King Edward VII, the son of Queen Victoria was a womaniser and a philanderer.
[5] The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. [6] And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. [Genesis 6:5-6]
By the time of the flood, sin had become rampant in the earth. What a decline since the creation of a perfect world and the creation of man and woman in God's image. Since the fall of mankind in the Garden of Eden, sin had grown and multiplied even greater than the population of the earth. Satan, disguised as a serpent, had sown seeds of doubt into the heart of man regarding the character of God and the truth and reliability of God's Word. "Did God actually say ….." is a clear challenge to the infallibility of the Word of God (Genesis 3:1). Satan is audacious enough to cast an aspersion on the character of God as a gracious God who wants only the best for his creatures. He implies that God has ulterior motives in restricting them from eating the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Cain is influenced by Satan in his attitude to God(Genesis 4).Cain's heart was full of bitterness and anger. He resented the fact that God had shown approval of his younger brother's sacrifice - a slaughtered wee lamb rather than his own offering of crops from the ground. This anger was simmering in his heart and ultimately led him to commit murder - fratricide, the deliberate killing of his younger brother. God was fully aware of Cain's anger and He warned Cain that sin was crouching at the door like a wild animal waiting to pounce.(Genesis 4:6-7) But Cain ignored God's advice and allowed this jealousy and bitterness to lead to an act of spiteful revenge. When God challenges him after the murder, there is no hint of repentance or even of remorse. He lies to God and denied any knowledge of his brother's whereabouts.(Genesis 4: 9-10) He denied any responsibility for Abel's death. God was fully aware of what had happened and Cain was punished for his actions. But he is still defiant - protesting that his punishment was too severe. (Genesis 4: 13). And God graciously protects Cain by putting some sort of mark on his face to protect him from being killed (Genesis 4:15). It is interesting that he is uncaring about the death of his brother but he is afraid that someone else will do to him what he did to Abel. Cain built a city (Genesis 4:17) to establish his dynasty - and the city in the Bible is symbolically opposed to God. We will see this in a future blog.
The second last book in the Bible, the letter of Jude speaks about the way of Cain (Jude 11). This was the opposite of having faith in God as Abel had done. Cain's way was defiance against God. He resented God's ways and preferred to act in defiance of God and in rebellion against His requirements.
In the same chapter of Genesis, we meet Lamech (the son of Methushael) who continued in the way of Cain. His first act of defiance was to have two wives. God had made it abundantly clear that marriage was a relationship between one man and one woman (Genesis 2:24). The two were to become one flesh - joined in every way, including sexual union. Lamech is the first to practise polygamy - having more than one wife. Even though this is illegal in the United Kingdom, the union of one man and one woman is not adhered to and I am not focussing on same sex relationships. I believe that the widespread adultery and promiscuity is anti-God. It is not what God had wanted for His creation. Lamech is arrogant and boastful in his defiance of the LORD. He boasts that no one will meddle with him and proudly tells his two wives that he has taken matters into his own hands and has executed two men who had wounded him in some way or other. Lamech even had the audacity to mock God's gracious mark of preservation on Cain.
”If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.”“
Genesis 4:24 NIV
Lamech is an example of a proud man who had little thought for God and he despised other people including his two wives. He is typical of many men in today's society who treat women badly and do not want to be subject to God's will for their lives. His boast to his wives might have been intended to impress them or to subjugate them. He was making it clear that he would do what he wanted and that nobody would stop him - even God. There have been many Lamech's throughout human history and there are many in our world today. I will do what I like and nobody will stop me - even God.
Chapter 6 of Genesis begins with two verses which have caused great debate.
When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. [Genesis 6:1-2 NIV]
There are some who suggest that the sons of God were fallen angels but I tend to believe that they were descendants of Seth. After Seth's son was born at the end of chapter 4, it states that "At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord" (Genesis 4:26). One of these was a man named Enoch who was a godly man and who did not die because God took him after a long life of fellowship with God.(Genesis 5:22) But things have deteriorated. In Genesis chapter 6, we have a reference to the abuse of women. There is clear evidence that men are treating women purely as sex objects. They are looking only for beauty to satisfy their sexual appetite and the abuse which started with Lamech has gone much further. Presumably, when one of their wives lose their good looks, they will be discarded for a younger., prettier model. Their sexual appetite knows no bounds. Any beautiful woman is fair game. Their lusts will not be satisfied. As I am writing this, or rather word processing on my keyboard, there are names coming into my head. Prince Albert (Queen Victoria's eldest son) who became Edward VII was a man like that. More recently we have seen the disgrace Jeffrey Epstein and before that Harvey Weinstein. It is not long since newspapers carried pictures of naked girls on page 3 and beautiful women, dressed in swimming costumes. took part in Miss World competitions. A whole industry has grown up over the exploitation of women to satisfy men's lusts.
Germaine Greer would disagree with the Bible and would accuse Christians of misogyny (hatred of women) but surprisingly enough her book which she entitled, 'The Female Eunuch' contains criticism of the sexual abuse of women which I feel is worth quoting:
Every survey ever held has shown that the image of an attractive woman is the most effective advertising gimmick. She may sit astride the mudguard of a new car, or step into it ablaze with jewels; she may lie at a man’s feet stroking his new socks; she may hold the petrol pump in a challenging pose, or dance through woodland glades in slow motion in all the glory of a new shampoo; whatever she does her image sells. The gynolatry of our civilization is written large upon its face, upon hoardings, cinema screens, television, newspapers, magazines, tins, packets, cartons, bottles, all consecrated to the reigning deity, the female fetish. Her dominion must not be thought to entail the rule of women, for she is not a woman. Her glossy lips and matt complexion, her unfocused eyes and flawless fingers, her extraordinary hair all floating and shining, curling and gleaming, reveal the inhuman triumph of cosmetics, lighting, focusing and printing, cropping and composition. She sleeps unruffled, her lips red and juicy and closed, her eyes as crisp and black is saluted by a smirk of satisfaction. A real woman licks her lips and opens her mouth and flashes her teeth when photographers appear: she must arrive at the premiere of her husband’s film in a paroxysm of delight, or his success might be murmured about. The occupational hazard of being a Playboy Bunny is the aching facial muscles brought on by the obligatory smiles. ……
[Germaine Greer: The Female Eunuch. Chapter entitled, 'The Stereotype' page 3017 of Kindle Edition ]
Sadly, Greer does not advocate a return to Biblical values but her condemnation of the masquerades of the fashion industry is very thought provoking. It all began in the book of Genesis. If society had followed God's plans, women would never have been treated as commodities and devalued and cheapened as they have been throughout history and are still today in our postmodern, supposedly equal society.
And God was deeply unhappy with the state of the world as recorded in chapter 6 of the book of Genesis. I have no doubt that He is equally if not more, unhappy with today's world. He judged the world with a flood but the world is heading for God's judgement again.
Agree on line of Seth, Robert. Sons of God were those who worshipped God, compared to those who did not, just the same as when Paul calls us sons of God, compared to non-Christians. The difference is those with the Holy Spirit. We are all in an earthly sense 'alive' I.e. breathing and walking around. But only the believer is truly alive and all other humans are still 'dead in transgression'. So also those from Seth were alive and those from Cain to Lamech were dead.