Civilisation without God

Genesis 4:1-26

Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favour on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favour. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.”

Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”

Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”

But the LORD said to him, “Not so; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. So Cain went out from the LORD’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Cain lay with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.

Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute. Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.

Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah, listen to me;

wives of Lamech, hear my words.

I have killed a man for wounding me,

a young man for injuring me.

If Cain is avenged seven times,

then Lamech seventy-seven times.”

Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh.

At that time men began to call on the name of the LORD.

In the beginning God created the heaven and the Earth. And the Earth was without form, and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Devil said, “It doesn't get any better than this.”

And God said, “Let there be light” and there was light. And God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit,” and God saw that it was good. And the Devil said, “There goes the neighbourhood.”

And God said, “Let us make Man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle, and over all the Earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the Earth.” And so God created Man in his own image; male and female did He create.

And God looked upon Man and Woman and saw that they were lean and fit.

And the Devil said, “I know how I can get back in this game.”

And God populated the earth with broccoli and cauliflower and spinach, green and yellow vegetables of all kinds, so Man and Woman would live long and healthy lives.

And the Devil created McDonald's. And McDonald's brought forth the 79-cent double cheeseburger. And the Devil said to Man: “You want fries with that?” And Man said: “Supersize them.” And Man gained 5 pounds.

And God created the healthful yoghurt, that woman might keep her figure that man found so fair. And the Devil brought forth chocolate. And Woman gained 5 pounds.

And God said, “Try my crispy fresh salad.”

And the Devil brought forth Ben and Jerry's. And Woman gained 10 pounds.

And God said, “I have sent thee heart-healthy vegetables and olive oil with which to cook them.”

And the Devil brought forth chicken-fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And Man gained 10 pounds and his bad cholesterol went through the roof.

And God brought forth running shoes and Man resolved to lose those extra pounds.

And the Devil brought forth cable TV with remote control so Man would not have to toil to change channels between ESPN and ESPN2. And Man gained another 20 pounds.

And God said, “You're running up the score, Devil.”

And God brought forth the potato, a vegetable naturally low in fat and brimming with nutrition.

And the Devil peeled off the healthful skin and sliced the starchy centre into chips and deep fat fried them. And the Devil created sour cream dip.

And Man clutched his remote control and ate the potato chips swaddled in cholesterol. And the Devil saw and said, “It is good.” And Man went into cardiac arrest.

And God sighed and created quadruple bypass surgery.

And the Devil cancelled Man's health insurance.

Then God showed Woman how to peel the skin off chicken and cook the nourishing whole grain brown rice.

And the Devil created light beer so Man could poison his body with alcohol while feeling righteous because he had to drink twice as much of the now-insipid brew to get the same buzz. And Man gained another ten pounds.

And God created the life-giving tofu.

And Woman ventured forth into the land of Godiva Chocolate and upon returning asked Man: “Do I look fat?”

And the Devil said, “Always tell the truth.” And Man did.

And Woman went out from the presence of man and dwelt in the land of the divorce lawyer, east of the marriage counsellor.

And Woman put aside the seeds of the earth and took unto herself comfort food. And God brought forth Weight-watchers. It didn't help.

And God created exercise machines with easy payments. And man brought forth his Visa at 21 percent. And the exercise machine went to dwell in the closet of Nod, east of the polyester leisure suit.

Well, that’s not quite the way it was, but this parody does point out a significant truth. In our fallen condition, everything we touch turns to dust. God gave us what was good, and we have abused it.

H. C. Leupold, in his classic commentary on Genesis writes:

Unfortunately, students of history and of anthropology too largely ignore this one chapter, which happens to be the only authentic record of this early development. Having cast off the only reliable account of man’s first deeds and achievements, practically all writers of the present then proceed to draw very largely upon their imagination, which happens to be cast into the thought-patterns of evolutionistic conceptions. Then they misread the available archaeological hints—for actual archaeological evidence for earliest man is not available—and the result is a highly fantastic and entirely incorrect story of man’s development from the cave-man stage, as it is claimed, to the point where the first higher cultural achievements are found and the historical period actually begins. At the same time the very reliable Biblical chronology of chapter five is distorted and generous insertions of long periods of time are made, and so the value of our chapter (4) is completely lost sight of. For man not only did not start on the low anthropoid or simian state that is usually assumed, but as a human being he at once stood on the high intellectual and physical level that the preceding chapters described. But, unfortunately, the actual degradation that sin brought is not reckoned with. Whereas man was not an inferior being on a lower level, such writing of history degrades him without warrant. Whereas he was brought low by the Fall, this pseudo-science ignores his true degradation. In both respects the chapter before us, being strictly historical and entirely correct, serves to set the student of history of mankind right; and at the same time it gives to all men a clear account as to how man progressed and how sin grew.[1]

At issue is the question of whether we have progressed or whether we have regressed as a society. If one contends that man has become better—more moral, more ethical, more trustworthy, more godly—the evidence beginning with this chapter testifies against such an assertion. If, however, one argues that man has progressed from sin to sin, then beginning with this chapter and continuing with the whole of recorded history the evidence is overwhelming.

Worship without Obedience — Cain was apparently the centre of his mother’s universe. She had received the promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head [see Genesis 3:15]. What is obvious from this divine pronouncement and the subsequent events is that Eve anticipated that Cain was that promised seed. She named him ÷yIq'. We have become so used to the name that we don’t ask what was in Mother Eve’s mind. The text states that she said, With the help of the LORD I have brought forth [or acquired] a man [Genesis 4:1]. Cain sounds like brought forth or acquired. What is not immediately obvious is that she saw her first-born child after the Fall as the answer to the divine promise of deliverance from the serpent’s curse.

Unfortunately, this child was not the promised Redeemer. In fact, this child demonstrated a bent for independence which infects the race to this day. Particularly in the realm of worship do we see this independent streak in Cain. We are told that Cain brought fruits of the soil as an offering before the Lord, at the same time that Abel, his brother, brought fat portions from the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favour on Abel’s offering, but Cain’s offering was rejected.

What is implicit in the exchange which follows is that Cain chose to bring what he deemed appropriate for worship instead of presenting a blood offering. When God had first confronted Adam and Eve, He dressed them in animal skins. Consider that they were taught by this that an animal must die in order to provide them a covering, or atonement. Just so, they were taught through divine means that nearly everything must be cleansed with blood. Adam and Eve were taught, and consequently their sons and daughters learned, that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness [see Hebrews 9:22]. Cain chose to attempt to worship God without obedience to His command.

No one can worship God until they have been born into the Family of God. No one can worship God who refuses the sacrifice that God provides. No one can worship God who refuses to obey God when the will of God has been revealed. I question whether an individual who knows the mind of God concerning baptism, and yet refusing to obey His call, can actually worship Him.

When I stand firmly on principle, demanding that those who would honour God should be baptised, it is not arbitrary on my part. I am but presenting the will of God revealed in His Word. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age [Matthew 28:19, 20]. Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins [Acts 2:38]. In similar fashion, when I call those who would honour God to unite with the church, I am but presenting the revealed will of God. Those who accepted his message were baptised, and about three thousand were added to their number that day [Acts 2:41].

When I caution those who have never received Christ as Lord against participating in the Lord’s Table, I am presenting the will of God and warning them against divine judgement. Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognising the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgement on himself [1 Corinthians 11: 27-30]. Nevertheless, I know that many modern Canadians think they are merely following a ritual, never realising the presence of the Lord.

Religion without Repentance — Cain, in a fit of jealousy, murdered his brother Abel. He did this in spite of receiving a gracious warning from God. Confronted by God with his vile deed, Cain denied knowledge of his brother. Imagine, if you will! This first murderer attempted to deceive God. He played dumb with the Living God, which is a dumb thing to do.

We have already noted that Cain was religious. He attempted to worship in his own way—the first of that class which sees religion as a means to manipulate God. He actually pleads with God when confronted by his own evil. As is true of all sinners, he whines about his punishment, crying that it is unfair. There is no sense of repentance in this wicked man, only a sense of being full of himself.

Of course, the exaltation of “self” is the essence of sin. Ultimately, all sin may be traced back to the exaltation of self-will over the will of God. God called mankind to humble himself before the Creator, to present a covering until such time that the Creator would present Himself as a covering for man’s sinful condition. To look to God for mercy requires humility on the part of man. It is this seeking mercy which marks a spirit of repentance. To repent is to turn from pursuing one’s own way to seek the way which is pleasing to God.

Peter called those Jewish listeners who heard him and the other disciples speaking of the glories of God on the day of Pentecost to repent. Then, as a symbol of their repentance they were to openly embrace the Risen Christ through identifying with Him in the act of baptism. I especially appreciate Charles B. Williams’ translation of Acts 2:38. You must repent—and, as an expression of it, let every one of you be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ.[2] Repentance leads to obedience. Religion without repentance is sinful since it is an expression of the self-will.

To call the unrepentant to participate in worship is to invite them to continue in rebellion and to continue to resist the Holy Spirit. To permit the unrepentant to direct worship is to demonstrate that we have scant respect for the person of the Risen Christ. Religion is more than observance of rite and ritual, it is more than recitation of cant and creed, it is the expression of a repentant heart as that one seeks to honour God through discovering what pleases Him and through glorifying Him through praising His Name.

Loss of Roots — Cain lay with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city… Cain gives evidence of being a builder, but study of the passage before us reveals relentless restlessness. In order to understand this we will need to recall the words which God spoke to Cain when He confronted him after the murder of his brother Abel. Part of the divine sentence was included in the words God pronounced in verse twelve. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth. Cain echoes those words when he complains to God, I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me [Genesis 4:13]. Even in the name of the area to which Cain travelled do we find evidence of his restless spirit, for Nod (d/n) means wandering. The impact of all this information is to make us aware that Cain had lost his roots. When he rejected God and chose his own way he inherited a restless heart and could not feel rooted, despite building cities and creating a unique cultural entity.

Adam and Eve had experienced something of this. Driven from the Garden, the only home they had known, they were denied entrance back into that environment as God placed cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life [Genesis 3:24]. They were compelled to venture into a world devoid of the intimacy with God they had known. There, in that hostile world, they were required to make their way and to find their own place. Unlike Cain, despite being expelled from the Garden, Adam and Eve had maintained their roots in God through provision of their sacrifices. Cain, however, had rejected God and rejected the sacrifices required for closeness to God. Therefore, Cain was restless and rootless.

Augustine no doubt had this truth in mind when he wrote in his Confessions:

Thou hast formed us for thyself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in thee.[3]

Not only this ancient civilisation, but contemporary man, is essentially rootless and restless. One cannot make such a statement without thinking of the prophecy of the time of the end given through Daniel. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge [Daniel 12:4b]. The essence of Daniel’s words is brought out more forcefully still in the New Century Version of the Bible: Many people will go here and there to find true knowledge. The impact of this particular translation is to inform us that mankind will be restlessly engaged in a continual search for truth. Hurry and restlessness will mark society to the end of days.

It is difficult to watch the reluctance of members of our culture refuse to commit themselves to any great work without sagely nodding the head at Daniel’s prophetic words. It is difficult to watch the restless search for fulfilment without concluding that the words Daniel wrote have particular application to this day in which we live. Nevertheless, there is more contained within this particular prophecy which is brought out in a variant reading. Bear in mind that the Hebrew is difficult to translate and there exists, therefore, some questions as to the proper meaning of Daniel’s words.

The New Revised Standard Version preserves a fascinating variant reading translated from the Septuagint—the Old Greek translation of the Jewish Scriptures. This warning merits careful attention. Many shall be running back and forth, and evil shall increase. The ancient Greek (translated from the Hebrew) speaks of an increase of unrighteousness even as the race becomes ever more restless and rootless. I think you would agree that this is fascinating and does not necessarily detract from the commonly accepted meaning of the words.

What I would have you focus on it the progress of the race as time moves toward its consummation. Mankind will prove to be restless, constantly roving about, as does Satan who roams through the earth, going back and forth in it [see Job 1:7b]. The restless character of society is in some way associated with a fruitless search for truth. Rest is a mark of God who completed His work in six days. Those who know Him are invited to enter into His rest. It is Satan and those under his rule who are characterised as restless. The restless roving associated with mankind in the final days will be characterised by a fruitless search for the truth of man’s origins and of man’s roots. People long to know the meaning of life! Mankind is rootless, and this lack of root makes man a wanderer.

Daniel’s words in the prophecy seem to me to be akin to the prophecy of Amos.

Men will stagger from sea to sea

and wander from north to east,

searching for the word of the LORD,

but they will not find it.

[Amos 8:12]

Secular culture is rootless and restless. The more we attempt to create ourselves without God the more we sense our loss. The more we sense our loss the more urgent becomes our need to discover who we are. The more we seek to discover who we are the less we seek God and the more we seek to satisfy that unstated but evident longing for roots.

Our civilisation is frantic in its activity. I will address only one aspect of this frenetic activity that marks contemporary society. We have a constant presentation of new timesaving devices. Do women actually think they have more time to enjoy being mothers and wives than did their grandmothers? Once, as I glimpsed Ophrah Winfrey, I noted that she had a specialist on her show giving women tips on how to save time. Among her guests was one stay-at-home mother of four who averaged fourteen plus hours of housework each day. The expert managed to find a little over two hours of time for herself. Another full-time mom (and is there another kind) averaged even more time than that. The expert managed to find almost an hour extra each day. Despite convection ovens, automatic washers and dryers, and a constant parade of labour-saving devices entering the market, these women could only be seen as harried and hectic.

Those in the workplace enjoy faster computers and instantaneous communication and seem to have less time for contemplation and rest than ever before. The incidence of myocardial infarction and ulcerated colons is increasing instead of decreasing. Workers have less time for recreation than ever before. Consequently, they steal the time from the only certain rest of which an individual can be assured, which is rest in the present of God. Worship is sacrificed for time on the slopes or time travelling so a family can have a day or two alone. Think about this and you will conclude that the whole of our culture is engaged in a fruitless search for fulfilment and rest. The harder we search, however, the less likely such fulfilment and rest appears.

Closeness without Community — Another characteristic of civilisation without God is closeness without community. After murdering his brother, Cain immediately impregnated his wife, and she gave birth to Enoch. Simultaneously, Cain was building a city, which he named after this son. The two acts are concurrent and understandable in light of what we know of human nature. Having been driven from the company of others then alive, Cain tries to surround himself with people. He does this through procreation and through consolidation of those whom he brings into the world into the first city.

As you know, I used to lecture on college campuses and teach origins at the university level. After a lecture on origins, I could almost guarantee that when I opened the floor to questions that one of the first questions I would receive was to ask where Cain found his wife. I usually tried to add a little humour by stating that if she satisfied Cain she certainly satisfied me. However, the question should be treated seriously as many people use it as an excuse to reject the Word of God and thus to reject God.

Where did Cain get his wife? The answer to the question is found in Genesis 5:4. After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. Adam and Eve had many children. Of course, it would not be unthinkable in light of the longevity of this first couple that they would have many children and their children would have many children. The issue goes to the heart of a problem in our day. We prohibit marriage between close relatives, primarily because we recognise that inbreeding raises the fearful spectre of expression of frightening characteristics in the offspring of such unions. Especially are we cognisant of lowered IQ and expression of harmful recessive genes. Before the flood, however, men lived to long ages [see Genesis 5:3-32], a condition which changed dramatically following the flood. Since there was little contamination of the gene pool, recessive genes were not yet a problem.

Let me give you an example. If you were going to drink water directly from the Fraser River, would you prefer to bend down and drink in Mount Robson Park or would you prefer to dip your draught from the river at Vancouver. The water is crystal clear in Mount Robson Park and there are no towns to dump various pollutants into the water at that point. On the other hand, every town along the river and every industry situated near the river has dumped various pollutants into the water by the time it reaches Vancouver. Even before the spring freshet, the Fraser River in Vancouver is muddy and polluted.

Before the Flood, intense radiation was kept from the surface of the earth by a vapour canopy surrounding the earth. There was far less mutation occurring at that time. Also, since the gene pool was essentially unpolluted there was little fear of close unions. Boice, in a sermon focusing on this particular passage, estimates that Adam may well have lived to see over one million of his own descendants. Cain would have had a choice in selecting a wife as great as any individual today. Equally important, there would be a plethora of his own descendants to populate the city he built.[4]

Perhaps we cannot speak with authority of the nature of the city that Cain built, but we are given a glimpse into the character of the population in the account of Lamech, a great-great grandson of Cain. Lamech is presented in the Word of God as a hard man—arrogant and self-seeking. He married two women, no doubt hoping to find fulfilment in ready access to sexual pleasure. However, rootless people, discontented people, are not less rootless or more contented because they unite in cities. The cities of the world are filled with lonely people. Just so Lamech, though of necessity related to the very people of the city in which he lived, not only killed a young man but also justified his actions with arrogant self-centredness.

Some Christians oppose the city because they think it to be godless—and it is. These Christians think of urban society as man’s invention and therefore in opposition to God. However, the problem of the godless city is not the city, but it is rather the godless in the city. As Christians, we must not desert the cities, abandoning earthly kingdoms. Instead, we are responsible as citizens of the heavenly kingdom to build that kingdom through testifying to the transforming grace of our God and through offering life to those trapped in a culture of death. When we commit ourselves to building the Kingdom of God in the midst of the godless ones of this fallen world we demonstrate that we believe God and are looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God [Hebrews 11:10].

I am compelled by reason of the Word to remind you that as a community of believers we are responsible to be close to one another. We are not to merely tolerate one another, but we are rather to give preference to one another in honour [cf. Hebrews 12:10 nasb]. The Body of Christ is to be a Community of Faith in which the people of God reflect the transformed nature of their Father in Heaven. We are to know one another and to love one another deeply from the heart [cf. 1 Peter 1:22].

The Cult of Beauty — Yet another characteristic of this early civilisation was the worship of beauty. Thoughtful reflection will convince even the most jaded thinker that this cult continues to this day. We worship beauty, but the beauty worshipped, both now and in that ancient world, is superficial. Peter addresses this issue when he addresses Christian wives. Listen again to his words which yet confront the descendants of Cain. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewellery and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight [see 1 Peter 3:3, 4].

Lamech married two women and their names give us some insight into the mindset of this early civilisation. The name of the first wife is Adah, whose name means pleasure or ornament or beauty. Zillah, the second wife, has a name that means shade, perhaps referring to a luxuriant covering of hair. Lamech’s daughter was named Naamah, her name meaning loveliness. We might well conclude that Lamech chose his wives for their physical attraction instead of choosing them for their moral stature or for their spiritual commitment. Of course, no Christian man would ever choose his wife on her physical attributes alone, would he? No Christian woman would ever choose her husband solely on the basis of his physique or facial features, would she? The culture Cain built was a culture committed to physical pleasure, beauty and outward charm.

We must be cautious that we view the accomplishments of Cain’s civilisation in light of his exaltation of external beauty over the inner beauty that resides and lasts where the Spirit of God reigns. Cain and his descendants appears to have created a beautiful world, perhaps even a religious world, but it was a world without hope and without God because it was a world that rejected the shedding of blood.

As you trace the descendants of Cain you cannot help but be impressed by the presence of individuals noted for their contributions to the professions and to the arts. Jabal raised livestock. Jubal gave us instrumental music. Tubal-Cain worked in bronze and iron. These things are not bad in themselves any more than the city is evil in itself. Yet there are a surprising number of Christians who refuse to participate in the arts and who reject the learning of the professions because they think these aspects of civilisation are in and of themselves evil.

Abel was a herdsman, as was Jabal. In and of itself, farming and ranching are neutral activities. Abel was accepted by God on the basis of his sacrifice and not on the basis of his occupation. Later, when God wished to prepare the Tabernacle and all the accoutrements for worship, His Spirit descended upon chosen craftsmen to create the various works of art to enhance the worship of the True and Living God [Exodus 31:1-11]. David was a musician and he made arrangements for music to accompany the worship of God. He wrote the Psalms that have blessed the people of God throughout all the history of the Faith. It is legitimate to enjoy the beauty of the arts and to enjoy the benefits of the professions.

Such enjoyment of the arts and the beauty which they present can lead us to worship God who gives man such wisdom and such ability. The benefits arising from the professions is a means to glorify God who gives such wisdom and knowledge to man. The great danger is that we are prone to be seduced by the beauty and by the benefits and begin to enjoy the gift rather than the Giver. Thus seduced, we shall soon find that we begin to worship and serve created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen [cf. Romans 1:18-25].

The civilisation, which Cain built, was ultimately a civilisation that valued that which was created instead of valuing the Creator (not unlike our present civilisation). People today protest against the cult of beauty, but the protests have scant impact. The Miss America pageant continues to be viewed by millions and the Miss Universe pageant continues to attract participants. The marketing goes on and the women continue to be exploited despite the resentment of many and despite the protests of multiplied women. Have you ever wondered why such contests continue? Have you ever wondered why magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Vogue continue to enjoy such high readership?

The reason the exploitation of men and women continues is not because people do not resent being reduced to objects, but because better values are absent. The exploitation is destructive, but what will society present in its place? Women (and men also) perceive themselves to be exploited and they continue to protest against that exploitation, but the exploitation continues and even increases. What is worse, those same women (and men) continue to submit to the exploitation … and they will continue to do so until they discover that they are created, not in the image of Julia Roberts or Ashley Judd or Leonardo DiCaprio or Brad Pitt. Men and women are of infinite value, not because of their outward appearance, but because they were created to know God and to commune with Him. Men and women are creatures of infinite worth because they possess eternal souls.

Pride in Passion — The final aspect of the civilisation which Cain built is pride. Perhaps this is the most evident feature in your estimate as you witness Lamech deliver his arrogant defence of murder. The boast he makes is even delivered in poetic form.

Adah and Zillah, listen to me;

wives of Lamech, hear my words.

I have killed a man for wounding me,

a young man for injuring me.

If Cain is avenged seven times,

then Lamech seventy-seven times.

[Genesis 4:23, 24]

In this poem Lamech boasts of his violence which resulted in murder. In effect, he is saying that he is better able to care for himself than God was able to care for Cain. This man took matters into his own hand. Effectively, his boast is that he judged the offence against his person to be a moral offence punishable by death. Since God failed to care of the matter, he had! God permitted someone to offend Lamech, but Lamech had erased that offender from the face of the earth. What a boast! I can take care of myself! I don’t need God.

There is something awful following this boast, for that civilisation ceased. Genesis 6:5-7 speaks of God’s view of that wicked civilisation. The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the LORD said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.”

We hear no more of Lamech and his lawless family. The descendants of Cain seem to have been swallowed up in the Flood. They were ungodly and their ungodliness brought God’s righteous judgement upon their own heads. They were blotted out from under heaven, just as the spiritual descendants will be blotted out in judgement. God’s assessment of the godless in this period following expulsion from the Garden was that man’s wickedness had become great. God saw that every inclination of the thoughts of that godless civilisation was only evil. Thus, God destroyed that world and the civilisation which it had created.

There was, however, something more in the verses that follow. Seth was also born to Adam and Eve, the spiritual counterpart to righteous Abel. According to the text, At that time men began to call on the name of the LORD [Genesis 4:25b]. That beginning which witnesses man seeking hard after God in the midst of wickedness, continues through the fifth chapter of Genesis. Noah and his family at the last are sole representatives of this godly strain of humanity. It is easy to lose sight of this godly remnant, but we catch a glimpse from time-to-time in Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and continuing through the godly of Israel until we come to Mary and Joseph, Zechariah and Elizabeth, Simeon, Anna and all who were looking forward to the redemption of Israel [Luke 2:38]. Today that godly remnant will be discovered in the multitudes that long for the coming of Christ and who by God’s grace endeavour to serve Him with their whole hearts.

Civilisation needs to be transformed, but those who have lost their roots cannot transform it. Those characterised by closeness without community cannot change the character of society. The cult of beauty can only ensure that mankind continues in an exploitive condition. The pride of passion can only create ever-greater hostility toward mankind and toward God. Appeal to those trapped in civilisation without God cannot change that civilisation. If civilisation will be transformed, it must be transformed one heart at a time. Activism, if it will honour God, must be that activism which He commands, which is to make disciples, embracing them in the fellowship of the Faith and then instructing them in the things which God counts as of worth.

In practical terms, this means that noisy demonstrations and marches through the towns and cities will never change anything. Union for the sake of union can never change society, much less change the churches. Changed hearts are the means by which lives are changed. Only as lives are transformed by the grace of God can civilisation be transformed. Until Christians return to first things as being of primary importance, there is no hope of changing much of anything. If you have a desire to transform society, find a friend who does not share the Faith and tell that friend of Christ the Lord. If you have a desire to change civilisation into a culture of godliness, tell some someone of the love of God in Christ and call him or her to forsake the culture of death. Until you have begun to do this, all your efforts are so much smoke on the wind. Amen.

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[1] H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Genesis, Vol. 1, Chapters 1-19 (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1942), pp. 186, 187

[2] Charles B. Williams, The New Testament: A Translation in the Language of the People (Moody, Chicago 1966) 261

[3] Saint Augustine, Confessions in Basic Writings of Saint Augustine, Vol. 1, ed. By Whitney J. Oates (New York: Random House, 1948), p. 3

[4] James Montgomery Boice, Genesis: An Expositional Commentary, Volume 1, Genesis 1:1-11:32. (Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI 1982) 212