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[[http://www.jesusnetwork.eu/de/doku.php/jn_de_2013_08_27|Deutsche Version]] [[Start|| Wiki Start]]
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======Genesis 4: Cain and Abel II ...======
Tuesday, Aug 27, 2013. We are looking into the story of Cain and Abel, the story
of faith and missing faith. In the second part of Genesis 4 we hear about the
descendants of Cain, of the one who did not have faith:
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**Cain's Descendants ...**
17 Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch.
18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19 And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20 Adah bore Jabal; he was
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**the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock.**
** 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was **the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.** 22 Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of **all instruments of bronze and iron.** The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. 23 Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: **I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. 24 If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.**”
25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name **Seth**, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 26 To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord.
(Gen 4, 17-26)
The first point which is surprising here: we have just heard that Cain is the one
who killed his brother. But still, the rest of the biblical chapter is dealing
with his sons and daughters, with his descendants! This is very important. God
takes care. God is still interested in these people - even if they have left him.
**Human History is evolving ...**
We hear about many different things here. We hear about tents and lifestock. We
hear about different types of instruments and music, about the lyre and about
pipes, about instruments of bronce and iron. The lyre is a string instrument
and today could also be called an early guitar. The pipes are early flutes - and
we could well say that they are used until today, of course in modified forms
and varieties. Brass instruments and tools are indicated here - and the early history
seems to jump right into our modern times, with fantastic orchestras, symphonies
and film music as well as modern technology.
We also hear about violence. Cain was someone, who rejected the Lord. He did not
trust him, and now he is carrying this attitude into the first city, which is
founded in the east. We also hear that this violence is growing and multiplying.
This is linked here to Lamech, who's attitude of vengeance is particularly strong.
Until today, the circle of violence and counter violence is unbroken in many
parts of mankind.
The name Seth means "appointed". At the end of this story, we hear about another
son of Adam and Eve, who replacing the faithful son Abel. This will lead us into
the following important genealogy from Adam to Noah, a key branch of human history.
And we hear that people started to worship the Lord - worship is at the very
beginning and core of humanity.
(Roland Potthast)
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