Genesis 4:17-5:32
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SERMON SUMMARY
SERMON SUMMARY
The offspring of the serpent have a life that ends in death and judgment. The offspring of the Saviour live a righteous life and inherit eternal life.
The nature and ends of the line of Cain vs the nature and ends of the line of Seth
The main commendable feature of Seth’s line: FAITH.
Eve’s name for Seth
Called on the name of the Lord
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
First recorded murder in history
Envy because Abel’s sacrifice was accepted, and not his
The difference between Abel and Cain’s sacrifices was faith
4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.
Because Abel made his sacrifice to God in faith, it was accepted.
Because Cain’s sacrifice was faithless, it was not accepted
In Genesis 3:15 we have seen the first promise of a Saviour for the fallen human race
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”
God promised that from Eve’s offspring would come One who would destroy the Serpent - who is Satan.
But God also talks about the offspring of the serpent, so God is pointing out here that there are going to be two kinds of offspring:
Those who are of the line of the Serpent, and those who are of the line of the Saviour.
In the stories of Cain and Abel, Genesis shows us that the main thing that determines which line you are in, is FAITH.
From Gen 4:17 onwards, Genesis shows us a picture of these two lines
There is the line or the offspring of the serpent - represented here by Cain and his descendants
There is the line of the Saviour, the offspring of Eve who defeats Satan - they are represented here by Seth and his descendants.
What I believe God is showing us here in these genealogies of Cain and Seth is firstly the nature of each of those lines, and secondly points us forward to where those lines lead.
What we will see is that the offspring of the serpent live an ungodly life that ends in death and judgement. The offspring of the Saviour live a righteous life and inherit eternal life.
So by faith, one becomes an offspring of the Saviour, and shares in His victory over the Serpent. And here we are being shown a picture of the nature of that faith, and where it leads.
1. THE LINE OF CAIN
1. THE LINE OF CAIN
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.
CONTEXT
11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. 16 Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Cain is
cursed
can’t settle because he won’t be able to sustain himself as a farmer (which was his thing - he was a worker of the ground - verse 2)
fugitive and wanderer
filled with fear
What does he do? He builds a city
like a fortress.
he is living in fear
mindset is self-defence
Revealing of Cain’s rebellious nature
lack of faith - he didn’t trust God’s protection - the mark
defiance of God - defying the curse (nomad)
challenge of God’s supremacy
(Tower of Babel - let’s make a name for ourselves)
Cain’s descendants are named
Cain —> Enoch
Enoch —> Irad
Irad —> Mehujael
Mehujael —> Methushael
Methushael —> Lamech
Then the writer spends some time on describing Lamech
Plays a significant role in this story
Took 2 wives
First recorded act of Polygamy
Recorded throughout Israel’s history, but not God’s design
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
5 and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”
We are given the names of 3 of his sons and their talents
Jabal —> father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock
no longer lived in fear like Cain
Jubal —> father of those who play the lyre and the pipe
Tubal-cain —> forger of instruments of bronze and iron
Although this line represents the line of Cain and the serpant, they were not without common grace
They were craftsmen, creative, intelligent, inventive
they carved out a prosperous and comfortable lifestyle
Lamech’s sons were self-sufficient, not reliant on God or looking to him
Probably excelled in their arts and crafts because they were so focused on their own existence and had forgotten the existence of God
Far from the anxiety and fear of Cain, they roamed as nomads and built cities
Their wealth and prosperity made them self-sufficent and probably fuelled the evil that abounded
Lamech himself...
23 Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. 24 If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.”
He’s murdered someone and celebrates it with a song
Cain had at least some fear of God… that has disappeared from his line. Lamech is arrogant and has no fear of God
Makes himself higher than God - trying to outdo God
Lamech’s life is in direct opposition to God
He defies God’s design for marriage
He’s a murderer like his forefather
Has no fear of God
Makes himself his own god, trying to outdo God in vengeance —> Rom 12:19
19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
Wants to avenge his enemies 77 fold, and in contrast Jesus tells the disciples in Matt 18:22 that they should forgive their brother 77 times
In Lamech…
The fruit of Cain’s line - the line of the Serpent
self-sufficient lifestyle that, though prosperous by the common grace of God, is Godless
disregard for the Lord
Direct opposition to the Lord
Even direct challenging of God
The height of evil and faithlessness
The murder of someone is celebrated in song
2. THE LINE OF SETH
2. THE LINE OF SETH
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.”
As I pointed out - the line of the Saviour is marked by faith
Eve’s faith is seen in the naming of Seth - which means “foundation”
“God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel”
Though Abel was dead and Cain was a murderer and sent away cursed, she still believed God’s promise
She believed the promise would be fulfilled through Seth or his offspring
And she was right
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.
This is the righteous line
These are the people who called upon the name of the Lord
Unlike the generations of Cain who were self-sufficient, the line of Seth looked to God to be their sustainer
They identified as God’s people
In Chapter 5, we actually see the start of a new section in Genesis
1 This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God.
2:4 - generations of the heavens and the earth
6:9 - Noah
10:1 - sons of Noah
Now here the writer reminds us again that Adam was made in the likeness of God
3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.
Now why does the writer make the point that Seth was made in the likeness of his father Adam?
He is his son
Can’t mean his race / ethnicity - “after his kind”
He is pointing out that Seth, although he is the “foundation” of the righteous line, is “in the likeness” of his father Adam - HE INHERITED ADAM’S SIN NATURE
So this is just a reminder that Seth inherited Adam’s sin nature - as do all of us.
Seth was a sinner.
So Seth’s presence in the righteous line of the Saviour is a reflection of GOD’S GRACE, not Seth’s own nature.
The same applies to every one of Seth’s offspring after him and any one after them who is in the line of faith.
Our presence in that line is not by result of our own nature, but God’s grace.
With that foundational truth established, the writer introduces Seth’s line
And notice the rhythm
3 When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. 4 The days of Adam after he fathered Seth were 800 years; and he had other sons and daughters.
6 When Seth had lived 105 years, he fathered Enosh. 7 Seth lived after he fathered Enosh 807 years and had other sons and daughters. 8 Thus all the days of Seth were 912 years, and he died.
The same with each one
he lived so many years
fathered so and so
had other children
lived to this long age
and he died
And this continues from
Adam —> Seth
Seth —> Enosh
Enosh —> Kenan
Kenan —> Mahalalel
Mahalalel —> Jared
Jared —> Enoch
Those 3 words - and he died -
Though Seth’s line was the righteous line
Though they were they line of promise
They still had Adam’s sin nature
They still had to endure the effects of the curse of Adam’s sin
They still had to die
Death and the reality of God’s curse on mankind because of Adam’s sin would have been very real to Adam and his children & grandchildren
The murder of Abel
The celebration of murder by Lamech
The death of natural causes, even after long life, of everyone else
16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Sin leads to death.
And since Seth and everyone after Seth, including you and I, were made in Adam’s likeness and inherited his sin nature…
All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and deserve to die.
So what kind of hope is there for Adam?
Imagine watching your children and grandchildren die, knowing you brought this on
Generation after generation, they see death
Even for the righteous line of Seth,
who are calling upon the name of the Lord,
and looking to Him,
and trusting that He is still going to fulfill His promise of a Saviour from the offspring of Eve
to have his victory over the serpent and release them from their curse
...
is there some sign of hope for them, that can strengthen their faith and keep them looking forward…
trusting… knowing that God will fulfill that promise to them?
That sign comes to them by the grace of God in the life of Enoch
22 Enoch walked with God after he fathered Methuselah 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Thus all the days of Enoch were 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.
There’s a rhythm with each generation of Seth, but Enoch stands out
He is the only one of whom it is said that he walked with God
he had an intimate relationship with God based on faith (Heb 11:5)
And he is the only one of whom it is NOT said… “and he died”.
“and he was not, for God took him.”
Lamech on Cain’s side represents the pinnacle of faithlessness and godlessness
murder, polygamy, self-sufficiency, arrogance, rebellion… DEATH
But Enoch on Seth’s side represents the pinnacle of faithfulness and righteousness
he walked with God, and death had no power over him.
Look at this… —>
7 generations on Cain’s side from Adam to Lamech
height off evil, inflicted death, ended in death
7 generations on Seth’s side from Adam to Enoch
height of righteousness and faith, did not die
The offspring of the serpent live an ungodly life that ends in death and judgement. The offspring of the Saviour live a righteous life and inherit eternal life.
3. THE LIFELINE OF THE SAVIOUR
3. THE LIFELINE OF THE SAVIOUR
I’ll conclude by showing that this points us forward to the lifeline of the Saviour
Just as the genealogy of Cain’s line ended with Lamech’s 3 sons…
the genealogy of Seth’s line arrives at Noah and his 3 sons…
The writer points out that that Noah's father had hope that through Noah there would come some relief from the curse - and also from the great wickedness that arose through the curse
28 When Lamech had lived 182 years, he fathered a son 29 and called his name Noah, saying, “Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed, this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the painful toil of our hands.”
As we all know, not much longer down the road, God does bring relief in the form of a flood that wiped out all of the wickedness in the world.
Of course, justice would require that Noah and his family would also be swallowed up
But by grace God saves Noah and his sons and their families.
Pointing forward to the coming judgement of God and a gracious salvation from that judgement through a Saviour.
When we look at that fact and this chapter through the perspective of the Serpent’s offspring and the Saviour’s offspring —> Cain’s line and Seth’s line...
Cain’s line leads to another murderer (Lamech) — Seth’s line leads to a refounder of life (Noah)
Cain’s line ends and dies in the flood and God’s judgement — Seth’s line lives through it and is spared
I believe that Noah’s father, Lamech, believed by faith that his son would be a vessel of relief from the curse because his faith was strengthened through what they witnessed in Enoch
Until Enoch, though Seth’s line - the righteous line - continued to look to God and call upon his name…
They were still surrounded by evil and felt the curse of death
But through Enoch’s example of righteousness through faith…
.. and God taking him without him tasting death…
They had a strong sign of what would be theirs through the fulfillment of God’s promise through the Saviour
When Enoch was taken up to God without dying - that was demonstration of what Adam would have received if he had remained obedient
Through Abel’s sacrifice, God gave an example of atonement in the shedding of blood, and righteousness received by faith
Through Enoch, God gave an example of the riches of His grace and mercy in counteracting the results of sin when we call upon his name in faith and in repentance
Enoch doesn’t die, but lives
Not only does he live, but he is given a new eternal life without the pain, power or presence of sin
What God did for Enoch is a demonstration of what awaits all of those who continue to trust in Jesus Christ and His salvation
Since God raising Enoch to eternal life strengthened the faith and assurance of those of his day…
how much more does the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ give us assurance today that God has now fulfilled that promise that they looked forward to...
… and that we too, who by faith are trusting in the Lord, and have been adopted as His offspring, will be taken into the Lord’s presence and inherit eternal life?
IN CONCLUSION
IN CONCLUSION
5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Remember that the generations of Cain ended at the flood, but the offspring of the serpent continued to exist long after the flood and they came from Seth
This is a reminder to us that salvation is not by bloodline, but by faith.
Salvation is not by generation, but by regeneration
You must personally entrust your salvation to nothing else but by putting your faith in Christ alone.
The offspring of the Serpent and the Saviour are spiritual offspring.
If you are not putting you faith in Jesus, then you are the offspring of Satan.
Without faith it is impossible to please God.
But if you have put an end to trusting in your own strength and have put your faith in Jesus, trusting Him alone..
Then you have been adopted by grace as His offspring, and you have assurance of salvation from the curse and the reward of eternal life through his death and resurrection