an interesting opposite ........

[cygnusx1]

Everyone surely knows this scripture ;

21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
''Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you seven times but seventy times seven.''' (Matt. 18:22)

Now compare that text with this one :

''Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, hearken to what I say: I have slain a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-seven-fold. '' (Gen. 4:23-4)

Here Lamech is refering to Cain killing his brother Abel:

"It came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, 'Where is Abel your brother?' And he said, 'I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?' And He said, 'What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to Me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you cultivate the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you; you shall be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.' And Cain said to the Lord, 'My punishment is too great to bear! Behold, Thou has driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Thy face I shall be hidden, and I shall be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and it will come about that whoever finds me will kill me.' "So the Lord said to him, 'Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.' And the Lord appointed a sign for Cain, lest anyone finding him should slay him. Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden." Genesis 4:6-16



Thoughts ????

 

[JJB]

Well, Cain certainly exhibits how he feels unjustly treated and always blames somebody else for his unhappiness. Gen 4:9 Cain refuses to accept responsibility for hiw own sin. Even when he left he disobeyed God, because he "settled in the land of Nod."

Genesis 4:23-24

This is Lamech's song to his two wives. He is arrogant and boastful. Lamech boasts of his revengeful spirit. He kills one man for a wound, one boy for an injury and exacts a seventy-sevenfold vengaence. He is a brutal, Godless man.

Cain and Lamech both belong to their father, the devil.

 

[cygnusx1]

Well, Cain certainly exhibits how he feels unjustly treated and always blames somebody else for his unhappiness. Gen 4:9 Cain refuses to accept responsibility for hiw own sin. Even when he left he disobeyed God, because he "settled in the land of Nod."

Genesis 4:23-24

This is Lamech's song to his two wives. He is arrogant and boastful. Lamech boasts of his revengeful spirit. He kills one man for a wound, one boy for an injury and exacts a seventy-sevenfold vengaence. He is a brutal, Godless man.

Cain and Lamech both belong to their father, the devil.

thanks JJB

What is interesting (to me) is it is God who declares revenge /vengence not one fold over Cain but seven fold

"So the Lord said to him, 'Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.' And the Lord appointed a sign for Cain, lest anyone finding him should slay him. Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden." Genesis 4:6-16


From this fact Lamech announces an increase in God's vengence

If Cain is avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy-seven-fold. '' (Gen. 4:23-4)


Which seems to imply anyone who kills Lamech will be avenged far more than even Cain!

And Jesus must have had these scriptures in mind when he spoke about forgiving a brother .......
''Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you seven times but seventy times seven.''' (Matt. 18:22)

what a contrast!!!

 

[JJB]

Doesn't Cain sound like a whiney spoiled child? Eve was so happy when he was born. She probably thought Cain was the promised one of God that would bring healing. He prolly was spoiled -- first-born, loved, awaited for.

God's ways sure are different from our own.

 

[JJB]

Apparently, God was not finished with Cain yet. He had more plans for him. From Cain and Lamech's lines come the artists/craftsppl. God used them, I think, to build the "great civilizations of antiquity" -- Egypt, Babylon, etc, etc.

Another thing I was pondering about Cain: Adam and Eve probably thought Cain was the one that God promised would come to make amends for what happened in the garden in Eden. Like typical humans, we're thinking God's going to "fix" things right away for us. Can you imagine their disappointment in Cain and what a lesson that would be to learn God's timing?