Last time in Bible Understanding, God sends Cain out from His presence to become a "restless wanderer on the earth" and Cain is concerned for his life saying "whoever finds me will kill me". God says "Not so, if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over". Cain's suggestion that he would be killed as a wanderer infers that others perhaps populated the earth...this is not the focus of the story, the focus is man against man, man against God and ultimately, mans rejection of God as Sovereign and his banishment from Fatherly protection and creature comforts as punishment for sin. God allows life to continue for Cain and then puts a mark on him so that "no one who found him would kill him". Cain then leaves the Lords presence to live in the land of Nod, East of Eden. The story is accelerated, telling us "Cain lay with his wife and she became pregnant" and Cains lineage is described. Generationally speaking, Cain breeds children of contemptible nature, with a great great grandchild proclaiming proudly "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." The selfish indulgence of revenge for injury by killing another is utter rejection of God as Creator, Judge and Jury. Cain's legacy is arrogance and violence, a frightening self justifying lot of blood thirsty people. Next time in Bible Understanding, Adam and Eve have another son in place of Abel, and he is named Seth.
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