The Development of Human Culture

Living Apart from the Lord

After Cain killed his brother, Abel, he refused to repent despite the fact that the Lord gave him the opportunity to do so. Cain was only concerned that others might kill him. When he had finished talking with the Lord, Cain left His presence and began to live a life completely apart from the Lord.

Building a City

Cain no longer had the Lord as his enjoyment, and he must have felt that emptiness within him. He went off to live in the land of Nod (which means "wandering"), to the east of Eden, and eventually built a city there. In that city, named Enoch after his first son, Cain and his descendants created a godless culture.

A Culture Without God

One of his descendants, named Lamech, boasted to his two wives that he had killed someone. The fact that he had two wives shows that he lived according to his lust, whilst his boasting shows what an arrogant and violent person he was. Lamech had three sons who established the three main elements of culture. One took care of farming to make a living. The second son made instruments of brass and iron for warfare. The third son made musical instruments for amusement. With these three elements in their lives they felt no need for God.

Calling on the Lord

Meanwhile, the Lord gave Adam and Eve another son, Seth, who took Abel's place. Seth had a son whom he named Enosh, which means "frail". It was during Enosh's lifetime that men began to call on the name of Jehovah. Abel had discovered the way to come to God and to be accepted by Him. Now men began to discover that they could enjoy the Lord by calling on His name.

Walking With God

Enosh's grandson, Enoch, began to walk with God. God showed Enoch that He was going to judge the sinful world that had developed. Enoch believed God and prophecied that God's judgement was coming. When Enoch had a son, he called him Methuselah, which means "when he dies, it shall come". Enoch continued to walk with God for a further three hundred years, after which time God took him to be with Himself.

The Line of Life

The biographies of the people in chapter 4 of Genesis, show that there were two lines developing. One line consisted of people who were seeking God and enjoying Him. This line began with Abel, who discovered how to come to God and be accepted by Him. This developed further in the time of Enosh, when men began to call on the name of Jehovah, and further still with Enoch, who walked with God.

The Line of Knowledge

The other line started when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and began to live by the knowledge of good and evil. Cain fell even further when he lived in his feelings, was captured by sin and left God's presence. This can be considered the second step of man's fall. The third step was that the majority of the people in that age began to live in the lusts of their flesh. At that time, there was no government to restrict people, and society became wild almost without limit.

Mankind Becoming Flesh

By the end of that time some of the fallen angels took human wives. The children that were born to them were the giants the Bible talks about. Man had become flesh, acting just like animals, ignoring their spirit and their soul. Every imagination of men's hearts was evil and the earth was filled with violence. It was so horrible that God was sorry that he ever made man. God had to do something so that mankind could be preserved for His purpose.