Adam & Eve's Children - Incest?

The reason that incest is not addressed in the creation accounts is that the Adam & Eve story is allegorical. It is a story told by the ancient Hebrews to answer the question asked throughout history..."Where do we come from?". Theologically, it establishes a relationship between God and humankind. Science text, it is not.

 

I think you should hear Dr.Arnold Murray's teaching on the first six chapters of Genesis.You will get another perspective from the modern traditional teaching on the creation of the people.[Shepherd's Chapel-Gravette Arkansas]In brief he addresses the 6th day created man[male and female] and the 8th day created man[Adam]Adam being the beginning of the Judah seed line son by son to Joseph,the adoptive father of Jesus[Luke chapter 3.]

 

Murray is a nutcase. Sorry to be so blunt, but he is. He is a cult leader and needs to be understood as such.

About the original question -- it was not a matter of choice, John. Abraham and Sarah were half brother and sister. Abraham sent his servant back to the family to get a wife for Isaac from close family, and Jacob went for the same reason.

Incest is not even defined in the Bible until Moses, and there is a reason for this. There was no genetic danger at the beginning. The REASON that incest is wrong is because of mutational damage. Most nasty mutations are recessive, meaning that as long as one parent does not have the mutation, the kids won't have it expressed -- it won't show up in their bodies.

The rules against incest are not essentially moral -- it is a matter of health and safety. If it were moral it would have been ruled against from the beginning. But there were no mutations in Adam and Eve's children and so there was no danger regarding taking a sister as a wife. There was no, or minimal, danger up until the time of the Exodus. It was not until that many generations had passed since creation and, most especially, since the Flood, that the genetic load, or accumulation of negative mutations had built in the human race to such an extent.

So not only was incest not a problem before Moses, it appears that marrying within the close family was preferred!

 

Wrong answer! You see, scripture testifies to itself:

1 Timothy 2:13
For Adam was formed first, then Eve.

Based on that, I don't think Dr. Murray is one I would trust to lead me into all truth! </font>[/QUOTE]Dr.Murray does teach that Adam was formed before Eve,and that Eve was created from his rib.Genesis 1:26 talks of male amd female with no mention of Adam and Eve at this point.Notice that in Genesis 1:26 the word "created" is used and in Genesis 2:7 the word "formed" is used.Do a Strong's Hebrew word study of these 2 different words.I recognize that this is a different view from the so called "mainstream" view.I'm not saying that anyone should automatically agree with this view but this view takes a different approach concerning who Cain married.He went to a different land[Nod] and found his wife.[Other people living outside the garden of Eden.]

 

Interesting that these people are never mentioned. I guess they are mythical too. They weren't real ... they just teach us about our relationship with each other. That is convenient. Adam teaches us about our relationship with God. The people in the land of Nod teach us about our relationship with others. Since we are all offspring of these mythical people, I guess we are mythical too ...

What about the texts that describe all mankind as being "in Adam" or descendants of Adam? Those texts must be untrue since this Noddian people weren't in Adam ...

The lengths to which one will go to avoid the obvious is impressive and depressing at the same time.

 

Some might ask Colorado if he has ever been to W.Va. I know some cousins who married cousins.

 

Colorado said:

Looks like just about anybody can be an 'ordained minister' if they can afford the paper.

In fact, I know TWO women who sent away for papers making them Reverends...... using their 'life experiences' as their 'study'.

Diane

 

So, if it is not immoral, just a genetic problem, then you would say incest between sterile siblings or those who cannot otherwise have children is ok?

 

[Tongue in Cheek] Well dang, I shore have been to West Virginny, and dagnabit, I knowed folks there that say family reunions is the best place to pick up women. [/Tongue in Cheek]

SheEagle, why am I not surprised that you are stereotyping people from WV. We all know that it is Arkansas where you can marry your sister.

(Sorry Ken)

 

Parents also make reference to Santa Claus knowing he is not a real person.

More to the point . . .God is teaching theological truths, not a science lesson. Doesn't make them liars. Adam & Eve are used for illustrative purposes.

 

quote:
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Originally posted by fgm:
the 6th day created man[male and female] and the 8th day created man[Adam]Adam


MURRAY said that?!?! Phppppppt!!!

Nancy

 

and he allegorically begat Seth and Seth allegorically begat...... etc.

Give me a BREAK Colorado! WHO ordained you man? Sounds like you've been reading from the book of Mesmeriah.

Diane

 

Another point about their kids, that I never see mentioned, is that of age difference. They had rwo children before Adam was 130 and one at 130 and other sons and daughters after that. They could easily have had kids who were hundreds of years apart. Cain could have married a sister who was 50 years younger than him. This girl could have been raised to adulthood without even having met Cain. These various kids were born, raised, left home and as far as they could tell these sisters may as well have been perfect strangers. It is not like many families today where the kids are 2-3 years apart and are raised together with a close family bond.

 

Artimaeus, and their nieces, nephews, cousins, cousins cousins... etc.

 

Where did Cain get his wife? Click here.