Genesis

Lesson 13 w/AnswersGenesis 4:1 - 6:22

We will also begin looking at the chronologies and genealogies that begin early in Genesis and will continue to impact history right up to Christ’s second coming. As we review the lineage and study the timelines, God will open our eyes to see how all of his Holy Word integrates into one complete plan aimed at the redemption of mankind and His creation.

Just as Adam and Eve needed God to save them, so do we. So let’s get started and see how much we can learn from their experience in the Garden following their sin, and God’s reaction to it.

Beginnings

Today, as we reflect on our lives, we can only imagine what they would be like if we had no sin and if we lived in a world that had not been cursed as a result of sin. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Romans 3:23 tells us "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God", and 1 John 1:8 says "if we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us". These days, sin and its effects are everywhere we look. How hopeless we would be without a redeemer!

Just as Adam and Eve needed God to save them, so too do we. Let’s see how much we can learn from their experience in the Garden after their sin, and God’s reaction to it.

Read Genesis Chapters 4-6 and consider the following:

  1. Was Cain the first child born to Adam and Eve after they were banned from the Garden of Eden?
    1. ANSWER: The scriptural narrative can be interpreted several ways. It does however appear that Cain was the first male child born to them.
  2. How old was Abel when he died?
    1. ANSWER: Neither the age of Cain nor the age of Abel are provided, but we do know from the narrative they were adults, since they worked the fields and the herds and brought offerings to the Lord.
  3. By simply studying the story of Cain and Abel, what can we infer about man, his abilities, his culture, and his family structure at this very early stage of God’s creation?
    1. ANSWER 1: They were intelligent. Cain knew how to raise and harvest crops, and Abel knew how to shepherd sheep and even how to butcher them.
    2. ANSWER 2: They knew that they were brothers.
    3. ANSWER 3: They worshipped God; we see both Cain and Abel bringing offerings to God.
    4. ANSWER 4: Abel had tools sharp enough to extract fat from slain animals.
    5. ANSWER 5: Unfortunately, we already see that not all of mankind will readily worship and follow God.
  4. Was Abel a man of faith, i.e., a follower of God? (see Hebrews 11:4, Matthew 23:35, and Luke 11:50-51)
    1. ANSWER: Yes; even Christ referred to him as righteous.
  5. Since the Ten Commandments had not yet been given by God to Moses, did Cain understand that what he had done was wrong? (see Genesis 4:9)
    1. ANSWER: Yes; he lied to God in order to cover it up.
  6. Had Cain been warned about his sin? (see Genesis 4:6-7)
    1. ANSWER: Yes; God told him specifically that "sin was at his door" and that Cain must master it, or he would do wrong.
  7. Because of Adam and Eve’s sin, had God withdrawn from mankind and not allowed anyone to approach him. (see Genesis 4:3-4)?
    1. ANSWER: Not at all. As we can see in these verses, both Cain and Abel lived in a time period when they could bring offerings to God and be in his presence. In fact, as we saw in the answer to the previous question, God was talking to and teaching Cain, warning him to avoid the sin that was so near. Today, this continues to be true. God wants to have fellowship with every one of us, in spite of the fact that we sin against him.
  8. Was Abel Cain’s only brother? (see Genesis 5:4)
    1. ANSWER: No; Genesis 5:4 says that Adam had other sons and daughters. As we observed in the answer to a previous question, we are not provided the ages of Abel and Cain. However, we do know that they were both adults when the incident took place. Given the events which followed, it is reasonable to assume that they had plenty of other brothers and sisters.
  9. While not expressly stated, what could have been wrong with Cain’s offering? Or was there something wrong that did not relate to the offering, but rather the person making the offering?
    1. ANSWER 1: We can readily see from reading the related passage that God was not happy with Cain’s offering. Without too much of a stretch, we can also infer that Cain’s offering fell short of what it should have been, meaning that it was either not enough, or that is was the wrong offering. In all likelihood, it was the wrong offering. We know that sheep were being raised; we know that God had slain animals to make man’s clothing; and we can believe that Adam would have conveyed all of this to both Abel and Cain, as it pertained to their worshiping God. It is conceivable to presume that Cain’s offering should have also been a lamb, which he could have purchased from Abel. Instead, he elected to bring an offering from his land. While the Bible is not specific regarding this question, it is clear that Cain’s offering was not acceptable to God, but Abel’s was.
    2. ANSWER 2: We can also observer from this passage that one thing wrong with Cain and his offering was his attitude toward God; and the sin in his heart which God warned was at his "doorstep".
  10. What was Cain worried about after God judged his sin? (see Gen 4:13-14)
    1. ANSWER: Cain worried that he would be killed as he wandered the earth by other inhabitants.
  11. Cain feared for his life as he wandered the earth, afraid that others would kill him. Where would other people populating the earth come from? (see Genesis 5:4)
    1. ANSWER: Again, it is important to note that Adam and Eve had more children than just Cain, Able and Seth. These three are mentioned for specific reasons in the Bible; however Adam and Eve had many children who then had children of their own and so on. The Bible does not list every offspring of Adam and Eve, only a select few.
  12. The story of Cain and Abel is recorded in Genesis to illustrate the difference between those who worship God and those who do not. It also serves as a record of the first murder committed in God’s creation. Why is Seth’s name specifically included in the Genesis record?
    1. ANSWER: His line will lead to Noah, Noah’s line with lead to Abraham, and Abraham’s line will lead to the birth of Jesus the Christ.
  13. Enoch became the father of Methuselah in a bloodline leading to Noah. What else is noteworthy about Enoch? (see Genesis 5:24 and Hebrews 9:27)
    1. ANSWER: Enoch was apparently taken up into heaven alive, just as Elijah would be later. These are the only two men known to have gone to heaven without dying. There are some who believe, based on Hebrews 9:27, that these two will be the last two witnesses during the Great Tribulation; and then they will suffer death as well.
  14. How much time elapsed between the death of Methuselah and the flood? (see Genesis Chapters 5 through 7)
    1. ANSWER: Hardly any time at all. In fact, Methuselah would have seen Noah building the ark. You will note that Methuselah became the father of Lamech at the age of 187. Lamech became the father of Noah at the age of 182. This would imply that Methuselah was 369 years old when Noah was born. When Noah was 500, he became the father of his three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. Ninety-five (95) years later, Noah’s father, Lamech, would die (i.e., when Noah was 595 years old). At the time of the birth of Noah’s sons, Methuselah would have been 869 years old (369 years plus 500 years). When Lamech died, Methuselah would have been 964 years old (869 years plus 95 years). Five years later, when Noah was 600 years old, the flood came. Methuselah would have been 969 years old at the time of the flood, he therefore would have died just before the flood, after having seen the ark and all that God was doing through Noah.

In this lesson, we observe the evolving state of the world after "the fall", and already it isn’t pleasant. Murder, idolatry and all manner of sin are evident on the earth; and God is preparing to bring judgment on it through Noah and the flood.

We also see the importance of worshipping God both in spirit and in truth. To do otherwise will bring certain judgment and death, as our sin separates us from God. Conversely, there is also much hope provided to us in this lesson; as we see that, in spite of sin, God continues to commune with man and continues to offer reconciliation to man — but only if we are willing to repent and obey him completely.

Today we can praise God for Jesus and for the priceless blessing of salvation; Jesus having offered up the perfect sacrifice, something that we are incapable of providing. In our next lesson, we will look at God’s judgment on the earth, and the story of Noah and the flood.

Thanks for studying with us.

In Christ,

Wes

[2010]

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