I’m sure if you’ve read a Bible for a short time, you’re probably already aware of what unfolds here in this fourth chapter of Genesis. But in 2009, when I first became Christian, I had no idea this story existed. I didn’t know, like, anything that had transpired in Bible times… except for Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for all mankind. I had yet to discover it was even for each person! Thank God I never believed otherwise. This chapter is found in pages 2-3 of my NKJV Bible someone had given me two or three years ago, page 3 of my NASB Bible, and pages 5-6 of both my VOICE and Amplified Bible (Classic Edition) copies I bought about three years apart. Also, I put two dates on the title for this post because it’s almost midnight as I write this, and I haven’t written anything in nearly two weeks.
Anyway, we see that Cain murders his only brother at the time, and that’s not right, what he did. God later promises that anyone who purposely kills a human being will also meet a violent death by a human being themselves, intentionally or otherwise (Genesis 9:6). But before I say anything else about this, let me first comment about how lovemaking was apparently discovered after banishment from Eden (3:23-4:1). Do you think Adam and Eve would’ve done it if no one had eaten off of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (3:6)? I think they would. It says in Genesis 1:28, “Be fruitful and multiply,” right? But I think it’s pretty cool how Cain was the firstborn meant for glory in his own calling that God had given him. Funny how he didn’t think God and him were on the rocks, but at least Abel (his brother) gave to Him by faith, as we see in Hebrews 11:4.
Cain had a shot to love God by faith, too, thus pleasing Him (for we cannot please Him without faith; see Hebrews 11:6), yet for some reason, he chose a bad road — he was the world’s first murderer, and I really wish he hadn’t done that. Funny enough, murder can be forgiven, for Jesus died to transform even the most wicked hearts to come alive in Him. I find it interesting that the VOICE commentators mentioned that Cain was jealous of Abel’s offering (found on a brief note between verses 7 and 8). I think he had no interest after he believed his offerings could never be accepted. At the end of the dialogue (verses 9-15), God tells Cain anyone who kills him would experience His vengeance (I almost said “suffer” 😫🤐). Yet, his descendant, Lamech, arrogantly boasted that if Cain was avenged seven times, then he was to be avenged 77 times. Also, don’t worry about who Cain’s wife (verse 17) was; it was one of his sisters that Adam and Eve had brought into the world. We don’t know how much time passes between these events across this chapter, but I know they all live for several hundred years each, for there was water in the air blocking the harmful UV (ultraviolet) rays that give us sunburns. This didn’t get disposed until the Flood, but more of that later.
Also, I once read or heard that Lamech’s boast in verse 24, Jesus reversed in Matthew 18:22 with forgiveness. I think forgiveness is a lot better than vengeance and being out for blood. It even says in Hebrews 12:24 that His blood speaks a better world than the blood of Abel. There’s the “Nod” thing in verse 16 that’s worth mentioning: it’s east of Eden, and one time, the Eagles released an album titled “East of Eden.” I’ve never heard anything from that one, as far as I can remember, but I did like their 70’s music. Hopefully, the frontman had accepted Christ before he died in 2016. I pray for the rest of the band members to become Christians, too.
The final two verses tell of a third boy born to Adam and Eve named Seth. It’s a pretty common name nowadays, too, and after many years, Seth fathered a boy named Enosh, and we see that people began to worship God during that time. Hopefully, there were some honest people. I think there always were in each generation since Adam and Eve’s creation. Also, I should say that Adam and Eve were created without belly buttons, but because everyone else (including me, you, your best friend, your brothers/sisters, obviously) was born of a woman, we all have belly buttons. In the U.S. and many other nations of the world, the umbilical cord is cut as soon as each boy or girl is born. But now’s not the time for me to speak of anatomy, for it can get TMI, and I want this blog to be appropriate for those at the age of 12 and under. Of course, there’s some graphic incidents that the Bible records, but I do not wish to get into that. Yet I can’t not get pissed off at the abominations of rape and sexual harassment/assault — thankfully, I won’t need to go there today. I also want to be careful with whom I’m sharing this information to, and I know that the truth can fall into the wrong hands, plus, it’s awhile away from the Sodom and Gomorrah story, so bear with me, now.
Look forward to chapter five with you!
Ron And His Stories 