's word-- He didn't command them not to touch it.  But as I read this today, I thought maybe Eve was showing some wisdom here and had chosen not to even touch the tree so would not tempt herself.  I don't know, but I did think of that today.  When you're on a diet, you don't walk into a donut shop just to look around or the next thing you know you'll be scarfing one down.  This also reminded me of Psalm 1:1.  Don't WALK in the way of the wicked, STAND in the path of sinners, or SIT in the seat of scoffers.  It is easy to be distracted while you are walking and a distraction can lead to standing and thinking about it until you find yourself sitting in the midst of a bad situation.

Here is an illustration I heard once:  

You walk by a movie theater and the movie posters in the display boxes catch your eye, glancing over you read the poster and take a closer look at the picture, then you decide to buy a ticket and sit in the seat of the movie theater...most probably watching and being influenced by a movie that is not wholesome.  

Things so easily lure us in.  I think perhaps Eve showed some wisdom in keeping her distance from the tree and therefore kept temptation at a distance.  Obviously her will power and self-control was lacking.  And we are all paying dearly for it now.

"God put a mark on Cain..."

After Cain murdered his brother, Abel, the Bible says that God gave Cain a mark so that people wouldn't harm him.  Was it a tattoo?  Change of skin coloring...darker? lighter?

Eugene Peterson describes the pre-flood state of humanity:

"As far as God was concerned, the Earth had become a sewer; there was violence everywhere.  God took one look and saw how bad  it was, everyone corrupt and corrupting---life itself corrupt to the core." 

Sort of sounds like God is describing the world today.