After the creation and the fall mankind is set on a journey that is a mixture of sin and grace, a divine word of both judgment and promise.
Adam and Eve have two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain was a tiller of the ground and Abel was a keeper of flocks (Gen. 4:1-2), “Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain and she said, “I have gotten a man-child with the help of the Lord.” And again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.” It was during a religious offering to the Lord God. Cain brought the fruits of his land. Whereas Abel brought the firstlings of his flock. The Lord denied Cain. This brought on a hostile attitude toward God from Cain. He was jealous and angry toward his brother Abel. Cain sulks and eventually kills his brother (Gen. 4:8), “And Cain told Abel his brother, and it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.” When God questions Cain— “Then the Lord said to Cain, where is Abel your brother. And he said, I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen. 4:9). The Lord banishes Cain but first places a mark on his forehead so that he would not be harmed by another (Gen. 4:15). Here God’s grace is shown again before even the judgment is placed on Cain.
The descendants of Cain emerge as the heralds of culture and industry (Gen. 4:17) specifically farming and herding.
Cain was disgraced. The Lord put a mark on Cain so that he would not be killed. Cain had a son Enoch. The descendants became the father of Lamech. Adam and Eve then had a son called Seth. Seth’s son was Enoch. Adam lived nine hundred and thirty years. None could live forever (Gen. 3:22). In the tenth generation a new phase is emerging. The curse that was given in the Garden of Eden is being diminished (Gen. 3:17 gives way to Gen. 5:29).The days that mankind was to live were then limited in Genesis 6:3, “Then the Lord said, My spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh, nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”
There is much debate about Genesis 6:2, “That the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful and they took wives for themselves, whoever they chose.” The sons of God are most likely the sons of Seth’s seed. The daughters of men are most likely the seed of Cain. This is in reference to the intermingling of the godly and ungodly. Because of the wickedness God states in Genesis 6:6, “And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth and He was grieved in His heart. It was Noah that found favor with the Lord. Noah walked with God (Gen. 6:9). Again, God could have destroyed all He had created. But He did not. God’s grace is shown again. God shortens mankind’s lifespan. God realizes that while mankind is in the flesh he will sin without regard to God.
The Flood
The flood comes from the sin of mankind as written in Genesis 6:5, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” This pain of sin has become God’s pain within Him.
Noah is the first in a series of people that God makes a covenant with. God is making a commitment to them and they to Him. Genesis 9:11-16, “And I establish My covenant with you; and all flesh shall never again be cut off by the water of the flood, neither shall there again be a flood to destroy the earth. And God said, This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations; I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth that the bow shall be seen in the cloud and I will remember. My Covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.”
The Tower of Babel
This land is in the east to the plain of Shinar outside the land of Palestine. We have had the Garden of Eden is in the east (Gen. 2:8); to the east gate in the Garden of Eden God has placed a cherubim (Gen. 3:24); Cain dwells in the land of Nod, east of Eden (Gen. 4:16); and several descendants of Shem’s live in the hill country of the east (Gen. 10:30).
The problem with the Tower of Babel is the reason for building it. “And they said, Come let us build for ourselves a city and a tower whose top will reach into heaven and let us make ourselves a name; lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” This is the pagan concept of immortality. God then acts upon this endeavor. He creates havoc with confusing their language from one to many (Gen. 11:7-9). The voice of God is heard again in judgment and redemption, wrath and mercy. So, this provides us a general account of the origins of languages and reason thereof (Gen. 10:1-32, 11: 1-9).
Throughout Genesis there is a correspondence between the nature of each sin and the nature of the judgment on that sin. God’s response to sin is never arbitrary. If there is a crime there is a punishment. The voice of God is both judgment and redemption, wrath and mercy. In all things God is working for good. Perhaps disappointment by mankind for decisions but God’s plan continues forward. God’s grace will always prevail over mankind. There has to be repentance in the presence of sin. The wages of sin has always been death,” For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 3:23).
The Old Testament sets the course of God’s plan with the birth of Lord Christ Jesus—again God's gracee for all of mankind.
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