I happened to want to start reading the bible from Genesis. The inspiration came when i got myself a new bible and thought that i should read it again from the start. It is interesting because although i read the Bible again afresh from the beginning, it was as though i was reading a new book. I had a rough over view of the plot of some of the stories. But couldn’t help gasping at things i took for granted. For example, how Abraham defeated 10 kings in battle, yet was afraid to let a godless king know that Sarah was his wife for fear that he may be killed. Or how incredibly violent Cain was and how his descendents had a completely warped idea about murder. I.e. if they murdered someone, that God would avenge them 70 times 7 over just because God told Cain that anyone who seek vengeance on Cain for killing his brother Abel would be avenged 7 times. It didn’t take alot of imagination to see how such a thinking if passed down from generation to generation would naturally lead to an incredible amount of violence. In fact the Bible mentioned that the earth was cursed because it was filled with violence. And God was sorry He made men.

Some how reading Genesis all over again brought to mind how easily led astray we are. From the very first Adam, to even Lot who like the men of today chose the land that had greener pastures unaware of the incredible wickedness awaiting them in the land of Sodom and Gomorrah. It would have made sense to choose the land Lot chose. Yet it was Abraham who succeeded in spite of being left with a land that looked gaunt in comparison with Lot’s choice.
There are so many undertones. So many blanks we fill in because looking at the bible as a 35 year old is entirely different than when listening to these same stories in Sunday School. The bible isn’t a book of dreamy idealism. It is a mirror that reveals the depravity of man.

The times we are living in aren’t too different. Evil and wickedness may have changed expression, but are as alive and burning as they were years ago. The battles of today aren’t the same as yesterday. THe word of God is a treasure because it is truly the only anchor that can withstand the tyranny of today’s ideologue and remain pure, clear, like a river that never is defiled.