GENESIS CARTOONS AFTER THE GARDEN, Cain and Able
Genesis 4 and 5
This story of God & man continues…
Next, after their Garden eviction, Adam and Eve leave Eden and start a family with their two fine lads, Cain & Abel.
The Bible does not tell us much about the boys’ lives except that Cain tended the gardens, while Abel tended the animals. Both seemed like excellent career choices, as Silicon Valley was not hiring at this time.
All is fine and good livin' La-vi-la-Genesis until… Cain and Abel were to bring their gifts to the Lord. God accepted Abel’s gift but rejected Cain’s. Of course, Cain went on to defend his salad-sacrifice by debating the health risks of too much red meat.
Cain kills Abel!
But to no avail, as Cain's gift to God was rejected, leading to the impulsive killing of his brother.
Next, God asks Cain, "What happened to your brother?" Of course, Cain replies with the infamous line, "Am I my brother's keeper?”
So a summary of society so far.
Adam and Eve disobey God and are ejected from the Garden.
Cain murders his brother Abel and is banished to wander the Earth as a wanderer.
Looks like God's Creation is off to a rough start.
NOW THAT’S OLD!
In Genesis 5, I found a website listing the oldest people living today. I read of a lady who was 115, and another who was 125, and then some lady, I think from Peru, who was supposedly 140! There was a picture of this lady, and she looked every bit of 140.
So, segue back to Genesis 5, where People lived to be 800 or 900 years old
A FEW NOTABLE OLD-TIMERS...
Adam, 930 years old after God created him from dust on the 6th day, Genesis 5:5.
Seth was 912, Genesis 5:8,
Noah lived 950 years, Genesis 9:29
BUT the Long in the Tooth award winner was
METHUSELAH, who was cut down in the prime of life at the age of 969, Genesis 5:25-27
Note: If I eat my veggies, drink milk, get 8 hours of sleep a night, and exercise daily, then after ‘just’ another 900 more birthdays I will have Methuselah beat. That will be in the year.. 2928, so mark my calendars.
WHEN TO START A FAMILY?
It also needs to be noted that not only were folks living to be very OLD, there was also a whole-lotta-begetting' goin' on. God’s command to “go forth and multiply" was the 'GOT MILK?' campaign of the day.
The other interesting pattern was how old people were still... um.. still.. ‘begetting.’.
It was not unheard of for couples to wait until their 70s to 500s before starting a family. I guess those first 500 years were spent paying off the mortgage(s), credit cards, and of course... student loans.
Maybe women in Genesis 5 wanted to first battle for equal rights during this time when the patriarchy reigned by establishing careers as a shepherdess, garden mogul, or working as a 'Mary Kay Cosmetics Specialist' before settling down and starting a family. I AM WOMAN, HEAR ME ROAR!
Let me close these early chapters of Genesis with a few more images from a Back Pew perspective.
Lamech had two wives. Genesis 4:19, Enoch walked with God and was no more. Genesis 5:24, And the Nephilim. The Hebrew word for Nephilim is “Fallen ones, and they were undoubtedly “fallin’” for the women of Earth – and God was not amused. Genesis 6:4
Difficult to Understand… But True
As I approach 70, the idea of people living 900+ years (like Methuselah at 969) is mind-boggling. I’ll be honest — it’s hard to wrap my head around.
But just because I don’t fully understand something doesn’t make it untrue.
Woven through these early Genesis stories is a much greater truth: God’s personal love and grace for His people — from the Garden of Eden, through the Flood, all the way to the Cross… and right into our lives today.
I’m not hung up on the long lifespans. Instead, I cling to the God who loves us deeply and is still good — even while I sit in my Back Pew.
NEXT STOP:Ge 6-11 Noah & Ark