In Genesis 4:14, we see how Cain resisted God’s gracious gesture
toward him. In the spirit of defiance, he chose to oppose the kind intention God
extended to him. So verse 16 tells us that he departed from the presence of God
and lived in Nod, East of Eden. Hence,
we can tell that to stay with God or to leave Him is a choice on his part. Of
course to stay would require right response to God and toward life. It would
mean that he had to make radical adjustment to correct his attitude and actions.
This, no doubt, would be very hard on the flesh. It’s a choice that demands a disciplined
follow through. Thinking that leaving God would be an easier path, Cain chose
to leave the covering God had over his life. It was an unwise choice, but the Bible
tells us that Cain chose that path. It’s an act of his will. Like him, the
choice to remain with God and enjoy His presence is also ours to make. It
starts with a decision but it must also be met with responsible action.
Every decision we make in life will lead us to take a certain course
of action. While we can choose what we want to do, we cannot choose the
consequence of what we do. Bear in mind that every course had a certain effect.
It will happen in a certain way whether we like it or not. The choice Cain made
brought about the effect seen in these verses. He had cut himself off from God’s
redeeming grace. And it did not just affect him but also his succeeding
generations. None of his posterity had any connection with God. Though it was dangerous
to live without divine covering, Cain made that choice, and led his posterity to
live life lacking God in their agenda. None had any consideration for God. How
sad! We must heed the call of God to be careful how we live. To understand what
the will of God is and to make decisions that help us to move toward Him and
His will.
Life for Cain and his children and his children’s family became a mundane
routine without God. They lived and died without the exciting adventure of
walking with God. Drably, each generation just went on without factoring God in
their life. When we come to Lamech, we see how presumptuous a person living
without God can be. Without considering the just God, he did not have any moral
compass in life. He impetuously took matters into his own hand and confessed to
the killing of a young man who had wronged him. We are not told how, but he was
somehow aware of what God had done to protect Cain, his forebear. In what he
said he was being presumptuous. He felt that since God had protected Cain despite
the latter’s defiance, he expected God would do the same for him and even more.
He presumed on the grace of God. We all need to know that we cannot presume on God’s
grace and goodness. To do so would be to treat God casually and take Him for someone
we can manipulate. The grace of God demands that we make responsible decisions
and cultivate responsible living.
The last two verses bring back a breath of fresh air. We feel the continuing
grace of God in the conception of Seth. Though Adam and Eve had fallen, God did
not leave them to struggle on their own. To Adam’s credit, he remained conscious
of God in his journey in life. These two verses more than highlighting their
fallen lives, they also highlighted for us the grace of God. Despite their
disobedience, God’s plan for humanity was not thwarted. In the place of Abel
whom Cain had murdered, God gave them Seth. And in this new son given to Adam and
Eve, God would perpetuate His plan for a godly generation. Hence when we come
to Enosh, the son of Seth, man began to call on the name of God.
These ten verses show us two roads we all can choose - the road of
the King’s highway or the low road of the devil’s broad, crooked and
destructive way. It takes a decision to determine what we would rather have.
This is particularly important for the head of the family to decide. What we
choose will determine not only our destiny but that of our children and our
children’s children. The challenge of Joshua to the Israelites still rings
clear. What he had said in Joshua 24:14-15 still reverberates in our soul. “Now, therefore, fear the Lord and
serve Him in sincerity and truth…but as for me and my house, we will serve
the Lord.” Beloved,
we have a choice, make it wisely!
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