What Was The Mark God Placed Upon Cain?

Posted on July 31, 2011 by Dr. Mike Harmon

The first murder of another human was committed by Cain.  He killed his brother, Abel.  Because of this, God told him that he was cursed  and that  his work as a farmer would be more difficult.  He further told him that he would be a vagabond.  (Genesis 4:9-12)  Cain responded by saying, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. . .and it shall come to pass that everyone that findeth me shall slay me.”  (Genesis 4:13-14)  God declared to Cain, “Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.  And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.”  (Genesis 4:15)

The mark placed upon Cain has been the subject of much debate and speculation.  The Hebrew word translated mark is ‘owth and refers to a mark, sign, or token.  The Hebrew word does not identify the exact nature of the mark God put on him.  Some think that it was a scar, or some type of tattoo.  The focus of the passage is that God would not allow others to take vengeance against Cain by killing him.

When I was a child I heard some preachers teach that the mark was dark skin.  They taught that God turned his skin black in order to identify him.  This interpretation is unbiblical.  Nowhere in the Hebrew Scriptures is ‘owth used to refer to skin color.  It is used 79 times in the Old Testament and  most frequently means “sign.”  The curse on Cain was personal.  Nothing is said about the curse being passed on to his descendants.

What was the mark that God put on Cain?  The Bible does not say.  Whatever it was, it had no connection to skin color or a curse falling upon all of his descendants.  To suggest such is doing the Word of God an injustice.

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AUDIO MINUTE MESSAGE: The Poem–“What Then?”

Posted on July 31, 2011 by Dr. Mike Harmon

Our daily spiritual vitamin:

Podcast: Poem

Dr. Mike Harmon

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What The Bible Says About Polygamy

Posted on July 30, 2011 by Dr. Mike Harmon

Polygamist Warren Jeffs is in the news and in prison.  He is the leader of a cult here in Texas.  Many people are asking questions about the Bible’s teaching on polygamy.  The first mention of polygamy in the Bible was that of Lamech in Genesis 4:19: “Lamech married two women.”  Several prominent men of the Old Testament had several wives.  The prophet Nathan told David (after he had committed adultery) that if his wives and concubines were not enough, God would have given him more. (2 Samuel 12:8)  Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines (wives of a lower status), according to 1 Kings 11:3.

The Bible does not specifically say why God allowed polygamy in the Old Testament.  We could speculate that polygamy was permitted because there were more women than men.  Today statistics show that approximately 50.5 percent of the world population are women, with men being 49.5 percent.  Assuming the same percentages in ancient times, and multiplied by millions of people, there would be tens of thousands more women than men.  Warfare in ancient times was especially brutal, with an incredibly high rate of fatality.  This would have resulted in an even greater percentage of women to men.  In those times it was nearly impossible for an unmarried woman to provide for herself.  Women were often uneducated and untrained.  Women relied on their fathers, brothers, and husbands for provision and protection.  Unmarried women were often subjected to prostitution and slavery.  So, it seems possible that God may have allowed polygamy to protect and provide for the women who could not find a husband otherwise.

Even while allowing polygamy in the Old Testament, the Bible presents monogamy as the plan which conforms most closely to God’s ideal for marriage. The Bible says that God’s original intention was for one man to be married to only one woman: “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)

In the New Testament, I Timothy 3:2,12 and Titus 1:6 give “the husband of one wife” in a list of qualifications for spiritual leadership.  If we are called to be holy (I Peter 1:16), and if these standards are for holy elders and deacons, then they are holy for all.

Most modern nations outlaw polygamy.  According to Romans 13:1-7, we are to obey the laws the government establishes.  It is against the law in American and that is why Warren Jeffs is in prison awaiting trial.

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What does the Bible say about interracial marriage?

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Dr. Mike Harmon

It seems that the number of people getting married to someone of another race is increasing.  Many have asked me what the Bible says about this.  The Old Testament Law commanded the Israelites not to engage in interracial marriage. (Deuteronomy 7:3-4)  The reason for this was not primarily racial in nature.  Rather, it was religious.  The people of other races were idolaters and worshippers of false gods.  The Israelites would be led astray from God if they intermarried with idol worshippers, pagans, or heathens.  A similar principle is found in the New Testament, “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?”  (2 Corinthians 6:14)  Just as the Israelites (believers in the one true God) were commanded not to marry idolaters, so Christians (believers in the one true God) are commanded not to marry unbelievers.  The New Testament does not say that interracial marriage is wrong.

A Christian should not have a prejudice or favoritism based on race (James 2:1-10).  When selecting a mate, a Christian should know if the person has been born again through faith in Jesus Christ.  (John 3:3-5)  I teach that Christian young people should date only Christian young people.  The reason:  You will only marry someone that you first date and if you date only Christians, you will marry a Christian.

Interracial marriage should be considered carefully because of the difficulties a mixed-race couple may experience.  Others may have a hard time accepting them.  Many interracial couples and their children experience discrimination and ridicule, even from their own families.  An interracial couple needs to consider this before getting married.  Again, the only biblical restriction placed on whom a Christian may marry is whether the other person is a child of God because of salvation.

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Audio Minute Message: Mistakes

Posted on July 29, 2011 by Dr. Mike Harmon

A spiritual vitamin:

Podcast: Mistakes

Dr. Mike Harmon

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Why Mormons Are Not Christians

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Dr. Mike Harmon

Recently I posted on my Facebook page that I would not vote for a Mormon to to be President of the United States.  I want a Christian to be president.  It caused a bit of controversy with one saying that Mormons are Christians.

The reason Mormonism is not Christian is because it denies one or more of the of the fundamental doctrines of Christianity.  These include that there is only one God, Jesus is God in flesh, forgiveness of sins is by grace alone, and Jesus rose from the dead physically, the gospel being the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.  Mormonism denies three of them: how many gods there are, the person of Jesus, and His work of salvation.

Mormonism teaches that God the Father has a body of flesh and bones and that Jesus is a creation.  It teaches that he was begotten in heaven as one of God’s spirit children (See the Book, Jesus the Christ, by James Talmage, p.8).  This is in strict contrast to the biblical teaching that he is God in flesh (John 1:1,14), eternal (John 1:1,2,15), uncreated, yet born on earth (Col. 1:15), and the creator of all things (John 1:3; Col. 1:16-17).  Jesus cannot be both created and not created at the same time.

Though Mormonism teaches that Jesus is God in flesh, it teaches that he is “a” god in flesh, one of three gods that comprise the office of the Trinity (Articles of Faith, by Talmage, pp. 35-40).  These three gods are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  They do not accept the truth of the “Godhead” with there being only one God (Isaiah 44:6,8; 4:5).

Because Mormonism denies the biblical truth of who God is, who Jesus is, how forgiveness of sins is attained, and what the gospel is, the Mormon is not Christian — in spite of all his claims that he is Christian.

It is interesting that you do not find Christians calling themselves Mormons; but you find Mormons calling themselves Christians.  Could it just be the politically correct thing to do?

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Was Judas Forgiven/Saved?

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Dr. Mike Harmon

There are many things about Judas Iscariot we do not know.  After he committed suicide, the Bible says that, “...he went to his own place.”  (Acts 1:25)  We do not know where this place is.  Some think that he will be reincarnated into the Antichrist. We do not know.

We do know that he was not forgiven; he was never saved.  Jesus said of Judas, “. . it had been good for that man if he had not been born.”  (Matthew 26:24)  Judas provides us with a clear picture of the sovereignty of God and the will of man working together.  God had, from ages past, determined that Christ would be betrayed by Judas, die on the cross for our sins, and be resurrected.  This is what Jesus meant when He said He that all things written in prophecy about Him must be accomplished. (Luke 18:31-33)  Nothing would stop the plan of God to provide salvation for mankind.

Jesus says concerning Judas, “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.”  (John 17:12)  At one time, Judas believed that Jesus was a prophet, or possibly even believed He was the Messiah.  Jesus sent the disciples out to proclaim the Gospel and perform miracles (Luke 9:1-6).  Judas was included in this group.  It is false preachers/miracle-workers like Judas that Jesus referred to when He said, “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”  (Matthew 7:23)  It is not that they once knew Christ and were saved but lost their salvation.  Jesus says, “I never knew you.”

We should be careful in whom we trust and follow.

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Audio Minute Message: Pride

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Dr. Mike Harmon

A daily spiritual vitamin:

Podcast: Pride

Dr. Mike Harmon

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GRIN AND SHARE IT: Leave It The Way You Found It

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Dr. Mike Harmon

Leave It The Way You Found It

A pastor places his order at the pet store: “I need at least 50 mice, 2000 ants and as many of those little silverfish you can get.”

The clerk replies, “We can probably do that, but it might take some time. Mind if I ask why you are placing such an unusual order?”

The pastor replied, “I’ve accepted a call to another church and the congregation council told me to leave the parsonage the way I found it.”

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Why did God kill a man for spilling his seed on the ground?

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Dr. Mike Harmon

 

(Genesis 38:9) – “And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.”

Why did God kill Onan for spilling his seed on the ground? The reason God did this is not because Onan wasted his seed on the ground, but because Onan refused to perform his familial duties of producing offspring for his brother’s. This was a great offense at the time. Now, we must realize that the culture was very different than ours is today. In that culture, when a man died and left no children, the next of kin was sometimes obligated to “go in to” the wife and produce children. These children were then considered to be the descendents of the original late husband and would be raised as such. This way, the offspring would be able to take care of the mother, provide more people for the community, and thereby raise their own children, continuing the name of that family. Onan knew this and refused to take part in furthering the honor and name of the brother’s wife and thereby also risking provision for her in the future. To this, God was very displeased and took Onan’s life.

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