Women of the Word, Sept. 23

We began our study of Genesis 4 with the word Separation. The disobedience to God's command in the Garden of Eden was the beginning of the separation between man and God. That also resulted in the separation of Male and Female when they realized they were naked and they were clothed in different ways by themselves and God. They were created male and female, but were both in the image of God and had a relationship with God as individuals. After the Fall the separation of the sexes widened as God and they dealt with their disobedience.

Genesis 4 is the story of Adam and Eve's first children Cain and Abel, and many other separations occurred as their story unfolded. The most obvious is Brother against Brother. Though Cain was born first, Abel was favored by God which led to the separation of Younger over Older. Abel kept flocks and Cain worked the soil. Religion entered in verse 3 when Cain the farmer brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. This is the first ritual recorded in the Genesis story. Abel the shepherd brought fat portions from some of the first-born of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering and not on Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry. God confronted him regarding his anger and said that sin was crouching at his door, but he must master it. Instead he invited Abel out to the field where he killed him.

The Lord knew that Cain had killed Abel but, when asked where Abel was Cain responded with the question we well know, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Abel's blood called out to the Lord from the ground from which man was created, and the Lord cursed Cain and drove him from the ground. No longer would the ground yield its crops for him and he would be a restless wanderer on the earth. He never said he was sorry but feared that someone would kill him. The Lord put a mark on Cain (was this a tattoo?) so that no one who found him would kill him, and he went out from the Lord's presence. Another Separation between Any Man and All Men. In that day in Mesopotamia there was rampart killing between men and tribes. Vengeance was the rule of the day.

In the land of Nod, east of Eden, Cain went to build a city which he named after his son Enoch. Among his descendants, all of which I won't name, were Jabal who was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock, Jubal was the father of all who play the harp and flute and Tubal-Cain who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Their father Lamech bragged about the vengeance he would show to other men and, as the world was becoming more populated, it was NOT becoming more civilized, at least not by the descendants of Cain.

Meantime, Adam and Eve had another son Seth, and Adam said, "God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him". Seth also had a son he named Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord. We look ahead to Genesis 5, From Adam to Noah and Genesis 6, The Flood.
submitted by Marty Hallas