Notable advancements
By Paul Cochrane | October 27, 2011
Cain and his sons and grandsons kept themselves busy with notable advances to civilization: city-building, animal husbandry, music, and metallurgy.
But Cain’s brother Seth took a different tack. Genesis 4:25-26 paints asharp contrast between the two families.
* When Cain had a son he built a city and named it after him. At Seth’s birth, however, his parents readily saw the gracious hand of God. His mother Eve named him “Appointed,” for she was ever on the lookout for the promised “seed” God said she’d bear who would crush the Deceiver’s head.
*Lamech murdered, then composed his “sword song” to boast of his invincibility. But Seth fathered a son and named him Enosh which means “man” and may point to his mortality and weakness in contrast to God’s immortality and omnipotence.
* Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal-Cain have already told us how they spent their time. But over in Enosh’s camp, “men began to call on the name of the Lord” (Gen 4:26).
Not that city-building is wrong. Or that the simple life is more righteous.
But it seems the author is letting us in on the fact that one family was focused on tearing down their barns in order to build bigger barns. While the other family had chosen the good part which would never be taken away.
All of this is made much more sobering when you realize that the flood is coming—that night by which their souls would be required of them, along with the accompanying question, “Now who will own what you have prepared?’ (Luke 12:20)
O Lord, grant strength, courage, and resolve to spend our lives on that which will endure beyond the night when our souls are required of us.
Blessings,
Questions? Comments? paul@discoverwoodlandhills.com
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“Corn-fused!”
By Paul Cochrane | October 19, 2011
Need a little humor on this gloomy, rainy day?
Did you hear about the family that got lost in a corn maze? No kidding. They became corn-fused. After they couldn’t find their way out of a maze of maize, Dad used his cell phone to dial 911. “Help! We’re stuck in a maze!” Within 9 minutes of entering the maze, rescuers found dad, mom, and their two children. No injuries to body, just to pride!
Enjoy some of the comments:
They felt like they were being stalked.
They shoulda just yelled for help — there were ears all around them.
They did, but their cries fell on deaf ears. Aw shucks!
Now they’re the laughing stalk of the land!
There’s a kernel of truth in that!
Without a rescue… what a corny way to die!
They’re suing the farmer for attempted corn-slaughter!
The dad’s new name is Pop Corn.
These poor people. Pray they never get trapped on a stuck escalator.
Maybe next year they should try an easier maze:
Have a nice Day!
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Lamech’s Swagger
By Paul Cochrane | October 13, 2011
Adah and Zillah,
Listen to my voice,
You wives of Lamech,
Give heed to my speech,
For I have killed a man for wounding me;
And a boy for striking me;
If Cain is avenged sevenfold,
Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.
~ Genesis 4:23, 24
I picture Lamech swaggering a bit, sword in hand, as he ascends a small mound to recite his verse. And why not? He’s got twowives! His son Jabal has made them exceedingly wealthy in livestock. Son Jubal has made them merry with his musical inventions. Son Tubal Cain has learned to forge implements of bronze and iron. (Think of the possibilities!) Indeed, daughter Naamah (“pleasant”) sums it all up: this family knew how to make life pleasant for itself!
So up the mound comes Lamech, brandishing the sword Tubal Cain has just made and musing to himself: Just think! With this weapon I’ll be invincible! That young man who struck me didn’t stand a chance. And who will even dare to avenge his death!? They’ll pay seventy-sevenfold if they come after me!
Lamech’s “sword song” gushes with pride and self-sufficiency. In the case of Cain it was God who had promised to protect Cain from revenge. But Lamech’s boast is that he himself will repel the avenger by the strength of his own arm and re-enforced by his son’s weapon! What staggering presumption and arrogance!
Do you suppose Christ was alluding to Lamech’s taunt in Matthew 18:21 when He called His followers to extraordinary forgiveness (seventy times seven) rather than revenge? Not only are we to be free from retaliation, we must embody a spirit of forgiveness.
Was it haughtiness such as Lamech’s that prompted the Lord to say, “Blessed are the poor in spirit… the meek… the merciful… the peacemakers…”?
Lord Jesus, I purpose to follow Your example of humility and forgiveness, and distance myself from Lamech’s swagger and revenge. But You know how easily I revert to the me-centered life. Oh, please! Let Your grace increase so my sin will not!
Blessings,
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Welcome to Enoch
By Paul Cochrane | October 11, 2011
In honor of his son, Cain builds a city and names it after him: “Enoch.” (Genesis 4:16,17)
Why build a city, Cain?
* For protection? Did you fear those “who will kill me? (4:14)
* For distraction or diversion? Did you seek to “drown the clamours of a guilty conscience with the noise of axes and hammers”? (Matthew Henry)
* Were you desperate for community? Wanderers, especially, are lonely.
* Was it an act of defiance? Perhaps you were making a statement: “Look at what I’ve done in spite of God’s curse!”
* Did you do it so your son could escape the curse of “Wanderer”
I am not sure of Cain’s motivations. What strikes me, though, is:
a) how well Cain has acclimated to “living away from God’s presence.” He’s building a city, having children and grandchildren, and basically getting on with the business of life. The uncooperative soil posed a temporary problem, perhaps, but pretty soon livestock, music, and metallurgy nicely filled that void. No doubt they helped with the emptiness in his soul, too. (These days it’s same song, different verse, isn’t it?)
b) the notable omission in the record of Cain ever returning to God. Worse, he fathered and influenced six generations that, in spite of their remarkable achievements, all came to an abrupt end by the time of the flood because of unbridled wickedness and corruption (Genesis 6).
O Lord, guard my heart from following in the way of Cain. Make my attempts to distract or medicate my conscience ineffective and hollow. If I wander, bring me back! Use any and every means necessary to keep me “always, only, all for Thee.”
Blessings,
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Son of Wanderer
By Paul Cochrane | September 29, 2011
So Cain has left God’s presence and gone off to the land of wanderings, “away from the presence of the Lord”
(Genesis 4:16-22).
And now he fathers a son: Enoch.
This son, born to the unrepentant murderer, is reared “away from the presence of the Lord.” In time he learns what happened and no doubt becomes convinced that in this place he, too, is “hidden from God’s face.” He eats what the ground begrudgingly produces for Cain. He wanders from place to place with his father, for though his name is Enoch, he is more aptly “Son of Wanderer.”
And why? For it was not Enoch who failed to bring an acceptable offering. It was not he who seethed in anger and clenched his teeth in rebellion when entreated by God. He did not murder Abel and bring on himself the curse from the ground, nor refuse repentance when confronted by God.
Truly, Cain’s consequences encumbered Enoch!
Is this partly what the Lord meant when He said, “I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me” (Exodus 20:5)?
It is a sobering thing to parent and grandparent. To do so without the fear of the Lord can bring disastrous consequences upon our brood.
O Lord, help us in our parenting and grandparenting. We tremble at our potential to influence negatively. How we long to have a positive impact on those you’ve entrusted to us.
Blessings,
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