A Lamp Unto My Feet Bible Study Website
GENESIS 4 – continued
Lesson #14
COMPARISONS AND CONTRASTS
- Memory work: Learn Old Testament book names, Genesis to 2 Samuel
- Genesis 4 presents a series of interesting illustrations (types and prefigures) of New Testament Christianity:
- Abel is a picture of the believer in Jesus Christ that trusts in the shed blood of the final sacrifice, Jesus Christ, to make one acceptable to God.
- Cain is a picture of self-righteous works that do not cover sin in order to make one acceptable to God.
- False worship always:
- Assumes that God is like what He is not.
- Assumes a relationship with God that one does not have.
- Assumes that sin is less serious than it really is.
- Abel’s blood is a type for the blood of Christ, while Cain is a type for the Jews as a nation.
Abel’s Blood, a Type for the Blood of Christ
| Abel | Christ |
| A shepherd presenting an offering to God | A shepherd presenting himself as an offering to God. Psa 23 Joh 10:11 |
| His offering was a firstling of the flock | The offering He presented was himself as a lamb. 1Pet 1:19 |
| The offering was an excellent one. Heb 11:4 | The offering was an excellent one.
Eph 5:2 |
| Hated by his brother | Hated by his brethren. Joh 15:25 |
| His offering still speaks to God. Heb 11:4 | His offering now speaks to God.
Heb 12:24 |
| Out of envy he was killed | Out of envy he was killed. Mat 27:18 |
| He did not die a natural death | He did not die a natural death.
Act 2:23 |
| Met with a violent end at the hands of his brother | Met with a violent end at the hands of his brethren. Act 2:36 |
| After death his brother was severely punished | After death his brethren were severely punished. Mar 12:9 |
Cain, a Type for the Jews as a Nation
| Cain | The Jews as a Nation |
| A tiller of the ground | A people of the land. Gen 13:15 |
| Rejected the offering God’s grace provided | Rejected Jesus, the offering, that
God’s grace provided. Joh 1:11 |
| Brought an offering of his own choosing | Established their own righteousness through good works. Rom 10:3 |
| His offering was the product of his own labor | They rested on their own obedience to God’s law. Rom 9:21 |
| The offering was rejected by God | God had no respect for their good
Works. Act 13:39 |
| It was Cain’s God-given privilege to be over his brother | It was Israel’s God-given privilege
To rule over the nations. Deu 28:13 |
| Through sin he forfeited his privilege | Through sin they forfeited their
Privilege. Isa 9:14 |
| He slew his brother | They delivered Christ to be crucified. Act 5:30 |
| God charged him with his crime | God charged them with their crime.
Act 2:22,23 |
| Abel’s blood rested upon Cain and cried for vengeance | Christ’s blood rests upon the Jewish nation. Mat 27:25 |
| A curse fell upon Cain | A curse fell upon the Jewish nation. Jer 24:9 |
| The ground became barren to him | Their land became desolate
Lev 26:34-35 |
| He became a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth | The Jews have been wanderers in the earth. Deu 28:65 |
| His punishment was greater than he could bear | Israel will yet acknowledge their punishment is greater than they can bear. Zec 12:10 |
| Because of sin he was driven out of his homeland | 40 years after the crucifixion the
Jews were driven out of Canaan |
| Because of sin he was hidden from God’s face | Since then, God’s face has been
hidden from them. Hos 1:9 |
| Every man’s hand was against him | For 2,000 yrs. Almost every man’s
hand has been against the Jews. Deu 29:66 |
| God set a mark on him | A mark of identification has been
placed on the Jews so they are recognizable anywhere. |
| A seven-fold vengeance on those who slew Cain | A special curse has always rested on those who have cursed the Jews. Gen 12:3 |
- Read Gen 4:17-26
- Gen 4:17-5:32 contain two genealogies:
- Gen 4:17-24 is the genealogy of Cain
- Gen 5:1-32 is the genealogy of Seth
- Because these genealogies are a part of the Word of God, they are equally important and equally God-given by the Holy Spirit. We can learn a lot from them with a little digging.
- Keep in mind that the genealogies do not tell you all the children born to an individual. They are selective of either the first-born or individuals of noted importance to God.
- The genealogies may or may not have undocumented gaps. This point is controversial.
- Cain’s line — Gen 4:17-24 — 7 generations of ungodly pride
- [1] Cain means = “acquisition” or “brought forth”.
- [2] Enoch means = “dedicate”
- This is evidence of trying to forget the curse of wandering because he built a city.
- He dedicated the city to his son by naming the city after him.
- [3] Irad means = “fugitive”
- The attempt to nullify the curse didn’t work.
- It never works trying to avoid God’s plan by replacing it for man’s way.
- [4] Mehujael means = “smitten by God”
- [5] Methushael means = “man of God”
- The name of God used is “El” a generic name for any God.
- This probably was a heathen god. Therefore, this may be the first evidence of a heathen religion to replace the worship of the one true God, Jehovah Elohim.
- [6] Lamech = a difficult name to translate. It may mean “captive”
- This is the first recorded instance of polygamy.
- The practice became quite common through the Old Testament. It was never expressly forbidden by God.
- However, in every case you can see the problems and heart-ache polygamy caused in relationships.
- God originally set the pattern for monogamous heterosexual marriage in Gen 2:24.
- Lamech was a violent man who threatened vengeance 70 times 7 just for a small wound. (23-24)
- Remember Jesus told Peter he should forgive his enemy 70 times 7. (Mat 18:21-22)
- The warning is given to his 2 wives. This is possibly the first hint of wife abuse.
- Adah (wife) means = “ornament” or “adornment”.
- Her main interest was her physical beauty.
- This is the first recorded instance of polygamy.
- [7] Jabal and Jubal both mean = “bring, carry, lead”
- Jabal was the ancestor of the nomadic shepherd way of life.
- Jubal represented the artistic side, the forerunner of musicians who played string or wind instruments.
- Zillah (wife) means = dark complected, shadow, to hide
- Tubal-Cain means = “to bring to nothing”, “good for nothing”
- He is the forerunner of the world’s tool makers (or weapon’s maker).
- It says he forged them out of iron and bronze.
- Archeology has not found the evidence of such early tools. (3,500 BC is the earliest use of bronze, 1,800 BC the earliest use of iron.)
- Explanations: early copper and iron smelting methods were lost and then rediscovered much later, and/or there are one or more time gaps in Cain’s genealogy.
- Naamah ( a girl) means = “pleasant”
- Why is a girl mentioned?
- She is Noah’s wife who comes from Cain’s line.
- Summary:
- The genealogy of Cain demonstrates pride and disobedience in marrying more than one wife, in self-glorification seen in the building of cities, and in the development of arts and crafts.
- Pride resulted in violence within and outside the family (Lamech).
- Pride is one of the deadliest of sins. (Pro 6:16-19)
- Gen 4:17-5:32 contain two genealogies:
- Read Gen 4:25-26
- Seth means = “appointed” or “that which rises”
- Because of the disappointment in Cain, whom they thought might be the Messiah, Adam and Eve name their next son in faith.
- They began trusting that Seth was chosen to raise them out of their sinful condition.
- Enosh means = “another mortal born of the Spirit”
- Verse 26 says that men began to call upon the name of the Lord.
- The indication here is one of public worship.
- Seth means = “appointed” or “that which rises”
Homework
Genesis 5
- Application of Gen 4:
- Explain in your own words the sacrifice to God in which you are trusting for your salvation.
- Preparation for Gen 5:
- Read Gen 5:1-32
- Make a list of things you notice as being especially interesting or curious in Genesis 5.
- Read 1The 4:15-17
- What relationship do you see between these verses and Genesis 5?
- Read Gen 5:1-32
- Memory work: Learn Old Testament book names from 1 Kings to Proverbs
