Genesis 4:16-27
The Daily Office
What began as alienation from God in ch. 3, has become virtual anarchy by the end of chapter 4. Today, Cain's descendent, Lamech, claims the seven-fold vengeance guaranteed to Cain for his protection. But while Cain was guaranteed vengeance for his possible murder, Lamech now claims the right of revenge for a mere "striking." What began as an eye-for-eye system of justice has degenerated into mere respect becoming a life or death issue. And Lamech claims a vengeance seventy times the seven fold vengeance of Cain.
Seventy times seven. Does that sound familiar? "Then Peter came up and said to him, 'Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?' Jesus said to him, 'I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.'" Peter thought he was being quite generous. He hearkened back to the dialogue between Cain and God. But Jesus understood that if you claim the right of revenge once, on the seventh or 77th time, then the cycle of "getting even" will never end.
None of this precludes the right of self-defense, or demands that Christians never challenge the evil they see before them. It does mean that our dignity, or worth, lies with God, not ourselves. God will give us vindication in God's good time. It is not ours to seize at someone else's expense. Ultimately, when any human being is hurt, or damaged in some way, the damage is incurred by God on our behalf. And God has more in mind for all his creatures than vengeance.
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