GENESIS
INTRODUCTION TO THE FLOOD
Genesis 4:16-6:8
INTRODUCTION
As bad and as rapidly as things deteriorated when Cain killed Abel, the situation got even worse with Cain's descendants. Sin does not remain static. It progresses, getting worse and worse. When some people commit crimes, they are amazed that they had done something so bad; yet they did not realize that when they committed that one sin many years back and did not repent, they had actually stepped onto a new path which eventually led to the greater sins. By the time that this section was over, God was so sorry that He created mankind that He decided to wipe it off the face of the earth. Only one man and his family stood between man and total annihilation, that man being Noah. This section basically explains how the situation deteriorated so rapidly and to such an extent that God decides to wipe out the world with a flood.
Notice also in this section the emphasis on death. God had warned Adam and Eve that on the day they ate fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that they would die, and die they did. From this point on we read that this person lived so many years, had children, and then died; then we read about his children, about how many years they lived, when they bore children, and then died, and so on and so on and so on. For all practical purposes the history of Adam's race is one of death.
If you don't think so, just look at some of the most significant sites in the world: the pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal, Napoleon's tomb, the Krelim, Grant's tomb, etc. What are these sites? They are constant reminders of the constant presence of death in our midst. Adam's race is the race of death, both physically and spiritually.
Finally, notice one other major principle in this passage: one man can affect dramatically the lives of his descendants. Cain who was evil affected his succeeding generations. By the time of the flood not a single descendant of Cain was worth saving. On the other hand, Seth who was born after Cain lived a righteous life; his life produced righteous descendant after righteous descendant after him. These descendants will introduce worship to mankind, walk with God, and eventually save the human race. For those of us as parents, the choice lies before us what kind of descendants we want to come after us. The choice is ours, a righteous heritage or one like Cain's.
THE SITUATION DETERIORIATES RAPIDLY
The Descendants of Cain (4:16-24)
Following the episode of Cain and Abel, Genesis then informs us of the descendants of Cain. The reason Moses gives us this lineage is that it helps explains why the world degenerates to such an extent that God eventually destroys it with the flood. If ever the statement "the sins of the fathers are visited upon the children," it is definitely true in this situation. Cain's descendants will follow in his train spiritually.
Look at the list of Cain's descendants. God originally intended for marriage to be monogamous, between one man and one woman. In the 7th generation from Adam, Cain's descendant Lamech introduces bigamy into the equation. If that was not bad enough, things definitely spiral downwards with Lamech because of his violent nature. As violent as Cain was when he murdered Abel, his violence paled in comparison to Lamech's. Lamech lets it be known that it is dangerous for any man to mess with him:
"If Cain is avenged sevenfold,
then Lamech is avenged 77-fold" (Gen. 4:24).
We tend to pooh-pooh violence, either physical or verbal; however, God says that the rampant violence in the earth was one of the main reasons, if not THE main reason, He ends up destroying the world with a flood (6:11).
Genesis then goes to the next generation, the 3 sons of Lamech. At first it seems like people are actually beginning to improve, that there might actually be hope for mankind. Lamech's first son Jabal introduces ranching into society, his second son Jubal introduces the lyre and pipe (music), while his third son Tubal-Cain introduces metallurgy. Yet whereas we may see advances in technology and arts with Lamech's three sons, we do not see improvement in morals. Morals and technological/cultural/agricultural advances don't necessarily go together. Look at the Nazi regime. Hitler valued so much the arts, and yet he was so steeped in cruelty that even hell was in awe of him. Technological, cultural, and agricultural advances are mere window dressings. The person's morals reveal the true person. All the technological advances in the world will not avert God's wrath; only a person's moral life can do that.
Notice that the arts/metallurgy/cattle raising proceed from the wicked tribe. This does NOT mean that these things are evil. It's just that they do NOT indicate goodness on the part of people. Talented people can be evil. Intelligence does not equate goodness; neither do pretty things equate goodness. Competency does NOT equal spirituality. The most competent people can be the most evil. True goodness and spirituality flow out of an obedient relationship with Jesus Christ.
Now this is true not only in the world but also in the church. We tend to favor people in the church who are competent, beautiful, talented, etc. Spiritually-gifted people also receive bouquets from us; however, Paul says that even if I speak with the tongues of angels, I am nothing if I do not have a good character, if I do not love. A wise man once told me--referring to me: "Carey, the church does not need good Bible teachers; it needs godly men." That advice holds true at all times.
The Sons of God Intermarrying with the Daughters of Men (6:1-4)
At this point we come to one of the most bizarre stories in the entire Bible. According to Genesis things really spiral out of control whenever the sons of God decide that they want to intermarry with the daughters of men. There are 2 major interpretations of this passage. The first states that the "sons of God" refer to the "descendants of Seth," whom we shall see led righteous lives, while the daughters of men refer to descendants of Cain, who in the passage above proved themselves to be degenerates. The only problem with this interpretation is that the term "sons of God" is not normally used in this way. Rather it normally refers to angels. The second interpretation then states that the angels ("sons of men") were intrigued by the sexual relations the human race engaged in, and in some form or fashion sought either to possess the bodies of men or else seek to assume human form in one way or other so that they could engage in sexual behavior.
This second interpretation may seem really bizarre; however, later in Genesis we will actually see angels assuming the form of people, actually even eating. This second interpretation may not be all that far off the mark.
Whichever interpretation is true, this situation results in the human race hitting rock bottom. The result is that the human race cannot get any worse; what's worse is that it is definitely not going to get any better. The only appropriate response God can make to this situation is to destroy the world of mankind. If that happens, then the serpent has won. Only a son of Eve will destroy the serpent (Gen. 3:15). If all her sons are destroyed, the serpent will survive. A lot is at stake with the destiny of the sons of Eve.
A BRIGHT HOPE: THE DESCENDANTS OF SETH (4:25-5:32)
From Seth to Enoch
Although the situation seems quite desperate, all is not lost. Running alongside Cain and his descendants are Seth and his descendants. After the Cain/Abel debacle Adam and Eve once more have relations, thereby producing Seth. The word "Seth" literally means "the appointed one." Eve most likely names him this hoping that he (Seth) is the one God appointed to be the destroyer of the serpent (Gen. 3:15). There is an element of truth in Eve's hope because it is from Seth that a godly remnant emerges, especially Abraham and later, even Jesus.
Just how good are Seth and his descendants? When Genesis introduces Seth and his descendants, it states: "In the day when God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female, and He blessed them and named them Man in the day when they were created" (Gen. 5:2-3). By returning to this theme right as Genesis introduces Seth and his family, Genesis seems to be implying that whereas the image of God for all practical purposes has been destroyed in Cain and his descendants, we still see that image of God in Seth and his descendants. To be sure, the image has been marred, even in Seth's descendants--they too will sin; however, there is still hope because at least in some people living on earth, God's image can still be seen.
Two of Seth's descendants especially deserve mention: (1) Enosh and (2) Enoch. (1) In the first instance Enosh introduces worship to mankind: "At this time men started calling upon the name of the Lord." Although we know that at least by the time of Cain and Abel that sacrifices were offered to the Lord, this is the first time that people specifically engage in worship by calling upon the name of the Lord. Worship, the highest act of devotion a person can offer to God, is initiated by the son of righteous Seth, Enosh, a man in whom we can still see at least some of God's image. Worship is the act of the truly righteous person.
How important is worship? From here on out Genesis will focus on the righteous men of God--Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Worship played an integral part in their lives. What is even more noteworthy is that worship came so natural with these men. God does something wonderful in their lives, and what do they do? They build an altar in order to worship God with sacrifices. Worship was not just something they tacked on to their lives at the end of the week and feel like they've done their duty towards God; it was a natural outflow of their relationship with God. Though these men are flawed--and the stories will show just how flawed they are, they nevertheless love God with all their hearts, souls, and minds, and demonstrate that love by actively engaging in worship.
(2) The next major descendant from Seth was Enoch, the 7th descendant from Adam through Seth. Enoch was a major contrast with Lamech, the 7th descendant of Adam through Cain. Whereas Lamech introduces bigamy and unbridled violence to the world, Enoch walks with God. It's the first mention of a man "walking" with God.
What does it mean to "walk with God"? Basically, it means to have a daily relationship with Him. Most people can only run for a short distance, sprint for even a shorter distance; however, most people can walk pretty far, if not all day long. Sprinters and runners in the Christian faith are going to fall by the wayside eventually, just like the soil on rocky ground produced only temporary Christians. God is less interested in "dynamite" Christians but more interested in "dynamo" Christians, Christians who just keep on putting out spiritual power after spiritual power after spiritual power.
It is so easy to streamline what it means to walk with God. Some people walk in a constant state of prayer, being sensitive to people God lays upon their hearts to pray for. Others are more cognitive in their relationship with God. Theirs is a very logical relationship with God, different but just as meaningful as those who are more emotive like the first group. Whatever nature your relationship with God takes, it needs to be daily.
Next, comes another strange comment in Genesis: "And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him" (Gen. 5:24). One day Enoch was living in the world of men, and then the next day he was not. There was no trace of Enoch on that next day. He hadn't simply run off to some secluded place; he simply was no longer on the earth. God had taken him to be with him. The author of Hebrews writes: "By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found because God took him up. For he obtained the witness that before his being taken up, he was pleasing to God (Heb. 11:5).
In the introduction we saw that this section emphasizes the fact that death has entered the world of mankind. Adam lived so long, produced babies, and then died. The same happened with Cain, Seth, Enosh, Lamech, Methuselah, etc., etc. Life appears to be an unbroken chain of death. Now all of a sudden we read of a man who does not die. Enoch walks with God. His life is so pleasing to God that one day people notice that he is no longer with them. He is gone, not to some other place on earth, but to be with God Himself. Vida Byrd puts it this way: "One day Enoch and God were taking a walk. Towards evening God said to him, 'Enoch My house is closer than yours. Why don't you just come on home with me?'" Enoch agreed, and the rest is history.
Just a side note here. What a tremendous testimony. Would that you and I lived lives so pleasing to God that He just couldn't wait to bring us home to be with Him.
Whatever else this story is communicating, it is definitely saying that maybe the curse which has fallen upon mankind can be broken. Death doesn't have to be the last word. In Enoch, one of Eve's sons, we see death broken. One day her greatest Son Jesus will break death once and for all. Even better because Eve's Son Jesus breaks the power of death, one day what Enoch experienced will be experienced by all mankind, the breaking of death's chains (1 Cor. 15:26--"the last enemy that will be abolished is death.")
Noah
It is at this stage in the story that Noah appears on the scene. His father has great hopes for Noah. In fact Noah's father names him "Noah" because it means "rest." His father goes onto say that his hope is that one day Noah will give the world rest by lifting the curse from the ground (Gen. 5:29). The world at this time is still so young, and yet people feel so burdened by the weight of the curse. The curse though will not be permanent. Noah will give us a taste of what it means to be free from the curse.