God had just cleansed the world from sin and sinners. However, sin made it through the flood. Soon, after setting foot on the ground, righteous Noah, just delivered from sin, built an altar to God. [i] By doing that, Noah dedicated the Earth to God as Holy Ground, just as Moses stood on Holy Ground in the Exodus from sin. [ii] Also, like Adam who stood on the Holy Ground where the Temple of God would stand someday.
The Noahic Flood was the second “Exodus” from sin. Theretofore,
mankind had gravitated toward sin, but for Seth whose seed resided on Holy Mount
Herman. Then, the seed of Seth gravitated toward sin and intermarried with the
seed of Cain on the plain beneath Mount Herman. There strong drink was
discovered, and mankind became drunken. Strong drink changed the holy nature of
Seth’s line, and they became of the Wicked One when their mentor went from righteous
Seth to wicked Cain.
Even Abraham gravitated toward sin when he moved to Egypt.
He had made and exodus from sin in Ur toward Haran and the Holy Ground there.
Not long after that, he sought prosperity in Egypt. When Abraham entered Egypt,
he was living in “sin.” Throughout scripture, Egypt represents sin and Pharaohs
most often wicked ones. Thus, the generations in the Bible are about turning from
sin, God delivering from sin, then mankind returning to sin.
Noah, after dedicating the new world to God, sinned: “He drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent” (Gen 9:21). Noah revealed the “shame” that God had covered with the lamb back in Genesis, and in which Cain’s seed had reveled in the plain. What did the Wicked One give to mankind for them to follow Cain rather than Righteous Seth? Just look at the world before the days of Noah:
After Cain had gone down to the land of dark soil, and his children had multiplied therein, there was one of them, whose name was Genun, son of Lamech the blind who slew Cain. But as to this Genun, Satan came into him in his childhood; and he made sundry trumpets and horns, and string instruments, cymbals and psalteries, and lyres and harps, and flutes; and he played on them at all times and at every hour. And when he played on them, Satan came into them, so that from among them were heard beautiful and sweet sounds, that ravished the heart. Then he gathered companies upon companies to play on them; and when they played, it pleased well the children of Cain, who inflamed themselves with sin among themselves, and burnt as with fire; while Satan inflamed their hearts, one with another, and increased lust among them. Satan also taught Genun to bring strong drink out of com; and this Genun used to bring together companies upon companies in drink-houses; and brought into their hands all manner of fruits and flowers; and they drank together. Thus did this Genun multiply sin exceedingly; he also acted with pride, and taught the children of Cain to commit all manner of the grossest wickedness, which they knew not; and put them up to manifold doings which they knew not before. (2 Adam and Eve 20:1:6) [1]
Genun was the son of Lamech the blind who killed Cain. Remember God’s promise to Cain? First God cursed Cain for killing His Son:
The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the
ground. 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. (Gen 4:10-12)
Cain and his “seed” lived on the
fertile soil, evidently near Naral Ha Yarden, The River of the Garden
(The Jordan River).
What did Cain do with his fertile land? He continued growing
grain. Cain was distraught at the curse; it would be more than he could bear. He
feared that he would be killed. So, God had grace on him, and said, “Whosoever
slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a
mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him” (Gen 4:15).
Perhaps, the son of the Wicked One had the mark of the Beast
placed on his forehead or hand. Perhaps the “mark” is invisible, and it was the
knowledge of evil in his mind (the forehead mark) or the work of his hand (the
mark of works on the right hand). Evil thoughts and deeds, even to impress God,
remain to this day, the mark of sinners.
Well, it turns out that blind Lamech (not the righteous
Lamech) killed Cain. [iii]
Then Lamech received the “mark” along with his son, Genun.
Genun had a great thought: Let us now party! Then he
invented heavy music and strong drink, and they partied day and night. The
description of the partying resembles the rock concert, Woodstock. Because
their inhibitions were removed by strong drink, Cain’s progenitors acted as if
they were drunken heathens, and they were destroyed in the flood for their grievous
sinning.
Why would Cain’s sacrifice be unacceptable to God? Perhaps, because
He knew it would lead to strong drink and debauchery. Perhaps Cain fermented
his crop into strong drink but learned his lesson about strong drink when he
was punished. But Genun knew his secret to making strong beverage from fruit.
Who would have known but God just how unacceptable Cain’s grain offering would
be? Perhaps Cain even presented to God the first moonshine! “Unto Cain and to
his offering He (God) had not respect.” [iv]
Cain’s offering would someday cause God to lose regard for those who He had
created.
Invention of evil brought down mankind. God did not make the
first strong drink. The son of a murderer did; a murderer who was blind to the
things of God. The drinkers of strong beverage are to this day, blind to the
things of God as is written:
Casting all your
care upon Him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your
adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may
devour (1 Pet 5:7-8)
Why turn to strong drink or even marijuana, let alone other
drugs? It is casting your cares elsewhere. It is turning to Genun and Cain
rather than to God. Genun was cursed like his progenitor Cain. He had the mark
of the Beast. The fruit of the forbidden tree would be used to make strong
drink.
When Genun made strong drink, the Devil devoured the drunken
ones. How so? Jewish scholars believe that the Foundation Stone under the Dome
of the Rock was the source of the waters for the deluge. There is an abyss
beneath that Stone that leads to the Well of Souls, indubitably to Hades. Drinkers
of strong drink were devoured by the waters of the flood, perhaps, and sent to
the Devil in Hell!
The Devil was seeking Cain’s children. They had the mark of
Cain and since Cain was “of the Wicked One,” [v]
the children of Cain have the Mark of the Beast. From where did that mark come?
From Cain’s offering, perhaps of strong drink or at least its intended usage.
Now back to Noah. What was the first thing that he did once
he had paid homage to God? He paid homage to Cain. He made strong drink of the
fruit of the vine. Well, Jesus is the Vine and God the Husbandman, to wit: “I
am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman” [vi]
The first thing Noah did on his own was the make strong drink from the fruit of
the vine. He had become the “husbandman” and the wine had replaced Jesus as the
Vine.
The True Vine would make the healing “wine” (blood mixed with
water) on the Cross, but the false “vine” would make merely wine. Rather than
remember Jesus who saved him from perishing with water and blood (a sacrfice of
the first fruits), Noah would use Cain’s crop to make strong drink. Then sin
started all over again!
Many will say that wine is not “strong drink.” It made Noah
drunken, did it not? Just as one sin leads to another as is written, “Each one
is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when
desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown,
brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren” (Jas 1:14-16).
Furthermore, John wrote, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is
a slave of sin” (John 8:34).
Noah was tempted to take one drink. Then, sin was born in
him and he became as the Wicked One. He took the mark of Cain. Perhaps God had meant
for Noah to live forever, much like Adam. However, God defined men’s years before
the flood. Noah would die because he took the mark of Cain. Not right then, but
his life would be cut short.
Because Noah drank wine to excess, Ham was shamed and his
son, Canaan, carried the curse of Cain. Canaanites, to this day, are of the
Wicked One and their mark is, as I believe, the mark of Mohammad. The
Canaanites learned their lesson well as they do not drink wine because of their
faith in Mohammad.
I believe that Muslims carry the mark of Cain, and in the
end will bear the Mark of the Beast. And all that because Cain’s sacrifice was unacceptable
for some reason… perhaps because strong drink was on his mind all the time!
“Casting all your care upon Him” means to not cast any
care on other things. Those who take too much wine cast their cares upon
wine, and maybe on Cain as well. How much wine is too much wine?
When Noah built the altar, perhaps then was the time for one
drink of the juice, in remembrance of Jesus, who was there in Spirit, saving
mankind! One drink of the vine to God would surely been an acceptable thing to
do, but Noah drank wine like the sinners did before the flood.
If only Noah had not imbibed with even one drink, things
would be much different. Canaan would not be cursed, and Canaanites would have prospered.
Instead, they are nomads like Cain who commit atrocities on the world with war
after war. We seek peace in the Middle East. Noah could have brought Peace on Earth
and Goodwill toward men, but he drank wine instead. He continued the party that
had caused all to perish.
Just one drink in celebration led to another until Noah lost
his sobriety and vigilance. Then Ham entered in as sin. Perhaps Ham
carried the mark of Cain through the flood. Perhaps he had the mark of Cain somehow,
or perhaps since Canaan was cursed, that it was Ham’s wife that carried the
mark of Cain.
Now for my personal testimony. I do not drink strong drink.
I have the mark of Adam and like righteous Adam, but I inherited his sin.
Unrepented sin, like Cain’s, would mark me. Who knows who will become a servant
to wine? Noah surely thought it would not be him, but he soon became a drunk.
If only he had not been tempted with Cain’s drink, Canaan could have avoided
the mark of Cain.
Noah drank no more. He learned his lesson — that temptation
to drink leads to indulgence; that slavery to strong drink decreased his
sobriety and vigilance. Ham brought the Wicked One into Noah’s tent, and Ham
ridiculed Noah. Satan, through Ham, laughed because after all God’s grace, the mark
of Cain remained in the world. He still laughs to this day because so many are
addicted to the wrong “spirits.” Satan may laugh at me for being weak, but it
will never be because of too much wine!
Paul suggested wine for health. Indeed, alcohol thins the
blood, but Paul knew that Jesus is the Vine and the fruit of the Vine is His
Blood. With that, Jesus would have you cast all your cares on Him. With
that, only the weak would turn to wine for solace. The strong would turn to
Jesus to cast all their cares upon Him. Will one drink of wine upset the
“apple cart?” Probably not, but for Noah, it was a huge gamble, and the Devil had
his way with him. The same could apply to you and me!
I do not drink alcoholic beverages because it is not the Way
of Christ. I have found no evidence in scripture where Jesus drank wine. It is
not “Jesus Juice” but the fruit from the tree of the Wicked One.
What if that first
drink would change the world as it did for Noah? Would you drink it? Not if you
knew in advance that it would not be for the better! Noah did that knowing it
would not better the world because he had seen what strong drink would do.
Noah knew the outcome just as Adam did, but both defied God, ignored His Will, and it was their will that was done. Faithful Noah, like innocent Adam, re-introduced sin into the world by drinking wine. I want no part of the beverage of Cain and his curse!
[1] The
Books of Adam and Eve are considered pseudepigrapha because their
exact dating and authorship has not been determined. On the other hand, the
message with the books are contiguous with Holy Scripture, and follow Adam and
his seed from his entrance into the world to the destruction of the world.
(picture credit: Wikipedia; "Drunkenness of Noah")
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