June 15th, 2011 by Kristi Stephens

[God speaking to the serpent] “And I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”Genesis 3:15

On Monday and Tuesday of this week we looked at the salvific aspects of this verse – God was promising a Redeemer, and as Adam placed his faith in that promise he was forgiven. But there’s also something else to observe here before we move on, something that we must understand if we are going to comprehend the rest of what the Scriptures tell us and even what is happening in our own daily lives.

Enmity.

The world is at war, and there are only two sides – those who belong to and serve God [the offspring of the woman], and those are at war with Him [the offspring of the serpent]. Real faith eventually shows up in our behavior, as the book of James teaches us in the New Testament. Looking through these early chapters in the Bible, we discover clear distinctions between these two groups.

The enmity first rears its ugly head in the lives of two brothers – Cain and Abel [see Genesis 4:1-15].

People have long discussed why Cain’s sacrifice was rejected and Abel’s was accepted. Most likely Cain knew that a blood sacrifice was needed (God had established that pattern by covering Adam and Eve with the skins in chapter 3.) But, no matter what the reasons were, Cain obviously knew what God required. Notice what God says to Cain in Genesis 4:7-

“If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”

Cain was clearly deliberately choosing not to obey God. He wasn’t just mistaken about God’s requirements. He had a choice that he understood: obey, or sin. Abel’s obedience and acceptance before God was infuriating to Cain, and instead of submitting to God’s authority, acknowledging His worthiness to reign, he lashes out and murders his obedient brother.

Enmity. In this generation, there is a clear distinction between one who will follow God, and one who is at war with Him and His people.

Later in chapter four, we find a short record of Cain’s line. In just a few generations, Cain’s willful spirit seems to blossom and grow in his great-great-great-grandson, Lamech.

“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.
If Cain is avenged seven times,
then Lamech seventy-seven times.”

Genesis 4:23-24

Cain was murderer. He killed his own brother in cold blood and then tried to cover his own sin while talking verbally with God himself! But, at least Cain had the sense to know that his actions were not good. He tried to hide it. He was afraid of the consequences, and God in his unbelievable mercy promises to protect Cain and avenge sevenfold anyone who tries to hurt him.

Now think about Lamech. He’s taken two wives (a violation of the clear order established by God with Adam and Eve), kills a man, boasts about it, and then says if anyone tries to hurt him back he will avenge himself far beyond how God would avenge Cain.

I have heard it said that “whatever walks in one generation will run in the next.” Sin has a tendency to grow when left unchecked. Cain’s line of descendents stands in opposition to God and His purposes – battle lines are being drawn. Enmity.

But notice what comes next:

Adam lay with 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.” Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh.

At that time men began to call on the name of the LORD.

This is the written account of Adam’s line.When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And when they were created, he called them “man.”

When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth.

Genesis 4:25-5:2

The repetition in the text seems to prompt us to conclude that we are starting over. Abel, the son who believed and obeyed God had been killed. And God provides Seth.

Keeping Lamech in mind, notice who is Seth’s great-great-great-grandson.

Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.

Genesis 5:24

Enoch’s great-grandson is another familiar name – a famous sailor by the name of Noah.

A line of rebellious murderers. A line of God-fearers; tomorrow we will discover that Noah’s family is the only righteous remnant remaining on the earth.

Enmity.

What walks in one generation tends to run in the next. So today, a simple question: what type of legacy are you leaving?

If you’ve missed anything in the One Summer, One Story series, you can find all the posts indexed here!