The View from the West Mesa

The Fall Quarter (which lasts as long as we want) class is entitled “What Does God Want From Me?” It is a survey of the Bible, but it’s more than that. Rather than a standard survey that looks at the main stories, we are looking at what Scripture tells us about God, about ourselves, and God’s desire for us. It should be a good study. This past Sunday we surveyed Genesis chapters 1 – 4. One of the things often buried in standard surveys is the decedents of Cain. In particular, Lamech, the last descendent mentioned. Lamech, in the final position, is pictured as the worst son of Cain. He marries two wives and is recorded to have said: Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: For I have slain a man for wounding me, And a young man for bruising me: If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, Truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold. (ASV) Lamech thinks he’s the biggest, baddest dude on the block. “I’ve just killed someone for wounding me. Let me tell you, if you think

Ezekiel 2.8f – 3.2 And now, Ezekiel, open your mouth and eat what I am going to give you. Just then, I saw a hand stretched out toward me. And in it was a scroll. The hand opened the scroll, and both sides of it were filled with words of sadness, mourning, and grief. The LORD said, "Ezekiel, son of man, after you eat this scroll, go speak to the people of Israel." He handed me the scroll and said, "Eat this and fill up on it." So I ate the scroll, and it tasted sweet as honey. (ASV) Revelation 10.8-11 Once again the voice from heaven spoke to me. It said, "Go and take the open scroll from the hand of the angel standing on the sea and the land." When I went over to ask the angel for the little scroll, the angel said, "Take the scroll and eat it! Your stomach will turn sour, but the taste in your mouth will be as sweet as honey." I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. The taste was as sweet as honey, but my stomach turned s