Genesis 4:23-24. Moral Plunge

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Genesis 4:23-24

“And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah,
Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, 

hearken unto my speech:
for I have slain a man to my wounding, 

and a young man to my hurt. 

If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, 

truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold”


    This is vice in verse. We’re still in the first chapter after the entrance of sin, and it is already clear that humanity’s fall is far from over, but rather continues with the cumulative acceleration of a nosedive. In a mere seven generations, the song of creation has degenerated into lustful lyrics that highlight pride, polygamy, boasting, violence, murder, revenge and rebellion against God, all dressed up in creative poetic verse with a sprinkle of religious reference thrown in to boot. Sounds quite a bit like today’s pop music doesn’t it? 

    Lamech knew the story of his great, great, great granddaddy Cain. Here he selectively  quotes to his wives from God’s word of judgment on his ancestor, and dares to claim the same protection Cain received, times seventy, no doubt failing to realize that he is in fact passing judgement on himself times seventy. While seven times seventy is the number of times Christ told Peter to forgive his brother, it is also the last period of mercy that God allotted to His chosen people before they were cast off as a nation and given over to destruction (Matthew 18:22, Daniel 9:24-27, Luke 21:20). Even God’s superabundant mercy finds a limiting factor in humanity’s stubborn, blind, and self-justifying rebellion.  

    Although Lamech quotes a snippet of God’s Word, the voice he really wants people to hear is his own as he boasts of his prowess and exalts himself. Lamech failed to see his place in the big picture. He wants to be the big picture. Instead of reflecting glory to God, he tries to take glory for himself and degrades and distorts the image of God. Don’t make the same mistake. 

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Ezra James
The Word of God is bread from heaven. God sent it, but we must gather it, appreciate it, digest it, and live by it. These days it is increasingly scarce. Many are starving for it and don't know it because they keep feasting on bad bread that doesn't satisfy. But if we would learn to carefully gather up the fragments of the True, Heavenly Bread of Life, we would always enjoy a feast of crumbs, because even God's crumbs are miracles mighty to save (Mark 7:24-30). ESPAÑOL: La Palabra de Dios es pan del cielo. Dios lo envió, pero debemos recogerlo, apreciarlo, digerirlo y vivir por él. Hoy en día es cada vez más escaso. Muchos están muriendo de hambre por falta de él sin saberlo porque se alimentan de pan falso que no satisface. Pero si aprendiéramos a recoger cuidadosamente los fragmentos del Verdadero Pan Celestial, Pan de Vida, siempre disfrutaríamos de un banquete de migajas, porque hasta las migajas de Dios son milagros poderosos para salvar (Marcos 7:24-30).