The following are a couple of thoughts from today’s Bible reading, day 2 of the CCV plan:
Genesis 4: 1, 17, 20-22
1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground.
17 Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch.
20 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 lyre and pipe. 22 Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
Why have the genealogical record of Cain? Why have all this record of baby after baby after baby, especially of people we will not follow? There is a tremendous picture of the kindness of God here. The Lord could have destroyed Cain. The Lord could have kept Cain from fathering any children. But the Lord was kind to him. The Lord allowed him the blessing of life and of descendants.
Note as well that Cain’s line is where we see three important people. It is out of this messed up family that we find the inventors of music and tools. God has shown the common grace to his world of allowing men, even those not of the line of promise, to bring things to the world that help to improve the prospects of men. The three inventors are the children of the first polygamous marriage, something God highlights in the life of Lamech, a complete scoundrel. Yet, in all that, Lamek’s children are still people, made in the image of God, who bring good to the world.
Genesis 4:25-26
25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 26 To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord.
How beautiful that the line of promise continues. We had to wonder if God’s promise had been thwarted by the murder of Abel. Cain was outcast. Abel was dead. How could the woman’s descendant crush the serpant? Thanks be to God, Eve bore another son. Another line exists. It is through that line that people begin to call on the name of the Lord. And we see that, no matter how evil man gets and how messed up the world looks, God’s plan is solid. That will be a running theme in Genesis.
Lord, I thank you for your word. You are faithful to your promises and loving toward your creation. I thank you for the common grace of music and tools. I thank you that you show your mercies, even to those who oppose you, while they live. I thank you for preserving the line of promise. I thank you that, no matter how messed up the world looks, you remind me that you will not fail. Your kingdom will come. Your will shall be done.
Pastor Travis Peterson 