Genesis 4-6. How does sin destroy life?
Family in a Fallen World
1. Sin Spreads Tragically from Adam to His Family
Genesis 4:1-14. Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”
8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?” 10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. 11 And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—
2. God’s Chosen Line passes from Adam and Eve to Noah and His Sons
Genesis 5:1-2, 32. This is the book of the generations of Adam. When God created man (Adam), he made him in the likeness of God. 2 Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man (Adam) when they were created.
32 After Noah was 500 years old, Noah fathered Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
3. God’s Chosen Family of Noah is separate from Corrupted Families of Earth
Genesis 6:1-8. When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown. 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. 6 And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
Q1. What are the effects of sin?
Self: (Read 1 Peter 2:11, John 8:34). How does sin and its spiritual death affect you and your soul?
Family: (Read James 4:1-4). How does sin affect a family (like Adam’s family)?
World: (Read 1 John 2:15-17). How does sin affect the world we live in?
Q2. Why does choose men and families to do His will? (Read Genesis 18:17-19) Q3. Why did Noah and His family escape the judgment of God while the rest of the world was judged and destroyed?
How does the sin of people affect the Lord God and his heart?
Why is the Lord God so grieved over sin?
What does it mean to find “favor” in the eyes of the Lord? (v.8).
QA. Why are people of the flesh—trusting in their Self-Rule apart from God—so vulnerable to sin and its corruption?
As members of Adam’s chosen line, let us not think that we are immune to sin’s destruction. For, the Bible says that the “wages of sin is death” in Romans 6:23.
❒ Will you let sin burn unchecked in your flesh, ignoring the death it brings to your spiritual well-being, your relationships, and your very life in this world?
❒ Or, will you choose to walk with God in his right and blameless way, just as our forefather Noah walked with God? And, like Noah, will you await the Promised Son, the Mashiach, who frees us of our sins?