Culture Begins
Culture Expands Apart From God
Adam and Eve lived 930
years and had many children who began to multiply upon the earth (Gen.
5:3-5). “Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and settled in
the land of Nod, east of Eden. Cain had relations with his wife and she
conceived, and gave birth to Enoch; and he built a city, and called the name
of the city Enoch, after the name of his son” (Gen. 4:16-17). Cain married within his
own family! People in the early years of history obviously had to do this.
Evidently, before the flood the genetic structure of man was still pure.
Cain’s family grew and spread out on the earth. Many willing
students of the Bible have crashed and burned within the minefields of the
Bible’s genealogical names. The names are too long to pronounce and
impossible to understand. But remember that names in the Bible have meaning.
Names reveal the character of the person named. If we can determine the
meaning of some of the names mentioned, we can begin to piece together the
picture of the early development of culture. The
word “Nod” means “wanderer.” Cain became a fugitive in the world. He settled in the land of
wandering. Man moved away from
God and began to walk in darkness. This is a picture of the spiritual state
of man apart from God. Man could no longer make a living as a farmer, but he
had to survive somehow. So he
began what is now known as “commerce!” Man decided that “stuff” had
value. Then man began to trade
his stuff for other stuff.
“Things” took on value! The
cycle of culture began with the Hebrew name “Enoch,” which means
dedication. The name reveals
that man is now dedicated to a life without God. Cain had gone out from the presence of the Lord. Here was
Cain’s new son and here was a new beginning without God. Cain built a city and named it after
his son. But there is something else going on here. Notice how John and Jude
viewed Cain’s life. “Not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his
brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil,
and his brother’s were righteous” (1Jn. 3:12). “Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay
they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the
rebellion of Korah” (Jude 11). The sin-cursed world became Satan’s domain (Job. 6:1-6: Job. 2:3;
2 Cor. 4:4). He evidently began,
through Cain, to erect an enormous world of culture designed to appeal to
man’s flesh. Man, apart from God, would seek by power and materialism to find
peace and fulfillment (1 Jn 3:12).
“Cain had relations with his wife and she conceived, and gave
birth to Enoch; and he built a city, and called the name of the city Enoch,
after the name of his son” (Gen. 4:17). “Enoch” means beginning
or initiation. Man now begins his life without God. “Now to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad became the father of
Mehujael, and Mehujael became the father of Methushael, and Methushael became
the father of Lamech” (Gen. 4:18). “Irad” means townsman or
sophistication. His name could indicate that culture began to prosper. The
name, “Mehujael” means smitten of God.
God breaks into history, destroying nations and governments and
causing national disasters to let man know that He is still in control. “Methushael”
means seeking or becoming inquisitive. “Lamech”
becomes a picture of the human race without God. Because of the power of the Adamic nature, man’s kingdom
will always go to the strongest. The human race is now taking charge and
creating a culture to their liking. Man is becoming the captain of his own
destiny and charts his own course without the restraints of God. Lamech exhibited that he was now in control of
his life by taking two wives. God’s written will is for man to have one wife. “Lamech took to himself
two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah”
(Gen. 4:19). “Adah” is the Hebrew word
for trinket, or that which catches the eye. The human race begins to place inordinate emphasis upon
the outward human appearance. Man draws attention to himself. Attractiveness comes to the
forefront. “Zillah” means seductive
or erotic. One would have to be extremely insensitive not to see this being
played out upon our cultural stage today. “Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell
in tents and have livestock” (Gen. 4:20). “Jabal” may have been the first
cattle baron. Livestock would remind one of commercial transactions. It does not mean the family cow or
the family sheep. Commercialism is not wrong, but it can become a substitute
for a relationship with God. Materialism obviously becomes a substitute for a
relationship with God. “Follow
the money to find the corruption” may have started right here. “His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who
play the lyre and pipe” (Gen. 4:21). Jubal is the original
father of music. Is there anything wrong with music? No! It can and should shed light upon God. The psalms are hymns that glorify
God. But here, music and the
arts become a substitute for a relationship with God. Music reveals
the thinking of a generation. If you want to characterize a generation of
people, listen to their music.
Not only can we follow the money trail to find out what direction man
is going, we can also follow the music. “As for Zillah, she also gave birth to Tubal-cain, the forger of
all implements of bronze and iron; and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah”
(Gen. 4:22). “Tubal-cain” may carry the
idea of “metal.” This may have
marked the beginning of metal weapons.
These weapons would bring man to the edge of extermination. Culture
has given the Adamic sin nature a tremendous vehicle through which to express
itself. Because of the Adamic
nature, the human race left alone without God’s restraints would exterminate
itself. This is why God will ultimately change the language so that the race
will spread out. “Naamah” may be translated
from “Naem,” - “delightful, or pleasurable.” She could reveal that pleasure is now becoming a
substitute for a relationship with God.
We live in a world of “Naamah” today. “Naamah,” is approaching the
height of the Cainite civilization. Now we come to pinnacle of
that civilization. “Lamech said to his wives, ‘Adah and Zillah, Listen to my voice,
You wives of Lamech, Give heed to my speech, For I have killed a man for
wounding me; And a boy for striking me’” (Gen. 4:23). This is a poem that characterizes the essence
of man apart from God. A man that is in defiance of God is also in defiance
of man. Ego is in complete control. “Look at me, I killed a man for wounding
me. I killed a boy for merely hitting me. I am extremely powerful and power
is the stuff of life. If you
touch me I'll kill you.” Man has now created a culture to his liking.
This is culture without God! Man’s ego and power is in control. “If Cain is avenged sevenfold, then Lamech
seventy-sevenfold” (Gen. 3:24). Lamech realized that God was the avenger for
Cain. He felt that if anyone
attacked him, he would be avenged seventy times seven. In other words, he
felt that he was more powerful than any God! Man is now a fugitive from the justice of God. Power,
materialism, arts, music, pleasure - all became a substitute for a
relationship with God. Cain’s line reveals all of this! God’s Preserves a People Alongside of the Cainite civilization was a people
of God. God, throughout history has always kept a people for Himself (Rom.
11:4-6). “Adam had relations with his wife again; and she gave birth to a
son, and named him Seth, for, she said, ‘God has appointed me another
offspring in place of Abel, for Cain killed him’” (Gen. 4:25). Here is a glimpse into God’s extended
grace! “Seth” means appointed
one. God appointed this son to
take Abel’s place. This is the beginning of God’s spiritual line that will
continue through the line of Shem and to Israel and to Christ, the seed of
the woman (Gen. 3:15). “To Seth, to him also a son was born; and he called his name
Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of the LORD” (Gen. 4:26). “Enosh” may mean “weak, helpless, and frail.”
This is a line that began to call upon God. Enosh makes known that there is
no power within man. Here is a stark contrast to Lamech! If man has nothing within himself to
bring peace, he must then turn to God. Out of a sense of extreme weakness
comes the desire for grace. “Religion” says that there is some good within
man and that basic good can be built upon. But the Bible says that man is
born spiritually dead. There is nothing in man that is pleasing to God, not
one thing. Reformation is not the answer, religion is not the
answer, humanism is not the answer, entertainment is not the answer, and
education is not the answer. Man has no power within himself to reproduce
what he lost in the garden. “Then Seth lived eight
hundred and seven years after he became the father of Enosh, and he had other
sons and daughters. So all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve
years, and he died. Enosh lived
ninety years, and became the father of Kenan” (Gen. 5:7-9). “Kenan” means deplorable. The works of man are deplorable in God's
sight. “Then Enosh lived eight
hundred and fifteen years after he became the father of Kenan, So all the
days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years, and he died. Kenan lived
seventy years, and became the father of Mahalalel” (Gen. 5:10-12). “Mahalalel” means praise of God. Here is the height of a generation
with a heart for God. “Then Kenan lived eight
hundred and forty years after he became the father of Mahalalel, and he had
other sons and daughters. So all
the days of Kenan were nine hundred and ten years, and he died. Mahalalel
lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Jared” (Gen. 5:13-15). “Jared” means descent. No matter how dark any
generation may become spiritually, God will always have a remnant, a line of
grace. God will never be without a seed. “Then Mahalalel lived
eight hundred and thirty years after he became the father of Jared, and he
had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred
and ninety-five years, and he died. Jared lived one hundred and sixty-two
years, and became the father of Enoch” (Gen. 5:16-18). This “Enoch,” like the one in Cain’s
genealogical line, means a beginning. But here, because of the
context, it means to begin with God. Enoch began with God! “Then Jared lived eight
hundred years after he became the father of Enoch, and he had other sons and
daughters. So all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years,
and he died. Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of
Methuselah. Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became
the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters” (Gen.
5:19-22). The passage is clear! Enoch’s walk with God is
an expression that reveals fellowship. This fellowship came as a result of a
relationship. The same word is found in Genesis 17:1, “Walk before me,” which
implies direction and guidance. Hosea 11:10 used the word in this context,
“Walk after me.” Walking after
is to live by example and obedience.
Walk does not focus on the variable but on the constant. It means to live life a certain way. “So all the days of Enoch
were three hundred and sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him”
(Gen. 5:23-24). What a tremendous picture of the translation (Rapture)
of the church (1 Thess. 4:16-18). God
took Enoch! Enoch was translated into the heavens. Jude had something to add about Enoch's life. “Now
Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying,
‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousand of His saints, to execute judgment
on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds
which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things
which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him” (Jude 14). Cain had walked out of
the presence of the Lord. On the other hand, Enoch walked into the presence
of God. “By
faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found,
because God had taken him for before he was taken he had this testimony, that
he pleased God” (Heb. 11:5). “Methuselah lived one
hundred and eighty-seven years, and became the father of Lamech” (Gen. 5:25). “Methuselah” means something like “it will be
sent.” What will be sent? The flood will be sent. Methuselah must have been the picture of grace before
judgment. “Then Methuselah lived
seven hundred and eighty-two years after he became the father of Lamech, and
he had other sons and daughters” (Gen. 5:26). “So all the days of
Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years, and he died” (Gen. 5:27). Methuselah is the oldest man (recorded) in the
Bible. This is a biblical reason
for the old saying, “Old as Methuselah.” “Lamech lived one hundred
and eighty-two years, and became the father of a son. Now he called his name
Noah, saying, ‘This one will give us rest from our work and from the toil of
our hands arising from the ground which the LORD has cursed.’ Then Lamech
lived five hundred and ninety-five years after he became the father of Noah,
and he had other sons and daughters.
So all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years,
and he died. Noah was five hundred years old, and Noah became the father of
Shem, Ham, and Japheth” (Gen. 5:28-32). Throughout the ages, Satan has attempted to
thwart the plan of God. He
attacked the line of man in order to prevent the “Seed of the woman” from
coming into the world. He knew
from Genesis 3:15 that God was going to send “One” who would destroy him
forever. Satan was relentless in dedicating himself to keeping this seed from
coming. 1.
Cain killed Abel (Gen. 4:8; Jn 8:44). 2.
Abraham's line was attacked in Egypt and Sarah ended up in
Pharaoh’s harem (Gen. 12:15). 3.
Pharaoh attempted to destroy all the male children. Moses was
hidden (Ex. 1:22). 4.
The children of Israel faced a roadblock at the Red Sea (Ex.
14:19-26). 5.
David's line was attacked (I Chron. 18:1). 6.
Jehosophat's son arranged a marriage between Jehoram and
Athaliah, Jezebel's daughter. She attempted to kill all of the sons, but they
saved little Joash. He was
hidden. He was the only male in the line of David (2 Chron. 22:11). 7.
Haman attempted to annihilate Esther and all Jews (Esther 7:7). 8.
Herod attempted to annihilate all male children at Christ's birth
(Matt. 2:16). Could Satan so corrupt the human race so as to
prevent the seed of man from coming into the world? (See “Noah Found Grace.”)
Sources New American Standard Bible Brown, Driver, and Briggs Hebrew Definitions Robert B. Thieme, Jr. Chafer’s Systematic Theology MacAuthur’s Study Bible New American Standard Exhaustive Concordance |
Whatever happened
to Cain? How does one make sense of all the genealogies of the Bible? |