Genesis 4:26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord.
Cain had slain his brother Abel. And then we read of the family line expanding by Cain’s marriage and by Adam and Eve having another son they named Seth. From Cain came a son named Lamech. He married two women and fathered children with them. Seth also had a son that he named Enosh. From these two brothers we see the heritage of sin and promise continue.
The family of Adam and Eve fell deeper into sin. The effects of the Fall are displayed in the escalation of their sinfulness. Cain’s son, Lamech, married not one but two women. The sin of polygamy comes into the world within one generation of the Fall. All people are sinners at birth because we all descend from Adam and Eve. Sin’s presence from generation to generation is depicted throughout Scripture. The sin of Adam and Eve was a sin of disobedience. But the progression of sin to murder and polygamy was incredibly quick. Nothing could keep it from advancing to greater evil or perversion. Look at the nature of contemporary life and you see the evil and perverse nature of sin imbedded in people and institutions. Sin proves itself to be systemic in our human condition from one generation to the next, even to our present day.
Despite this spread of sin as the human race began to increase in numbers, the grace and plan of redemption moved forward too. Eve gave birth to another son, Seth. She viewed his birth as God’s granting her a replacement for the one Cain had killed. Seth grew up and had a son he named Enosh. It was at this point, see the second half of verse 26) that people began to call on the name of the Lord. God had not left himself without a witness. The image of God was darkened by sin but its flame had not been full extinguished.
