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THE KING’S BUSINESS
17 (to the Jew first, but gradually un folding to the Gentile.—Rom. 13:1 (3) We are now to follow the course of this lawless dispensation to its catastrophy. Its lessons are for all ages; it is typi cal of all, especially of the present, whose course is “as it was in the days before the Flood”; and whose end shall he “as the days of Noah were (Matt. 24:38, 37).” Youthful irreverence, disobedience and im punity; syndicalism, lawless dynamiting; official connivance and community with crime; the laws delay; judicial corrup tion; recognition of lynch law; abolish ment of capital punishment; commercial tyrrany; get-rich-quickery, which means with all the rest the disregard of the rights of others; and, above all dis counting the sanctions, and discrediting the authority of the Word of God, all this marking our age is surely and swift ly preparing the way of “the lawless one” (2 Thess. 2:3) and the catastrophy of 2 Pet. 3:6, 7. 2. The two lines. Out of the lost mass grace has rescued its chosen. From the first two lines, the godless and the godly, “the children of this age and the children of light" (Luke 16:8), have lived side by side. Cain and Able exemplify the two, but Abel’s line is followed on through Seth who, as his name implies, takes his place. Of the two the typical qualities, pursuits, and destinies are set forth and contrasted with miraculous brevity, pregnancy, and vividness in Chpp. 4 and 5. A. The Cainites. 1. Wanderers; their abode “the land of Nod” (“wandering”), they are astray, without guide, compass, or final ob jective. (Gen. 4:14, 16; Rom. 3:11, 12). 2. “Civilizers.” (1) “Built a city,” 4:17 (Contrast Heb. 11:9, 10); (2) Set his name in the earth, 4:17 (compare Psa. 49:11), (3) Bred cattle, which stood for money, being the currency and wealth of the early ages; (the word tor sheep was the word ¡money, and is so translated); (4) were artists and arti sans, 4:21-23— (a. Musical instruments; b. poetry—“the Song of Lamech” (A. R. V.); c. decorative art, “Adah” means “or nament,” and the name implies the thing; d. mechanical contrivances, 4:21. 22 . «. Amorous, 4:22, 23 (the names Adah, Zillah, Naamah, are all suggestive of the tender feeling and, in the connection, of the carnal mind. 3. Lawless, 4:23. 4. Boastful, 4:24. 5. Polygamus, 4:23.
7. Transciency. Few children; but two grandsons, and six generations are attributed to Cain. B. THE SETHITES. 1. Perpetuity. Seth equals “compen sation, or sprout,” He is ‘in a figure,” Abel risen from the dead. For “there is hope” of such a tree “that It will sprout again,” Gen. 5:3. 2. They worshipped Jehovah, 4:26 (or “began to be called by the name of Je hovah,” see, also, Acts 11:26). 3. They were prolific, 5:47, etc. 4. They we reiong-lived, 5:4-8-11, etc. 5. Ten generations run through to the Flood and beyond, 5:1-32. 6. They offered blood, 4:4. 7. They had faith, Heb. 11:4-6. 8. They pleased, God, Heb. 11:6. 9. They walked with God, Gen. 5:22. 10. They hoped in God, 5:22. 11. They had a martyr, 4:8. 12. They preached, 2 Pet. 2:5. 13. They prophesied, Jude 14. 14. One was translated, Gen. 5:22. Do you think this is fanciful? But you must admit it is fact No doubt the Cainites were prolific, long-lived, and “religious,” but the record says nothing of all that. No doubt the Sethites built cities, kept cattle, used musical instru ments and, therefore, composed songs; and they, doubtless, used mechanisms, but the record says nothing of all this. Why this contrast? We have shown; those who reject our explanation may. account tor it if they can. Those who re ceive it will say— “This Is the finger of God.” The phrase “and he died,” so fre quent in chp. 5, is the emphasis on Gen. 2:17; Rom. 5:12-14. Tlhat it is used only of the Sethites makes the emphasis the stronger. The Cainites were dead al ready, as their works show. II. THE FLOOD. 1. Confirmations. (1) Scripture: Ps 29:10; R. V.; Isa. 54:9; Ezek. 14-14- Matt. 24:37; Luke, 17:26, 27; Heb. 11:7; 1 Pet. 3:20; 2 Pet. 2:5; (2) tradition: among all primitive peoples; archeology, Chaldean tablets; geology, physical 'evi dences of many sorts, all confirm the fact of the Flood by general agreement. As an eminent authority put it, “no com petent scientist dare again shrug his shoulders when asked about the Flood.” 2. Its moral cause. (1) Wickedness (read with care Gen. 6:5). (2) Marriage with unbelievers. “Sons, (or children) of God” is a common Scripture for the fol lowers of the Lord. “Daughters of men (Adam) applies to ungodly women (see 2 Cor. 3:3, “are ye not carnal, and walk
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