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I have been spending a lot of time lately in Genesis chapters 1-11. Over the course of the past 6 or so months I have spent countless hours reading, praying, researching and thinking about these chapters. I wanted desperately to understand these foundational truths on a deeper level. Much of what I learned illuminated the progression of sin in the human race. When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden it was without question sin, but it was not calculated or masterful; the craft of lying was rudimentary.
9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
Genesis 3:9-11 NIV
This sounds like the response my children would have done when they were small and knew they were about to get in trouble, with no mention of the serpent, the fruit, or Eve just this bumbling statement about being afraid and hiding. But wow how things change in a generation when Cain and Abel enter the picture and then skip a smidge further to when God rejects Cain AND his offering. I capitalized the word “and” for a reason, if you are wondering what I’m talking about when I say God rejected Cain AND his offering jump back into scripture in Genesis chapter 4, it is worth your time.
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
Genesis 4:6-7 NIV
Verse 7 is a hard-hitting verse, sin is described as an animal, a predator, perhaps even an apex predator. Sin is not a cute cuddly pet, sin is a predator that desires to consume. Cain is angry, and God is sending him a stern warning of sins plan for his life. Unfortunately in Verse 8, Cain feeds his anger and slays his brother but the clenching grasp of sin on Cain doesn’t end with the senseless murder of his innocent brother.
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Genesis 4:9 NIV
Cain does not repent, he tosses back sarcasm at God possibly before his brother’s body is even cold. Just a generation and sin has taken a stronghold in the heart of Cain.
Skip ahead and we meet Bad Lamech, probably more appropriately described as Lamech in Cain line (because there is one in the good line too), but I prefer Bad Lamech and well he lives up to his nickname. Lamech is the first polygamist, so we know his heart is in rebellion against God just from the taking of two wives, God was very clear on the union of one man and one woman in Genesis chapter 2. But Lamech takes two wives, then he performs a musical number for his two wives in Genesis 4;23-24 where he not only brags about killing a man, but he also brags about imposing unreasonable consequences and his protection. Lamech is playing God.
23 Lamech said to his wives,
“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.
24 If Cain is avenged seven times,
then Lamech seventy-seven times.”
Genesis 4:23-24 NIV
What a what Lamech has become, bragging and terrorizing his wives. Look at how sin has grown in just a few generations. Look at how sophisticated and brazen it has become. If sin was a cute little lion cub in the Garden of Eden, it is now a full-grown and hungry lion looking for its next meal. Then comes the Flood, oh I could spend at least an hour maybe 2 going through this section of scripture line by line and I want to, but I’ll save it for another day. Noah and his immediate family are spared from God’s wrath, but Noah knows that sin still lurks in his heart, and the first thing Noah does when leaving the Arc is to offer a sin offering.
20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.
Genesis 8:20 NIV
The Flood was a temporary solution to a problem in our hearts and unfortunately, sin is always lurking. Noah knew it and so do we. It didn’t take long until the sin of the father became the sin of the son as Ham sinned against Noah and Noah uttered a prophetic word cursing Canaan (Ham’s son). And sin would continue to flow and grow through the line of Canaan and in the hearts on minds of the inhabitants of the Earth. It sounds like a dark place to end but for those of us who put our faith in Jesus there is hope, there is salvation, and redemption through him, and the end of the story has been written.
21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth, ”for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.
Revelation 21: 1-7 NIV
Through the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior on the Cross we are redeemed! We are called the children of God and His words in scripture are true and enduring. Although we are all afflicted with the condition of sin, forgiveness is ours in Jesus.
We have 60 new baby chicks at our home, and one of the responsibilities of my children are to check each chick to make sure they do not get a condition called “pasty butt” sorry non-farm folks hang in there I have a point I promise. Pasty butt is a condition where poop gets stuck on their vent and if it’s not cleaned off they will die of an internal obstruction. Something small turns into something much bigger if left unchecked. My children will intensely stare and monitor these chicks for the first sign of something wrong and then sound the fateful alert, “mom!!!!!!” Sin is similar, if left untreated something small develops into a dangerous condition. But there is hope! We must be vigilant, calling on the help of the Holy Spirit so we can root sin out of our lives. And when we find it, let us sound the fateful alert “JESUS!”.
Lord search our hearts, find those corners where sin hides, and shine your light on it. Let us recognize sin for what it is, call it by name, repent, and banish it from our lives. Plant scripture in our hearts so that it might bloom and bring you glory. Forgive us our sins Lord, and when we fall short of your glory make us quick to repent and seek your grace. For you are good, your mercy reigns and your love endures. Amen