My Bible study

[Von Jones]

I was always taught to take matters in my own hands first and then pray for strength and guidance or in some cases, forgiveness

I was taught the same. I was just curious because my granddaughter told me she had prayed for something and her prayer was answered but what if it had not been answered or she felt she had waited long enough and decided to do something herself?

It's possible that this could be a question to be prepared for?

 

[Faye Fox]

I was taught the same. I was just curious because my granddaughter told me she had prayed for something and her prayer was answered but what if it had not been answered or she felt she had waited long enough and decided to do something herself?

It's possible that this could be a question to be prepared for?

I think all sincere prayers are answered, but if it wasn't answered to our expectations, then we think it was unanswered. If we pray for things that go contrary to the way the universe works, foolish, or selfish prayers, then was our prayer unanswered or was it heard and denied?

 

[Ken Anderson]

John B., I hope you remember that I am like a detective. So I detected yes. Since Adam and Eve were only mentioned how could their son Cain find a wife, huh? So that made me think that God just didn't create Adam and Eve.

The only way that I can think of that would avoid the incest problem is one that would solve a few other problems as well, and that would be to consider that perhaps the Old Testament is largely a history of the Hebrew people, and that the "land of Nod," to which Cain was exiled, was not an uninhabited place. This might explain all of the pagan tribes that are encountered throughout the Bible, without a narrative explaining just when or why they were broken off.

Then again, I think close-kin relationships were more common in the early years, although not generally as close as a sister.

 

[Ken Anderson]

Has anyone ever prayed for something and waited patiently for it to be answered and then decided to take matters into their own hands? How did that make you feel? What thoughts went through your mind? Did you talk to someone about it either before or after? Curious.

That's a good question. On the one hand, I might think that it would be an insult to God to ask Him for something and then do it myself. Then again, if I could do it myself, perhaps I shouldn't be asking God for it. God doesn't always give us what we ask for in the way that we expect it to come, so I think we've all done that. Sometimes, God's answer is "no," but He doesn't vocalize that, so we're still sitting around waiting for something that ain't coming.

 

[Von Jones]

The only way that I can think of that would avoid the incest problem is one that would solve a few other problems as well, and that would be to consider that perhaps the Old Testament is largely a history of the Hebrew people, and that the "land of Nod," to which Cain was exiled, was not an uninhabited place. This might explain all of the pagan tribes that are encountered throughout the Bible, without a narrative explaining just when or why they were broken off.

Then again, I think close-kin relationships were more common in the early years, although not generally as close as a sister.

This is really interesting. A video on Facebook asked the same question that I did and this is what the response was.

God created Adam and Eve to populate the earth and they did. God did not give a specific time period around the events of Cain so it would not be wrong in assuming that the wife was biologically related to Cain through Adam and Eve as they populated the earth.

I thought that was very interesting and plausible.

 

[Von Jones]

I think all sincere prayers are answered, but if it wasn't answered to our expectations, then we think it was unanswered. If we pray for things that go contrary to the way the universe works, foolish, or selfish prayers, then was our prayer unanswered or was it heard and denied?

I would say that it wasn't heard to be denied if the prayers are contrary. Hopefully the one who initiated it would realize that and not expect the prayer to be answered.