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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