A Work in Progress….

Genesis 5:5 Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died.

Today’s scripture had me going down a rabbit hole about life spans in the Bible. Unfortunately, I found no satisfactory answer to why these early descendants lived so long. Some suggest it was because their bodies were closer to perfection. Some posited lack of access to drugs and alcohol or a better diet. I came across no answer where I thought, “THIS is the reason. This makes sense.”

Genesis 5:6 When Seth had lived 105 years, he became the father of Enosh. 

But here’s the long and the short of it: We all have a set number of days on this earth and none of us know how many days we have, so all we can do is make the best of the time we are given. Some days that means doing everything in our power to help those around us and shine God’s light. Some days that means just trying not to make life harder for others.

Genesis 5:7 After he became the father of Enosh, Seth lived 807 years and had other sons and daughters. 

Precious Savior, Thank You that You know every hair on our heads, every breath in our bodies. You know from the moment you knit us together how many days we have. Thank You that each day is a new chance, a fresh start, with new mercies from You to help us through the day. Thank You that You are with us on the mountain tops just as surely as You are with us in the valleys and everywhere in between. Help us to glorify You always. Amen.

Genesis 5:8 Altogether, Seth lived a total of 912 years, and then he died.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 4:23 Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me.

Interestingly, today’s verses play into yesterday’s thoughts. Lamech brags here about killing a man for injuring him. He says that if Cain is avenged seven times, he, Lamech will be avenged seventy-seven times. But we all know Cain–I think it’s safe to call him infamous–but how many folks who didn’t specifically study Old Testament history know the name Lamech immediately?

Genesis 4:24 If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.”

Lamech is bragging about his own power, but he is, essentially, persona non grata–or perhaps more accurately persona ignotus–for most of us. This, to me, seems to perfectly illustrate the fact that if we put our trust in man, nothing good, nothing lasting can come of it.

Genesis 4:25 Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that no matter how established man thinks he is, Your way is always best. Help me to put my hope, my faith, my trust in You alone. Help me to root myself in Your word, Your love, Your grace. Always. Amen.

Genesis 4:26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 4:17a Cain made love to his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch.  

Not going to lie–I had to turn to commentary to begin to make sense of today’s verses. Commentary cites Genesis 5:4 as saying Adam and Eve had other children and that, obviously (their wording), Cain married a sister. Commentary goes on to say that humanity was close enough to the source (God), that inbreeding wasn’t a concern and that close-marriages weren’t forbidden until God forbade them in Leviticus. I’m not sure I’m qualified to unpack all of that.

Genesis 4:17b Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch.

Commentary also points out that humanity is very human-centered, as is evidenced by the fact that Cain named the city after his own son, Enoch. And as I think about this family tree, Adam and Eve, who were kicked out of the Garden for disobedience, Abel, by all accounts “the good son,” killed by his brother. Cain, who seems to be just trying to skate by, giving, but not the good stuff, killing instead of working through anger, pouting instead of facing his punishment, it’s a wonder to me that God waited until Noah’s generation to bring the flood.

Genesis 4:18a To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, 

Precious Savior, Humans are kind of a mess. Forgive me when I get to thinking that I am somehow “better than.” I’m a part of this messy humanity, just like everyone else. Help me to embrace others with Your compassion, grace, and love. Help me to treat others the way I want to be treated, the way You treat me, even though I don’t deserve it. Help me to be Your hands and feet in this world. Amen.

Genesis 4:18b …and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 4:14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”

Adam was the first human created, right? Eve was created from Adam. Cain and Abel were their children. Cain killed Abel, so now we are down to three humans, right? So who is going to kill Cain? Where did other people come from?

Genesis 4:15a But the Lord said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.”

And why does the Lord not want Cain to be killed as punishment for killing Abel? Commentary posits that perhaps it is because of the precarious population and the need to populate further. But God created Adam from dust and Eve from Adam. It doesn’t seem like He’d want to save Cain just to keep Himself from more work.

Genesis 4:15b Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the curiosity with which I am reading Your word. I have read it before with no curiosity whatsoever, with only desire to say I read it. That’s no way to be in Your word. I may never get answers to these questions, but thank You for the fact that every verse brings a new question, a new thought to ponder. Help me to draw closer to You in the pondering. Amen.

Genesis 4:16 So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 4:10 The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. 

Verse 13 has my attention this morning because I’m wondering what part of this punishment is more than Cain can bear? Is it the fact that the ground “will no longer yield its crops” for Cain? Is it that he “will be a restless wanderer on the earth”? Is it the work of his hands? The fact that he’ll have no place to call home?

Genesis 4:11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 

I’m also curious about why God didn’t just strike Cain dead because he killed his brother–an eye for an eye. Additionally, Adam and Eve were already cast out of the Garden of Eden. Why is Cain now simply cast out of the place that he called home? Is there anything simple about this banishment? It certainly lends more credibility to the importance of a place to call home.

Genesis 4:12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”

Precious Savior, I still have so many questions. Thank You for the curiosity I feel as I read Your word. Thank You for the language that I notice as I read and for the questions that I have, the curiosity, the desire to understand Your word better. Help me to draw closer to You with every breath. Even without answers, help me to seek You, to see You everywhere I look. Amen.

Genesis 4:13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear.” 

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 4:6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 

Once again, I am left wondering what has been left out of the narrative. We don’t hear a word from Abel. We see his generous first fruits, but we don’t know if he thought going with his brother was a bad idea or if he said anything to Cain on the way or before the murder.

Genesis 4:7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

Did he just go along, blissfully oblivious? Did he say anything at all to Cain before Cain killed him? Did he goad his brother in some way? Did he just stand there, patiently waiting for his brother to murder him? Was there some sort of inciting incident or was this Cain’s plan from the beginning?

Genesis 4:8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Precious Savior, I don’t understand why people act the way that they do. They, we, act entitled to things that we are not; angry, even when we are to blame for a situation, bitter, even when we have the power to do differently. Help us to do better. Draw us closer to You. Amen.

Genesis 4:9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 4:1 Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” 

The description of the fruits offered to the Lord (v2-3) jumps out at me in today’s reading. Cain “brought some of the fruits of the soil,” while Abel “brought an offering–fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.” There’s definitely a difference in these two offerings: Abel’s comes from the first fruits–the best that he’s got. Cain’s isn’t described as exceptional in any way, making it seem like he’s offering what he doesn’t think will be useful to him, the leftovers.

Genesis 4:2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 

It is so easy to judge Cain and laud Abel in this situation, but how often have I been guilty of the same thing–offering God what I know I won’t miss? Offering God, not the best I have to give but the leftovers that I’m not even sure I can use anyway? And when my sham offering is rejected, how often do I get salty because, didn’t I give? Didn’t I do what was expected of me?

Genesis 4:3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminder that it is not just my offering that is important but also my attitude. Sometimes my attitude stinks. Forgive me. Help me to root myself so deeply in You that I cast aside my human failings as much as is possible on this side of the veil. Help me to always offer You the best I have to give. Amen.

Genesis 4:4-5 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

Have a blessed day.

Genesis 3:21 The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.   

Verse 21 tells me a lot about God. He “MADE the garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” That speaks to a level of compassion. God was angry at their disobedience. He could have demanded they clothe themselves, but He MADE the garments for them, He clothed them, even though their knowledge of their nakedness was their own doing.

Genesis 3:22 And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.”

“God made garments of SKIN for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” He could have used leaves, plants, some sort of natural fibers, but the fact that God made garments of SKIN for them means that some animal had to be sacrificed for them to be clothed. That could symbolize the sacrifice that has to happen when we sin against God, but I think it also shows that our sin affects more than just ourselves. Sin carries a high price that affects many.

Genesis 3:23 So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.

Precious Savior, Thank You for loving us, even when we sin and disappoint. Thank You for clothing us, for caring for us, for not leaving us to stew in our own sin. Forgive us when we sin. Forgive us for hurting You, ourselves, and others with our sin. Help us to draw closer to You daily, to leave our sinful nature behind. Amen.

Genesis 3:24 After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.

Have a blessed day.