We studied in the previous lesson that the Lord God punished Cain for murdering his brother, Abel, And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.” (Genesis 4:10-12)
Cain was greatly distressed by this, And Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.” And the Lord said to him, “Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.(Genesis 4:13-15)
Even though God would not allow Cain to be killed by anyone, Cain still had to deal with the consequences of his sin, and be alienated from his family, and go live in a foreign place, out of the presence of the Lord, in the land of Nod, somewhere in area know currently as Iran.
And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. (Genesis 4:17) We also studied in the previous lesson that there were other people on the earth, but we won't go in detail again here. Briefly, God created man [Hebrew adam, meaning mankind] in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them,... (Genesis 1:27-28) Then, the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. ... Then the Lord God took the man [Hebrew ha'adam, the man] and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. (Genesis 2:7, 15)
Adam and Eve would be direct descendants of Christ Jesus. (read Genealogy of Jesus, the Christ) All the books of the Bible have one common thread, the coming of, the life of , and the return of Christ Jesus. Only the people who were directly linked to His earthly parents and therefore His birth are emphasized throughout the scriptures. As for the other people, even though God would not allow anyone to kill Cain, he and all the other people on the planet would eventually perish in the flood during Noah's time, so they are not relevant to the genealogy of Christ Jesus.
However, while Cain lived, he and his wife from Nod had children, and their children had children, and so on. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son—Enoch. To Enoch was born Irad; and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehujael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lamech. (Genesis 4:17-18) For a period of approximately 500 years, Adam and Eve and all the people on the earth were being fruitful and multiplying; filling the earth... (Genesis 1:28)
Just from the few names we've already learned, we understand that all names given had a meaning, starting with the Lord God naming Adam, meaning the man, through whom the Seed [Christ Jesus] would come; to Adam naming Eve, meaning the mother of all living, through whom the Seed would come, which would be fulfilled through Noah and his children. Then Lamech took for himself two wives: the name of one was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah. (Genesis 4:19) Abah means adornment or light; and Zillah means shade or darkness.
Their names and then the professions that their children participated in could imply many things, but one common belief is that the differences represent the moral "light" and "darkness" within the culture. And Adah bore Jabal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute. And as for Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah. (Genesis 4:20-22)
Just from the few names we've already learned, we understand that all names given had a meaning, starting with the Lord God naming Adam, meaning the man, through whom the Seed [Christ Jesus] would come; to Adam naming Eve, meaning the mother of all living, through whom the Seed would come, which would be fulfilled through Noah and his children. Then Lamech took for himself two wives: the name of one was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah. (Genesis 4:19) Abah means adornment or light; and Zillah means shade or darkness.
Their names and then the professions that their children participated in could imply many things, but one common belief is that the differences represent the moral "light" and "darkness" within the culture. And Adah bore Jabal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute. And as for Zillah, she also bore Tubal-Cain, an instructor of every craftsman in bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-Cain was Naamah. (Genesis 4:20-22)
Then Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; Wives of Lamech, listen to my speech! For I have killed a man for wounding me, even a young man for hurting me. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.” (Genesis 4:23-24) Interesting that this scripture is recorded. Remember Cain murdered his brother Abel, but the Lord God warned that if anyone would kill Cain, He would give a sevenfold punishment to that person.
Well, Lamech killed someone for attacking him, but he's also concerned that someone will try to kill him; and he prays that if anyone seeks vengeance for that man's life, that the Lord God will punish them seventy-sevenfold. Why would the Lord God not allow either of these men to be killed, even though they murdered or killed someone? Because God is teaching mankind a lesson, that "Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; their foot shall slip in due time; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things to come hasten upon them.’ “For the Lord will judge His people..." (Deuteronomy 32:35-36)
Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:17-19) From the beginning, God has always tried to help mankind to understand that we are to obey His commands, or "...you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17) " If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7)
Well, Lamech killed someone for attacking him, but he's also concerned that someone will try to kill him; and he prays that if anyone seeks vengeance for that man's life, that the Lord God will punish them seventy-sevenfold. Why would the Lord God not allow either of these men to be killed, even though they murdered or killed someone? Because God is teaching mankind a lesson, that "Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; their foot shall slip in due time; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things to come hasten upon them.’ “For the Lord will judge His people..." (Deuteronomy 32:35-36)
Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. (Romans 12:17-19) From the beginning, God has always tried to help mankind to understand that we are to obey His commands, or "...you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:17) " If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7)
We are to overcome the temptation to sin in our lives, by obeying the Word of God. But if we sin or someone sins against us, we are not to seek vengeance. Instead, Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; ff he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”[Proverbs 25:21-22] Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:20-21) AMEN!
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