AboutBrenda Martin Expertise I have been one of Jehovah`s Witneses now for over 30 years, in those years I have brought up 4 children, teaching each of them the bible.Being one of Jehovah`s Witnesses has helped me cope with my Epilepsy and bring up a daughter with learning difficulties.I have conducted bible studies with people from nearly every denomination i.e. Muslim. Having used the bible all these years to answer peoples questions, I feel I am qualified to give any answer regarding Jehovah`s Witnesses and the bible.
Experience My experience has been one of attending bible lectures 5 times a week,taking part in these lectures in front of an audience and being with thousands of J.W. at conventions where I have seen the bible at work in peoples lives.It is truly a miracle when you see thousands of people meeting together and not one policeman needed, and not even a piece of litter in sight.It is like another world.
Question Hi Brenda,
When Cain killed Abel, wasn't that a sin?
Also in the Creation story, I believe it to be LITERAL (what is your opinion) God established the Sabbath (rest day) at that time. If it was established at creation. How could it not exist until the Sinai timeframe. It sound confusing, doesn't it?
Thanks,
David R.
Answer HI David, you asked--"WHEN CAIN KILLED ABEL, WASN'T THAT A SIN?"
Yes, God punished Cain severely for taking the life of his brother.
ALSO IN THE CREATION STORY, I BELIEVE IT TO BE LITERAL (WHAT IS YOUR OPINION)
Yes it is literal, even Jesus spoke of Adam and Eve as the first two his Father created . (Matthew 19;4)
Acts 17:26: “[God] made out of one man every nation of men, to dwell upon the entire surface of the earth.”
GOD ESTABLISHED THE SABBATH (REST DAY) AT THAT TIME.
This is a common misconception, so let’s have a look at what the bible actually says—
Was the requirement of sabbath keeping given to Adam and thus made binding on all of his offspring?
Because the fourth of the Ten Commandments, which speaks about the seventh-day sabbath, mentions how God rested on the seventh creative day, some persons conclude that weekly sabbath observance existed from the time of the first man. They base their argument on the fact that God rested, blessed and made sacred the seventh creative day, which they believe was a literal twenty-four-hour day. The scripture they lean heavily upon to support their contention is Genesis 2:3, which says: “God proceeded to bless the seventh day and make it sacred, because on it he has been resting from all his work that God has created for the purpose of making.”
But where in this scripture is there any command to mankind to observe the seventh day of the week as a sabbath? Where is there even a suggestion that man is involved with what is said here? What we find is a statement of what God did when he came to the seventh creative day, not a statement of any law to man. Neither this scripture nor any other Bible text says, or even suggests, that sabbath observance was enjoined upon Adam or that he ever kept the seventh day of the week as a sabbath.
Deut. 5:15: “You must remember that you [Israel] became a slave in the land of Egypt and Jehovah your God proceeded to bring you out from there with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. That is why Jehovah your God commanded you to carry on the sabbath day.” (Here Jehovah connects his giving of the sabbath law with Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt, not with events in Eden.)
Ex. 16:1, 23-29: “The entire assembly of the sons of Israel finally came to the wilderness of Sin . . . on the fifteenth day of the second month after their coming out of the land of Egypt. . . . [Moses] said to them: ‘It is what Jehovah has spoken. Tomorrow there will be a sabbath observance of a holy sabbath to Jehovah. . . . Six days you will pick [the manna] up, but on the seventh day is a sabbath. On it none will form.’ . . . Jehovah said to Moses: . . . ‘Mark the fact that Jehovah has given you the sabbath.’” (Prior to this, there had been a marking off of weeks of seven days each, but this is the first reference to a sabbath observance.)
