Loudmouth Lamech Series

Intro:

1. William Ernest Henley's poem "Invictus" ("Unconquered") is drenched with the spirit of Cain:

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

2. Usually pride is sneaky, an unannounced motive, but in our passage we see blantant pride coming out for all to see.

3. The Loudmouth Lamech.

Trans: 4:18-24

I. FIRST, HIS PARENT. 4:18b

and Me-thu-sha-el became the father of Lamech [LAY-mek] - Lockyer, All the MEN of the Bible writes:

"A son of Me-thu-sha-el of the race of Cain [he was Cains great-great- great grandson]...It is not difficult to trace in the moral character of Lay-mek a close resemblance to Cain. We can detect the same haughty spirit, the same self-confidence, the same disregard of human life, the same absence of reverence for God. His address to his wives is that of one who glories in his self-strength and vigor."

This is the chief problem and sin of the lost man - Pride!

Reminds me of something that happened to the former Heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali, it is a true story and I have shared it before but it's been a while.

Muhammad Ali, [also called the "Louisville Lip] was flying to one of his engagements. During the flight the aircraft ran into foul weather, and mild to moderate turbulence began to toss it about.

The light went on for passengers to fasten their seat-belts. Everyone complied but Ali. Noticing this, the flight attendant approached him and requested that he observe the captain’s order, and he respond, "Superman don’t need no seat-belt."

The flight attendant did not miss a beat and replied, "Superman don’t need no airplane either."

I think the Louisville Lip and Loudmouth Lay-mek had a lot in common!

II. FURTHERMORE, HIS POLYGAMY. 19

Lamech took to himself two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah - The Bible is clear that it is God's will for marriage to between one man and one woman. But as I have told you time and time again - the Bible is loaded with sinners! Those who think that the norm for God's people is obedience, have never seriously studied God's Word!

1. La-mech, who was Cain’s great-great-great grandson, was the first man recorded to have 2 wives (Adah, Zillah) (Gen. 4:19). But not the last one!

2. Abraham had 2 wives (Sarah and Hagar) (Gen. 16:3 23:19)

3. Esau had 3 wives (Judith, Bash-e-math, and Ma-ha-lath) (Gen.26:34; 28:9).

4. Jacob had 4 wives (Leah, Rachel, Bil-hah, and Zil-pah) (Gen.29:15–35; 30:4, 9).

5. Moses had 2 wives (Zipporah and the Ethiopian woman) (Ex.18:2; Num. 12:1).

6. Gideon had many wives and 70 sons (Judges 8:30).

7. Samuel’s father, Elkanah, had two wives (Hannah, Peninnah) (1Sam. 1:1, 2).

8. King Saul had at least two wives (A-hin-o-am, Riz-pah) (1 Sam. 14:50; 2 Sam. 3:7).

9. David had at least 8 wives (Mi-ch-al, Abigail, A-hin-o-am,

Bathsheba, Ma-a-cah, Hag-gith, Ab-it-al, and Eg-lah) plus Saul’s wives (2 Sam. 12:8).

10. Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3).

11. King Ahab had more than one wife (1 Kings 20:7).

12. King Rehoboam had 18 wives and 60 concubines (2 Chron.11:21).

13. King Abijah who ruled over Judah had 14 wives (2 Chron.13:21).

14. King Jo-ash had two wives (2 Chron. 24:1–3).

15. King A-has-ue-rus had a harem. Two wives are mentioned by name: Vashti and Esther (Esther 1:10–12; 2:1–17).

No where is polygamy ever said to be according to God's will - and the result is always family feuds.

Once when Mark Twain was lecturing in Utah, a Mormon acquaintance argued with him on the subject of polygamy. After a long and rather heated debate, the Mormon finally said, "Can you find for me a single passage of Scripture which forbids polygamy?"

"Certainly," replied Twain. "‘No man can serve two masters.’"

Actually we can do better than that!

"Mo-nog-a-my is God's standard for the human race. This is clear from the following facts:

(1) From the very beginning God set the pattern by creating a mo-nog-a-mous marriage relationship with one man and one woman, Adam and Eve (Gen. 1:27; 2:21-25).

(2) Following from this God-established example of one woman for one man, this was the general practice of the human race (Gen. 4:1) until interrupted by sin (Gen. 4:23).