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Genesis 4:19-24: Vengeance is not yours!

^“19 Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. ²⁰ Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. ²¹ His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes. ²² Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of  bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.  ²³ Lamech said to his wives,  ‘Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words.  I have killed a man for wounding me,  a young man for injuring me.  ²⁴ If Cain is avenged seven times,  then Lamech seventy-seven times.’ ” NIV

In (23) we encounter the first instance of polygamy in history. The Bible never advocates having more than one wife (at the same time!). It was not the original pattern. But Scripture certainly records occurrences from time to time. It seems to me that in many instances, in the telling of these stories, we can see for ourselves that, although polygamy may not be expressly forbidden, it certainly is not a wise idea.

But the concern in today’s passage is not so much with how many wives Lamech had, but what he said to them on one occasion (23, 24). After telling his wives how he had killed a man (or would kill a man, as it can be read), he compared his situation with Cain’s. Cain had killed his innocent brother, but Lamech had killed a man who had injured him (or would kill a man in such circumstances). So, he argued, Cain’s crime was greater. Therefore, if God said that Cain’s killer would suffer vengeance ‘’seven times over’’ (15), Lamech argued that anyone killing him – who had committed a lesser crime – should be ‘’…avenged…seventy-seven times’’ (24). It’s been pointed out that in the Bible, seven is considered a ‘complete’ or ‘full’ number. So, the numbers ‘’seven’’ and ‘’seventy-seven’’ indicate ‘full vengeance’ and ‘ten times full’ vengeance (see Matthew 18:21, 22).

Anyway, the point to make is that, when we are hurt we may well feel inclined to hit back (with a fist, or in some other more subtle way). But we must remember that vengeance belongs to God alone, and it is not for any of us to hi-jack His job (Deuteronomy 31:35; Romans 12:19-21). Lamech was wrong to say this (and to do it, if he did. Or to suggest that he would). If someone has hurt you, commit them to God. He knows best how to deal with them, whether in mercy or chastisement. We really must trust Him. May we be able to pray for all such ‘enemies’ without bitterness or resentment. Lord, help us.

Genesis 4:17-18: No substitute.

^“17 Cain made love to his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. ¹⁸ To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.” NIV UK

I heard Simon Sinek being interviewed, and he talked about the importance of knowing why you do what you do each day; not just the what, but the why. We need that sense of purpose. Why do you get out of bed each morning? But without God in your life, where do you get that?

People who live ‘’east of Eden’’, away from ‘’the LORD’s presence’’ have a gap in their lives. If they are honest, they know something is missing. They may try to find satisfaction in having children, or in some great project they undertake and give themselves to – like Cain’s ‘’building a city’’. The search for fulfillment and meaning may lie in other directions of course. The point is, we are aware of an aching void within. As someone said, people are like ‘Polo Mints’. They have a hole in the middle. The truth is, it’s a God-shaped hole, and only God can fill it. Children can give great joy (as well as dreadful pain), and we can find pleasure in putting our talents to good use on the earth. But if we make these things our idols, we will find that they are no substitute for the living God. In ‘Ecclesiastes’, Solomon describes how he tried just about everything on offer in the world, because he could, and he found it all to be ‘’Meaningless!’’ He could not find meaning ‘’under the sun’’. For this he had to look above the sun, as it were.

By the way, it is the case that godly parents can have ungodly children. But it also works the other way round. Ungodly parents can have godly children. As we will see, ‘’Enoch’’ is a name which has become synonymous with godliness.

Before I finish, I know you want to know where Cain got his wife. The only realistic answer seems to be that he must have married a sister.

PRAYER: Lord God, I have to thank you because everything now makes sense to me, and I have a reason to live. It’s not that I understand everything. I don’t. But I have a purpose for living that is greater than me, and I am so grateful.

Genesis 4: 13-16: Repentance or resentment?

^“13 Cain said to the Lord, ‘My punishment is more than I can bear. ¹⁴ Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.’  ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him, ‘Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.’ Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. ¹⁶ So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.” NIV UK

There is a difference between repentance and resentment. Resentment is not repentance.

There is a difference between repentance and remorse. Remorse is not repentance. You can feel remorseful about the consequences you have to live with, but not repent of the sin(s) which brought about those repercussions. ‘Cain responded to this punishment with self-pity and remorse…To feel remorse is to have regrets, to be distressed by a bad outcome. Remorse can even include an awareness of having sinned (Matthew 27:3-4). But it does not include humbly confessing that sin to God and resolving to turn from it – which is true repentance.’ Tom Hale: ‘Applied Old Testament Commentary’, p.140.

Cain was not a repentant man: ‘…Cain was not convicted about his sin; he was concerned only about his punishment. Cain’s unbelief, hatred, and deceit destroyed every relationship in his life: his relationship with his brother, God, himself, and the world around him.’ Warren Wiersbe: ‘With the Word’, p.18.

When God speaks to you about your sin, don’t get angry; instead, get right…with Him. This is your opportunity to repent, and find forgiveness.

God is merciful. He was merciful to Cain even though he didn’t repent. Since he would not have the protection of a settled community he was naturally fearful. So God promised to protect him and He placed a ‘’mark’’ on him. We don’t know what it was, but anyone who might seek to kill Cain would somehow recognise the mark, and know that he was under divine protection. (Some scholars think this mark may actually have been the ‘’city’’ Cain later built, verse 17, which would afford him protection).

Since the fall, every human-being is born ‘’east of Eden’’, separated from God. The good news, however, is that there is a way back to God, through faith in Jesus who died for all of our sins. But it is a way which involves repentance. Mere remorse, or regret, or resentment fall far short of the mark.

THOUGHT: God, in His grace, gives us what we do not deserve; God, in His mercy, does not give us what we do deserve.

Genesis 4:10-12: They call me the wanderer.

One simple thought today: Augustine observed, our hearts are restless until they rest in you. He was, of course, speaking to God in this phrase. He had lived a bit, shall we say, but he had come to see that in his heart there was a ‘God-shaped hole’ that only God Himself could fill.

Ever since Cain, man has found himself to be a ‘’restless wanderer on the earth.’’ That’s what sin does. But when men begin to ‘’call on the name of the LORD’’ (26b), they find their solution.

PRAYER: Thank you that Jesus fully satisfies.

Genesis 4: 10: God knows.

^“10 The Lord said, ‘What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. “

Maybe Cain hoped to hide what he had done, as many murderers have done since. But nothing happens behind God’s back. He knows and He cares.

God knows all the martyrs, even if they have been cruelly despatched, and their bodies hidden away, as was Abel’s (Revelation 6:9-11).

It’s surely significant to note that the first righteous man (or man of faith) in the Bible, became a target of attack precisely because of His walk before God. He was ‘’persecuted for righteousness sake’’ (Matthew 5: 10-12). He was murdered; in fact, you could say he was martyred. This is the beginning of persecution.

From this point onwards, all people of faith and good works, who follow in Abel’s line, are to know that they cannot expect an easy ride from the ‘Cain’s’ of this world. We should not be surprised if we are abused, and if we experience hostility for HIS Name’s sake. We may well be called on to pay the ultimate price out of loyalty to Jesus.

PRAYER: These are sobering thoughts Lord. None of us like the thought of facing extreme persecution. But may we never lack the courage to stand up for you.

Genesis 4:8-9: Mutual responsibility.

^“8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let’s go out to the field.’ While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.  ⁹ Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?’  ‘I don’t know,’ he replied. ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’” NIV UK

‘’Am I my brother’s keeper?’’

 I think, instinctively, everyone knows the answer to this question. We have a mutual responsibility for one another as human-beings. How much more so among the ‘household of faith’? (Galatians 6:10).

Probably most of us have asked this question at one time or another of some one or another. But deep down inside we know the answer – even if we’d rather not.

‘Do we know where our brothers and sisters are? Do we care? Or are we making excuses, as Cain did?’ Warren Wiersbe: ‘With the Word’,p. 17.

When people respond to a legitimate question with an angry, surly, touchy response, you know something is amiss. It’s like you’ve suddenly caught a very sore spot and they jump.

‘Each within our reach, all who need our help, all related to us by the ties of the family, have a claim on us. We must not take an advantage over them; their weakness and need are strong claims on our resources of every kind; we are bound to keep them as far as we can; we may at any moment be called to give an account of their whereabouts. To dispute this is to betray the spirit of Cain, was was a murderer…Remember that you have just as much love towards God, as you are willing to show towards the brother whom you have seen.’ F.B. Meyer: ‘Great verses through the Bible’, p.10.

PRAYER: Lord, what a world it would be if everyone looked out for the interests and needs of everyone else. But it isn’t like that. It’s damaged by sin. However, help me to fully play my part; to reach out hands of service in blessing to everyone I can.

Genesis 4: 6-8: The ‘mustard seed’ beginnings of sin.

“Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? ⁷ If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.’  ⁸ Now Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let’s go out to the field.’ While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.” NIV UK

‘Genesis’ is the book of ‘beginnings’. Of course it tells us about the origin of life, of human-beings and of the universe. But we quickly move on to the entrance of sin. Further more, it doesn’t take long to see that the fundamental sin against God (vertically) affects every day domestic life (horizontally). We are all too rapidly into the beginning of evil. So in this chapter we meet the first brothers, and, tragically, we very soon witness the first murder.

As Jesus taught, it begins in the heart.

‘Notice how sin begins in a small way and, if not mastered, quickly grows and grows (James 1:14-15). Cain’s sin started in carelessness and lack of faith, grew into jealousy and anger, and ended in murder – all because Cain did not master his sin in the beginning. This is why the biblical writers warn us to be watchful. James tells us: Resist the devil, and he will flee (James 4:7); that means we need to resist him at the very beginning of any temptation, when it is easiest to do so. Paul says: Flee the evil desires (passions) of youth (2 Timothy 2:22). Don’t wait around, don’t think about them. Flee! Resisting temptation, sin and Satan is something we ourselves must do; it is our responsibility.’

That is wise counsel from the pen of the missionary, Tom Hale (‘Applied Old Testament Commentary’, p. 139). It is possible for us to do this, if the Holy Spirit has taken up residence within.

In a similar vein, Warren Wiersbe writes: ‘Cain’s anger slowly became envy and hatred, and then it led to murder (Matt.5:21-26). When you start to play with temptation, you will soon be caught (James 1:13-16). Cain was guilty of every sin that God hates (Prov.6:16-19).’ With the Word’, p.17.

So, I find myself feeling the need to say once again, ‘Nip it in the bud.’ Don’t let this seed take root.

I heard a high profile preacher being interviewed about his personal life. The questions put to him were along the lines of, ‘How do you guard your marriage? How do you protect your personal purity? He said something like this in reply: I DON’T WANT TO SPEND TIME IN THE FUTURE RESISTING TEMPTATIONS I DON’T NEED TO FACE. In other words, he builds in lots of safeguards now, to keep himself from unnecessarily vulnerable situations.

John Glass was the General Superintendent of the ‘Elim’ Pentecostal movement for many years. I remember him saying: ‘A fence at the top of the cliff is better than an ambulance at the bottom.’

Genesis 4:1-5: Cain’s appraisal.

“Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. ³ In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. ⁴ But Abel also brought an offering – fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favour on Abel and his offering, ⁵ but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favour. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.  ⁶ Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? ⁷ If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”  NIV UK

I remember a friend saying that if you cut yourself off from feedback you impoverish yourself. Potentially, you may be stunting your own growth. I recently heard a church leader say that it’s good to have someone speak into your life from a different perspective (even though it may not always be welcome!) His point was: ‘Where someone else sits affects what they see.’ If they sit somewhere other than where your chair is located, their vision can assist you. Well, Cain’s ‘appraisal’ did not go well. He turned down the opportunity to change.

What you do with truth you don’t want to hear reveals something of your character, and it will undoubtedly affect the course of your life.

Gordon McDonald has said that even in the most unjust criticism, there is usually a grain of truth we can learn from – if we are willing.

‘Cain’s true heart was revealed when the Lord rejected his offering. And how true this is of human nature! When people are affirming and praising us, it’s very easy to be nice. The test comes when we are criticised or rejected; how do we react then? How can we tell if a grape is ripe? We squeeze it, and we see if the juice is sweet or bitter. Cain was ‘’squeezed,’’ and out came bitterness.’ Tom Hale: ‘The Applied Old Testament Commentary, p.139.

PRAYER: Lord, it’s not easy to be rebuked. You know I’d be lying if I said I liked it. But there are things I need to hear if I’m going to change and grow. Help me to be brave; enable me to be willing to receive helpful feedback. Teach me to be a life-long learner. I’ve never really liked taking medicine, but if that rather yucky stuff on the spoon is going to make me better, then I’m ready to swallow it. Lord Jesus, you know better than I do that I desperately need that which will keep me from sin and make me more holy.

Genesis 4:1-8: Keeping short accounts.

“Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.  She said, ‘With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.’ ² Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.  Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. ³ In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. ⁴ But Abel also brought an offering – fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favour on Abel and his offering, ⁵ but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favour. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.  ⁶ Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? ⁷ If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.’  ⁸ Now Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let’s go out to the field.’  While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.”

At Christmas, I was given a daily calendar, with a Bible verse for each day of the year. The texts are taken from the ‘King James’ version of the Bible. Today’s happens to read: ‘’Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother’’ (Matthew 18:15)

It is important that we should ‘keep short accounts’ with one another. Don’t let resentment smoulder. It is likely that it will eventually erupt into a hot (and potentially destructive) flame. There are appropriate ways to nip things in the bud, to sort out differences early on. Cain’s way is not God’s way.

Anyway, his brother had done nothing wrong!

‘Satan is a serpent that deceives and a lion that devours (1 Peter 5:8-9). He used eve to tempt Adam and Cain to destroy Abel. The two ‘’seeds’’ of Genesis 3:15 came into conflict, for Cain was a child of the devil (1 John 3:10-12) while Abel was a child of God (Matt.23:35). Like his father, the devil, Cain was a liar and a murderer (1 John 8:44).’’ Warren Wiersbe: ‘With the Word’, p.17.

Jesus warned about the danger of hatred in the heart (Matthew 5:21-26). It can be the first stirrings of murder. The famous story of Cain and Abel graphically illustrates this.

It is a good start in the right direction if you can begin to sincerely pray for those people who anger (and hurt?) you. Pray God’s blessing on them.

PRAYER: Holy Spirit, how we need your help. Help us to control anger, to love those who offend us, and to regularly practice forgiveness.