Wasn’t the first Torah portion of this new cycle AMAZING?

A lot of things happened in the first Torah portion of this yearly cycle! We not only learned about YHWH’s creation of the universe and everything in it (Genesis 1 and 2); but we also witnessed several “firsts”:

• The first Torah commands to mankind – YHWH’s Divine Instructions: Genesis 2:16-20.

• The first deception: Genesis 3:1-5.

• The first act of disobedience and resulting awareness about good and evil – along with a healthy dose of FEAR in knowing there would be consequences: Genesis 3:6.

• The first “blame game”: Genesis 3:9-13.

• The first divine anger: Genesis 3:14-24.

• The first animal sacrifice – an innocent animal had to DIE to cover the nakedness (and sin) of the first humans: Genesis 3:21-23. (See also Leviticus 17:11, Ezekiel 18:20. Romans 6:23 and Ephesians 2:8-10.)

• The first offerings to YHWH: Genesis 4:3-7.

• The first murder: Genesis 4:8.

• The first lie: Genesis 4:9.

• The first case of adultery/polygyny: Genesis 4:19; and the second murder: Genesis 4:23.

(NOTE: These “bad” things – murder, lying and adultery - happened in the line of Cain who had killed Abel! While we don't know for sure whether or not YHWH forbade the taking of more than one wife, we DO know that every case of polygyny in Torah had some severe problems, as you will see in future Torah studies!)

• The first time people began to call on the Name of YHWH: Genesis 4:26.

• The first time we saw our Creator regretting that He had made mankind and decided to destroy everyone, except for Noah, who was the only righteous person on earth: Genesis 6:5-8.

IMPORTANT NOTE: YHWH could have put Adam and Eve to death after they sinned, but He didn't - which is evidence that the "Old Testament God" was showing mercy and grace! Mercy and grace didn't begin with Jesus in the New Testament. It has ALWAYS been around, since the very beginning!

We also discovered that YHWH was the Creator, that all creation obeyed Him, and the universe came into being simply because He told it to.

AND we discovered that He had some rules for mankind to follow for their own good! He gave man CHOICES – the choice between “good” and “bad”! (We STILL have those choices!)

Adam and Eve suffered severe consequences for their disobedience and were banned from ever again partaking from the Tree of Life.