Chapter 4:1. Eve evidently believed that Cain was the promised seed.
This chapter sets before us the difference between natural and revealed religion. Cain, an honest laborer according to the terms of the curse, yet fails to recognize the barrier that sin has interposed between himself and God in placing him outside, instead of inside the gates of Paradise, and supposing all is right he brings the very fruit of the sweat of his brow, results of the curse, as an offering to God. Abel, on the other hand, recognizes he is unable to draw near to God save as sheltered by the death of another, hence through his gifts he was accounted righteous, and by them he being dead yet speaketh. Cain then kills Abel, and God asks “What hast thou done?” In 3:9 it was “Where art thou?” a question of state, or sin the root, here “What hast thou done?” a question of actions or sins the fruit. Thus in these chapters are already prefigured Israel’s two great sins,— breaking God’s law, and murdering Christ. The devil is a liar in Chapter 3, and a murderer in Chapter 4 By these two sins both tables of the law were broken in principle, before they were given; the sin in Chapter 3 being a denial of love to God, and that in Chapter 4 a denial of love to one’s neighbor, on which two hangs the whole duty of man.
4:17. Compare Psalms 49:1111Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names. (Psalm 49:11). We here see, that, though now under a double curse, Cain sets himself to make himself comfortable and happy (even inaugurating the arts and sciences) apart from God, while in Lamech we find a further violation of God’s commands as to marriage. His words in verse 23 doubtless foreshadow the fact that, though guilty Israel (Cain) has slain Christ (Abel), their descendants (Lamech) will be watched and specially preserved by God.
5. We find a great contrast here to Cain’s descendants. Of these we read nothing but that they lived and died. Observe the order of the passing away from the earth. First Abel was murdered, then came Adam’s death, and then Enoch was taken to heaven without dying before Seth died.
Enoch walked with God, but Noah did also. This “walking” with God is as necessary for a preacher of righteousness as for an Enoch.
6. Here we get the judgment of God on His defiled creation, with the mercy of God towards Noah and his house. We may notice in passing that verses 3 and 7 are not addressed to Noah, and in verses 13, 14 which are, God declares that the end of all flesh is come before Him. There is therefore no Scripture to show that the ark took any long time in building; but on the contrary, inasmuch as Noah’s eldest son was only born 100 years before the deluge, and his youngest son was married before even the ark was commanded to be built (ver. 18) it could only have been a short time being prepared. Besides Lamech lived to within 5 years, and Methusaleh till the very year of the flood.
6:8. Though Noah was righteous, he was saved because he found grace.
6:19. Noah was just in his acts, perfect in his ways and, Godly in his walk. So we get in Titus 2:1212Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; (Titus 2:12) which also gives the three aspects of a Christian’s walk,—righteously—soberly—godly.
6:10. Japheth was the eldest, 10:21. Shem was not born till Noah was 502, 11:10.
6:12. Compare 1 Corinthians 3:1717If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. (1 Corinthians 3:17), “all flesh had corrupted his (or its) way,” God says, “I will destroy (lit. corrupt) them.” “If any man destroy (or corrupt) the temple of God, him will God destroy” (corrupt.)
23, “With him” the ground of their security, also 8:16, 17,; 9:8.
7:21. “The end of all flesh,” everything being put out of God’s sight, either by being destroyed, or hidden in the ark (Christ).
8:11. The olive continues green under water. It grows in the Red Sea.
8:21. The same reason given here for not cursing, as previously for cursing, “Why should they be stricken anymore?” showing that man was not improved or regenerated by the judgment of God, but was as bad after it as before. The division of chapter 8 and 9 here mars the connection of the passage. Ver. 21 and 22 are only the negative side of what flows from the burnt offering, that is, what is according to the measure of my need. What follows in Chapter 9 is the positive side of the blessing, and equally flows from the smell of the burnt offering (the perfection of Christ to God). Christians are often thus satisfied with the one half of their blessings.
8:4. This was the very day that Christ rose from the dead, for the seventh month was changed to the first month (Exodus 12) and the 17th day was the 3rd day after the passover on the 14th.
In ver. 11 we have peace, ver. 18 liberty, ver. 20 worship, Chapter 9:1 fruitfulness.