Friends,
This post is part #3 in the series "Sons of God and daughters of men", if you haven't read part #1 & part #2, please read them before reading this.
In part #2, we have seen who are the sons/children of God, now:
Children of men.
Many have not grasped the contrast between two kinds of people presented in Genesis chapter 4. As we have seen, the children of Seth were the sons of God, as they worshipped God (Gen 4:26). Contrasted and parallel to them was another generation, the children of Cain, growing up as children of men or NOT as children of God. To start with, the Bible describes Cain as belonging to the wicked one:
1Jn 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.(See also: Mat 13:38; Eph 6:16; 1Jn 2:13, 14; 1Jn 3:12; 1Jn 5:18)
Many do not read Genesis chapter 4 beyond Cain’s killing of Abel and even those who read miss the power of the words therein. While we read about Lamech, the 7th man from Adam, we fail to see that it is talking about polygamy while we concentrate more on the identity of the person(s) whom he killed.
Gen 4:19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.Again, while we read about his son Tubalcain, we fail to go beyond the translations and find out that he was a metalsmith, sharpening weapons.
Gen 4:22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer[H3913] of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.The Hebrew word used here is translated as whetting and sharpening in other passages where it is used. Other translations render it as forger or a hammerer. One may argue that Cain’s people were farmers (Gen 4:2) and hence it is reasonable that Tubalcain was a blacksmith, but a blacksmith also can sharpen weapons. What follows this passage is the murder of someone by Lamech.
Gen 4:23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.So, one of the sons makes weapons, and the father kills someone! And another son is into making musical instruments:
Gen 4:21 And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.What is wrong with harp and organ, right? In the Bible these instruments are used either for worshiping a deity or for merrymaking. Since they were not into worshiping the LORD, it is obvious that they were into worshiping strange gods or into merrymaking. Job speaks about the wicked using these instruments in merrymaking.
Job 21:7 Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power? …
Job 21:12 They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.We can sum up the activities of the children of Cain as:
- Polygamy
- Murder or waging of wars.
- Merrymaking or worshiping strange gods.
Rom 9:8 That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
Please note that Apostle Paul mentions “the seed” which refers back to Gen 3:15.
Sons of God & Daughters of men
One may ask: What is the big deal in the sons of God marrying daughters of men, if the former are just human beings? In the first place, let us consider the scripture once again.
Gen 6:2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they tookH3947 them wivesH802 of allH3605 which they chose.There are dozens of scriptures regarding men taking wives for themselves, but there are none that says someone took wives of ALL which he/they chose. Dear in Christ, the difference here is that “the sons of God” engaged in polygamous relations. This is the same offense as we have seen in the case of Lamech (Gen 4:19).
Murders in Genesis 4 to Wickedness in Genesis 6
Many teach that the Biblical flood was brought about to eliminate the Nephilim, but does the Bible say so? The Bible unambiguously tells us that the flood was brought about because of the wickedness of men.
Gen 6:5 The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Gen 6:6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.
Gen 6:7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.Nowhere in these scriptures is it said that the flood was brought about to annihilate Nephilim.
Children of God and Marriage
The Old Testament inhibits children of God from marrying followers of other gods or idol worshippers. It is not that no one made such marriages, but most of those who married so had to face dire consequences, as did Solomon.
Moses warns the children of Israel (children of God) against making marriages with servants of other gods:
Deu 7:1-4 When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou; (3) Neither shalt thou make marriages with them; thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son, nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son. (4) For they will turn away thy son from following me, that they may serve other gods: so will the anger of the LORD be kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly.
Prophet Ezra was aghast while it was reported that the children of Israel made marriages with surrounding nations (Read Ezra chapter 9). He rent his clothes and plucked off hair from his head and his beard and sat down astonished. Then he said:
Ezr 9:6 … O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.The phrase “our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens” implies the grievousness of their offense in making marriages outside Israel. He goes on to narrate the commandment that God gave through Moses and tells them:
Ezr 9:14 Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?
Ezr 9:15 O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.Intermarriage with outsiders was abominable and it could enrage the LORD against his children who are engaged in such acts. Both Moses and Ezra hint that the LORD would destroy those who engage in intermarriage. This is what happened in Genesis 6.
Conclusion
- Children of men are contrasted with children of God.
- Children of men are those who do not follow God, they are into evil ways, idolatry, warfare and so on.
- Sons of God marrying daughters of men implies being unequally yoked with unbelievers.
In Christ,
Tomsan Kattackal
No comments:
Post a Comment