Last 5 Days
Another Offspring – A New Hope
17 Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad fathered Mehujael, and Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19 And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. 20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22 Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
23 Lamech said to his wives:
“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. 24 If Cain's revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech's is seventy-sevenfold.”
25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.” 26 To Seth also a son was born, and he called his name Enosh. At that time people began to call upon the name of the Lord.
Although God spared Cain's life, neither he nor his descendants had learned a lesson from it. Instead, they took God’s kindness as weakness. His descendant, Lamech, could declare that if anyone wanted to take revenge for the evil he did would suffer seventy-sevenfold. We saw no hope for the descendants of Cain, for sins would perpetuate.
Then the Scripture continued to describe how Eve conceived again. She called him Seth as she saw him as a replacement for Abel. When Eve first gave Abel his name, she thought he was unimportant; his name means vanity. This time she saw Seth as a replacement for Abel, which meant that she saw the importance of Abel. She would bring up Seth like Abel, who feared God. Then the Bible said that Seth had a son, and the people began to call upon the name of the LORD. It meant that the people returned to God after Seth reached maturity and had a son.
In our lives, we sometimes may make terrible mistakes. Once a mistake is made, you cannot undo it. We have to face its consequence. Crying over it will not help. What we can do is repent. God is merciful, and He will forgive us. In Adam and Eve’s case, God restored them by giving them another son. This time, Adam and Eve learnt from their mistakes and brought up Seth rightly in the Lord. So, next time we make a mistake, let us learn from it so we will no longer commit the same error.
May God bless all of you.
