Hints of the Messiah in the Line of Cain

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TruthInLove
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Hints of the Messiah in the Line of Cain

Post by TruthInLove » Thu Feb 22, 2018 7:58 am

Many of the forum's readers have expressed a belief in the symbolism employed in Genesis in relationship to whether it should be taken literally or not.

Though, it's not my intent to argue in this thread as to how literal Genesis should or should not be taken, I would like to piggyback on this trend and discuss something that strikes me as very prophetic about the line of Cain. Again, I'm not bringing up these observations as an argument for the symbolic reading of the early chapters of Genesis. Even if the characters and events are literal and factual, these observations seem highly relevant to me from the stand-point of prophecy, typology and divine sovereignty of human history.

For starters, in Seth's line, we are introduced to Enoch. He was a man whose name literally means 'dedicated' (H2585) and is very similar to the words for 'man' (H583/H582) and 'desperately wicked' (H605). His walk with God was so close that God took him away (presumably without suffering a natural death (Genesis 5:24)). Suspiciously, he was the 7th from Adam (Jude 1:14). It's not hard to see why many have come to see Enoch as an allusion to the Messiah, the last representative man (1 Corinthians 15:45). Further, at the time Seth had his son Enosh (H583), people began to call on the Lord (Genesis 4:26) just as Christ has enabled his disciples (Ephesians 2:18; 3:12). But the significance doesn't end there.

Parallel to Seth's line is Cain's. Cain also had a son named Enoch (H2585). In fact, he was building a city named after him (Genesis 4:17). Here we have a city being built strongly associated with 'man'. (cf. with the New Jerusalem (Revelation 3:12; 21:2; Galatians 4:26; Hebrews 12:22-24) and the spiritual temple (2 Corinthians 6:16; 1 Peter 2:5; Ephesians 2:19-20). As in the case of Enoch from Seth's line, it's obvious that the number 7 plays an important role with the Enoch of Cain's line as well. Cain's hypothetical murder would be avenged 7 times over (Genesis 4:15).

It's also interesting that, like Enoch of Seth's line, the Lamech of Cain's line was 7th from Adam. This Lamech draws parallels between himself and Cain by announcing to his wives that he (or at least someone who shared his name) would be avenged 70 times 7 (Genesis 4:24). This expression occurs 2 other places in scripture, both times in connection with the advent of the Messiah. Daniel's 70 weeks (Daniel 9:24) and Jesus' announcement of the ultimate example of forgiveness (Matthew 18:22).

Everyone here I'm sure knows quite well the Messianic significance of the number 7 so I don't need to expound on that. However, the Messianic hints in Cain's line don't end with the number 7. What I find even more impressive about Cain's line is where it ends. The last generation to be recorded through the line of Cain is the 8th - the children of Lamech. 8, although not quite as prevelant as 7 in scripture, is still very significant from a Messianic standpoint.

First, the very Hebrew word for 8 (H8083) is strongly associated with the word for extreme, ultimate blessing (H833) - 8 being the number just over and above 7, the symbol of perfection and finality. The blessed happiness of Leah was the basis for which she chose to name the 8th son of Israel - Asher (Genesis 30:13) (H836). 8 is also associated with rebirth as the circumcision of male children was supposed to be done on the 8th day after birth (Genesis 17:12). The 8th day of the Feast of Tabernacles, a feast commemorating the rebirth of Israel in the Exodus, was a day of Sabbath rest (Leviticus 23:36,39). The gemetrial sum of the letters in the transliteration Christ's name from Hebrew into Greek are 888, in contrast to 666, the mark of the name of the beast of Revelation 13:18. Christ rose from the dead on what could be considered the 8th day of a week. The Feast of Pentecost was the 50th day from the Passover (G4005). Likewise, the year of Jubilee was a 50th year (Leviticus 25:10), 50 being the number just above and beyond the perfect square of the perfect 7. This can be thought of as the start of an 8th set of weeks of years. "Jubilee" (H104) and the word used only in reference to Noah's flood (H3999) derive from the same root word. The rebirth of the world after the flood is also associated with the number 8 (1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5). Further, the sons of Lamech (Genesis 4:20-22) - Jabal (H2989) and Jubal (H3106) and Tubal-Cain (H8423) - all derive from the same root word as Jubilee and flood. Solomon's temple took 7 years to build and was finished in the 8th month, the month of Buwl (H945) (1 Kings 6:38). This word also derives from the same word as Jabal, Jubal, Tubal-Cain, Jubilee, and flood. Further still, 70x7 = 49x10 which again suggests some sort of intensified Jubilee. This is consistent with the Seventy-sevens of Daniel predicting the advent of the Messiah.

Much more could be said but it seems clear to me even just with the above evidence that there is something intensely Messianic about the line of Cain, especially his last recorded generation.

Which raises the question, given the close association of the Lamech of Cain's line and Daniel's 70-weeks prophecy, one wonders if Genesis could offer any insights into some of the heavily disputed statements recorded in Daniel. Does anyone have any ideas as to what those insights might possibly be?

Blessings,
Carmine

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Paidion
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Re: Hints of the Messiah in the Line of Cain

Post by Paidion » Thu Feb 22, 2018 8:41 pm

Hi Carmine,

Beginning with Gen 4:3, isn't there an account of a direct line from Seth to Noah?
Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared, Enoch, Methusaleh, Lamech, Noah?

Since Noah and his family were the only human survivors of the world-wide flood and all others perished, how could anyone after the flood have had Cain as an ancestor?
Paidion

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TruthInLove
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Re: Hints of the Messiah in the Line of Cain

Post by TruthInLove » Thu Feb 22, 2018 9:15 pm

Hi Paidion,

Thanks for the question. You are absolutely correct about Noah decending from Seth. Though, I'm not sure what portion of my post suggested that Cain may have had descendents who survived beyond the flood. That's not at all what I meant to suggest. I must have been unclear on some point. I'd be glad to clarify if you could perhaps point out what you may have interpreted this way. Was it my suggestion that there was something prophetic about Cain's line that foreshadowed the Messiah (as if the Messiah would have Cain for an ancestor)?

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Paidion
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Re: Hints of the Messiah in the Line of Cain

Post by Paidion » Fri Feb 23, 2018 12:35 pm

I guess the title of your thread "Hints of the Messiah in the Line of Cain" gave me the idea that you were suggesting than the Messiah may have descended from Cain. But now having read your OP more carefully, I see that you may only be suggesting that numerology, etc. provides "hints" of the Messiah. I regret the misunderstanding. I'm just one of those literalists who who can't make much sense out of typology as expressing any aspects of the real world.
Paidion

Man judges a person by his past deeds, and administers penalties for his wrongdoing. God judges a person by his present character, and disciplines him that he may become righteous.

Avatar shows me at 75 years old. I am now 83.

TruthInLove
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Joined: Mon Dec 29, 2014 12:35 am

Re: Hints of the Messiah in the Line of Cain

Post by TruthInLove » Sat Feb 24, 2018 10:54 pm

Thanks Paidion. Are you saying that you don't believe God uses typology or numerology or does the study of these subjects just seem speculative, dangerous, unhelpful, uninteresting or otherwise inconsequential to you?

How do you feel about God's possible use of wordplays on things of obvious prophetic importance to highlight the prophetic significance of other things that aren't so obviously important?

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