The second thing revealed to Israel early in Genesis: evil's power. Evil ruptured the relationship God wanted between Himself and humans [who were created in His own image and likeness]. Evil made the consequences for human choices necessary. Evil made the perversion of God's "very good" physical creation necessary. Evil so influenced human choices that people become completely evil, totally alienated from God, and devoted to evil.
The writer's conclusion: the Genesis' information from Eve's temptation to God's interaction with Abraham had a primary purpose. That primary purpose was to introduce early Israel to the powerful influence of evil's deception. Certainly there are other purposes in the relatively brief section of 3:1-11:25 that include the origin of the person who became the father of Israel. However, it seems this section presents and affirms (a) the continuing human rejection of God's sovereignty, (b) the powerful influence of evil's deceptiveness, and (c) humanity's susceptibility to evil's deception. People continued to be susceptible to evil's deception in spite of the fact that God initiated a renewal, a new beginning.
God's sovereignty could not be reestablished over people created in His image and likeness by imposing consequences on those who fell to temptation or by physically destroying those who were evil. When people chose between God's benevolent sovereignty and evil's deception, they consistently chose evil's deception.
Evil's effectiveness in deceiving people is seen in two incidents. The first is the interaction of two brothers, Cain and Abel (Genesis 4). Significant facts: (1) each son came from the same parents. (2) Both parents knew the quality of human existence when evil was not a part of that existence. (3) Both parents experienced relationship and communication with God when evil was absence. (4) Both parents experienced evil's consequences in the most striking contrast possible. The contrast was this: a world in which evil was not involved in human existence compared to a world in which evil is a part of human existence. (5) Cain and Abel's parents clearly understood the consequences of evil's deception, more so than any person who has lived [with the exception of Jesus].
Adam and Eve knew the destructive influence of evil's deception. There is no indication that they hid this understanding from their children. Yet, their knowledge, understanding, and past experiences had little impact on their son, Cain. Cain was not influenced by his parents' knowledge and understanding.
In spite of Adam and Eve's knowledge and experience, in spite of the lessons Adam and Eve learned about the consequences of evil, Cain killed Abel. Information given about Cain's murderous act does not place its responsibility on the weakness and failure of Cain's parents. Responsibility for the murder is placed on Cain's self-centered arrogance. Before and after the murder, Cain is more concerned about himself than his motives or act. Cain rejected God's sovereignty because Cain was convinced it was in his best interest to do so. Cain was willing to give God sacrifices honoring God's sovereignty only if God served Cain's self-seeking role and purposes. In his thinking, God existed for Cain's purposes instead of Cain existing for God's purposes.
Cain was so focused on only his perspective that seemingly nothing else entered in his thinking. He was the oldest brother. Blessings, benefits, and prestige should be his. God's statements to Cain regarding Cain's sacrifice are significant. (1) "If you do well, you will be accepted " (4:7). (2) "If you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door" (4:7). Note sin was not "inside" but at the "door" wanting to come "inside." (3) "Sin desires you, but you must not let sin possess you" (4:7). The choice still remained Cain's.
Cain's reactions were also significant. (1) He was very angry at God and depressed by God's reaction to his sacrifice (4:5). (2) Cain could not vent his anger on God by hurting God, so he shifted his anger to Abel and killed his brother (4:8). (3) When God asked Cain about his brother, Cain had no remorse, no repentance, and accepted no responsibility. (4) When God questioned Cain about his act, Cain was only concerned about himself (4:10-15). In the entire incident, note how "me" centered Cain was. Evil so thoroughly deceived him that it totally possessed him.
In Cain's murderous act, Israel was introduced to a new human attitude. Cain's act of murder plunged human rejection of God's sovereignty to a new low. People could not murder God, but people could murder other people, people made in God's image and likeness. Evil people can so despise God that they want nothing to do with Him or the people who honor Him. Cain deliberately tried to separate himself "from the presence of the Lord" (Genesis 4:16).
People can and do vent their anger for God on people. As people increasingly reject God's rightful sovereignty in their lives, they increasingly view others in contempt. When God means nothing to a person, those made in God's image and likeness mean nothing to him or her.
Note the significance of Cain's conscious desire to exist away "from the presence of the Lord."
Seth was born to Cain's parents. As a person, Seth was in complete contrast to Cain. Cain tried to remove himself from God's presence. Seth was the origin of people who "began to call upon the name of the Lord" (Genesis 4:26).
Note the beginning of people who "began to call upon the name of the Lord." At this time in history there are those who wanted nothing to do with God and those who wanted dependence on God.
The second incident centers on the descendants of Cain and of Seth. Through these two men from the same parents, we are introduced to (a) the beginning of a people who wanted nothing to do with God and (b) the beginning of a people who honored God.
What happened when those who "called upon the name of the Lord" became intimately involved with those who wanted nothing to do with God?
At some point those who sought to honor God married those who had no concern for God. A disturbing parallel exists. Eve fell to evil's deception and influenced Adam to join her rebellion against God's sovereignty. In similar manner, the merging of these two groups is depicted as "the sons of God" marrying the "daughters of men." [Jesus said angels are sexless and marriage does not exist in the celestial realm (Matthew 22:30; Mark 12:25; Luke 20:34-36). Genesis 6:3 indicates those born of these marriages were human. In this lesson, the sons of God marrying the daughters of men is understood to be marriage between peoples who had a different focus in life, not marriage between angels and humans.]
The writer of this lesson regards the intermarriage of these two groups as marriage between people who honor God and people who despise God.
The sons of God took wives from the daughters of men because they regarded those women as beautiful. This group practiced indiscriminate marriage. Their search for wives used the criteria of physical desire. Evidently they did not seek women who shared their focus on God. Again, evil became the dominant influence.
When those who honor God regard physical criteria/desires to be of greater importance than the godliness produced by honoring God, they guarantee (a) the decline of their spiritual commitment and (b) the increase of their susceptibility to evil's deceptiveness.
Evil was the dominant influence when Eve was tempted. Evil was the dominant influence when Cain killed Abel. Evil was the dominant influence when the sons of God married the daughters of men. How dominant was evil's influence? The moment came early in human history when God saw that human wickedness on the earth was great. When was that? It occurred when God noted that every intent of humanity's thoughts in their hearts was only evil continually (Genesis 6:5).
When people trust the physical to fulfill their security concerns and to provide gratification more than they trust God's rightful place in their lives, they increasingly turn to evil. Deception becomes simple to accomplish. Temptation becomes successful. Perhaps the greatest deception of all is that evil and God can control the same life (see Matthew 5:24). In our lives, the objectives of evil and the objectives of God are incompatibly hostile toward each other (see Galatians 5:16-24).
God is sovereign by creative act. Evil is pseudo-sovereign by the choice of human failure.
Also notice God's response to human evil progressively escalated. With Adam and Eve, the response was (1) pain, (2) an increase in pregnancies, (3) struggles in caring for physical survival needs, and (4) a forfeiture of an ideal living situation. With Cain, God's response was condemnation to the life of a vagrant wander who carried an indelible mark. With the evil people of Noah's day, God's response was a "blotting out" of people.
Each reaction of God to evil in human existence was an attempt (a) to limit evil's influence and (b) to call people back to an appreciation of God's position in human existence.
God was so grieved, so distressed by people's wickedness that He wished He had not created humans. The incredible potential for good God placed in humanity did not dominate people's hearts, minds, and actions. When given a choice between honoring the God who created them or being destructively deceived by evil, people consistently chose destructive deception. Evil's deceptions captured humanity and placed them in a downward spiral, and PEOPLE DID NOT REALIZE WHAT EVIL WAS DOING.
Note this fact: human choices emotionally impact God. God is not presented as an unfeeling, indifferent, remote [cold, disinterested] being. From the beginning God loved. Rejection has a greater, more significant impact on God than it has on people. The reason: rejection of God involves a form of injustice that exceeds any human experience.
God's response to the situation of total human evil was a progressive response. (1) God could not continue in relationship with people who dishonored Him and rejected His sovereignty (Genesis 6:3). (2) God set a time frame for human repentance (Genesis 6:3). When human wickedness continued to control people's emotions, thoughts, and intents, (3) God was sorry that He created people (Genesis 6:6). That resulted in His grieving. (4) God planned the destruction of humanity (Genesis 6:7).
The early Genesis information laid a foundation for this understanding: the only means available to God for successfully reversing the rejection of His sovereignty is redemption. Genesis 12 and 17 laid a foundation for God's redemption. The rest of the Bible relates in various ways to the unfolding revelation of God's redemption.
One person found favor with God. One person was a man of integrity. One person would listen to and respond to God (Genesis 6:8,9). With that one person, Noah, God began again. That seems to us a "wise and practical" approach. Destroy all the evil people. Make a covenant with the man of integrity who listened to God (Genesis 9:9-17). Begin again with the one person who would listen to God and obey. Surely the result would be a humanity with integrity.
The fact that Noah found favor with God made it possible for God to "begin again." Do not forget that people retained the power of choice and independence as a part of being made in God's image and likeness.
However, that was not the result. The man who listen to God got drunk (Genesis 9:20-27). His drunkenness compromised his integrity and created opportunity for evil. When a significant population existed again, people arrogantly rivaled God and challenged His sovereignty (Genesis 11:4). Beginning again by physically destroying evil people was not the answer. God's sovereignty was not reestablished by imposing physical consequences.
"Beginning again" with Noah did not reestablish God's sovereignty. Humanity moved toward arrogant independence rather than honoring and relying on God.
Thought question: Why are people so susceptible to evil's deception?
There is no single answer for this question. Responses should be as individual as the persons who made them. Responses could include:
materialism and greed
the search for material security
desires for pleasurable gratification
peer pressures exerted by people and society
classifying the physical as real and the spiritual as hypothetical
godless attitudes and emotions
godless values
disregard of consequences
living for the moment
a desire for advantage
a rejection of God's sovereignty
the dehumanization of people
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 3