God or self

DEVOTION

GENESIS

GOD OR SELF

Gen 4:19-24

19 Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 21 His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute. 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister was Naamah.

23 Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me.  24 If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times."

NIV

There is a discussion on the Hebrew phrase Lamech used saying, “I have killed a man for wounding me”. Translations have offered an alternative phrase, “I will kill and man for wounding me” The tense means everything here and it seems they cannot come to terms with how it is used. But the point is the same, Lamech was the type of man who would not turn the other cheek. If someone did any harm to him at all he was going to strike bad and strike bad hard. Did God tell him that he would avenge Lamech as he did Cain? Most likely not, as it appears this is the statement of Lamech, that he would avenge any action against him seventy-seven times. This simply means he would avenge himself to the max. No one better mess with this man, because he would indeed kill them. The fact that we believe Lamech would avenge himself rather than his thinking God would is due to him having two wives. This is the first time we are seeing a man take two wives, a practice that still occurs today in some cultures. This would give a glimpse into the character of this man and his attitude toward God. What people knew about God was that he created a man and a women and that it was God who stated that a man should leave his parents and be united to his wife, singular. Lamech took two wives, how could he become one flesh with the both of them? He was living in defiance to the command of God. Is it any wonder he had a ruthless attitude toward others. What an attitude about life. What an attitude toward other people. Did he really think he was that important? Certainly we would never kill someone for harming us. However, would we strike back with words, or even some action if someone caused us either an emotional hurt, hurt our feelings, or some physical discomfort? If you hurt us, we will hurt you back. That is unacceptable and yet it might be more of the truth than we want to admit. This is the tit for tat mentality. What ever happened to treat others how we would want to be treated? Lamech certainly was not that sort of man, but we need to be. Once again God reveals the core issue within us, and we need to make those changes so we are not like Lamech in any way. We will treat others in a manner in which we desire to be treated. The question is will we fail sometimes? Maybe, but we do not have the desire to strike back, we have the desire to please God and having God’s love for others is the root of all other attitudes and actions toward them. Lamech was missing this love, he was self-centered. Our lives should be God-centered instead.