Genesis 4-6: The Serpent Seed? 22 comments
“And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain…” so begins Genesis 4. That seems pretty plain - Cain is born from a union of Adam and Eve. I have recently come into contact with folks that do not believe this! Their teaching is called “the serpent seed doctrine.” In brief, the doctrine teaches that Eve’s sin in the garden was not disobedience but sexual contact with the serpent! As a result of this sexual contact with the serpent Cain was born. My initial reaction to this peculiar theology was “You’ve got to be kidding me!” Since I interact regularly with some folks who believe this, I thought I would investigate it in this post. The truth about the serpent’s seed is found in Genesis 3:15, where the first reference is made to the coming Redeemer Who will destroy Satan and his seed. In John 8:44, Jesus makes it clear that unbelievers are serpent’s seed: “Ye are of your father the devil…” This new “serpent seed doctrine” comes from the serpent himself (1 Timothy 4:1).
One of Satan’s messengers for this false doctrine is Arnold Murray of the Shepherd’s Chapel. Murray teaches that the Kenites are the descendants of Cain. According to Murray, the Kenites survived the global flood and continue to this day (source: www.carm.org). Obviously, Murray must not believe what God’s Word says concerning the flood (Genesis 7:21-22). He states plainly of Kenites on the Shepherd’s Chapel website:
It is a Hebrew word that has only one meaning, “sons of Cain.”
This Hebrew definition was apparently concocted by Murray. Upon examining Strong’s Concordance, the word means “a Kenite or member of the tribe of Kajin.” The Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Definitions gives this meaning: “Kenite = “smiths” 1) the tribe from which the father-in-law of Moses was a member and which lived in the area between southern Palestine and the mountains of Sinai.” Two standard Hebrew lexical references do not have the “only one meaning” of the word according to Arnold Murray.
The only way this wacky doctrine can be supported is by abandoning a literal interpretation of Scripture. Serpent must not mean serpent (how could a woman and a snake have intercourse?). Genesis 4:1 must not mean what it says (Adam is the father of Cain). There is no sense in answering any other arguments from Murray. By not accepting his teaching, it is probably just because I am a Kenite - child of Satan (according to Murray).
What are the consequences of believing in the serpent seed doctrine?
- The Scriptures cannot be trusted. If they could, then a plain reading of the Bible could be believed instead of Arnold Murray’s perverse twisting of the Word (which defies logic and context).
- If a literal interpretation of the Scriptures is thrown out, then the Words of Scripture have no authority. The meaning is up to each individual’s imagination.
Fortunately, we do not have to depend on the teachings of Arnold Murray or any other man to reveal hidden or lost truths in the Scriptures. We just need to read the Scriptures with an open heart and mind to receive God’s truth.
22 Responses to 'Genesis 4-6: The Serpent Seed?'
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Thanks Nicole for your comments and link to the video. What a tragedy that God’s truth is perverted on every hand! I have been doing more research on this guy, but I need to get some source material. I am trying to obtain some literature where Murray clearly spells out his false doctrine. Do you have any or know how to obtain this?
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Arnold was in the Chosin Valley during the Korean War. He is very confused about many things. I believe The Kenites in his mind are really the Chinese Communists. So Cain went to the land of Nod which in his mind could have been Mongolia. In the war they were fighting North Korea. He does not appear to have accepted the New Covenant but mingles the Old with the New hence Passover and Fall Fellowship (Tabernacles). Christ fulfilled all the Holy Days and ordinances. Unless this has recently changed, he views God as one with Offices. There are three distinct persons Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He tries to prove his flesh lineage which is part of the Christian Identity thing. But Christ said his kingdom was not of this world. Our flesh body is part of this world and does not inherit the kingdom of God. He claims to study the manuscripts yet I have never heard him speak Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek which would lead me to believe he is depending on the interpretation of others. He has not changed his teaching in over 20 years - he has not progressed - not grown in wisdom or understanding after over fifty years of study.
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I have listened to Arnold Murray several times. I think he explains some thing very well. Some not as well.
I am with him on what he teaches about gathering back to Christ. I can’t see us going anywhere until the Lord comes at the seventh trump. I have reference to this by reading from IIThessalonians 2 & 3. The anti-christ comes first at the sixth trump. Do you see it this way? -
Is it only God’s elect that stood against satan before that will stand against the anti-christ at the 6th trump? Why will the believers be gone before the 7th trump?
Thanks, if you can respond to these questions.Mary
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I only wish that we could do something to get Arnold Murray off the television. There are so many people who are being lead in the wrong direction, including my husband!!!
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I was a theology student at Northwestern University in Evanston, ILlionis. I have taken Hebrew Greek Old Test. and New Test. I always felt that there was more to God’s word than I had been tought. It was an empty feeling that no matter what all the Ph.D.’s taught, they could never explain things in congruity. I stumbled onto Dr. Murray and have never looked back. Having the background of theology, I can tell you that everything he teaches, including the serpent seed is true if you study the words in Hebrew. I have never been one to wear my “theology on my sleave”, but I know in my heart that I have truly learned more from some old man than any higher critic in seminary.
Chris Quick
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Read the Bible and find out for yourself, pray about it and truth will be given. I thank GOD for his teaching. But when all is said and done, it will be me, loney me, being judged by GOD.
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I am AMAZED at the number of sites created for the specific purpose of bashing, or at least attempting to bash, Arnold Murray and The Shepherds Chapel.
I can’t even begin to respond to the numbers of errors, misquotes, misstatements and misrepresentations relative to The Shepherd’s Chapel’s teachings. I highly…HIGHLY recommend anyone reading anything about Dr. Murray and the teachings of the Shepherd’s Chapel on any of the sites reflected on the web, to go to The Shepherd’s Chapel home page and read for themselves what is written there.
THEN, read your Bible and have someone teach you how to interpret and how to read the King James Bible so that you can understand the mistakes made in the translation and transliteration of each and every word that you read….THEN, after you have done that, and you are sure you know what you are talking about, make your statement and back it up with documentation, historical documentation, definitions, translations and transliterations with references and sources for each and every comment you make, just like Arnold Murray does.
I have read a lot of very intelligent and educated sounding verbiage in these bash sessions, but the end result always, always reflects only the person making the comments ignorance of the subject matter they are attempting shed their negative light on.
If you are going to “quote” Dr. Murray, quote him correctly and fully, not partially and out of context…and reflect the documentation he backs his statements up with, as recommended above. If someone attempts to do what I have suggested, and manages to develop some sort of response supposedly proving Dr. Murray incorrect, I recommend that anyone who reads what this imaginary (at this point) scholar develops, check everything out that is written for themselves. You will find that they can not prove Dr. Murray wrong. Oh, there may be plenty of big, very intelligent sounding word, but the end result will be just a flapping of their lips; unless they can document everything they bash. My documentation? Go to The Shepherd’s Chapel’s home page and start there. Use all the documentation that Dr. Murray gives you and then look further if you want…but be able to understand what you read. I am finding that not many, if any, do.
I have a question or two (maybe more) for those very intelligent Shepherds Chapel bashers: Is Satan referred to as “that ol’ serpent” or “serpent” anywhere in the Bible that you read?…If you have read your Bible you know the answer.
Who is the Tree of Life in the garden of Eden? (Jesus Christ)
Who is the tree of knowledge of good and evil? (also a nick name of satan’s; he has many. Look in the Revelation for most of them. Here are only a few: dragon, leviathan, tyris, little horn, abbadon, apolyon, antichrist, adversary, Lucifer, the morning star…and there are more)
who is mankind modeled after? (we are made in our own image, that being the image of God)
If you believe that God created all things, did he also create Lucifer who is now known as satan? (Yes)
If he created Lucifer and the other beings or spirits, who do you think he modeled them after? (In God’s image, just like the rest of us)
If he modeled the spirits he created after himself, as it says he did in the Bible, and if you believe the sons of God took the daughters of Adam as wives, as reflected in the Bible, and had offspring, as reflected in the Bible, and one of Satan’s nick names is “serpent”, as reflected in the Bible, why is it difficult for you to believe that Lucifer who became known as satan and the serpent, who was made in God’s image, seduced Eve which produced an offspring?
(paternal twin…Cain)Is it easier for you to believe that Eve and Adam ate a magic apple and suddenly gained knowledge? That “theory” is much more bizarre than satan attempting to corrupt the seed line of the Messiah by seducing Eve. Satan tried this on several occasions in several different ways…Thats why the sons of God took the daughters of Adam as wives. Why do you think God flooded the region of the world in which Noah lived? To be rid of the hybrids.
I recommend that people study a lot more before making the statements they are making concerning The Shepherds Chapel. As stated, some of the statement sound as if they were written by very well educated individuals, (college educated…not Bible educated) but the end result of their attempted assault is always a reflection of pure ignorance of the subject (taught by the Shepherds Chapel)they are attempting to bash.
I suppose they think they leading at least some of the people reading their comments astry is better than none at all?
I am AMAZED at how people can flap their lips, making a sound come out but say absolutely nothing.
This is my first and last post here. Have fun attacking it. But please do as I recommend and actually study the Bible and understand it with historical documentation as backup before blabbing about something you think you understand. Simply reading the bible or going to a seminary taught preacher/teacher for help is only going to perpetuate your ignorance. Why do you think there are so many different denominations of Christain churches. Not many teach the truth and most teach some different. If they knew what they were talking about do you think we would have as many denominations within chritianity as we do?
One last thought. Someone wrote on one of these sites that Dr. Murray said the Kenites are half Jewish…He has never said that. He has also never said that he thought the white race is superior to any race, nor inferior to any race…those are lies.
People need to get their head out of the sand. They are playing with their very souls; an expensive gamble.
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SEEK AND YE SHALL FIND
KNOCK AND THE DOOR WILL BE OPEN
LISTEN WITH A OPEN HEART, AND A OPEN MIND
BUT DONT STOP THERE– THEN
INVESTAGATE, STUDY, SEARCH
THESE ARE THE TEACHING OF ARNOLD MURRAY
PLEASE TELL ME WHAT IS SO UNGODLY ABOUT THAT? -
Hello,
I had studied with the Shepherds Chapel, for over 9 years.
Using the c band satellite dish, I had Arnold Murray on the screen
24 hours a day. I listened and watched him 4 to 8 hours a day,
had a king james bible that was falling apart, full of notes, and a strong concordance. I had hundreds of cassette tapes along with video tapes loaded with his teachings. I would never consider reading any other bible version, or listen to any one other than Arnold or Dennis Murray. I also started bible studies in my home using his teachings….. I found another pastor on line who followed Murrays teachings. This pastor, Lance Knight, taught at a place 4 hours from where I lived. I wanted to meet other scn students so me and our study group traveled there to attend one of the meetings……….. Lance had studied with Arnold Murray for over 15 years. This was a divine appointment through the Holy Spirit, for what I learned that day changed my life completely!!
For me to go into detail of the whole message would only be understood by those who are affiliated with the teachings of Arnold Miurray. ANYONE WHO IS FOLLOWING ARNOLD MURRAYS TEACHING, PLEASE READ 2 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 3 VERSES 16,17, AND 18.
ASK GOD TO OPEN YOUR EYES TO WHAT THAT MEANS.
I Was so steeped in Murrays teachings that I could not see….
I could have told you more about the Antichrist, than I could have about Jesus. Murray teaches that the Atichrist will come and sit in the temple of God, WAKE UP !!!! “YOU” ARE THE TEMPLE OF GOD.
READ IT FOR YOUR SELF 2 CORINTH. 3:16 …….. I knew I had allowed myself to be deceived, and it took along time to stop following Murray, and FOLLOW JESUS!!! I had stopped listening to him, BURNT MY BIBLE THAT WAS OH SO PRECIOUS TO ME, DESTROYED ALL TAPES, AND PICTURES (LIKE THE ONE OF MT ST HELENS) AND THE STRONGS CONCORDANCE………. STILL IN MY MIND (WHERE MURRAY SAYS THE MARK OF THE BEAST IS) STILL IN MY MIND WAS HIS TEACHINGS………
WE MUST HAVE OUR MINDS RENEWED BY THE WORD OF GOD.
THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I DID.
ANYTHING MURRAY WAS AGAINST, THAT WAS THE WAY I WENT…….
HE SAYS NO RAPTURE? HE LIES.
HE SAYS THE SIN IN THE GARDEN WAS SEXUAL? HE LIES.
PLEASE DONT LISTEN TO HIM……….
ASK GOD TO FORGIVE YOU FOR FOLLOWING A MAN, AND NOT FOLLOWING JESUS.
THE SIN IN THE GARDEN WAS DISOBEDIENCE. SIMPLE. -
I have been watching Dr. Arnold Murray as well. I would like to say a few things. Dr. Murray is not the only person to teach that the ‘tares’ were first sown in the Garden of Eden. I just read a study online from someone entirely different from Dr. Murray. They took each word of scripture and ran it through Strong’s Concordence, and it appears to me that what Dr. Murray said is exactly what happened. This study was organized; scripture references were given every step of the way. Is everyone going to say this is a conspiracy and Dr. Murray is behind every person who believes that Satan attempted to disrupt God’s plan for a pure line to eventually bring forth the Messiah? I read this study through just today, and it made perfect sense to me. I thought this site was much better at explaining everything and giving ALL the references, than Dr. Murray was. I also just found out that Dr. Murray is not the only teacher who says that there was a destruction of the creation of ‘the first earth age’. This study showed the scripture where God talked about it himself, as well as other scriptures in the ‘New’ Testament. I do not agree with every word that comes out of Dr. Murray’s mouth. However, if you will read your Bible, Jesus himself said that he had not come to change one jot or tittle from the law. I am taking a course in Biblical Hebrew. I know now what he was talking about. Jesus kept the law. He told us to do as he does. Please keep in mind that Jesus was not his name; it is Yeshua, and he IS the Jewish Messiah. They rejected him. They are blinded as to who he is until the time is fulfilled for the gentiles. One day, they will know.
Yeshua was sent to us as a gift for salvation and to show us the holiness of God. ‘God’ is not his name. His name has not been pronounced since the temple time. YHVH is his name. Dr. Murray is correct. I went through a study of the meaning of each Hebrew letter in his name, and it tells who he IS and history to boot. I prefer to say ‘HaShem’, which means ‘The Name’, out of respect because I am not certain of how his name is pronounced. Don’t YOU like to have your name pronounced correctly? BRENDA, and others who are trashing Dr. Murray: Let’s not get overly-excited here. I have learned many things from Dr. Murray. I disagree with him on a few things. I don’t think he always explains himself well in the second half of the program during questions and answers. Dr. Murray always says to prove him wrong. Don’t listen to him, go read and study yourself with a Strong’s Concordence and a King James Bible. And remember that there are known errors in the King James. However, it is a good thing for looking up words. We seem to live in an ‘all or nothing at all’ type of culture. People want to completely like leaders, teachers, friends; or, dismiss them completely. Getting upset because you don’t like what Dr. Murray says is no reason to go to a website and trash his name. He IS reading from the Bible, isn’t he? If I sat down with you, BRENDA, and went through the sin in the book of Genesis, and we looked up the words in the Strong’s Concordence, and it happened to say what Dr. Murrah said, are you going to toss your Strong’s Concordence as well? Oh, wait, I think you said you already did. BRENDA, listen, You know that God is in control, don’t you? When you are before the throne of God and being judged, don’t worry, Dr. Murray will not be there with you. You will be standing alone. Guess what? So will Dr. Murray. So calm down and think about how you go about discerning information and finding truth. NICOLE: Dr. Murray does NOT teach British Israelism. Where in the world did you get that idea? Is it because Jesus (Yeshua) traveled to that area with his uncle? British Israelism is Replacement Theology. Dr. Murray is clearly against all Replacement Theology. And ALL of you, you would think that all Dr. Murray talks about is Original Sin and Kenites. He has sure taught many things to me besides that. I loved listening to him read through Proverbs while I was ill for several years. But one last thing I would like to say. Cain is NOT mentioned in the list of Adam’s who begat whom. Adam was not his father. You won’t see Cain or Abel in there. Seth is. Seth is the person from whom the line continued to bring forth the Messiah. I had not planned to write so much, but one more thing….SURE, there is always a danger in people focusing on one person and taking every word they say as truth, without searching out the scripture yourself. That even applies to the study given here. Whoever wrote this is not going to stand in judgement for you and what you believe. I think that too many people focus on someone’s teaching and don’t think for themselves. For people who are doing that with Dr. Murray, I suggest they look further. He said himself, prove him wrong. I sent out to do just that today, and I couldn’t. -
Just a note to all Murray supporters who constantly send in comments. This is not a debate website. There are plenty of forums online if you wish to debate these doctrines. So far, the comments defend Murray without addressing the clear errors mentioned in the blog post above anyways. This is why I have chosen not to approve most of your comments or even address them. If you are willing to overlook the plain reading of Scripture for your doctrines, then I will not use my time to answer you.
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Hello there.
Serpent seed?. No. Satans SEED is better understood. Why?. Read it in the Bible. Don´t get mad. Ask YHVH to allow the Spirit to guide you.
Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
“between thy seed and her seed” (YHVH is speaking directly to Satan about his seed. Not an spiritual seed).
Now lets do some math so may be, if YHVH will permit it, you can “see it”:
Gen 5:1 This [is] the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; 2 Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. 3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat [a son] in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: 4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters: 5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.
6 And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos:
7 And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:
8 And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.
9 And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan:
10 And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters:
11 And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.
12 And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel:
13 And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:
14 And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.
15 And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:
16 And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters:
17 And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.
18 And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch:
19 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
20 And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.
21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:
22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:Now first let´s see the meaning of the word “Seth”.
Seth = “compensation” (Strong´s)
Compensating what?. Abels death, right?. Ok. Now lets revise Adams generation and please notice that Cain is not there. Rememeber that Cain did not die, so if he was Adams son he should be there, right?.
Now let´s take a look of something alse. Jude 1:14
14And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
SEVENTH from Adam. Count seven the book of the generations of Adam and you will find the Enoch is in fact seventh from Adam because Cain is not counted as Adams seed.
Now that is why we can also read:
John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a MURDERER from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Who was the first MURDERER? Cain. Cain murdered Abel. So anyone should be able to identify Cain as Satans seed and understand about the LUSTS Jesus was refearing to.
I dont think anyone that has the Spirit needs to speak about a preacher here or there for the Spirit it self will guide to the truth and that is what matters. For if anyone does not have the Spirit it would not matter what kind of convincing line you may try to use to fish them, it wont work.
John 6:4No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
So NO MAN has the power to do what only God can do. So there is no Murray, no Steve, no Peter or anyone alse that can MAKE ANYONE find Christ. So now is time for all to start thinking about all those people that go to different churches and still say they found Christ. How can that be? God knows why they are there and I am sure He has good reason for them to be there, at different locations.
But …
Jeremiah 23:1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.
So if you cannot draw a person to Christ, for it is only Gods job, you better not scatter.
And if anyone found their place to be the correct one for YHVH, why do they have to be afraid?
John 10:27My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
NO MAN IS ABLE TO PLUCK THEM OUT OF MY FATHER HAND!! … and guess what?
30I and my Father are one.
Best regards,
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Your wrong about what the word Kenite means. The word does mean the first child and Cain. The Kenites did make it through the flood of Noah. 1 Chron. Maybe the apple caused death who knows.
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I guess we need to listen to the TV preachers who beg for money and preach about nothing. Reading and studying the bible for yourself is a good thing. I guess I need to go to a bible college and pay someone a lot of money to teach me Gods letter to me. Maybe you should spend your time causing trouble for people who do not encourage you to read the bible. Oh, that is right I do not have to know it I am going to fly away. Sorry forgot.
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Kendall - I would be interested to see if you could find any dictionary that listed the same definition Arnold Murray gives for Kenites. By the way, this site was originally started to encourage people to read the Bible through in one year. Everyone needs to study to shew themselves approved - not just take some TV preacher’s message as their source of truth. Search the Scriptures not the Shepherd’s Chapel!
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I have studied the scriptures for 18 years and came up with my own knowledge concerning the scriptures. My conclusion is that people are lazy and are always wanting to follow another man or religion. If people would rely on there own relationship with the Lord and let the Father teach them through his word there would be know Brendas in the world. Just a thought, and I actually thought of it on my own.
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If you take such a literal interpretation of the bible then you must accept the serpent seed doctrine, because the Lord said to the serpent that he would “put enmity” between his seed and the woman’s seed. John the baptist refers to the “offspring of vipers”. According to your reasoning then their must be literal offspring of the serpent, because that’s what it literally says. How do you rectify these two? I have found most of what Murray teaches to be true, check it out at cupofwrath.com
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@Doug Buckley: If you understand the Bible literally, then it is quite clear that Cain is Adam’s son (Genesis 4:1).
@153: By your logic none of Adam’s other sons and daughters died. According to Genesis 5:4, he had many more sons and daughters than just Abel, Cain, and Seth. Your reasoning is silly. I suppose the rest of his children are still roaming around the earth (or perhaps they are aliens?) because Genesis 5 does not record their deaths either…
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@Ann: All false teachers use the Bible. As for proving Mr. Murray wrong, you might want to read my original post and answer the question posed…
@A Child of the King: I didn’t approve your comment because you are way out in left field. If the meaning of Scripture is only limited by your imagination, then you are in dangerous territory!!!
@Chris Quick: Glad you don’t wear your “theology on your sleeve” or you would have mentioned it more than 3x in one paragraph. If what he says is true, then perhaps you could find his source for the definition of “Kenite.” See the original post.
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Ge 4:1
And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.
KJV
Adam had sex with his wife Eve and she got pregnant from that sexual encounter with her husband Adam. The result was Cain was conceived in her womb and she later gave birth to Cain.Am I missing something God said here? Did Eve say, “I have gotten a man from Satan” or did she say “I have gotten a man from God.”
Adam later had sex with his wife Eve again and she gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel. Cain and Abel were full-blooded brothers from the same parents.
Ge 4:2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
KJVNotice, “she again bare his brother”. Not his half brother.
The Holy Spirit inspired John to write about it in the New Testament.
1 Jn 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
KJV
The Scriptures plainly teach that Adam was the father of Cain through his sexual relationship with Eve. Cain later chose to follow evil as seen by his works. His nature was the same as that of the devil and the same as any other evil person who follows Satan. I followed Satan before I gave my life to Christ. This does not mean that Satan had sex with my mother. If that were the case, how could I convert to Christ if my actual father was Satan. How could Satan have sex with so many women who have wicked children throughout this world? This is stupid to believe that Satan had sex with women. People who walk in darkness have, by their unregenerate nature, Satan as their spiritual father. Their nature is corrupt as Satan is. He is therefore their father by consequence of their fallen nature.Eph 2:2-3
2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
KJVThis is what happened to Cain. He was led by his fleshly nature that lodged in Adam and Eve when they sinned against God. They died spiritually when they sinned against God. They now had the nature of Satan. Hence, the whole plan of redemption through Christ was set in motion to get man out of the satanic nature and into Christ.
Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. KJV
Fritz
Thank you for posting this blog. My mother is an avid follower of the Shepherd’d Chapel. She feeds on this poison daily and I am truly at a loss as to how to discuss this with her.
I’ll try to make a long story short… Many years ago my mother began watching a television ministry called the “World Tomorrow” produced the the World Wide Church of God (WCG). In 1982 when I was 14 years old we began attending a local congregation after we were “screened” by two ministers who visited our home. At the time the church was lead by Herbert W. Armstrong who was referred to as the “end time messenger” and that WCG was the one “true church”.
WCG was a seventh day Sabbath keeping church known for their unique “doctrines” such as British Israelism and keeping holy days as instructed in the Old Testament (http://www.wcg.org/lit/aboutus/history.htm). My mother was a faithful member of this church for many years and even tithed up to 30% of her income. We never had much growing up and I remember this one winter when we went without electricity and my mother went to the church for help and all they could tell her was that she should continue to be faithful! After HWA’s death in 1986, things began to unravel and after several more years of administrative/doctrinal changes and uncertainty we stopped attending WCG in 1993.
We all became wary of “churches” in general but for the most part my siblings and I moved on to attend other churches that preach sound doctrine. Unfortunately, my mother eventually found another television “minister” named Arnold Murray of the Shepherd’s Chapel (http://www.shepherdschapel.com/answers.htm , http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepherd’s_Chapel). After she shared some of the “teachings” that Murray asserts as “doctrine” such as “British Israelism”, keeping Passover, using only the sacred names of YHVH and Yashua and what I consider the most bizarre “doctrine” of all, the “serpent seed doctrine” in which Murray asserts that Cain was the literal offspring of satan and Eve and father of a hybrid race of Jews called kenites, my antenna immediately went up because these teachings just didn’t seem to line up with what I’ve read in the bible and the fact that she was once again following a television minister who claimed to have some secret knowledge that other churches don’t teach because most traditional churches are deceived.
Murray uses the Companion Bible, Strong’s concordance along with writings by E.W. Bullinger, E. Raymond Capt and the apocrypha to support his claims. He also discourages his followers from seeking a local church because “they don’t teach chapter by chapter, verse by verse” and tells his followers that as long as they watch the “broadcast” they are in church quoting when two are gatered together… He also teaches that the bible is written in the stars in addition to biblical numerics.
There is even an incident where the “Pastor” threatened an individual with a gun because he said “blasphemy” during a live broadcast. The Daily show featured this outburst on a segment of on of their shows back in the 90’s: http://youtube.com/watch?v=hmSNi3NyS3E
I believe Murray’s teaching are indeed false and I pray that God will deliver my mother from her belief in them.