GENESIS CHAPTER 4

Verse 13-26

Verse 13 and 14 – And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. Cain's comments

I. Didn't admit guilt - like those not touched by Holy Spirit.

II. No thought for the victim.

III. The old song and dance - "cruel and unusual punishment."

IV. Cain understood the punishment, for he repeated the judgment, but he still didn't repent.

V. Why was the punishment greater than he could bear?

A. Not sorry for crime, sorry for punishment.

B. Latter part of verse 14, Cain was afraid for his life.

1. Cain didn't mind killing somebody else, but he didn't want to be killed himself.

2. Matthew 7:12 - what we call "the Golden Rule". Cain didn't keep this law, yet desired all others to keep it.

3. We normally think that people will do like we do. - Titus 1:15.

a. If we do evil, we believe all others will do evil.

b. If we do good, we believe all others will do good.

VI. Word "driven" of Genesis 4:14 and "drove" of Genesis 3:24 is same Hebrew word "garash".

Verse 15 – And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

I. Cain finds comfort in the mark.

II. The mark - we do not know for certain.

A. The mark upon Cain is not that he is a Negro.

B. Not necessarily "666" - mark of the anti-Christ.

C. Doesn't have to be a mark men can see. Could be an assurance God gave Cain that He would avenge 70-fold the murderer of Cain.

D. Could be an external sign. Matthew 12:39 - a wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign.

Verse 16 – And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

I. Cain going from presence of the Lord.

A. Means he left the place of worship.

1. Job 1:12, 2:7 - Satan going from presence of God, leaving the place of worship (service).

2. Jonah 1:3 - Jonah leaving the presence of God.

B. Cain went east to the land of Nod.

1. The entrance to the tabernacle and temple faced the east. Cain walked away from the entrance, turning his back on the place of worship.

2. Nod means wandering.

a. When you get away from the place of worship of God, we are always wandering.

b. Hebrews 11:8-10 - not wandering like Abraham, who was looking for a city built by God.

Verse 17 – And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.

I. Cain knew his wife (in a marital way)

A. His wife was his sister or niece - the beginning of interfaith marriage - Genesis 6:1

B. We don't know when they married.

1. Married before Cain killed Abel - a picture of a woman following a rebellious husband -- See I Samuel 25 - Abigail the wife of Nabal, a man of Belial.

2. Married after Cain killed Abel. A picture of a rebellious woman marrying a rebellious man. Note: she had to leave the presence of Godly worship and worshippers.

3. As parents, we can teach our children right, but only God can cause them to follow Him. We certainly do pray that God would put His hand on our children.

4. Many times those children we expect to be okay (the name Cain means acquisition [from the Lord]) are the ones who give us the most trouble and heartache.

II. Built a city.

A. In defiance to the direct command of God that he be a fugitive and a vagabond.

B. Fear in Cain, therefore seeking the security of a walled city for protection.

1. Remembered his murder of Abel all his life.

2. Knew others would also remember.

3. Knew he deserved to die, even though he never admitted his guilt.

4. Failure to rely on the promise of God that God would protect him (4:15)

C. Named the city after his son.

1. Perhaps recognizing he was doomed to a life of wandering. (doubtful)

2. Desire for sons name to have continuity. A typical parent.

3. Lost people desire continuity and recognition while on this earth. Saved people look for rewards from God in heaven.

4. This earth is all they have.

5. II Peter 3:9-11 - All the works of this earth will be destroyed.

D. Building cities with no thought of the will of God.

1. Luke 17:26-30 - the days of Noah and the days of Lot are alike in that building was going on.

2. Nothing wrong with building (Moses building the Tabernacle, Solomon building the Temple and his own house – Jesus’ step-father was a carpenter) but building without God is sin.

Verse 18 – And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.

I. As Cain married either a sister or other close female relative, so Enoch and others might have married their sister or other close relative.

A. They either married their sister or niece (a close relation at the least.)

B. The same thing applies to these women as applies to Cain's wife.

II. Other men in Cain line.

A. No mention of age because God keep time according to Godly (those in the Christ line) men.

B. God knows the names of all men, but all men's names are not written in the Book of life.

Verse 19 – And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.

I. Lamech

A. Compare this 7th from Adam in the Cain line to Enoch (5:21-24), the 7th from Adam in the Seth (Christ) line.

1. Probably lived at the same time.

2. Philippians 2:15 - We are to let our lights shine today just as Enoch let his light shine in that day.

3. I Corinthians 10:11 - People in the Old Testament had trouble and stood for Christ, we have trouble today and ought to stand for Christ.

B. First Polygamy

1. Later Godly men would follow this example.

a. Genesis 6:12 - Taking wives of all they chose.

b. Genesis 16:1-3 - Abraham

c. Genesis 29:15-30 - Jacob

2. Genesis 2:24 - God intended one woman for one man, but God blesses if there is more than one wife.

a. Genesis 29:15-30 - Jacob had four women altogether. God used these four women to start the 12 tribes of Israel.

b. II Samuel 12:8, 9 - God didn't mind David having more than one wife, and would have given him more wives.

c. God blessed the marriage of David and Bathsheba through the birth and life of Solomon. II Samuel 12:24 - "and the Lord loved him."

C. Adah means pleasure, beauty. Zillah means luxurious hair, good color.

Verse 20 – And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.

I. Prosperity for the lost -- Job 21:1-18

II. Compare to the prosperity of Abraham and Lot -- Genesis 13:5,6.

Verse 21 – And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.

I. Beginning of Music

A. Much secular music is error.

B. Much religious music is error.

II. Perhaps they were drowning their sorrow in music,forgetting the coming judgment from God by enjoying music.

III. Nothing wrong with using music in worship of God -- Psalm 150:3-5, but give glory to God, not to the musicians.

Verse 22 – And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.

I. Beginning of tool making and art

II. Spending their time with things of this earth that shall be destroyed.

III. Many saved people are guilty of paying more attention to secular needs and not paying enough attention to spiritual needs.

Verses 23 and 24 – And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.

I. First poem

II. Bragging to those that will listen and agree (Esther 5:9-14 - Haman bragging to his wife and friends.)

III. Bragging about being "tough".

IV. Like Cain - no regard for the victim.

V. Making fun of the curse of God (4:15).

A. Knew about the curse God put on Cain.

B. Cain was a very important "elder" (because he was the oldest and most powerful) in the city of his son "Enoch".

C. Cain probably repeated the story many times to anybody who would listen. (And most people would listen, for Cain was a man of importance.)

D. Note that Cain probably spoke of his judgment by God with contempt, completely justifying himself in the sight of his fellow citizens.

Verse 25 – And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.

I. Birth of Seth (when Adam was 130 years old {5:3}).

II. Seth means "compensation".

III. God always supplies what Satan takes from us.

A. Job 1:2, 3 42:12-17 - God doubling what Job had.

B. Mark 10:29, 30 - God will give 100 times now, with persecutions, than we give up for the cause of Christ.

IV. Note the birth of Seth came by natural means.

A. So it is today, God's blessings come by natural means.

B. Many people would deny these are God's blessings.

C. We may look for a "super-natural" means of blessings, but we need to learn to see God's hand in the natural things of the world.

Verse 26 – And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.

A. A son born to Seth when Seth is 105 years old (Genesis 5:6).

B. Teaches us the continuity of the Christ line, even as the evil people (Cain line) also continue.

C. Seth probably married his sister, half-sister, or niece.

1. This is not necessarily wrong in that day.

2. Genesis 20:12 - Abraham married his half-sister.

3. Genesis 24:4 - Abraham seeking a wife for his son from his brother's family (22:20).

4. Genesis 22:20-23, 24:15 - Rebekah, Isaac's wife, was:

Abraham and Nahor = Brothers

Nahor’s son:

Bethuel = Abraham’s nephew

Bethuel’s daughter:

Rebekah = Abraham’s great niece

Nahor = Isaac’s uncle

son:

Bethuel = Isaac’s first cousin

daughter:

Rebekah = Isaac’s first cousin once removed

D. Men calling on name of the Lord.

1. In a regular public worship.

2. This was taking place when:

a. Other men (in the Cain-line) was not worshipping God.

b. Seth had his own home and joined Adam and Eve and children in worship.

c. Probably Enos was a small child.