Cain, in a moment of rage, killed his brother Abel, but God allowed him to live, as the law (later given in Genesis 9:6), was not yet given that required a life for a life. Cain, “fled from the presence of the Lord,” and went on to have many sons, even naming a city after his son, Enoch. (Genesis 4:17). But his sin was never dealt with, and it grew with each generation, until 6 generations later, Lamech was born…
“Lamech said to his wives: Adah and Zillah, hear my voice! Listen to me, you wives of Lamech! I have killed a man who attacked me, and a young man who wounded me. If someone who kills Cain is punished seven times, then the one who kills me will be punished seventy-seven times!” (Genesis 4:23, 24)
Lamech boasted in his arrogant vengeance as though he was out of God’s disciplinary reach. How foolish for anyone to think that God’s patience is His permission to keep on growing in sin. “The goodness of the Lord (should) lead us to repentance” (Romans 2:4), but often it does the opposite, allowing them to go deeper and more perverse in their sin.
Our world today is making this same grave mistake! “God is patient, not willing that any should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance.” But beware… His patience has a limit, and “the heart of God will not always strive with man.” As sin grows more wicked and more perverse, the hearts of mankind grow harder and more insensitive to the leading of God. This is a dangerous combination! Yet, the grace of God is calling out to sinners everywhere to repent, for the judgment of God is coming.
This same metastasis of sin is seen in Revelation 9:21, as they now stand before the Lord, face to face, “giving an account of every word and deed done in their bodies,” but their hearts were immovable… “And they did NOT repent of their murders or their sorceries, or their sexual immoralities, or their thefts.” How hard must the heart be to be defiant while looking God Almighty in the eyes!
How desperately we need to urge the lost to come to Christ while there is still time. For a later time will only find them further in sin, and harder in heart. No one will be able to say that God wasn’t patient with them. But beware… His patience is not His permission to continue in it.
Turn to Him.
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