Allegory on self-reliance and reliance on God.
Cain’s unyielding warning to God’s warning
Despite God’s warning to Cain, Genesis 4 recounts that Cain killed his brother Abel obeying the devil which reveals that the devil now rules in Cain’s life Roman 6:16 (read this article https://www.musingonthebible.org/hiding-the-blood-of-redemption/ ) and God imposed a more stringent punishment on him:
Genesis 4:11-14: And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
This punishment was not intended to cast Cain off but rather to lead him to repentance. Cain’s unrepentant response— “My punishment is greater than I can bear”—showed his continued resistance to divine correction.
Instead of turning back to God, over time, Cain chose to build a city, and his descendants became skilled inventors in livestock, music, and metalwork—crafting from the very ground that was cursed. They passed down their skills, raising apprentices and furthering these earthly pursuits through generations. This pursuit of material achievements reflected mankind’s focus on worldly success, a theme Solomon later addresses, declaring the vanity of such pursuits: “God made mankind upright (created in God’s image, having God’s provision and blessing), but they have sought out many schemes (including the inventions of Cain and his children).” (Ecclesiastes 7:29, KJV).
In both Adam’s and Cain’s stories, we see that self-reliance and the works of the flesh cannot satisfy God’s righteousness or lead to the righteousness of God. God’s intention is to bring humanity to humility and dependence on His provision rather than striving for independence.
Implications of tilling the ground
The implications of tilling the ground, as outlined in Scripture, reflect the profound spiritual consequences of humanity’s disobedience. These consequences, especially after the fall, are deeply tied to the curse on the ground, man’s relationship with creation, and the ultimate separation from God:
1. Satan’s Authority in the world: After Adam’s disobedience, Satan gained authority over the earthly realm. In Luke 4:5-6, Satan displays his dominion when he offers Jesus the kingdoms of the world. The scripture in 1 John 5:19 further emphasizes this by declaring, “The whole world is under the control of the evil one.”
2. Humans (born of Adam) as Dust, Seeking Worldliness
3. Death and Corruption—Returning to the Dust: This disconnection from God also affects what happens after death. Rather than returning to God, fallen humanity returns to the dust, as Ecclesiastes 3:20 explains: “All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return.” Man’s body returns to the earth, highlighting both physical death and spiritual separation from God. When those who believe in Christ Jesus die, they are regarded as sleeping and will delivered from corruption (decay) on the resurrection morning because they will be resurrected and changed to the image and glory of Jesus Daniel 12:2-3.
4. The Serpent’s Dominion Over the Dust (all born in the first Adam): Furthermore, Genesis 3:14 speaks of the serpent being condemned to eat dust, symbolizing its dominion over fallen humanity. All born in Adam drawn by their lust for the world, became vulnerable to the devil. But all born in Christ have overcome the devil through faith in the work of Christ on the cross.
5. Man’s Toil and Labor: All born in Adam cannot enter into God’s providence because the way there is so narrow and their proud life and riches cannot fit inside. Jesus said “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone rich to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:24, Mark 10:25, Luke 18:25). Moreover the riches of the kingdom are not the corruptible flashy riches of this world thus it does not appeal to the children of Adam but they will rather go for the toil and labour of their hand.
A righteous generation that seeks the Lord and the Devil’s Strategy
When the devil observed the revival and deepening pursuit of God within Seth’s descendants—the “sons of God”—he became concerned (Genesis 5:25-26). To disrupt this lineage and prevent them from fulfilling God’s blessing to be fruitful and multiply, he sought to corrupt them. Using intermarriage as a tactic, Satan lured the sons of God to marry daughters from Cain’s ungodly descendants. Through these unions with an unbelieving lineage, Seth’s descendants were gradually led away from God. They abandoned the path of righteousness, falling into corruption and sin. Despite God’s Holy Spirit continually striving to call them back, they chose to indulge in their earthly desires. In response, God ultimately allowed humanity to follow its path, deciding to bring judgment through the flood.
Beware of evil communion! What fellowship (friendship, relationship or marriage) do children of light have with the children of darkness? Let your fellowship be with the children of God!
One man, however, stood apart. Enoch, the seventh from Adam, walked faithfully with God. He prophesied about the judgment that would come upon the ungodly, warning both the strayed righteous and the unrighteous. In Jude 1:14-15, Enoch foretells that the Lord would come with ten thousand saints to execute judgment on the wicked for their sinful deeds.
Unfortunately, most of the descendants of Seth, who were once righteous, had now become entangled in sin and were no longer seeking God. They, like Cain, turned to tilling the ground—both literally and spiritually—as a metaphor for cultivating their fleshly desires instead of pursuing God’s righteousness.
Stand out for God in a generation that may seem dark and corrupt. Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” To keep that light blazing continuously, follow the example of Enoch, who maintained constant communion with God. Through that intimacy, he preserved his righteousness in the midst of his wicked generation.
Lamech’s Prophecy: Noah and Rest from Toil
Amidst this corruption, Lamech, a descendant of Seth, prophesied over his son, Noah. He foresaw that Noah would bring relief from the curse upon the ground. Genesis 5:28-29 records Lamech’s words, “Out of the ground that the Lord has cursed, this one (Noah) shall bring us relief from our work and the painful toil of our hands.”
Noah, as a figure of Christ, symbolized rest and salvation in a generation overwhelmed by sin, the devil and the world. Just as Jesus later called those who were weary and burdened to find rest in Him (Matthew 11:28-30), Noah’s life prefigured a divine deliverance from the curse. The hope Lamech saw in Noah foreshadowed the ultimate rest that Christ would provide, freeing humanity from the curse of sin and the toil of the world.
The Comfort (Rest)
Noah’s ark stands as a profound symbol of Christ and His salvation. Just as Noah’s ark saved his family from the flood, Jesus Christ offers salvation to humanity from sin, death, worldliness and divine wrath. Those who entered the ark were protected from the flood’s destruction, just as believers are saved in Christ from the judgment to come. Noah’s ark not only signifies deliverance but also represents a new beginning, reflecting how Christ brings forth a new creation in those who follow Him. As described in 1 Peter 3:20-21, Noah’s ark prefigures the salvation Christ offers through baptism, a fresh start in God’s grace. Only Noah and his family were saved during the flood, just as only those in Christ are saved from eternal destruction.
Hymn adapted
Yet there is room: still open stands the (narrow) gate,
The gate of (Christ’s) love; it is not yet too late:
Room, room, still room! O enter, enter now.
by Horatius Bonar
The Restored Blessing
After the flood, God blessed the ground again and made a covenant with humanity through Noah. He promised never to curse the ground in the same way again, now that He had found a man who would seek Him and fulfill His mandate. In Genesis 9, God blesses Noah and his sons, instructing them to be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth—echoing the original blessing given to Adam. However, unlike Adam, Noah was not blessed to subdue the earth. This withheld blessing of dominion signifies that while humanity could once again fill the earth, they would no longer have complete authority over it. This dominion is prepared for believers at the second coming of Christ. According to Revelation 20:4-6, Believers will exercise full dominion in the new heavens and new earth Isa 65:17-25; 2 Peter 3:13, where sin and death will be fully conquered 1 Corinthians 15:24-28.
Currently, as Romans 8:19-25 describes, all creation groans along with believers, awaiting deliverance from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. This deliverance will occur when the ‘sons of God’ are revealed, receiving transformed, incorruptible bodies at the rapture, to be like Jesus 1 John 3:2-3.
Furthermore, Noah’s descendants did not have complete victory over sin, as they inherited the Adamic nature and relied on imperfect sacrifices that were ultimately unable to conquer sin fully, pointing instead to the future, perfect sacrifice of Christ.”
The Mission of Christ
When Christ came to earth, His mission was to deliver humanity and secure victory over the devil, sin, worldliness, death, and the grave—chains inherited from Adam’s fall. Through His work on the cross, Christ completed this mission, offering victory to all who will repent of their sins, turn from their ways, accept His Lordship, and faithfully follow Him.
However, the devil remains the prince of this world, exercising a temporary dominion over the earth. Christ’s victory through his death on the cross grants believers freedom from the devil, sin, worldliness and death, but full dominion over the earth will not be restored until Christ’s second coming. However, believers, as brides while waiting for the return of their bridegroom (Jesus) are saddled with a mission to reconcile people to God and raise disciples among all nations Daniel 12:3.
When Christ returns, He will come first to take the saints to heaven. After this, He will return with the saints to reign on earth for 1,000 years—a period often referred to as the Millennial Reign. During this time, Christ will govern the earth in righteousness, finally subduing it as God intended from the beginning. After this thousand-year reign, the present earth will be destroyed, and God will unveil a new heaven and a new earth. At that time, the saints will reign with Christ forever in eternal glory.
In this new heaven and earth, God’s Ultimate plan for humanity will be fulfilled. No longer will man be independent of God- till the ground (not farming), but there will be unending fellowship with God, no longer will the earth be cursed, and no longer will humanity be separated from God by sin. Instead, the saints will reign alongside Christ for all eternity. Amen.
In conclusion, I encourage you reader to release yourself into the hand of God to locate you in His finished work of grace in Christ Jesus like the garden of Eden was for Adam. Do not lean on your own strength and effort. All pursuits outside God’s provision will only bring toils. End your struggle now by surrendering your life to Jesus.
Have you wasted your life and strength, God promised in Isa 51:1-3 that if you follow after righteousness and seek Him, He will comfort you and all your waste places, He will make your wilderness like Eden, and your desert like the Garden of Eden; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody.
God encourages us to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and: all these things Matthew 5:25-34- your basic necessity of life that is making you anxious (food, clothing and shelter) shall be provided by God so you can constantly enter and remain in God’s rest which He offers to us through Jesus Christ. Amen
Copyright – Sunday Oladiran. No changes whatsoever are to be made to the content of the article without written permission from the author.
