2A4
© Jeff Stacey | Last updated: 21 September 2016
2A4. God’s nature expressed as love:
God continued to interact with people and make Himself known TO them
2A4(title) God’s nature expressed as love
The ongoing interactions between God and people were how He expressed His unchanging love for them. These encounters were to be the focus of how He would accomplish His primary purpose by restoring His intimate relationship with them. So 2A4 is placed centrally, as the core link between 2A3 and 2A8.
2A4(sub-title) God continued to interact with people and make Himself known TO them
As God interacted with various people they responded to Him either negatively or positively. Some disregarded Him and then disobeyed Him by doing what was wrong. Others obeyed Him by doing what they knew was right.
2A4(a) Negative responses to God
2A4(a)(i) Adam and Eve
After the FALL Adam and Eve responded to God’s presence and communications negatively with fear, flight, shame, guilt and blaming Gen 3:7-8,10,12-13. Yet God had also shown that He could be kind to them as fallen, sinful people Gen 3:21. His love led to this positive response to them. He was still seeking positive responses from them and their descendants.
2A4(a)(ii) Cain
Initially God spoke directly TO Cain to seek positive responses from him Gen 4:6-7. But Cain ignored this and responded negatively. He blatantly did what was wrong Gen 4:8. God then dialogued with Cain to interrogate him concerning his sin Gen 4:9-10. God responded both negatively and positively by passing judgment upon Cain Gen 4:11-12 but also showing mercy to him Gen 4:13-14,15.
2A4(b) Positive responses to God: Abel, Enoch and Noah
There were others who made positive responses to God and He responded by making Himself known TO them positively, in His relationship with them [see 2B26 and 2B27]. Abel and his offering were looked on with favour by God Gen 4:4. Enoch actually “walked faithfully with God” for 300 years, ending with God “taking him away” rather than death! Gen 5:22,24. Finally Noah was a “righteous and blameless” man who also “walked faithfully with God” and found favour with Him Gen 6:8-9.
2A4(c) God’s responses
God had responded to people’s disobedience with judgment, yet this was also tempered with mercy. To those who obeyed Him He had showed great favour, even “walking with” them in an ongoing intimate relationship.