Banished! First Faminly Woes

Banished! First Family Woes

Genesis 4 and 5

Genesis 4 is a chapter of firsts.

·         The first family’s first conceptions and births. V.1,2

·         The first recorded occupations, shepherd and farmer. V.2

·         The first offering offered to the Lord God. V.3-4 There is much speculation as to why God chose Abel’s offering over Cain’s: one is that Cain’s was not a blood sacrifice as was Abel’s. The passage infers Cain’s attitude was one of indifference and that he gave grudgingly. His subsequent attitude of anger further lends itself to this conclusion. However, Hebrews 11:4 states that Abel’s sacrifice was offered by faith whereas Cain’s was not. The whole of Scripture paints faith as the most important factor in worship as opposed to simply “going through the motions” as implied by Cain’s offering.

·         The first unworthy sacrifice. V.5 Hebrews 11:4 states that Cain’s was not of faith as was Abel’s. Many go through the motions lacking faith and are disappointed when their desired results are not attained. We cannot receive anything from God without faith.

·         The first recorded anger. V.5 Cain was wroth; there are several stages of anger, Cain’s exceeded “normal” anger proceeding directly to cruelty and vengeance with a predictable negative and violent outcome. Cain committed premeditated murder. He thought and planned it thoroughly with malice aforethought. It was not an act of passion. He deliberated on it for some time. There was no remorse, no repentance, only that he got caught. Num.32:23 “…and be sure your sin will find you out; Pr.28:13 “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but he that confesseth and forsaketh then shall have mercy.” Given that Scripture does not record Cain as being repentant or confessing his murder of Abel, Did Cain receive mercy from God?

·         The first recorded denial of brotherly love. Vs. 9 Am I my brother’s keeper?

·         The first murder. V.8 Cain’s method of murder is not specified, the thrust is the actual sin rather than the method. However, given Cain’s track record of demeanor, it stands to reason that it was not accidental.

·         The first fugitive and vagabond. V.14 a fugitive is always on the run to avoid punishment. A vagabond is one who has no place to call home---homeless, and as such quenches the idea that Cain received grace from God. However, he did receive mercy. As God spared him from immediate death.

·         The first mark on an individual. V.15 “…and the Lord set a mark on Cain”. We are not told exactly what that mark was.

·         The first recorded city, built by Cain, called Enoch after his son. Located in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Given the geographical locations in the Bible my guess it was located somewhere near modern Iraq. At any rate it does not exist today.

·         The first recorded genealogy, from Cain to La’mech. V. 17-23

·         The first recorded incest V.17 Cain had to marry his sister as there were no other families as yet. The law against incest was not passed down until Moses’ day, Lev.18:6-18. It is natural to assume that God originally intended for families to intermarry as a wholesome relationship. However, after the fall, the whole human race was cursed and the human genetic code became polluted (part of the curse) genetic defects and abnormalities were multiplied, amplified and passed from generation to generation. Without the curse man would live forever without sickness and disease, defects and abnormalities.

·         The first tent dwellers and cattlemen. V.20

·         The first musicians. V. 21

·         The first worker of brass and iron. V.22

·         The first polygamist. V.19

·         The first substitute. Vs. 25-26 (Seth, a replacement for Abel). The fall and subsequent exile brought the need for a savior and Abel was the original intended seed; after Abel’s death [Abel’s seed was intended to “bruise the head of the serpent”] God brought Seth into the genetic lineage [a picture of the Christ to come]. (V.25…(Eve said) “God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel…”)

·         The first time men began to call upon the name of the Lord. V.26. I find it interesting that men did not call upon the Lord until now [at least 235 years after the exile; Adam was 130 years old when Seth was born and Seth was 105 years old when Enos was born]. Scripture is silent as to how lone Adam and Eve actually lived in the garden before the fall and exile.

For the First Family a life of banishment from the garden of God begins with the birth of two sons and quickly turned to murder. We are not told how long it was after Adam and Eve were banished from the garden until the birth of their first child, Cain; we are not we told how long afterward his brother Abel was born. We are told of their occupations; Cain was a farmer, and Abel a shepherd. We are told of the animosity and jealousy Cain had toward his brother and how he eventually murdered him, the first recorded murder in history.

Abel was to be the righteous line through which Christ would come, but when he was slain God raised up Seth in his place, which is why Eve declared “God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel…” (4:25b). Satan thought by slaying Abel that he would destroy the one who would bruise his head (3:15).

Chapter 5:1-32

Chapter 5 records the genealogy from Adam to Noah. Methuselah V.25-27 lived 969 years, more than any other man. No man has ever lived for 1000 years.

Ch.5:1-2 reiterates the fact that God created man in His likeness and image; creating them as male and female, blessing them and calling them Adam. The term day (Yom) is the same term used in 1:1-2:4 which means a 24 hour period.

In Ch.5:3 we are told that Adam was 130 years old when he begat Seth, and in Ch. 5:4 Adam lived 800 years after he begat Seth, and lived a total of 930 years.

It is interesting that Cain’s son Enoch walked with God (not as his father) V.22-24, plus he lived 365 years. One might think that he might follow in his father’s [Cain] footsteps, however this was not the case.

Ch.5:32 Noah was the father of Shem [the Semitic race], Ham [the black race], and Japheth [the Caucasian race].

Knowing God

A brief [not complete, add to the list] synopsis of the persona of God:

·         Love

·         Gracious

·         Merciful

·         Righteous

·         Longsuffering

·         Gentle

·         Faithful

·         Compassionate

·         Forgiving

·         Friend

        The ultimate goal of Bible study is to know God, and not to merely memorize Bible trivia. As you study, identify the attributes of God. For instance: make a note when you read of God extending His forgiveness or compassion, and remember how He has done the same for you.