Chapter 13

Civilization Begins

The World System Grows

The land of Nod is a translator's choice. Nod $&1 in Hebrew means, "wandering," which therefore is understood to be the land of wandering. Critics have charged a biblical inconsistency in thinking that a community existed called Nod where Cain found his wife (verse 17). The error in this thinking is in assuming he had no wife to begin with. In reading the text as the land of wandering, we easily see that the area is named for Cain, himself, in describing where he wandered.

Being east of Eden brings some interesting thoughts to mind. The first implication is that Adam and Eve settled in an area on the west side of Eden. If present day Jerusalem were the actual location of Eden before the continents divided, then that would put Adam's dwelling somewhere in the present Mediterranean basin. Cain's wandering then, according to this assumption, would have been on the present day Jordanian Plateau, or even further in the present day Mesopotamian basin. The significance to this comes later when descendants of Noah left the Ararat region and journeyed to the Mesopotamian basin to create the tower of Babel. Both the antediluvian and the post-diluvian civilizations may have been built in the same area! This possibility suggests Satanic forces trying to recreate their same plans.

A TALE OF TWO COMMUNITIES

As stated before, critics ask where his wife came from when the only people mentioned so far are four: Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel. First of all, it is consistent with Biblical narration to omit the names of girls born. When Cain was born, Eve said, "I have gotten a man from Yahweh" (Gen. 4:1). Whereas it is evident that Cain was the firstborn male, that is not to exclude the possibility that Adam and Eve already had one or more girls. Perhaps her glee in saying a "man" was born, indicates girls had been born first and finally a male was born. This is speculation, though, since the Bible doesn't say so. But it is a real possibility. Even if there was only one daughter born after Abel, Cain would still have a wife in marrying his sister.

In considering the newly forming societies of the antediluvian world, we are confident in making assumptions about their behavior because the Bible declares, "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun" (Ecc. 1:9). In other words from Adam to Kingdom Come, mankind has behaved, thought, hoped and dreamed as well as struggled, toiled, and labored the same then as today and tomorrow. Specific details vary from generation to generation, but the basic issues of life remain the same.

The Bible does not tell us about Cain's character after he settles in Nod. Josephus goes into quite a bit of detail regarding Cain. I don't know if he is correct, but I include his statement here to broaden the spectrum of possibility.

If there is any truth to Josephus's account, then this narrative must have covered a long time. It is not likely that Cain would have to rob from his own children. It is more likely that many generations would have passed and this behavior would be toward Seth's descendants. Of course, Nod wouldn't be a city, but the area of settlement. But I do believe that Josephus is correct in the latter part of his narrative. The Bible does say that Cain built a city named after his son Enoch (Gen. 4:17), which shows a marking off of land and a setting of boundaries. I'm sure the children of Seth never thought of the land as their own, but God's, and for all creatures. A natural tendency to make boundaries would come from farming, as well. It is noteworthy, too, that Josephus asserts that Cain introduced weights and measures. His implication is that Cain's motivation was greed. In a paradise such as that with abundance everywhere, it would not occur to innocent people to hoard wealth. Josephus may be right in this regard.

Enoch +&1(, Cain's firstborn, means, "initiated and teacher." The implication is one of tutorship and training for one who is to train the future. As referred to in Psalm 49:11, "Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue forever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names," Cain, too, desired to build a permanency apart from Christ through his son. This boy was to be the continuation of his life and ways. No doubt he taught his son how to farm and to make farm implements. The two of them together annexed their houses to build the city of Enoch.

Building houses raises another question: if a canopy was on the Earth keeping temperatures moderate, and there was no rain for need of shelter, and the animals at this time were still friendly, what was the need for a structure? Perhaps to hide in. Cain was ashamed and fearful for his life in murdering his brother. He knew future descendants would want to seek revenge. A building would provide him that protection. Josephus's statement that Cain built walls fits in this sense. Furthermore, as he degenerated in sin, the desire for privacy, perhaps even believing that God couldn't see him, would be met in a building so he could perform immoral acts. Like Adam and Eve sewing fig leaves and trying to hide from God, buildings continue the works of secrecy. This is not to say the need for privacy is wrong. Time alone to concentrate, privacy for prayer, and seclusion for sensitive conversation are all right and proper. However, Cain was not pursuing righteous goals. Perhaps, even, the buildings erected by Cain were the "sign" or "mark" of God's protection and were inspired by God. All things can be turned for good or evil, depending on the intent of the user.

Meanwhile, Adam and Eve had a third son whom they called Seth [4] ;:, which means "to appoint, or to compensate." Implied in that name is both a deeper understanding of God's suzerainty and mercy. While they presumptuously assumed that Cain would be the Messiah, the results of his life proved their error. The Messiah would come at God's appointed time. They did not foolishly expect Seth to be the Messiah this time, but they probably understood that it would come through his line. Clearly the corruption of Cain wouldn't be the promised seed. Likewise to God's authority, they understood the compassion of the Lord. Like Jeremiah weeping over the destroyed city of Jerusalem, they could say, "This I recall to mind, therefore have I hope. It is of Yahweh's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassion fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness" (Lam. 3:21-23). Hope that had been deferred was rekindled once again.

It is also noteworthy that chapter 5:3 says of the birth of Seth that Adam "begat a son in his own likeness, after his image." This verse was referred to earlier in the context of Cain inheriting Adam's sinful nature, and this is how it is usually interpreted. However, with Seth begins the righteous line that leads to the birth of the Messiah. It is true that Seth was also born with the sinful nature, but is it not possible that this verse may be implying that Seth had a believing and repentant heart? Whereas the verse is not said about Cain because of his stubborn refusal to repent? As Josephus said, "They [Adam and Seth] also were the inventors of that peculiar sort of wisdom which is concerned with the heavenly bodies, and their order" (Antiquities, Book 1, chapter 2:69). Perhaps the awesomeness of the stars brought Seth to a reverence and worship of Yahweh for creating such splendor.

THE POPULATION EXPLOSION

When Cain and his sister bore a child they called Enoch, the verse says Cain built a city which he named after his son. Again the question arises, where did the people that formed the city come from? To answer that question, some facts need to be considered. First, neither Cain nor Abel have birth dates indicated, nor their ages. The Bible only records the dates and ages of the righteous line in the antediluvian world that leads to the Messiah. The birth of Seth is the first mention of age in chapter 5:3 when Adam was 130 [5] years old. The story of Cain and Abel could have happened anywhere in that time. Some simple calculations will give revealing results.

For conservative argument, since the antediluvians (righteous line anyway) lived 800 to 900 years, let us assume that every 70 years new families were formed. Census figures today show an average increase in population of 2.5 times every 20 years, so we will use a 2.5 increase for our calculation. Even assuming that Adam and Eve had only one daughter that Cain took to wife, by the time of Seth's birth, there would have been 13 people (see population table). Assuming that Irad, Mehujael, Methusael, and Lamech were born at the same time as the righteous line of Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, and Jared respectively, the population would have grown to 33, 78, 195, 488, and 1,221 people by Lamech's birth. A small community would have been Cain's city of Enoch by that time.

But these figures are probably way too conservative. With the listing of the righteous in chapter 5, after each descendant named, the phrase, "and begat sons and daughters," is repeated over and over. We assume with Adam and Eve that Seth was their third son, but it says that he had more after wards. Seventy years between new family growth is also unlikely, especially with the worldly population descended from Cain. Their rate of increase was probably every 20 years for new generations and each generation no doubt had up to 6 children. But for simplicity's sake, we'll assume that each new generation occurred every 70 years, but with a multiplication factor of 6 times. A liberal calculation would then move the figure of 1,221 people by the time of Lamech, who was the sixth generation from Cain, to 233,280 people between both Seth's and Enoch's descendants. By the time of Lamech and Enoch, who walked with God, there could have been over a million people on the Earth. Even when going back to the conservative calculation with a multiplication factor of 2.5, after 1,500 years when the world is to be destroyed, over 5 billion people would have perished in the Flood. Assuming a multiplication factor of 6, then an astronomical number over 659 quadrillion people would have perished! And that's assuming each generation was 70 years apart!

There probably were not that many people on the Earth by the time of the Flood. With these projections we can assume then that Abel's was not the last murder. Also sickness, pestilence, and war probably reduced the population in the antediluvian world, as well.

THE FIRST GREAT AWAKENING

Irad $9*3 Enoch's son, means "runner, or wild ass." Cain's hope in preserving immortality through his posterity may have taken a bitter turn in his grandson. His name suggests that he had a stubborn will and refused to take up his father's craft. Perhaps he was licentious and unruly. His influence may have been felt by all, including Seth's descendants.

It would seem that up to the time of Enos's birth, Adam and his family had settled into complacent living. They knew and worshiped Yahweh, but had little concern for the decadence of their relatives. When Seth had his son, he might have been sickly in health. Satan certainly would be coming against the true worshipers of Yahweh. Enos :&1! means "man is his frailty." Perhaps ill health made him a contemplative soul. Enos must have thought about the eternal nature of Yahweh and compared it to the limited lives of mankind. The murder of his uncle Abel must have been told to him and the ease by which man can die must of have startled him. What happens to people when they die? He prayed earnestly inquiring of the Lord. And Yahweh must of told him about judgment and damnation. It grieved Enos to realize that his relatives were only a heartbeat away from eternal damnation. By Enos's and Irad's generation, some 235 years after the creation of Adam, there could have been between 33 and 180 relatives, many who did not know God. Irad's immoral behavior would be a painful sight to Enos. Enos, would have felt like Jeremiah who said, "I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing , and I could not stay" (Jer. 20:9). He had to preach the gospel! And the first revival in mankind's short history came to pass. For "then began men to call upon the name of Yahweh."

NEW COMMUNICATIONS

It would seem by the names of the children that Enos was effective in his ministry, especially to Irad. Mehujael -!*{(/ means "smitten by God," or "God is combating." Holy Ghost conviction probably struck Irad when he heard Enos's preaching. The birth of a child tends to sober people up as they face a helpless infant so utterly dependent upon the parents. Irad probably caroused around later, but he wouldn't enjoy it as much as he remembered his accountability to God.

Enos's influence stirred up both families into a new relationship and communication. Cain's descendants no longer wanted to be isolated from their great grandfather Adam and Seth's families. While the families lived apart, visitations became more frequent. Some 325 years have now passed and the population is continuing to grow, perhaps as many as 78 to 1,000 people, and many don't know Adam. Sharing of knowledge became more common. Adam's family knew God and would freely share that knowledge to Cain's descendants. Likewise, Cain had an aptitude for crafts and was making things as his son Enoch expanded that work. Enos took time to learn these crafts that Enoch taught him. When his son was born he named him Cainan 01*8 which means "acquisition" or "smith." A new era of intermingling had begun with the two families.

THE REVIVAL'S CREST

This intermingling seemed to have reached an apex in the next generation. It seems that Mehujael had become a believer and named his son Methusael -!*{(/ which means "champion of God," or "man of God." Worship of Yahweh through the promise of the Messiah had moved throughout Cain's family. Likewise, Cainan's son was named Mahalaleel -!--%/ , which means "praise of God." It must have been an exciting time of worship with the Spirit moving freely in a wonderful way for both families. It's 390 years since creation and the population continues to climb up to, perhaps, 195 to 6,000 people.

With this many people both the command of God "to replenish the Earth" (Gen. 1:28) and the desire for privacy would no doubt motivate people to spread out across the land. Families probably separated to form new farming villages sprawling outward from the city of Enoch, much like suburban sprawl near a large city today. Godly influences would in some places diminish as the workers of iniquity would tend to congregate together.

MURMURINGS AND REBELLION

Satan did not sit idly by while men turned there hearts to the Lord. He would work at gathering together the wicked in heart. There are many who will not consider acts of iniquity when surrounded by godly people, yet will be emboldened to do so when encouraged in a group. The proverb says, "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed" (Prov. 13:20). Around 200 years have passed since the First Great Awakening caused by Enos's preaching. Mahalaleel, Seth's descendant, must have seen the general apostasy affecting the world. When his son Jared $9* was born, 460 years after creation, he must have called him that since it means, "descent," as a statement of the general spiritual condition of the Earth.

Perhaps Methusael, Cain's descendant, lost interest in spiritual things, being disappointed with the way of the Lord. Jesus gave a parable that described the different hearts of men in the story of the "Sower and the Seed" (Matt. 13:3-9 & 18-23). Perhaps Methusael was like the stony heart who withered with persecution (Matt. 13:20) or the heart amongst thorns that was choked by the cares of the world (Matt. 13:22). Whatever the reason, he developed a rebellious heart and named his son, Lamech +/- , which means, "over thrower."

It seems that Lamech was encouraged in ungodly principles by his father. Lamech developed an unruly appetite for the lust of the flesh. The population had continued to grow, reaching anywhere from 488 to 38,000 people, which would provide an abundance of women to choose from. The command of God "to be fruitful and multiply" (Gen. 1:28), which was given in the context of one man to one woman (Adam and Eve), was perverted in Lamech's heart. If the iniquity of Cain is murder, and perhaps the iniquity of Irad was rebellion, then the iniquity of Lamech was polygamy. Adah %$3 might have been a woman whose mother loved vanity, for her name means "ornament." Perhaps Adah was a sensuous woman who decorated herself with makeup and jewelry which excited Lamech's lust. But lust is no substance for marriage. Perhaps Lamech became disenchanted with Adah's shallowness and longed for more substance in his relationship. Then perhaps he met Zillah %-7 later who was a more practical woman. Her name means "shadow" or "protection." Maybe her beauty paled next to Adah, but she was a more stable personality. Lamech saw the benefit of her in his life but was unwilling to part with his lusts. So instead of divorcing Adah, he married Zillah, too. He wanted his cake and to eat it too.

LAMECH'S FOLLY

At some time, and for some reason, Lamech slays a young man. These verses follow the listing of his sons, so it may have occurred after their births, but not necessarily so. Perhaps some one was outraged that he should take on two wives. Perhaps Zillah was married and he murdered her husband to marry her. Whatever the reason, Lamech here demonstrates his total misunderstanding of the way of God. In declaring to his wives that he had slain a man which put his life in jeopardy of a revenger of blood (Num. 35:19). He assumes that since God would bring a sevenfold revenge upon anyone attempting to slay Cain, then God would provide him a seventy sevenfold revenge! Lamech is totally blind to the righteousness of.God. Cain knew who God was and of the promised Messiah. He came to a borderline repentance when he realized the error of his folly, but Lamech neither knows God nor has any repentance. The process of evil being called good and the unnatural to be natural is so corrupted in Lamech that he actually believes that he is doing the right thing!