Your Story Hour

Guest (Male): Hey sis, dad, mom, come on. Your story hour's on.

Guest (Male): Presenting your story hour, building for a better tomorrow.

Aunt Carole: Hello everyone and welcome. This is Aunt Carol.

Uncle Dan: And I'm Uncle Dan. We're glad you've joined us for two more stories dating back to the beginning of this earth.

Aunt Carole: We've heard the story of creation and of Adam and Eve and of how sin entered into the Garden of Eden.

Uncle Dan: Today we'll continue with more about the early history of our world.

Aunt Carole: You can read all about it for yourself in Genesis. That's the very first book of the Bible, chapter four.

Uncle Dan: We call our first story Cain and Abel.

Adam: In the beginning, God created the heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is. In his own image created he man and woman and placed them in the Garden of Eden. But Adam and Eve, our first parents, disobeyed God and were forced to leave their paradise home. And they went outside the garden and made themselves a new home. There Eve, it's finished. Behold our new home.

Eve: It's it it

Adam: Oh now don't cry Eve. I know it's not as pretty or as nice as our our garden home was, but at least it's it's home.

Eve: It's it's very nice Adam. I won't try to be more cheerful.

Adam: Well if we try Eve, we can be happy here.

Eve: How soon can we go back to our garden home?

Adam: Never Eve. The angel is guarding the gate with a flaming sword, remember? Sin cannot be permitted in the perfect paradise home. And we sinned.

Eve: But the angel said that God is sending his only begotten son down to save us from our sin. Certainly we can move back in the garden then, can't we?

Adam: I don't think I I quite understand just what the angel did mean.

Eve: I understand it Adam.

Adam: You do?

Eve: God's son is coming down to this earth and forgive us of our sins. And then he'll let us go back in the garden and everything will be exactly like it was before we sinned.

Adam: I doubt Eve if salvation is quite that simple. Adam began to till the soil and to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow. Eve too began to find happiness in hard work. After a time, a new and wonderful joy came to them.

Eve: A baby?

Adam: A boy baby.

Eve: Just like you Adam.

Adam: Oh Eve, he is our son. He is born in my likeness as I was created in God's likeness.

Eve: He's beautiful. I'm going to name him Cain for he sent to me by God.

Adam: Cain, our son. Later, a second son was born to Adam and Eve.

Eve: I'm going to name him Abel.

Adam: Abel, our second son Eve. As boys, Cain and Abel differed widely in character. Abel had a spirit of loyalty to God and was obedient to his parents. Cain cherished feelings of rebellion and often murmured and complained.

Guest (Male): Ah but it's hot. I'm tired of pulling weeds. Come on Abel, let's quit and play around for a while.

Guest (Male): Not me.

Guest (Male): Ah come on.

Guest (Male): Father said that we weed the whole field of corn and we haven't even done one row yet.

Guest (Male): But it's hot. Too hot to work. I'm going to go swimming.

Guest (Male): Swimming?

Guest (Male): Sure, why not?

Guest (Male): Father sent us out here to work, not to swim.

Guest (Male): He won't know unless you tell him.

Guest (Male): But Cain, it isn't right to disobey father.

Guest (Male): I don't care. I'm going swimming.

Adam: Son, I thought I sent you and Abel to the east field to pull weeds.

Guest (Male): Yes sir.

Adam: Then why did you go swimming?

Guest (Male): Did Abel tell on me?

Adam: No Cain, I saw you myself. Why did you disobey me?

Guest (Male): It was hot father and I wanted to get cooled off.

Adam: Son, don't you realize how dangerous and terrible disobedience is?

Guest (Male): I don't see no harm in going swimming on a hot day.

Adam: Neither did your mother and I see any harm in eating the forbidden fruit. But look at the result. Because of that one disobedience, the entire world is plunged into sorrow, death. Son, I I must teach you that you must pay in one way or another for every wrong you do. Come, we will go to the grove. I've got to punish you. Regardless of what his father and mother did or said to teach Cain to obey, he seemed to get worse and worse. As the boys grew into manhood, Abel became a keeper of sheep, a shepherd.

Cain became a tiller of the ground, a farmer. Now at certain times, these young men came together to offer sacrifices according to God's command. An altar was built and a lamb slain and laid upon the altar. The purpose of this ceremony was to show their faith in the coming savior of the world.

Abel: I finished building my altar Cain, so I'll help you with yours.

Cain: I don't need your help.

Abel: But you are nearly finished and the ceremony is soon to begin. Now God is not pleased when we are careless about our appointments.

Cain: What do you mean by that crack?

Abel: Cain, you know very well what I mean. You know you aren't doing as you should. You laugh at parental authority, you mock religion, you scorn the plan of salvation, you rebel at all the time.

Cain: I'm just as good as you are Mr. Abel. I worship here at the garden gate every Sabbath day. I offer sacrifices at the proper time. I do the same things you do. Even our altars are built alike. Why are we so different? Why are you better than I?

Abel: It isn't the outward appearance and actions that count Cain, such as these altars and Sabbath worship, you know that. It's the inner attitudes and devotion that make us what we are.

Cain: I'm glad you said that Abel. It confirms my own opinion that to offer the product of my own labor as a sacrifice is better than to offer a purchase sacrifice.

Abel: What do you mean?

Cain: I 'm going to offer fruit upon my altar instead of a lamb.

Abel: But God expressly commanded that we offer a lamb as a sacrifice.

Cain: A lamb for you, yes. You're a shepherd. But I 'm a farmer and a grower of fruit. I'll offer the product of my own labor.

Abel: But that would be disobeying God.

Cain: So what?

Abel: God will not accept a sacrifice that is not in keeping with his command.

Cain: We 'll see. You go back to your altar and offer your sacrifice in your way. And I'll offer mine in my way.

Adam: Finally the altars were finished and laden with a sacrifice. Abel's with a firstborn lamb, Cain with various kinds of fruit. At the proper time, Abel began the ceremonies.

Abel: Oh great and mighty God of heaven, upon this anniversary of the first sin, I make this sacrifice and by this sacrifice I do show my belief in a savior to come and my great need for purification from sin. Accept this offering oh God and consume it by fire from heaven.

Cain: Oh great and mighty God, I am Cain, firstborn of my father and mother. I offer a sacrifice of the first fruits of my hard labor. Accept this sacrifice oh God and consume it by fire from heaven. Consume this by fire oh God and thus show approval of my hard labor. I am doing this at your command oh God. So consume this offering by fire from heaven.

God: Cain, Cain, know you not that if your sacrifice is in keeping with God's command, he will accept it. If it is not in keeping with his command, then sin lies at your door.

Adam: Even after this warning from the Lord, Cain refused to obey and in anger rose up against his brother Abel.

Cain: You think you're better than I am? Well you aren't. Just because your offering was consumed by fire and mine wasn't is no sign that you're right and I'm wrong. It's a sign that that God is jealous of me and so are you.

Abel: Cain, be careful. Say anything you wish about me, but never about God.

Cain: God is just and merciful. He is kind and longsuffering.

Guest (Male): Ah making mother and father leave the garden was merciful and longsuffering I suppose.

Abel: They sinned and sin cannot remain in paradise.

Cain: Are you insinuating that I sinned?

Abel: I am only saying that sin is the transgression of God's law. Mother and father disobeyed God's law when they ate the forbidden fruit. You have disobeyed God by not offering a lamb as a sacrifice.

Cain: I'm getting fed up with your holier than thou attitude and you you're constantly nagging me.

Abel: Please Cain, I'm only trying to help. I'm your brother and I want to help you.

Cain: Oh so you're only trying to help huh? Don't ever remind me again that you're my brother. I'm getting sick and tired of your brotherly help. And once and for all I'm going to settle with you. You take this and this and this I've killed him. I better get out of here. I've got to rest.

God: Cain, Cain, where is Abel thy brother?

Cain: I I don't know. He's old enough to take care of himself.

God: What hast thou done Cain?

Cain: I Am I my brother's keeper?

God: Now art thou cursed from the earth which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand. When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength. A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

Adam: And Cain, the world's first murderer, went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. He became the head of a line of bold abandoned sinners. His example and influence exerted there demoralizing power until the earth became so corrupt and filled with violence as to call for its destruction by the flood.

Aunt Carole: We'll begin our second story in just a moment, but first listen to a letter that was sent to us from Texas.

Guest (Female): Hi, I'm 16 years old. I've heard your Bible stories. I've had so many problems and I just would love to get closer to God. I plan to be very successful and yes, I am a very troubled teenager. I feel so much better when I hear what God has done for us. I know I can make it if I just get to know God better.

Aunt Carole: We all need to know God better and follow his plan for our lives if we're to be truly successful. But you're on the right track.

Uncle Dan: As are thousands of boys and girls, men and women who through the years have joined our adventures in the Holy Bible Club. The interesting stories and quizzes make Bible study fun and easy.

Aunt Carole: And as a club member, you'll collect 13 fully dramatized CDs from our Life of Jesus series as you send in your completed quizzes.

Uncle Dan: And club membership is totally free.

Aunt Carole: So if you're at least nine years old, visit our website at yourstoryhour.org and begin the most important adventure of your life. That's at yourstoryhour.org.

Uncle Dan: But right now it's time for our second story, the man who believed what God said.

Adam: When Cain, Adam and Eve's first son was born, Eve entertained the hope that he was to be the promised savior. Little did she realize she would suffer a heartbreaking disappointment in being the mother of the world's first murderer. Since that time, there have always been two classes of men, those who believed in God's love and obeyed him and those who disobeyed God and believed in their own force and energy. When Adam was 130 years old, another son was born to him whom he named Seth. Years later, Seth became the father of Enos. The descendants of Seth separated themselves from the wicked descendants of Cain.

They cherished the knowledge of God's will while the young godly race of Cain had no respect for God and his sacred commandments. As the race of Cain multiplied, they began to spread out over the plains and valleys while the children of Seth withdrew to the mountains and there made their homes. In time, however, the two races gradually began to mingle and intermarry. And many of the worshippers of God were drawn into sin. They lost their peculiar holy character and walked in the ways of Cain.

Methuselah: I am Methuselah, son of Enoch and a descendant of Seth. I lived to be over 960 years of age. During those long years, I saw much wickedness and degradation. People sought to gratify self and they used the abundance of gold, silver and precious stones to build houses for themselves, trying to outdo one another and beautifying their dwellings with the most skillful workmanship.

Guest (Male): There dear, it's done, finished. Our home.

Guest (Male): It's beautiful.

Guest (Male): Beautiful, it's the most beautiful, the most expensive, the richest house in all the world.

Guest (Male): Wait until Mrs. Enos sees the diamond room.

Guest (Male): And the room overlaid with pure gold. Oh won't people envy us when they see it?

Methuselah: Because of this desire to glorify self, the people soon forgot God. They began to worship nature. In place of the God of nature, they glorified human genius, worshipped the works of their own hands and taught their children to bow down to graven images instead of to the God of creation.

Guest (Male): God, the only God worthy of worship is nature and the things of nature. My beautiful home, my creation. Now there's something to be proud of and to revere. God.

Methuselah: Men chose to follow their own sinful desires and as a result, crime and wretchedness rapidly increased. Men took by force the things they coveted. They gloated in deeds of violence until they came to regard human life with astonishing indifference.

Guest (Male): You have a vineyard I want. How much will you sell it for?

Guest (Male): Oh it's not for sale.

Guest (Male): Well just the same I want it.

Guest (Male): I inherited that vineyard. It's not for sale I said.

Guest (Male): No it's not huh? Well in that case I'll just get rid of you and take it anyway.

Guest (Male): No no no no

Adam: The cries of the oppressed reached to heaven. Holy scripture says

God: And God saw the earth and behold it was corrupt. And God said, I have determined to make an end of all flesh for the earth is filled with violence. And behold, I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the earth. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. And God said to Noah, make yourself an ark of gopher wood.

Noah: That's what the Lord told me.

Guest (Female): How soon will the flood come dear?

Noah: The Lord said it would be 120 years. During that time, he commanded that I build an ark, a great boat which is to house some of all the animals and birds of the air and all the people, those who will listen to the warning and come in for safety.

Guest (Female): But Noah you may be able to build such a boat but when it comes to preaching, telling all the people that there's going to be a flood, well dear even if you could preach they they wouldn't believe you. They'd ridicule you and scorn you to death.

Noah: It won't be an easy task. But the God that told me to do it, he will also give me the ability and the strength to carry out his command.

Guest (Female): Well I suppose you're right. When do you begin?

Noah: Right away. We have no time to lose. And dear, it will take everything we have, everything, all our possessions, all our strength to prepare the ark. God gave me minute instructions and told me just how to build it. He said that I

Adam: So Noah began building the ark in accordance with the explicit instructions from God. Undoubtedly Methuselah, the grandfather of Noah, helped in this tremendous task. Gopher wood, which would be untouched with decay for hundreds of years, was used to construct the ark. The work progressed slowly. Some years after Noah began building the ark, he had three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth. They were early taught to help in the building of the ark. They grew up in the atmosphere and excitement attending the ark building. By the time Shem, Ham and Japheth grew into manhood, the ark was taking shape.

It was built to resemble a ship. Yet in some respects, it looked more like a house. It was three stories high with the only entrance door on one side. Light was admitted from the roof. As the boat grew in size, great crowds came from every direction to see the strange sight and to hear the earnest fervent words of this peculiar preacher.

Guest (Female): Why doesn't Noah send all these people away? I think it's a shame that people come from all over the world and oh what did they come for? To hear Noah preach the truth? No, to ridicule him and make fun of him.

Guest (Female): He doesn't want to send them away.

Guest (Female): Certainly he doesn't like to be made fun of.

Guest (Female): Of course not. Then why does he put up with all this this derision?

Guest (Female): Because he says that in this way everyone will eventually come here and thus be warned of the impending doom. But no one believes him. He's so radical in his viewpoints and predictions that that people call him the mad preacher.

Guest (Female): Well he's not as radical as most people think.

Guest (Female): But a flood, a flood is against nature, against the laws of nature.

Guest (Female): God is the God of nature. He is its creator. He controls

Guest (Female): But the heavens and

Guest (Male): People

Guest (Female): Why sis?

Guest (Male): People please

Guest (Female): You sound as though you believe there will be a flood.

Guest (Male): My father Noah wants to speak to you.

Guest (Female): I want to hear Noah.

Guest (Male): Friends, relatives and visitors from all parts of the world. Each day at this time, my father speaks to those who have come here. My father Noah. Some of you live near a town. Some of you are from more remote parts of the earth. But all of you are here to see the ark and to hear me speak. Some of you have an honest desire to know the truth about the future. Others wish only to scoff and ridicule.

Guest (Male): You've been building this ark and preaching our doom for a long time, but there's nothing happened yet. When is our doom coming? Today?

Guest (Male): The God of heaven will bring a flood upon the earth. All who are not inside the ark will be destroyed.

Guest (Male): When?

Guest (Female): I believe Noah is right.

Guest (Female): Oh don't be so gullible. There can't be a flood.

Guest (Female): Well I'm going to find out for sure.

Guest (Female): How? Ask Noah I suppose.

Guest (Female): Yes. I'll go to him personally and find out the truth.

Guest (Male): I plead with everyone of you. Put away your evil ways and turn to God. He sees your wickedness. He sees your apostasy and he will not Yeah but daughter there can't be a flood. Now where would the water come from? Our scientists and wise men have made extensive studies of this matter. They've experimented and made tests. They say a flood is absolutely impossible. Now Noah is just a fanatical mad preacher trying to attract attention.

Guest (Female): Father, who created the earth?

Guest (Male): I don't know. What do you mean?

Guest (Female): Who created this earth, this very earth upon which we live?

Guest (Male): The almighty I guess.

Guest (Female): You guess? Don't you know if God created it or not?

Guest (Male): We're told that he did, but that's not proof.

Guest (Female): Father when I was just a little girl, you used to take me to see the Garden of Eden. We got close enough to actually see the angel guarding the gate, remember?

Guest (Male): Oh yes.

Guest (Female): Well so the story of creation and the first sin must be true. God did create the world and all that in it is, including nature. God is therefore the creator of nature. He can change the course of nature. He can do anything.

Guest (Male): Oh now why would God want to destroy the earth and all the people, assuming that there is a God and that he could bring a flood?

Guest (Female): People are terribly wicked father and you know it. Nearly everyone has completely forgotten God. People worship idols. We do ourselves. We're self-indulgent and we we're steeped in sin. We condone wickedness of all kinds and God will not

Guest (Male): I will not have a daughter of mine talking to me like that. Now stop it this instant.

Guest (Female): I didn't mean to be disrespectful father. I I just believe there will be a flood and I want my loved ones to be saved in the ark and I want

Guest (Male): I forbid you to believe Noah there will be no flood, understand?

Guest (Female): But I do believe

Guest (Male): I also forbid you to go near the ark again. Disobey me and you'll be no daughter of mine.

Guest (Female): Father.

Guest (Male): I mean it mother. I will not permit a daughter of mine to believe such absurdities and mingle with all those those crazy fanatics. I don't want it even mentioned in this house again now ever, understand?

Guest (Female): Yes father.

Guest (Male): All right. Now see that you obey. Now your mother I'm hungry. Have dinner ready in half an hour. I'll be in the conservatory.

Guest (Female): Oh mother, mother.

Guest (Female): I'm sorry dear, but your father's right. There isn't going to be a flood and you shouldn't be so gullible.

Guest (Female): But there is going to be mother. God said so and God's word never fails.

Guest (Female): God is a God of law and order. As you yourself say, he ordained the laws of nature. Certainly he will not change them. Destruction is also contrary to God's nature.

Guest (Female): So was sin. He abhors sin and sin abounds everywhere mother. Well the people are forgetting what your father said. Now you'd better obey him. But mother I believe there will be a flood and I can't help but talk about it. When the flood comes, I'm going to be inside that ark and I want you and and my sister and father there too.

Guest (Female): Are you saying that rather than give up your nonsensical notions and fancied opinions, you're going to cling to them and allow yourself to be disgraced and disowned?

Guest (Female): I'm sorry for that of course mother, but but I must first of all obey God. I oh mother can't you see how I feel? Can't you understand that there is going to be a flood and and all who are not inside the ark will be lost?

Guest (Female): I'm sorry to have to say this to you, my oldest daughter, but since you insist on disobeying your father by refusing to give up these foolish ideas, you'd better pack up and leave.

Guest (Female): All right mother. If that's your wish.

Guest (Male): Yeah where's daughter?

Guest (Female): Uh she's out.

Guest (Male): Well when she comes in, tell her that I want to see her.

Guest (Female): She won't be coming in.

Guest (Male): She what?

Guest (Female): She left.

Guest (Male): Left? For where?

Guest (Female): I don't know. She just left. She's not coming back.

Guest (Male): She she ran away?

Guest (Female): You chased her away.

Guest (Male): I chased her away.

Guest (Female): You refused to let her believe in the flood and remain here. You disowned her and and she left.

Guest (Male): Oh well well good enough for her if she's foolish enough to believe in a flood.

Guest (Female): You used to believe it yourself.

Guest (Male): I did? When pray tell?

Guest (Female): Back when Noah first started preaching a flood.

Guest (Male): Oh well I I guess I did, didn't I?

Guest (Female): Well maybe there is going to be a flood. Maybe the ark is our only salvation. Maybe we should

Guest (Male): Now listen to you. How many times have I got to tell you that there isn't going to be a flood? There can't be. It's absolutely scientifically impossible.

Guest (Female): Yes I know. That's what Adam and Eve thought too. They just knew that God would not make them leave their garden home. They knew death was against God's nature and he would not bring death to them. But look what happened. They were wrong, so we can be wrong now.

Guest (Male): Yeah but our scientists and wise men have proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that a flood is impossible.

Guest (Female): Well I they could be wrong, couldn't they?

Guest (Male): Yeah you well I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll take you to the ark and let you see and hear for yourself. We'll all go, you and our remaining daughter. We'll we'll make a day of it. Take a picnic lunch. We need a holiday anyway. Uh you two get things ready and we'll get started. Oh well there she is, Noah's folly, the ark.

Guest (Female): Oh it's a lot bigger than I thought it would be. It's well it's almost finished.

Guest (Male): Yes there there's just a few more weeks work on it.

Guest (Female): Who are all these people helping build it? I thought just Noah and his three sons were doing the work.

Guest (Male): Oh no I I understand Noah had to hire some outside help. They say it's costing him all his possessions, everything he has and owns.

Guest (Female): He must really be convinced there'll be a flood. Maybe there will be.

Guest (Female): I feel the same way. I just

Guest (Male): I will not have you two talking like that. Now you hear me? I forbid it. It's a well don't even think about it. Well now that that's settled, I'll I'll show you around. Come on.

Uncle Dan: And here's our mailing address for those of you who'd like to join our adventures in the Holy Bible Club, but don't have access to the web.

Aunt Carole: Write to us at yourstoryhour, box eight, Niles, N I L E S, Michigan 49120. That's box eight, Niles, Michigan 49120.

Uncle Dan: Goodbye for now and God bless you all.

Guest (Male): This has been your story hour, building for a better tomorrow.

Aunt Carole: This is Aunt Carol and Uncle Dan saying

Guest (Male): Goodbye everyone. See you again next time.

Aunt Carole: Goodbye everyone. See you again next time.