I was privileged to be in a group where we were discussing the person of Lamech in view of Calvary.
And as I pondered again and again on the scriptures posted considering Lamech, below is what I gleaned for myself. The scripture considered was in Genesis 4.
The case of Lamech in view of our Calvary experience brought a book reviewed by a dear sister to me, “The if of Calvary love” by Amy Carmichael. Unless, we also consider the if’s of life, we may probably be misusing Calvary love.
Lamech also brought the matter of “Company” to me as repentance and restitution can be deferred or put away based on the company we keep.
In Genesis 4:23, Lamech came to the point of reality. He realised the wrong he did. He took himself to his two wives; these are colleagues that will not help him to turn to God for full confession, restitution and complete repentance.
It may have looked as if Lamech was penitent, but the people he turned to for confession bothered me a bit.
And at the individual junctions of our sojourn with our Lord to the Cross and beyond, could we possibly also come to the point where our heart is no longer pricked, where we have become comfortable with the lifestyle of the Adah’s and Zillah’s around us?
I think the matter this is raising for me is the company in which Lamech chose to share his sins with. These wives of his that he approached with his confession will definitely not point him towards God.
One of the things that we must guide against as brethren who have been mercifully shown the victory of the Cross is the company that we keep, are they men and women that will point us to the Cross, are they people that will point out the properties of the Oldman which we may still be harbouring ignorantly, both the “loose properties” and the so “strong properties” of the Oldman?
Another matter is the need to not only deal with the sin aspect of our death with Christ, but also the self-aspect. Myself and my family are doing a book “Back to the Cross” by Watchman Nee, and the chapter 1 reinstated the death with Christ afresh, and the need to allow death to take effect upon not only sin, but self also, both the good and bad self.
But how easy it is to indeed deal with the sin aspect of our death with Christ and allow self to rule, maybe we do away with bad self, and keep the good Self.
I am saying this because Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear “my” voice; ye “wives of Lamech”, hearken unto “my speech:” for “I” have slain a man to “my” wounding, and a young man to “my” hurt. KJV.
Lamech said to his wives: “Adah and Zillah, hear “my” voice; you wives “of Lamech,” listen to what “I” say: “I” have killed a man for wounding “me,” a young man for striking “me”. Genesis 4:23 NRSV
I am just trying to single out the motive behind Lamech’s action, it was “I”. And it was “I” he brought his penitence to, probably seeking sympathy and not repentance.
For Lamech, maybe it is ok, but for you who claim to have embraced the death of the God-man, you must consider the motives behind your good and bad actions so to say? Is it your zeal or the zeal of the Lord? What motivate your service in your home, church and the body at large? What motivate the discipline you incur on your children, Christ or self?
And when your daily motives are carried out, and you check your day, and find out that Christ was outlawed in all or some of the things that you did, who do you take yourself to for accountability? To man that sympathises with you, or to God that corrects and disciplines you?
In verse 24, Lamech recognised the effect of allowing self to rule and the sin self has now produced, and the penalty for his action, but all of these could have taken him to God for genuine repentance, but instead, I see that he continued in the way of Cain, he sought not deliverance from the lineage of Adam.
And I also think of his view of God in Genesis 4:24, and I saw that it was that of vengeance, and not the God that surely judge all wrongs, and pardons and accept those who truly repent to become His beloved.
May it not be that you claim to have seen the Cross when self still have a stronghold on you. May it not be that you indeed had the encounter of Calvary but neglect the daily taking of your Cross, so that the life of Christ flows through you to others.
Lamech came, lived long years, gave birth to children, and was actually an inventor(two wives), yet, he died as the seed of Adam, may the grace that brought you to the Cross continue to search and scan your life for any iota of the self-life, and may the same grace preserve Christ in you till you see Him in glory. Amen.