Genesis Session 10

The great divide. That is what the rest of Genesis 4 is going to highlight for us.

This chapter provides us with some interesting and disheartening information regarding life after sin had entered this world.

We spoke of the emotions that RESULTED from the initial sin of Adam and Eve.

We spoke of the emotions that LED to the sin of Cain… the sin of murdering his brother, Abel, out of jealousy and anger.

And tonight, we are going to look at something very interesting… something I am going to refer to as the great divide.

Now, we know that sin separates us from fellowship with the Father. Light and dark cannot mix.

Quick note: NOTHING can separate us from the love of the Father. But sin does create a fellowship gap between God and humankind.

That gap could be seen physically throughout the OT as God’s presence was found only within the Holy of Holies.

What was significant about that space?

That gap was bridged when Jesus died on the cross for our sins.

What significant event took place that alerts us of this truth?

The veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom. God’s presence was no longer housed in this room, but was now available to all who believed in the Lord.

Sin separates us from God. Sin is chosen rebellion. Sin is rejecting the ways of the Lord.

Sin carries a heavy consequence. And we see that consequence play out in front of us in Scripture.

This separation… this divide… is not the divide I am talking about this evening. It certainly plays into what we are talking about… but Genesis 4 shows us something we need to take note of.

At this point in history… all people are feeling the weight of sin upon their shoulders.

Adam and Eve are the only two people that knew what life was like without sin. Everyone else had only know what life looked like in sin.

And what we are going to see this evening is a divide… in how the weight of that sin is handled. What we are going to see is the presentation of two directions a person might go in response to their sin.

One - a choice to take responsibility of sinful action, and turn to God for His help.

Two - a choice to shrug off responsibility of sinful action, and turn even further away from God.

I’ll sum it up with these two words: Either repent, or rebel. Either be humbled or become arrogant. Thus… a divide is created between these two choices.

After Cain murdered his brother, we see a world immersed in sin, and divided in response to their sin. And it is interesting to see how quickly things spiral out of control.

Sin is something that has to be DEALT WITH. A person can either be FORGIVEN or FORSAKEN.

Knowing Jesus is the difference maker. Jesus was forsaken so we could be forgiven. Jesus took on our sin… and His righteousness is applied to those who place their faith in Him.

While dying on the cross… Jesus felt the full weight of the sins of this world. He cried out to God saying...

Matthew 27:46 NIV

46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

This word forsaken means abandoned or deserted. Again… sin separates us from God - from His presence. Sin takes us out of fellowship with God.

Jesus felt that separation… and He cried out in response.

Here’s the deal… EVERY PERSON ON THIS PLANET has felt this separation. God did not create us to live in this separation… he did not create us for sin. And I’m thankful He has made a way for us to move from forsaken to forgiven… but we must make the choice to make the move!

Genesis 4 shows these two options in full swing. And that is what we are going to look at tonight.

Choice One: I Don’t Need GOD.

We see this laid out in Scripture in Genesis 4:16-24

Genesis 4:16–24 NIV

16 So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. 17 Cain made love to 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. 18 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. 19 Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes. 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah. 23 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. 24 If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.”

Verse 16 reveals the choice… and the rest reveals the result. Cain WENT OUT FROM the Lord’s presence...

Cain was now feeling the weight of his sin. He knew that as he wandered… he would be away from God’s presence.

Cain was experiencing the consequence of his actions. God tried to warn him of the sin that was crouching at his door… yet Cain decided to stay in that sin… to stay in that anger and jealousy. Therefore… Cain was forsaken.

Cain ABANDONED the ways of the Lord… and when the weight of sin was realized… what did Cain do? Did he repent? Or did he do something else?

Cain started… whining. “My punishment is more than I can bear” he said in verse 13. Cain’s abandoning God’s Word had now led to his alienation from God’s presence.

Cain settled in a land away from his family… and alienated from God… by his choice.

What do we see Cain do in this now alienated state? How does Cain “cope” with his new reality?

First, Cain started a family. Scripture tells of a son named Enoch. And we will look deeper into Cain’s family tree in a moment.

Second, Cain starts to build a what? A city. Now what is significant about this statement in verse 17?

Cain and his descendants were pioneers of HUMAN civilization that lived as STRANGERS to God. Humanistic societies imitate this kind of existence even to this day!

What do these societies look like?

They determine their own values.

They determine their own standards.

They set up their own morals.

They ignore the existence of God and refute His Word.

Here are some other interesting thoughts to consider.

They try to overcome the curse on their own.

They try to find pleasure in the things of this world.

They try to find meaning and significance outside of God.

They try to regain “paradise” by their own hand.

In essence… this system of the world is trying to save itself by its own efforts rather than with God’s help.

Now, go back to Cain’s family tree for a moment.

Scripture lays out Cain’s family and it gives some background to what they do.

Enoch - Cain’s son. This name means to inaugurate or train - to begin or introduce something new. (This is also the name given to the city that Cain builds.)

Irad - Enoch’s son. Irad means fugitive.

Mehujael - is the son of Irad. His name means destroyed of God or smitten by God. Anyone seeing a pattern here?

Methushael - the son of Mehujael. His name means man of God - although there still appears to be some question on this. It could also mean “I am mortal, where is God?”

Lamech - the son of Methushael. His name means strong man for humiliation… to make low or for lowering. Lamech is mentioned as having two wives.

This again shows the depravity of the situation. They were abandoning God’s design as given in Genesis 2:24

Genesis 2:24 NIV

24 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Wife is singular.... not plural. Lamech is the first person in Scripture to abandon God’s monogamous design for a polygamous lifestyle.

Lamech has three sons and a daughter.

One son raised livestock and lived in tents.

One son played music (stringed instruments and pipes)

One son forged tools, worked with metal.

And then comes an interesting conversation between Lamech and his wives.

He killed a man for wounding him. We do not know the details. But this we do know… Lamech has embraced violence. And in response… he states he will avenge himself even greater than God said he would avenge Cain.

Lamech may have had access to tools or weapons forged by his son. Whatever the case… he felt he could do a better job than God when it came to avenging his life.

I DON’T NEED GOD. A defiant declaration that has led generations to turn their backs on God.

They feel the weight of sin… they feel the separation… but the response is further rejection of what God intended.

They try to “rebuild” paradise… to make things like they were but without God.

The problem is, paradise cannot come through rebuilding… it can only come through redemption. This world, all sinners must be REDEEMED

Cain’s family was walking in the cost of their sin. Cain’s family was living in the death caused by their sin. And the more they rejected God… the darker that death became.

We see this all around us… and we know what it will lead to. And it all started when Cain refused the word of God - the word that warned him of the impending danger of sin.

Choice Two: Call on the NAME of the LORD.

Genesis 4:25–26 NIV

25 Adam made love to 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.” 26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.

Genesis takes us back to Adam and Eve. They have another son and Adam speaks of this son as another in place of the Abel.

Seth’s name means set, appointed, foundation. Seth is noted to have a son named Enosh who’s name means man… a man who is weak… but who is social.

Alone this man cannot do much. But this man kind find strength in numbers.

Scripture indicates that this lineage decides to go a different direction in their response to their current condition.

Chapter 5 will give us more detail regarding Adam’s family from Seth on. But I find it significant that verse 26 mentions at this time, people began to call on the name of the Lord.

These people realized something very important… they needed God’s help.

Cain’s family built cities, farms, tools, instruments, etc which are all good things… until they are not. They built these things TO TAKE THE PLACE OF GOD in their lives.

They further alienated themselves from the presence of God as they “settled” for what the world had to offer.

But the line of Seth did something different. They didn’t “settle” in their current condition… they called out to God… they called on His name.

Where Cain was a pioneer of human civilization as strangers of God… Enosh was apparently a pioneer for public prayer and worship.

Cain’s ungodly family increased their self-reliance ans started to center their lives around the secular arts and business.

Seth’s family called out to God in order to express their dependence on Him and thus… the great divide was born… the divide of how we will respond to our current fallen circumstance. Two completely different family groups were developing on earth: the godly and the ungodly.

A realization had been awakened… mankind is weak… but can find strength in a proper relationship.

In what relationship can we find renewed strength? A relationship with God.

All people NEED God. The sad reality is… only some will CALL on His NAME.

We all know what the weight of sin feels like… Jesus is the ONLY ONE who can remove that weight from our lives.

Walking further from God will only increase the weight or the burden. But calling on His name can set you free today.

He took on our sin and offers us forgiveness. Will you choose to call on His name? Will you live under His grace and power?