Cain and Abel

CAIN AND ABEL - Gen. 4 (Read) *Duality – 2 opposites – theme in Genesis (Cain/Abel, Adam/Eve, Satan/God, good/evil, night/day, sin/obedience, earth/man *Cain - oldest – worked the soil; farmer – Hebrew “spear; a possession” *Abel – youngest – kept the flocks; shepherd – Hebrew “”breath”

Cain and Abel Sacrifices: Abel - accepted (blood); Cain - unaccepted – (vegetables) God allowed Cain a second chance; Cain rejects its and questions God. He doesn’t realize God’s omnipotence. (Human responses to criticism/punishment…)

Cain’s Punishment Cain’s punishment: Soil won’t produce, must live East of Eden in Nod, will be a wanderer – separate from the family unit Cain built a new city named after his son, Enoch.

What the relationship? What is the relationship of Grendel in Beowulf and Cain?

Symbolism of Cain Cain symbolizes chaos and the presence of evil as does Grendel. Fratricide – killing of one’s own brother – Anglo-Saxons believe that this is the worst crime a person can commit. Cain and his descendants were believed to have magical power like Grendel.

Relation…Symbolism Grendel and his mother are both described as descendants of Cain. Like Cain, Grendel is jealous of the joy of Hrothgar's people. He makes himself evil by killing them. Thus, Grendel symbolizes a lonely, jealous outcast like Cain.

Cain and Abel Video (9 min.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHzTl_WijPY

Lamech Lamech - 6th descendant of Cain, first polygamist in the Bible, heathen, prideful, killed someone. The further Cain’s lineage goes, the more evil it becomes. Lamech’s sons: Jubal - master of harp/flute - entertainment Tubal - blacksmith Jabal - shepherd - raised livestock

Cain’s Descendants Origen, A Christian theologian, stated that all of Cain’s descendants perished in the Flood; therefore, humankind descended from Seth. Average lifespan of Cain’s descendants – 912 years.

Genealogy – Gen. ch. 5 (Don’t read) Genealogy – list of ancestors Hebrews passed on their beliefs through oral tradition…helped them remember the stories and confirms the Bible’s promise of the coming Messiah. Gen. 5 – God is interested in humans as individuals…not a list of nations. All humans go back to Adam and Eve.

ASSIGNMENT – Due Tomorrow! Bring a list of five generations dating up to you… What does your name mean?

Adam’s Third Son – Seth - Gen. 5 (Don’t read) V. 1 – God created man in the image and likeness of God. Seth – 3rd son of Adam and Eve – Hebrew “breath” – sought peace, unlike Cain. Adam lived to be 930 years old. The first two people to ever die were Abel and Adam.

Seth’s Descendants Enoch, (Hebrew “learning”) a descendant of Seth - “walked with God” – didn’t die – God “took him away.” His life foreshadowed the life of Elijah, who as a prophet and who was caught up in the air and didn’t die. Methuselah was a descendant of Enoch and lived 969 years…oldest living man ever.

Seth’s Descendants Methuselah had Lamech (not the same as the descendant of Cain). Lamech was Noah’s father. So Noah is a descendant of Seth. Methuselah named Noah this name because he said that he would “comfort us in the labor and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.” When Noah was 500, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Noah is the 10th generation of Seth.

The Wickedness and Judgment of Man - Gen. 6 (Read) V. 1-4 – God was displeased that the “sons of God” were marrying heathens…possibly Cain’s descendants or even the Nephilim… Nephilim – offspring of the “sons of God” (rebellious angels) and the “daughters of men” (myth…angels can’t reproduce)

Story – “Sons of God” came to Earth and took human women as wives Story – “Sons of God” came to Earth and took human women as wives. Their children, half-human, half-angelic hybrids, were the Nephilim giants and were probably 9-10 feet tall and used their physical advantage to oppress people.

Nephilim (40 min.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQowf3LbmWU On a separate sheet of paper, head it “Nephilim” and write 10 facts about the Nephilim from this video to turn in for a grade.