Hints of the Messiah in the Line of Cain
Posted: 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
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