Ryan: I found Genesis 4:20-22 interesting in that the Bible defines each family by their trade. Jabal was the father of the shepherds, Jubal was the father of the musicians, and their half-brother, Tubal-Cain was a metalsmith. It’s clear that the first social system was very much a socialist, barter & trade system. It also shows that people quickly found ways to do things for a living other than working the soil (i.e. Adam was still alive at this point, and likely still farming). One more thing to note: the first sister mentioned by name in the Bible is Naamah (v. 22).
Samantha: We frequently read instructions on the dangers of sin from Paul, Peter, the prophets and other writers. What I love about Genesis 4:2-7 is that we’re hearing it directly from the Lord himself: “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 master it.” Despite personal coaching from God, Cain gives in to sin and is consequently banished from the Lord’s presence. Generations later, Cain’s great-great grandson Lamech also commits murder and in his confession he states how much worse he is than Cain: “If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times” (v.24). An interesting connection–remember in the New Testament when Jesus was asked how many times we should forgive our brother, and his answer was “seventy seven times”? He wasn’t just saying we should forgive a whole lot, Jesus was actually referring back to this Old Testament verse about Lamech, saying we “should be as eager to forgive as Lamech was to take vengance” (Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus).
