Longsuffering of Hope

Then the Lord said, “What have you done? You killed your brother and the ground opened up to take his blood from your hands. Now his blood is shouting to me from the ground. So you will be cursed from this ground. Now when you work the soil, the ground will not help your plants grow. You will not have a home in this land."
Genesis 4:10-12a ERV

This is part of the LORD's declaration to Cain (the farmer) after Cain murdered his brother Abel. And as Cain left the land, the line of descendants began to be listed. The curse on the land remained for the next 9 generations. It is generally believed to be about 1,250 years until Noah was born.

Noah was the tenth generation from the start of man, the ninth generation from the murder of Abel. When Noah was born, his father declared over him, “Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.”  Imagine being a relative at the birth of Noah and hearing that this baby boy will bring relief from the curse that has been on the land for over a THOUSAND years! They were obviously still aware of it or the relief wouldn't be such an announcement. 

The sad thing about it is there was the hope that relief would come, but it didn't happen immediately so the people lost their hope of it and just gave up following God. They had ample time to repent and turn again to God, but they did not. Noah was 500 years old when God warned him about the flood. He was 600 years old when the flood erupted and the rains came. 

Today I see Him as the God of Hope to those who intentionally follow Him. If He said it, He will do it. Don't lose hope.

Prayer:

Father,

           You are faithful and trustworthy. Even if we don't see the fulfillment in our time, we choose to put our hope and trust in You, knowing Your Word accomplishes what it is sent to do. Help us to remain steadfast and sure, rooted in Your Word. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

hat I had not ever thought about as far as the timing of it.