Genesis 6:17-22

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17 And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. 18 But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. 19 And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive. 21 And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them.” 22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did. ~ Genesis 6:17-22

Today, we conclude our study of Genesis 6 where we are told by God of the impending flood due to the wickedness of man. There is no other way to interpret today's passage which clearly shows that God was behind it all. As disturbing as it may sound, God had to judge sin, otherwise sin would have won. God is both infinitely merciful and infinitely just. And sadly, there will always be those who will reject His free offer of salvation. But, for us who receive it, we will spend eternity in heavenly bliss.  

In v.17 of today's passage we read, "And behold, I Myself am bringing floodwaters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die."

God delivered the flood in response to man's wickedness. Man's wickedness ultimately exposed itself in Noah's day in the sexual realm. It is very noteworthy that in every listing of wickedness in the Bible, we find its ultimate expression to be sexual. This is what Paul described in Romans 1, where he traced man's decline and the fall of all societies back to sexual dysfunction. The ultimate sign of impending collapse in a society is traced biblically back to the turning of men to unnatural lusts with other men, and women to unnatural lusts with other women. 

In v.18 of today's passage we read, "But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark—you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you."

God promised to establish His covenant with Noah. This is the first time the term "covenant" is used in the Bible. Even though God was going to destroy the world, the emphasis here is on the fact that God would save through the Flood anyone willing enough to believe in the goodness of God. Sadly, it was only Noah and his family who believed and were saved by the ark. The covenant God established with Noah was binding and it was a covenant of life and also of death. 

The Lord Jesus established the New Covenant in His blood and it is just as binding as what God did for Noah. Like Noah, God has given the conditions and all who obey these conditions, they will be saved. The term "saved" is used 106 times in the Bible and it is always used to indicate being rescued "out of something" or "from something." Not for something.

Salvation is always a work accomplished by God. Our salvation is a salvation from God's wrath. The Bible says we were enemies of God and yet He accomplished the work necessary to restore us to Him and then invited us to believe that His Son's death on the cross made it possible for us to enter into a personal relationship with Him. It is our relationship with God that saves us from the penalty of sin, the power of sin, and ultimately, the presence of sin. Going to heaven is the result of being made right in the eyes of God through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In v.19-20 of today's passage we read, "19 And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. 20 Of the birds after their kind, of animals after their kind, and of every creeping thing of the earth after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive."

As instructed by God, Noah brought two of every type of animal into the ark. This is not hard to accept as a real event that actually happened in history when we remember that God had instructed Noah to build the ark 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet tall. The ark had three decks, all spaced fifteen feet apart. It is calculated that there was 100,000 square feet of deck space in the ark. There was 1.4 million cubic feet of storage space which could have easily accommodated 125,000 animals the size of sheep. Given its size, there was plenty of room in the ark to accommodate for all the animals that needed to be on it.

In v.21-22 of today's passage we read, "21 And you shall take for yourself of all food that is eaten, and you shall gather it to yourself; and it shall be food for you and for them.” 22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did."

The specifics given in this passage provides the infrastructure to conclude that the Flood actually happened. While destroying the world, God was saving anyone willing enough to believe in the God of the Bible. The ark was God's idea, and it was how God chose to save Noah and his believing family. The ark was not only a symbol of salvation, it was a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

During the entire time that Noah built the ark, 120 years, he preached to the people of the world about the righteousness of God and the judgment that was to come. Noah preached there was only one way to be made right with God and that way was to get on the ark. Noah's call has been ringing out God's justice and His offer of forgiveness ever since. But the call has been rejected far more than it has been accepted. 

There was only one door to enter the ark. The ark was a picture of our eternal salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. It was the Lord Jesus who said, "I am the door." Then, He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me." Although it was the Lord Jesus who earned our salvation, it is up to us to receive His free gift of salvation. There is yet another day of coming judgement when God will finally render sin and death void. And, it can be escaped, but you must get on board. And you can only come through one door and that door is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Genesis 6:13-16

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13 And God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14 Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. 15 And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks." ~ Genesis 6:13-16

Today, we continue our study of Genesis 6 where rebellious man has drawn a line in the sand, and God had no other choice but to warn sinful man to turn back to Him or they would face certain death. It only took ten generations before God had to start considering the destruction of sinful man. One hundred and twenty years later, God had to judge sin and death because if He did not, sin and death would win. And death was required because in order for man to know the life of God once again, sin had to be overcome by life. Without this plan, there would be no hope for our eternity and we would be trapped in sin and death forever. But, since God has intervened by sending His Son to die on the cross, sin and death has been defeated by life. 

In v. 13 of today's passage we read, "And God said to Noah, 'The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.'"

In the days of Noah, human wickedness was growing out of control and as a result, the entire world was to be destroyed. If Noah didn’t find grace in the eyes of the Lord, there would have been none for you and me. And when the world finds itself very soon in the coming tribulation period, very few will come out at the other end having trusted in the grace of God. The deceptive powers of the enemy will be incredibly strong during that time known as Jacob's trouble according to Jeremiah 30:7. In fact, the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 24:21-22, "21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened."

The increase of corruption and violence in a society are always the mark of an impending disaster. When they become widespread and intense in character, they mark the imminence of collapse. History confirms that this is always the way God acts in society. Man is by nature a fully dependent being, therefore, we must depend upon God for our very breath. We are the most dependent of creatures, even more so than the animals. We lack even the instincts which animals have. Yet, fallen man denies this most important point of life and we are forever trying to assert our ability to do everything for ourselves. All of us lack the rationale, the intelligence, and the knowledge to control our lives. We have deluded ourselves into thinking that we have the ability to live apart from God. 

Whereas Enoch, the first man in the scriptures of whom it says, "he walked with God" was directly taken out of this world to heaven to be with God, God rescued Noah and his family through the flood in the ark. Just as in Enoch and Noah's day, even in today’s wicked world, the grace of God is to be found. Until then, believers in the Lord Jesus must be about His business telling people about God’s offer of forgiveness through His Son's death on the cross. Grace is to be found, but better it be found now, before the time of Jaco's trouble comes. Looking for grace while one is looking for enough food to feed oneself inevitably leads to hard choices that most people will fail at in the end.

In v.14-16 of today's passage we read, "14 Make yourself an ark of gopherwood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with pitch. 15 And this is how you shall make it: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. 16 You shall make a window for the ark, and you shall finish it to a cubit from above; and set the door of the ark in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third decks."

As indicated by today's passage the ark was 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet tall. The ark had three decks, all spaced fifteen feet apart. It is calculated that there was 100,000 square feet of deck space in the ark. There was 1.4 million cubic feet of storage space or the equivalent of 522 normal size train cars. And it could have easily accommodated 125,000 animals the size of sheep. Experts say at the time, there were less than 17,600 species of mammals, birds, and amphibians on the earth. When we double that number, because God instructed Noah to include two of each animal on the ark, we have 35,000 animals on the ark. And, they had to have five of the clean animals for the sacrifices for the 371 days that they were on the ark. So, there were no more than 79,000 animals on that large boat. And given its size, there was plenty of room, because it could have accommodated 125,000 animals the size of sheep.

It was the grace of God that caused Him to give to Noah this blueprint for the ark. Noah didn't know anything about building large boats. This was a huge undertaking. Nothing like this had ever been built. Noah didn't understand the displacement of solid objects in water. He didn't understand that if he had something solid and it weighed slightly more than the same amount of water that it's going to sink unless he displaced the water by moving its weight around. This is what Noah did when he hollowed out the wood for the ark. Noah didn't understand to do that, no one did. God, of course, knew it and He gave Noah the directions on how to construct the ark. 

The ark was was made of gopherwood which was probably cedar wood. The words "gopherwood" and "pitch" are both from the same basic Hebrew root, which means "to cover." Thus the ark was made from "atonement wood." The ark was "pitched" or made water-proof, with "gopherwood" which was a picture of "atonement." The Hebrew word used for "atonement" speaks of forgiveness of our sin and being made right with God. Atonement is the most prominent theme of the Bible and it is used here to point us to the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus who went to Calvary's cross to not only cover our sin but to have them removed from us.

Genesis 6:9-12

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9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. 10 And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. ~ Genesis 6:9-12

Today, we continue our study of Genesis 6 where we have been observing the continuation of those who believed in the God of the Bible and those who didn't. During the days of Noah, the world was filled with people who were inwardly corrupt, outwardly violent and upwardly rebellious.

In v.9 of today's passage we read, "This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God."

Noah's genealogy is the third genealogy in the Bible. It was given here because he was at that point in time the central figure in the biblical story. Noah "was a just man" which means in the Lord's eyes he was found righteous because of his faith in Him, the God of the Bible. Noah was a man of faith and he was waiting for the Messiah whom he believed would one day come to this earth to redeem sinful man. Noah believed this despite the wicked state of the world around him and the growing belief that God was not good.

Noah was a man who believed God when almost everyone else didn't and God counted Noah's faith as sufficient. God  graciously forgave Noah's sin, covered him with His righteousness, and put his sins on Christ who in the mind of God, of course, was the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world.

Noah's faith led to the second description of him, "He was perfect in his generations." Of all the people on the earth at that time, Noah was the only man of biblical faith. His perfection in the eyes of God was granted to him by God because of his faith in God. It is only by our applied faith in the God of the Bible that brings us into a personal relationship with God wherein we learn that salvation is a total gift from Him. And our faith in the veracity of the God of the Bible is an act of our free will. Noah possessed this kind of faith and this is why Noah walked with God.

In v.10 of today's passage we read, "And Noah begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth."

All three sons of Noah were believers in the God of the Bible along with their wives and their mother. Shem's descendants were the Hebrews, they settled in the lands around the near east. Ham's descendants were the Canaanites that inhabited the land of Israel before Israel got there. They settled in Egypt and Africa. Ham was the son who saw his father drunk and naked after the flood. Due to that embarrassing moment, Noah cursed Canaan, the son of Ham and made the Canaanites the servants of the Shemites. Japheth's descendants settled in Persia, Germany, Russia, Greece, and in Europe.

In v.11-12 of today's passage we read, "11 The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12 So God looked upon the earth, and indeed it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth."

In contrast to Noah, the corrupt state of the rest of the world was evident. The people of earth were corrupt before God, and their corruption was acted on outwardly in violence. They behaved in this way because they no longer "called on the name of the Lord." Instead, they worshiped the creation or false gods, rather than the Creator. And their actions spilled out into contempt of the God of the Bible. They openly and actively and openly defied God to His face.

Humanity is wicked to the core and our wickedness has continued to manifest itself in continually degrading ways. Therefore, God had to punish man's sin. His holy nature required it, but He has always been known to warn man of his degradation first. God has always extended His patience toward wicked man, but when man continues in his rejection of God, God has no other choice than to deal severely with unrepentant man.

According to 2 Peter 2:5, "Noah was a preacher of righteousness." This means he preached that God would grant anyone His own righteousness to anyone willing enough to place their faith in Him. I find it very sad to say, Noah couldn’t convince anybody but his wife and family to board the ark. Noah and his family were the only ones who were justified by God.

The Flood is really history’s most powerful evidence of the final destruction of this earth that is yet to come. The Flood happened due to man's preoccupation with his physical appetites, materialistic attitudes and interests, devotion to pleasure, rebellion against God and unbelief, corruption and violence.  

The Ark had only one door through which Noah had to enter in order to be saved from the Flood. Likewise, salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ has only one door. We enter it by faith in His once-and-for-all-time sacrificial death on the Cross and His bodily resurrection three days later. After Noah entered the Ark, God Himself closed the door. Those people outside who chose not to enter the Ark’s only door were left to face the destructive force of the Flood. Today, we have only this one life to enter Christ’s door of salvation.

According to Matthew 24:37, the coming of the Son of man will be just like the days of Noah. All of the people were living their lives as usual, that was until the day that Noah entered the ark. Soon the oddity of the first raindrops ever led to the Flood and they all were drowned except Noah and his family. The Flood provides for us historic testimony to the second coming judgment. It happened once in the days of Noah and it will happen again at the second coming of the Lord Jesus. 

Finally, also in Matthew 24 we read, "For the Son of man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will." Noah and his family were saved from the flood waters by getting on the ark which they had built for 120 years. And, here at the end of all times, man has a very similar decision. The decision is simple: To believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the ark. And, all who place their faith in the Lord Jesus will avoid God's final judgment because the Lord Jesus bore it on the cross for us.

Genesis 6:5-8

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5 Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7 So the Lord said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them." 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. ~ Genesis 6:5-8

Today, we return to our study of Genesis 6 where the grace of God comes to center stage. Grace is getting what we do not deserve and it always runs downhill. The story of Noah is amazing on many levels and hidden within the text itself is a pattern which centers on the fact that we are not forgotten by the God of the Bible. Even when our world is collapsing around us, He is there to be found by the seeking heart. The hard part for us is to trust Him when everything else seems to be falling apart around us. When the forces of the wicked seem to be winning, God is always willing to secure us in the place of His protection, even in the context of extreme difficulties. The role we play in all of this is to present to Him our willing hearts.

In v.5 of today's passage we read, "Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually."

In our last study, we talked about the Nephilim, those who came from the union between the sons of God and the daughters of men. At the end of Genesis 6:4 we read, "Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown." In that day the world had gotten to the depraved place where they went after hero worship rather than God worship. These men of renown were much like the movie stars or the professional athletes of our day. And like those in the days of Noah, the more we idolize these people, the more our view of truth becomes skewed. 

As a result, the value of human life is reduced. In addition, the concept of personal responsibility is subordinated to the collective whole. Truth is shunned and belittled and tolerance is elevated above truth. This is when we begin to call that which is wicked good and what is good wicked. When believers in Christ identify ourselves with the secular world, eventually only the secular world is left. When the sons of God had intermarried with those outside the chosen line, they incorporated their ungodly practices in with their own.

After only 1550 years of man on earth, things had degraded to such an extent in the days of Noah that "the wickedness of man was great in the earth." But even more terrible than the actual state of things was that "every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." This meant that not only the imagination of the people was wicked, but their desires were too. When noble and right things are set aside, like truth, it doesn’t matter how great are our achievements or how praiseworthy are our deeds, those who arrive at this place are void of moral good. 

This was the state of the pre-flood world where every intent of the thoughts of the heart was only evil continually, and this is the state that America is rushing headlong into, even as we boast of the great culture we live in. In the end, what we have is a dichotomy between God’s longsuffering patience and man’s ability and perseverance in filling up that cup until it eventually needs to be poured out in wrath.

In v.6 of today's passage we read, "And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart."

This is the first time the Bible records that God was sorry about something, or that He regretted something. The terminology used here leads most people to immediately think that God somehow changes either mentally or relationally toward us. But, God being sorry doesn’t presume any change in Him or in His intent. The Bible used a human term and applied it to God so that we can understand His feeling toward our sin. It was not a changing feeling. It was His very nature being expressed in a way we can comprehend and understand it.

In v.7 of today's passage we read, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them."

The expression of man's wickedness had become so great that God had to intervene. The words, "I will destroy man" describes the wiping of a dish clean or erasing a chalk board. It was a complete removal of what was so that nothing was left. 

The words, "I am sorry" makes God appear to be less than the supreme being that He is. What it means is He is not apathetic to our plight and the effects of our sin in this world. Ezekiel said that God finds no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Jeremiah wept the tears of God over the judgment to come. The Lord Jesus wept the tears of God over the judgment to come on Jerusalem and Israel. The Lord was sorry means that He was sad. He was so sad that He was sorry He made man on the earth. God feels the destructiveness of sin on the lives of all whom He has created, and that makes Him feel sorry for us.

In v.8 of today's passage we read, "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord."

Violence increased in the land. Cain killed Abel, and then Lamech killed a young man for hurting him. And by this time it had become an epidemic. And today, our world is no different. The world will always descend into moral degradation and destruction will loom until the end. We see this same scenario being played out before our very eyes. According to the statistics, approximately 20,000 people a year in America are murdered. That is a murder every 24 minutes. God promised destruction and destruction will one day come. But in the midst of it all, God's grace has stepped to the fore. 

Noah didn’t earn God’s grace and neither can we. Grace or the underserved favor of God is the only reason Noah built the ark and God's grace was the only reason he got on it. The Lord sovereignly chose to give grace to anyone who believed in His goodness enough to receive His forgiveness. And, as a result of Noah's willingness of heart, he and his family became trophies of God’s grace. This is the story of all who are willing enough to come to the end of themselves and trust in the goodness of the God of the Bible. Our only hope is being covered by the favor of God that was earned on our behalf by the Lord Jesus Himself.

Genesis 6:1-4

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1 Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. 3 And the Lord said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years." 4 There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. ~ Genesis 6:1-4

Today’s passage includes four highly debated verses that have led to lots of division among believers in Christ. And yet, the central theme of the Bible is the person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. If in our study of the Bible, we miss the Lord Jesus, we have studied in error. A correct study of the Bible will unswervingly take us to the One who laid down His life for us. In fact, the Lord Jesus Himself confirmed that the Scriptures are all about Him. 

In Luke 24:25-27 we read, "'O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?' Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures." 

To this point of our study of the book of Genesis, we have been informed about the six days of creation. Then, after God created everything, He rested. Then, we were given details about the fall of man in Genesis 3. Then, we were given a contrast between those who embraced the culture of God and those who rejected the culture of God.

In v.1-2 of today's passage we read, "1 Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose."

Although there are those who interpret this phrase "the sons of God" as describing angelic beings, they fail to take into account the immediate context here in Genesis 1-5. There is really only one interpretive option for this phrase due to its context. Those who disagree with me go to other passages in the Old Testament and the New Testament, and they arrive upon their conclusion. Our understanding of this phrase is based upon the immediate chapters before today's passage. A correct hermeneutic leads us to do that. This phrase refers to the mixing of the two different lineages mentioned in Genesis 4 and Genesis 5. There is no mention at all of angels in context. 

The sons of God, in this context is speaking of the lineage of Seth. These sons of God "saw the daughters of men." This passage is not describing fallen angels intermarrying with the daughters of humans, as some would lead us to believe. What is being described here is the intermarrying of those who have faith in the God of the Bible with those who did not have faith in the God of the Bible. The problem here was "the sons of God" were marrying women based on their outward beauty, not their inner beauty.

Back in Genesis 4 we learned of the sister of Tubal-Cain; her name was "Naamah" which means "loveliness." The meaning of her name explains why this daughter of Lamech was included in this account. "The sons of God" saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful and they intermarried. Throughout the Bible, the subject of inappropriate intermarrying is brought to the fore from time and time. God always instructs His people to remain within the godly line He has ordained and not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. That is the thrust of this passage.

In v.3 of today's passage we read, "And the Lord said, 'My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.'"

This verse leads with the idea that "God's Spirit shall not strive with man forever." This verse was given before the flood when the wickedness of man came to its zenith, so much so that only Noah and his family found grace in God’s sight. When God spoke these words, He literally meant: "In 120 years I will send the flood to destroy man's wickedness!" Note it was man's wickedness that God judged, not the wickedness of the angels. It happened just as God said it would, 120 years later.

The words, "My spirit shall not always strive with man" demonstrates that we come to repentance only by the Holy Spirit working on our hearts to bring an awareness of God to us, yet the ultimate choice is ours. In the case of Genesis 6:3, only 8 people listened and headed the Spirit during that 120 year span where God’s Spirit continued to strive and to tug at man’s heart right up until the time of the first raindrop that started the flood.

And, as we have seen in the previous two chapters here in Genesis, before the flood, people lived to be quite old, almost a thousand years old. Since man rejected God and His will, God promised his age would change drastically. The reason God cut our years on this earth was due to the fact that even in 70 or 80 years we can accomplish immense wickedness. Imagine people in their hundreds, closing in on their thousands.

In v.4 of today's passage we read, "There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown."

The term translated "giants" is Nephilim in the Hebrew. It literally means "fallen ones." And these sinful people were "giants." We see this word "Nephilim" also used in Numbers 13:33 which reads, "There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."

We need not search for any other explanation than "giants" as so many people try to do. The description is given right here in its context. There are other accounts of giants in the Bible as well and descend from other groups. Goliath was one of them, he was a descendent of the Philistines. He fought David and lost.

Genesis 6:2 tells us the Nephilim were larger than average people who came from those of the sons of God being attracted to pretty women and they had children and some of them were very large. The Nephilim were large because they were bred large, at the expense of faith. Even to this day, families choose the road of success and exceptional gene development over godly husbands and wives. 

There is nothing mentioned in the Bible concerning the reproduction of angels with humans. In fact, the Bible clearly informs us that angels do not reproduce. This account today is given to us to show that God expects us to value His truth above all else even when we decide who to get intimate with. It is when we are not being defined by the truth that we serve the purposes of the one who has always been known to undermine the definitions of God. While the enemies goal is to destroy us, God's goal is to make of us those who are inculcated by His truth which will endure forever.

Genesis 5:15-32

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15 Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, and begot Jared. 16 After he begot Jared, Mahalalel lived eight hundred and thirty years, and had sons and daughters. 17 So all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred and ninety-five years; and he died. 18 Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two years, and begot Enoch. 19 After he begot Enoch, Jared lived eight hundred years, and had sons and daughters. 20 So all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years; and he died. 21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. 22 After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. 23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. 25 Methuselah lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, and begot Lamech. 26 After he begot Lamech, Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years, and had sons and daughters. 27 So all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years; and he died. 28 Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and had a son. 29 And he called his name Noah, saying, “This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed.” 30 After he begot Noah, Lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years, and had sons and daughters. 31 So all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years; and he died. 32 And Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and Japheth. ~ Genesis 5:15-32

Today, we return to our study of the genealogy found in Genesis 5. In our last study of this chapter we considered the meaning of the first five names of the ten names given therein. Today, we will consider the last five names and their meaning. Then we will marvel at the message that comes forth.

In v.15-20 of today's passage we read, "15 Mahalalel lived sixty-five years, and begot Jared. 16 After he begot Jared, Mahalalel lived eight hundred and thirty years, and had sons and daughters. 17 So all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred and ninety-five years; and he died. 18 Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two years, and begot Enoch. 19 After he begot Enoch, Jared lived eight hundred years, and had sons and daughters. 20 So all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years; and he died."

Mahalalel was the father of Jared whose name means "came down." Then Jared begot Enoch whose name meant "teaching." So, to this point we have considered the meaning of seven names and the message that comes out of the meaning of these seven names is: "Man (was) appointed mortal sorrow (but) the blessed God came down teaching..." 

In Hebrew, the name Methuselah means "his death shall bring judgment." When we put the meaning of Methuselah with the previous five names we end up with "Man (was) appointed mortal sorrow (but) the blessed God came down teaching his death shall bring." 

In v.21-24 of today's passage we read, "21 Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. 22 After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. 23 So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. 24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him."

Enoch is mentioned more in the New Testament than in the Old Testament. There are five passages altogether in the Bible that mention Enoch. Two of them are in genealogies. There are three verses in the Old Testament and two verses in the New Testament that mention this man who never died. When we count the words used for Enoch, 51 words in the Old Testament speak of him, while 94 words are used of him in the New Testament. So more is written about this man in the New Testament than is written in the Old Testament.

In Hebrews 11 we read of Enoch: "By faith Enoch was taken away so he did not see death." Enoch was raptured. Interestingly, the Bible predicts that there will yet be another event like this, but this time many more lives will be raptured. In 1 Thessalonians 4:17 we read: "Then they who are alive, shall be caught up together into the clouds with them who remain, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we be ever with the Lord."

Enoch walked with God which means he went in the same direction God went. God is forever moving in human history. The man or woman who walks with God knows which way God is going and goes the same way. In walking with God, we are defined by God because as we move with Him, we live and move according to His definitions of things.

In Amos 3:3 we read, "Except two be in agreement, how can they walk together?" To walk with God, we must be in agreement with Him. For three hundred years Enoch walked with God, and this is the same activity to which we are called. We are told in the New Testament to "walk as children of light"  and, we are to "walk in the Spirit." 

In v.25-27 of today's passage we read, "25 Methuselah lived one hundred and eighty-seven years, and begot Lamech. 26 After he begot Lamech, Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years, and had sons and daughters. 27 So all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years; and he died."

Methuselah begot Lamech which means "despairing." And, when we include the meaning of Lamech's name with the previous names we get: "Man (was) appointed mortal sorrow (but) the blessed God came down teaching his death shall bring (the) despairing."

In v.28-32 of today's passage we read, "28 Lamech lived one hundred and eighty-two years, and had a son. 29 And he called his name Noah, saying, 'This one will comfort us concerning our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord has cursed.' 30 After he begot Noah, Lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years, and had sons and daughters. 31 So all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years; and he died. 32 And Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah begot Shem, Ham, and Japheth."

Finally, Lamech had a son named Noah which means "hope." When we put all the meanings together from the ten names we get this message: Man (was) appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the blessed God came down teaching His death shall bring the despairing hope.

Genesis 5:6-14

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6 Seth lived one hundred and five years, and begot Enosh. 7 After he begot Enosh, Seth lived eight hundred and seven years, and had sons and daughters. 8 So all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years; and he died. 9 Enosh lived ninety years, and begot Cainan. 10 After he begot Cainan, Enosh lived eight hundred and fifteen years, and had sons and daughters. 11 So all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years; and he died. 12 Cainan lived seventy years, and begot Mahalalel. 13 After he begot Mahalalel, Cainan lived eight hundred and forty years, and had sons and daughters. 14 So all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years; and he died. ~ Genesis 5:6-14

Today, we continue our study of the lineage of Seth in Genesis 5 which presents quite a contrast to the lineage of Cain found in Genesis 4. In essence this is what this experiment all boils down to; whether we will be defined by the God of the Bible or will we be defined by the enemy of God. When we are being defined by God, we will be known as one who obey His word. Mind you, we will never be sinless this side of heaven but we can grow in recognizing the foolishness behind not being defined by God.

It is partly our skepticism that keeps us from being defined by God. The enemy has done a great job at convincing us that sin is fun and obeying God is boring; that is until sin catches up to us and starts ruining our lives. The age-old skepticism about the accuracy of the Bible finds no greater place to begin than right in today's passage. Many question, "Who lives to be 900 years of age?" We find it unimaginable that someone could live so long on this earth. And yet we can’t insert our current situation into what it was like at the beginning of time because so much is different in our world.

To the skepticism of those who have bitten off the enemies lies, we must respond with the fact that before the Flood, the conditions on earth were wildly different than they are now, some 6000 years later if not more. This is due to the fact that before the Flood during the days of Noah there was a vapor canopy surrounding the earth which kept out the harmful radiation from the sun. And, we all know that the aging of the skin and the human body is largely impacted by the UV irradiation from the sun. All things considered and taken in context, there is no reason at all to dismiss the accounts of the Bible and every reason to believe the people of Adam's day lived to be 900 years old or older. 

In v.6-8 of today's passage we read, "6 Seth lived one hundred and five years, and begot Enosh. 7 After he begot Enosh, Seth lived eight hundred and seven years, and had sons and daughters. 8 So all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years; and he died."

When most come to this portion of the Bible, they move right on over the genealogy mentioned, thinking it not to be significant. When this is done a tremendous blessing is missed, as we shall see as we look deeper into this passage. There are so many hidden treasures in the Bible to discover and when we slow down long enough and investigate the quarry therein, we will be amazed at what we can discover. It is so true that when we seek we will find and when we knock the door will be opened to us. In fact, today's passage bears out this truth in an astonishing way. 

In Genesis 5 there is a list of ten names that speak a message. Of course, the names are separated by many years and no human could have concocted such a story. But, nonetheless, the message is to be discovered by those who seek. The name "Adam," as we have already concluded means "man." This will become important to us soon as we seek out this hidden message. In addition, the name "Seth" means "appointed." Adam and Eve named him Seth because they figured that he would be the promised Messiah promised in Genesis 3. What Adam and Eve did not know in the naming of their son Seth was that he would be a part of a hidden message that would reveal the eventual Coming One from God. With the birth of Enosh, the son of Seth, we are given the next clue regarding the identity of the Messiah.

In v.9-11 of today's passage we read, "9 Enosh lived ninety years, and begot Cainan. 10 After he begot Cainan, Enosh lived eight hundred and fifteen years, and had sons and daughters. 11 So all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years; and he died."

The name of "Enosh" means "mortal." When we consider the first three names of this genealogy, the message hidden therein is taking shape. The message so far is "Man was appointed to mortal." This is only a portion of the message that God gives us in this chapter. You will have to stay tuned to our next study to discover the remainder of the hidden message. One thing is for certain in this passage: "Death is an appointment from God not an accident to stumble into."

In v.12-14 of today's passage we read, "12 Cainan lived seventy years, and begot Mahalalel. 13 After he begot Mahalalel, Cainan lived eight hundred and forty years, and had sons and daughters. 14 So all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years; and he died."

Sometimes, the Bible’s most interesting messages are hidden in plain sight. In Proverbs 25:2 we read, "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter." Then in Deuteronomy 29:29 we read, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law." A careful consideration of this passage reveals that from the righteous descendants of Adam who are listed in today's chapter, in Genesis 5, the Lord Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. 

As we continue to study the names of these, it will become increasingly clear that God has hidden incredibly meaningful messages in the Bible to be discovered by those who are willing enough to seek. The name "Cainan" means "sorrow." And, the name "Mahalalel" means "the blessed God." When we put the meaning of the names of Adam, Seth, Enosh, Cainan and Mahalalel together we have part of the ultimate message that God has given to us. That message is "Man (was) appointed mortal sorrow (and) the blessed God..." It is becoming clearer now that half of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ has been given in this hidden message in Genesis 5. And, you can imagine where this message will go. Stay tuned for our next study which will reveal the remainder of this message. 

Genesis 5:1-5

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1 This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created. 3 And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. 4 After he begot Seth, the days of Adam were eight hundred years; and he had sons and daughters. 5 So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died. ~ Genesis 5:1-5

Today, we continue our study of Genesis which is the book of beginnings. Things that are first presented in this book are carried through the Bible narrative and are fulfilled in the last book of the Bible, the book of the Revelation.  

In v.1-2 of today's passage we read, "1 This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. 2 He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created."

Genesis is a book that contains a lot of genealogies, in fact there are ten different genealogies in it. These genealogies help substantiate the Bible’s historical accuracy. They confirm the physical existence of the people found in the Bible. By knowing family histories, we understand that the Bible is far from a mere story or a parable for how we should live our lives on this earth. The Bible is authentic, historical truth.

In the previous chapter, Genesis 4, we considered the genealogy of Cain while here in Genesis 5 we have the genealogy of Seth. It was through the godly line of Seth that eventually the Messiah would come to this earth. 

The first time the word genealogy is used in the Bible is in Genesis 2:4 where we read, "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens."

A careful study of this word translated "generations" reveals it was made up of two Hebrew "vavs" in its spelling in Genesis 2:4. But, here in Genesis 5:1, after the fall of man, it is spelled with only one "vav." As we indicated earlier, the second "vav" fell out of the word just as man fell in the garden.

The Hebrew letter "vav" is the sixth letter of the Hebrew alphabet and it pictures a tent peg. In addition, the number 6 in the Bible represents "man" since he was created on the sixth day. What we have here in this word "genealogy" is a picture of "fallen man." This word is used 39 times throughout the Old Testament at various times when referring to different groups of people, but it is never spelled with two vavs again until the end of the book of Ruth. In every occurrence between Genesis and Ruth one or both of the vavs is missing in the word. The reason for this is that in Ruth, the lineage of King David is given. Up until that time, God was working through various people and had made various covenants with them. These were Noah, Abraham, and Moses. The final covenant was to David. At this time, the second vav in Ruth 4 was reintroduced to the word translated genealogies to indicate that the restoration of fallen man would come through the line of David and this was the final peg in the tent of God’s covenants before the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In v.3-5 of today's passage we read, "3 And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. 4 After he begot Seth, the days of Adam were eight hundred years; and he had sons and daughters. 5 So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died."

Adam's son Seth was born when Adam was 130 years old and as we follow the years in the Bible we can determine the age of the world. During those 130 years, Adam had Cain, Abel, and at least one daughter. We know this because Cain had a wife. It’s likely that they had lots more children by the time Seth came around, but Seth is the focus of the story because it was through his lineage that the Lord Jesus came to this earth to redeem us.

Seth was made in the image and likeness of his father, Adam. We also find ourselves here in the narrative because we too are sons and daughters of Adam and we also share the same characteristics as Seth. When the account uses this phrase, "in his own likeness, after his image," it is referring to the hidden, inner pattern of man, and the actual outward characteristics. Seth was what Adam was, both in his inner life and in his outer life. He was, like you and me, fallen and sinful.

The last phrase in v.5, "and he died" is mentioned over and over throughout this chapter. Every individual that is mentioned "died." Like the sounding of a great bell at a cathedral in Italy, this phrase resounds throughout the passage. Eight times it is recorded, contradicting the lie of Satan in the garden when he said to Eve, "If you eat of this fruit you will not die." And, there was not only physical death. No, sin brought with it other incipient forms of death like malice, jealousy, hatred, meaninglessness, despair, and emptiness. These forms of death are all evidences of the absence of the life of God. That is what death is, the absence of the life of God in our lives. Of course the Lord Jesus came to this earth to remedy our problem. He said, "I did not come to condemn you, I came to give you a life that is more than abundant."

Genesis 4:23-26

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23 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. 24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.” 25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, “For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.” 26 And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord. ~ Genesis 4:23-26

Today, we conclude our study of Genesis 4. As we come to the end of this chapter we notice the contrast continues. In the first two verses of today's passage we are availed to the song of Lamech which is not a song of faith in the God of the Bible. Then, in the final two verses of today's passage we have the birth of Seth to Adam and to Eve. And Seth, will take off where his brother Abel left off, believing in and being defined by the God of the Bible.

In v.23-24 of today's passage we read, "23 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. 24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.'"

These words from Lamech were in poetic form. They represent an early song, a kind of taunt on Lamech's part, in which he was justifying his violence. This song is a boast of Lamech to his wives clearly pointing out his arrogance. In this song, Lamech points out that if God avenged Cain sevenfold for taking the life of his brother without any justification whatsoever, then, surely, "I shall be avenged seventy-seven fold for having acted in self-defense."

In this rant, rebellious Lamech justifies the violence he exacted upon one who tried to take his life. Lamech's culture had technological advances which produced comforts and luxuries, in like manner we today in America have the same. In addition, in Lamech's culture, the state was substituting the role of the family. Just as we see in America, in Lamech's culture there was an increasing toleration for sexual excess. And finally, in Lamech's culture, the passionate vindication of violence on the grounds of the protection of rights was at an all-time high. All of this was caused by man's refusal to be defined by the God of the Bible. 

Interestingly, the Bible is the only testimony we have about life on this planet before the Flood. And, the testimony of Scripture about the original man is that man was created in God’s image. This made him astonishingly intelligent, amazingly creative and that he was incredibly resourceful. The testimony of the Scriptures bears forth that man was healthy to the degree that they lived for as long as 900 plus years, as we see in this chapter. 

The idea that they were like cave men and were not intelligent just is not true. Lamech demonstrated some of the most refined craft in language in his poetry here. Real poetry is the highest level of language. Lamech was not a grunting Neanderthal. Here his poetry was very sophisticated and Lamech demonstrated it quite well.

In v.25-26 of today's passage we read, "25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, 'For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.' 26 And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord."

In contrast to the previous verses in this chapter, there is nothing about human accomplishments mentioned here in the line of Seth. What we are introduced to in these two verses is their worship of the God of the Bible. The emphasis is as it was because the descendants of Cain did not practice the presence of God in their lives, whereas the descendants of Abel did, and they were defined by God. And they were quick to give the glory to the God of the Bible.

The words "Then men began to call upon the name of the Lord" is the oldest reference to worship of the God of the Bible. Man didn’t start out with some primitive religion and evolve to a higher, sophisticated form of religion. Man started with the true, pure worship of the one true living God.

Seth's name means "appointed." Adam and Eve named Seth accordingly because in their minds God had appointed another son to take the place of Abel. When the man of faith is taken out of the world, God's work does not end. God just raises up another man of faith. The name of Seth's son was Enosh, which means "mortal." In the middle of that godless civilization, with its proud refusal to recognize its Maker, God was subtly at work. All the way through the Scriptures we see this scenario played out over and over and if we look closely enough we will see it all around us today.

With the birth of Seth, Eve does something quite interesting. She refers to God as Elohim, not YHWH. This was odd because YHWH is the relational name of God. But now, in the hour of Eve's mourning the fact that God had not yet given her the Savior whom He had promised, it seemed to her that God was far removed from her. Perhaps this was a sign that Eve had lost a bit of the hope that she once had. Perhaps this was a sign that to Eve, God seemed very far away and not too involved in her day to day life.

At the end of v.26 we read the words "men began to call upon the name of the Lord." This is the first mention of people calling on the name of the Lord in the Bible. That which saves anyone is that we "call upon the name" of the Lord Jesus. Just when it appeared that all hope was lost, the relational, covenant name of God appears again. Here, the name of God that is used is not Elohim, it is YHWH. These who called upon the name of the Lord worshipped the God of the Bible by praying, by proclaiming His word, being defined by His word and by praising Him. They knew their God as their Creator and they also knew Him as the Lord of grace, forgiveness, mercy and hope. They knew Him to be the God who works in the details of all of our lives painting a picture that would make sense and that would bring Him glory.

Genesis 4:19-22

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19 Then Lamech took for himself two wives: the name of one was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah. 20 And Adah bore Jabal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal. He was the father of all those who play the harp and flute. 22 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 4:19-22

Today, we return to our study of Genesis 4 where we have been tracing the lineage of Cain, the firstborn son of Adam and Eve. Cain is mentioned a few times in the New Testament, always in the context of warning us how not to live. Cain is known as a bad example to us because he further welcomed evil into his heart by failing to choose obedience to God. And, this is what caused him to ultimately murder his brother Abel. Since Cain did not have faith in the God of the Bible, he chose to spill the blood of his brother Abel on the ground. The line of Cain largely continued his waywardness and it ended in tragedy. This is what happens to any life that is wandering away from God's presence as Cain did.

In v.19 of today's passage we read, "Then Lamech took for himself two wives: the name of one was Adah, and the name of the second was Zillah."

God’s words to Cain, "Sin is crouching at your door and its desire is for you" was later realized in Cain's great, great, great grandson Lamech. Lamech was the first recorded polygamist in the Bible. Even though throughout the Old Testament many men had numerous wives, God's instructions from the beginning have always been one man and one woman. Underscored here are the words of the Lord earlier in Genesis when He said, "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother be joined to his wife."

In v.20-22 of today's passage we read, "20 And Adah bore Jabal. He was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 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."

The sons mentioned in v.18-22 of today's passage with the Hebrew prefix "el" in their names were all connected by that prefix. This Hebrew prefix means "to produce." All of these descendants of Cain with this prefix were all amazingly productive as our passage today bears out. The line of Cain and their names reflect people in love with the world rather than with God, even though they had a part of God's name in their names. The Jewish historian Josephus wrote about the line of Cain and he informed us that they were "exceedingly wicked, intolerable in war, and vehement in robberies." He went on to say, "They acted unjustly and were quick to murder even though they were quite 'cultured.'" This magnifies the fact that no matter how much one is cleaned up on the outside, if his sin isn't atoned for, he is headed straight for hell.

In Genesis 2:8, we read, "The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed." When Adam and Eve were created, they were created perfectly sinless, and in their sinless condition, they were allowed to live in the perfect Garden of Eden. However, after the Fall, God graciously drove them out of the Garden. Later, Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Due to his unwillingness of heart, the culture God desired to give Cain was not realized in his life. God's culture has increasingly given way to the culture of the devil since. And, as a result, we are very aware of meaningless pain, suffering, sickness and sorrow. This is all due to the fact that man loves his sin more than he does God.

The first four chapters of the book of Genesis yield to us a choice, a choice between the Kingdom of Nod and the Kingdom of God. Everyone alive today is a part of one of these two kingdoms. Everybody is either defined by the Kingdom of Nod, or by the Kingdom of God. Though God had driven Cain from his home, it was Cain’s choice to live outside the presence of God. Essentially, Cain’s punishment as a wanderer and a fugitive was to lose all sense of belonging and identification with a community. Living in "the land of Nod," Cain lived without roots in isolation. For his sin, Cain was made a castaway and later became a godless, hollow person "in the land of Nod." Upon separating himself from God, Cain built a society totally detached from and devoid of God.

The Kingdom of Nod was characterized by Cain when he offered that which was cursed. God had cursed the ground because of Adam’s sin. Cain, who was a "tiller of the ground" brought God an offering "of the fruit of the ground." Though God had cursed the ground, Cain believed that his "fruit of the ground" was good enough for God. In effect, Cain offered to God that which God had cursed.

The man who is out of relationship with God tries all sorts of methods to try to please Him, yet his best efforts do not merit God's favor. Sin has cursed man's moral compass, and thus his moral efforts will never be acceptable before a holy and righteous God. It was Cain who brought a sacrifice to God, but it was not a sacrifice pleasing to God, for it involved no shedding of blood. Cain came with the wrong attitude, for he refused to bring what the Lord had commanded. He would bring what he thought was best, regardless of what God had to say about it. Thus, his sacrifice bore with it a worthless atonement.

Man-made religion is never honoring to God, for it ignores God’s only Sacrifice, the Lord Jesus Christ. Cain was "spiritual," for he brought an offering; yet he was not godly, for his offering ignored God’s righteous requirements. Lost man may be spiritual, but he can never be godly, for godliness is always the result of an acknowledgement of the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior which is what invites the very presence of God into his life. It is the presence of God that makes any sinner godly. Like Cain and his descendants, burdened people keep themselves busy by building. As a result of his undealt with sin, Cain was restless, so he built the city of Enoch.

The whole Old Testament, every book of it, points us toward the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. In fact, the very next chapter of Genesis, Genesis 5, contains a concealed message. And, the message is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, as we will see.

In Leviticus 17:11 we read, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul."

This verse is the Old Testament’s central statement about the significance of the blood sacrifice. A "sacrifice" is defined as the offering up of something precious for a cause or a reason. Making a sacrifice or "an atonement for sin" is satisfying someone or something for an offense committed. And, only the offense can forgive. And, only those who have been covered by the blood sacrifice have been set free from the consequences of sin. Blood represents life and without it nothing will live. The answer to death is life, so the answer to sin is blood. Blood is the solution to sin because life is the answer to death.

Genesis 4:16-18

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16 Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. 17 And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son—Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad; and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehujael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lamech. ~ Genesis 4:16-18

Today, we continue our study of Genesis 4 where we learn of the life of Cain. The name "Cain" means "possession." Cain was a rebellious man who ignored God’s warnings, and received God’s judgment. 

In v.16 of today's passage we read,"Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden."

The worst thing that ever happened to Cain was that he went out from the presence of the Lord. Cain hated what he had to face of himself in the presence of God, so he left and started his own city. The name of the city was Nod which means "wanderer." This was the land that Cain inhabited, the land of the wanderer away from God. There was no comment, no response from Cain regarding God’s invitation to him to do the right thing which was to be defined by Him. Cain did not even comment on God sparing his life and giving him space to repent. There is no recorded response from Cain regarding God becoming His protector. What is recorded is that Cain went out from the presence of the Lord.

There really is no leaving the presence of the Lord for He is omnipresent, He is everywhere at all times. This is why He is named God, the Supreme Being. Cain failed to lay claim to the presence of the Lord in his life. Like Cain, God surrounds us like the Atlantic surrounds an ocean floor sea urchin even though it moves about. The God of the Bible is everywhere: above, below, and on all sides. Cain chose to resist this merciful God rather than to receive Him. Cain chose to be defined by the father of lies who ushers all that follow him into the isolated darkness of loneliness. 

In Hebrews 13:5 God tells us, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."  We do well to grip this promise like the parachute that it is because it is the presence of God in our lives that is the one thing that we need for eternity. And, sin and death has separated us from God. This is why the Lord Jesus came to this earth to die on the cross, to reunite us with God.

In v.17 of today's passage we read, "And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son—Enoch."

After Adam and Eve begot Seth, Adam lived 800 years. During that time Adam and Eve had many sons and daughters. Cain undoubtedly married one of his sisters. Which, at that time, didn't pose the genetic problem that it does today. This is due to the fact that the human gene pool is so much more polluted today due to the multiplication of sin over the last 6000 years. But before the pollution of sin had fully entered the human race, the gene pool was much purer and thus less threatening as it is now. This explains where Cain's wife came from, he just married one of the many daughters of Adam and Eve. 

After Cain found his wife, she "conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son – Enoch." The word used here for "city" describes a place with walls constructed as a defense. The walls themselves were the city. Everything inside the walls was secondary to the protection the walls provided. Cain had successfully isolated and separated himself from anyone who could harm him. In addition, he likewise separated himself from anyone who could help him as well. In effect, he had shut himself off from the very presence of the Lord in his efforts to secure himself, even though had he repented God would have been right there in response to his cry. 

The name of Cain’s son Enoch means "dedicated." Cain's son was born when he built his fortress city and he named or "dedicated" the city with the same name as his son. The cursed name of Cain wouldn’t have been an ideal name for starting out on a new life and so he deferred to the dedication of his son and his home. 

In v.18 of today's passage we read, "To Enoch was born Irad; and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehujael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lamech."

This genealogy led to a division between the godly line of Seth and the wicked line of Cain. The godly line continued to be defined by the Lord and by His plans and purposes. But, eventually even this godly line was found corrupted to the point where only one man and his family would be saved in order to repopulate the world.

The line of wickedness, even from the beginning, wandered from the presence of the Lord, just as Cain, and it was defined by the things of this world. Interestingly, two of the names of Cain’s descendants are the same names as the descendants of Seth, the son who replaced Abel. These are Enoch and Lamech. Two men who represent the two ends of the spectrum. Enoch walked with God and Lamech is the first polygamist in the Bible. Unlike other genealogies in the Bible, this one is strikingly short. It lacks any commentary and it lacks any other ancestral information. Yes, these people existed, but their lives were found to be unimportant to the greater plan of redemption. 

This brings us the very important question of how will we be remembered? Interestingly, two of the names of Cain’s descendants include the suffix "El," Mehujael and Methushael. There was, even in the line of Cain, a knowledge of God and it was denoted in these two names. Mehujael means "smitten by God" and Methushael means "who is of God." 

This underscores the idea that even man who lives apart from God has a knowledge of Him. Eventually though, even this disappears from thought as we moved toward a self-centered approach to life. In today's world, we’re moving in that same direction as they did, paying lip service to the name of God but denying His character and His sovereign authority in our lives. 

Throughout the Bible there are contrasted two groups of people, those who were defined by God and those who were not. Over the course of a lifetime we will either reject God by our choices, deliberately move away from Him, and stake our claim in the land of wandering; or we will call on the name of the Lord for the help we need to survive.

Cain's city did not solve Cain's problem. He was restless, homeless, and alone. And in Cain's city, like every modern city today, the loneliest people in the world live shoulder-to-shoulder with others. Cain could not make a home for his restless heart of rebellion. He couldn't drive away the guilt that continually haunted him. God would hear the cry of his dead brother all of his life, and so would he. And his fear of violence didn't go away with the building of his city. His city became the home of the violent. 

Eventually the civilization that Cain's city began ended up as described in Genesis 6:5 which reads, "The LORD saw how great man's wickedness had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time." Eventually, the civilization became so thoroughly wicked that it would need to be destroyed. This is what happens to the life that remains to wander from God and never returns.

Genesis 4:10-15

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10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. 11 So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 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.” 13 And Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! 14 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.” 15 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 4:10-15

Today we return to Genesis 4 where we learn of the first murder in the Scriptures. Cain was the first recorded male born in human history and this first recorded son of Adam and Eve became a murderer and a liar because he chose to be defined by the culture of the devil rather than the culture of God. This merely underscores the doctrine of original sin which is the teaching that all mankind suffers moral corruption as a consequence of Adam’s sin. The doctrine of original sin teaches that all human beings are born into sin, born spiritually dead, and born separated from God. We are sinners not because we sin, we sin because we are sinners. In order for man to be reunited with God, someone must pay the penalty for our sin.

In v.10-11 of today's passage we read, "10 And He said, 'What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground. 11 So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 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.'" 

So here, God identified Cain with the serpent. In Genesis 3, God cursed the serpent and the ground but not Adam and Eve because they represented the seed of the woman. God cursed Cain indicating that he was the seed of the serpent. In Genesis, we can trace the line of the serpent down through those who were cursed. God cursed the serpent in Genesis 3, then Cain here in Genesis 4, then Noah’s grandson in Genesis 9, and then all those who oppose Abram in Genesis 12. The seed of the serpent are those cursed like their father the devil. They are known as the seed of the serpent because they chose to be defined by the devil.

The very fact that Cain murdered and lied indicates he inherited Adam’s sin. This first recorded sin after the fall would become standard operating procedure for all humanity. Cain was told that the blood of Abel cried out from the ground. The blood of dead Abel, obviously, couldn’t actually speak, but the fact that there was blood on the ground spoke volumes to God. It cried out to God before His heavenly throne, demanding divine vengeance, and Cain was guilty before God. And the divine sentence was that the very ground which had yielded the crop screamed of the death exacted upon Abel by his brother. Cain would not be able to offer another hypocritical offering. Cain’s punishment was much like his dad's he would work the ground with toil and see little fruit, and he would be a vagabond" which is a wanderer on the earth. Sin always makes our lives harder.

Throughout the Bible, God draws a contrast between the sowing of unrighteousness with the harvesting of faith. Cain sowed the ground with the blood of his brother because he was jealous of Abel and mad at God. But as we have seen, it was by Abel’s faith that his offering was acceptable to God.

In v.13-14 of today's passage we read, "13 And Cain said to the Lord, 'My punishment is greater than I can bear! 14 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.'"

The greatest honor that can be bestowed on a person is to have the face of God shine on them. Cain understood this in his limited way and cried out at the loss – a loss which he had brought upon himself. Even to this day, Cain is the biblical example of the wicked son who remains forever out of the favor of the Lord.

Obviously anyone alive on earth during Cain’s life would be a rather close relative to Abel, but it’s most likely that one of his own sons would try to repay Cain for what he did. Cain’s remark then very well could be his fear of this.

In v.15 of today's passage we read, "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."

We are not told what the "mark" that God put on Cain looked like. What is important is that the mark stood for God’s merciful protection of Cain, despite his sin. Cain had switched sides and joined the devil's team, murdering the seed of the woman, so God rightly cursed him. God didn’t send Cain to hell immediately; He put a mark on him to protect his life while on this earth. If they did, they would receive vengeance seven-fold, or "completely." There would be no mercy given for the murderer of this murderer.

In Hebrews 12:24 we are reminded that the Lord Jesus is the Mediator of the new covenant, and His blood of sprinkling speaks better things than that of Abel. The blood of the Lord Jesus cries out before God for the forgiveness of all willing enough to believe in the efficacy of His blood. Whereas the blood of Abel cries out for vengeance and retribution, the blood of the Lord Jesus declares love, hope, peace, and forgiveness! Found in the death and blood of Jesus is everything we need for the removal of our sin and the access to us for deep intimacy with God Himself. The blood of the Lord Jesus is better than the blood of Abel because the blood of the Lord Jesus is the only blood that cleanses us from all of our sin. Cain took his brother’s life while the Lord Jesus laid down His life for all who are willing enough to believe in Him.