October 11, 2013
Commentary on the Book of Genesis
By: Tom Lowe
Lesson I.C.4: Birth of Seth and Days of Enosh.
Gen. 4.25, 26 (KJV)
25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, "For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed."
26 And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord.
Commentary
25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, "For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed."
26 And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord.
The only ray of hope in that day was God’s promise that a Redeemer would one day be born to the woman and conquer the serpent—“And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel" (Gen. 3.15). But Abel was dead, so he couldn’t begat a child; and Cain, the unbelieving murderer, had wandered off and built a city in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Would God’s promise be fulfilled? How could it be fulfilled? “Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth.” God graciously gave Adam and Eve a godly son, so the seed of redemption would be passed through him and all the way to Jesus Christ—“Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli… the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God (Luke 3.23, 38). In the days of “Enosh (Enos),” Seth’s son, “men began to call on (better, “proclaim”) the name of the Lord” (Yahweh).
In the line from “Seth” there was faith. “Seth” himself was a provision from “God,” according to Eve’s statement of faith—“For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel.” The Hebrew word for Seth is “shet” which is markedly similar to the word “shat,” translated “appointed” or “set.” In reality, Seth became the one on whom God could depend on as the foundation stone for His family. He was “appointed” or “set” to take up the work or mission of Abel. Cain had lost his right to carry forward God’s sublime hope. Seth would take the burden and the privilege on his shoulders. Through his line God would perfect His promises. There is no doubt that Seth walked in the steps of his martyred brother Abel; that he was a partaker of like precious faith in the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, so he became a fresh witness of the grace and influence of God the Holy Spirit.
God permitted Adam and Eve to see the revival of religion in their family. The believers in God began to stir themselves to do more in religion; perhaps not more than had been done at first, but more than had been done recently, or sense the defection of Cain. Some persons by an open profession of true religion, began to protest against the prevailing impropriety and wickedness that existed all around them. They saw in Cain and Lamech the sad effects of sin, which stirred them up to be more resolute in the practice of their religion. Then the distinction appeared between believers and unbelievers, which has been kept up ever since, and will exist while the world stands.
Then men began to call on the name of the Lord.
As men realized their inherent sinfulness with no human means to appease God’s righteous indignation and wrath over their multiplied iniquities, they turned to God for mercy and grace in hopes of a restored personal relationship. It was a never-to-be-forgotten experience when, under the encouragement of “Enosh” (or Enos), men began to call upon the name of Jehovah, the covenant God. “Enosh,” who was prominent in the line of Seth, was the originator of public prayer and spiritual worship. In it, the indescribable name of the eternal God was used. There was hope for a better day through Seth’s descendants.
