Genesis 4 

16 And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwell in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden 

17 And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived, and bare Enoch (Chamock – margin); and builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch (Chamoch)….

Cain and Abel were not only the children of Adam and Eve. They had sisters. And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters (Genesis 5:4). Cain therefore married one of his sisters.

Eden was a location defined by certain parameters as a main flowing river that parted into four rivers – two of them still extant on earth today – and precious metals of gold and bdellium found around the land encompassed by the rivers. We are of the view that the Holy Spirit is pointing out a significant thought when He used a cardinal point to describe the location of the garden; He does this three times:: eastward of Eden (Genesis 2:8); east of the garden of Eden ((3:24); and, now, the land of Nod, east of Eden (Genesis 4:16).

Nod was in the vicinity of Eden, but East of it. It’s a place full of flesh-appealing activities away from the presence of God though in the same area. Nod speaks of being near to the Lord God and, in activities, away from Him. Being away from the Lord, which is Nod, doesn’t stop the prosperity of man-heart-thrilling activities. This speaks of man’s increasing rebellion against Him and his growing estrangement to the Lord God. It speaks of the amazing ability of man to plumb the depth of his soul and bring out of him things to live for. What excites man or what he describes as glory or lives for is the desire of his heart: relevance or place or having a name. Cain built a city and named it after his son who, I presome, was a beloved one to his father.

Man, as represented by Cain, is seen living away from God and his generations prospering. In his lineage, Lamech, the fourth generation to him, was the first recorded polygamist who had two wives: Adah and Zillah. Adah gave birth to Tubal and Jubal who invented, respectively, the art of husbandry of cattle and musical instruments. These speak of commerce and and tending to the gastronomy of man. Zilla’s son, Tubalcain began science and technology as an excellent artificer of brass and iron. If it were in my world, he’d be deified and worshipped. All in all, the Lord was relegated to the back in the thought of the people populating Nod, and were successful.

Yet, man cannot run away from the sticking-thumb truth that all activities and attainments of several civilisations have failed to drown the clamour in man that there’s still more to life. Man is ever conscious of the fact that his life is a breath, a vapour. ….it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away (James 4:14). In spite of his attempt to expunge the spiritual from him and focus on the senses alone, he is ever conscious of the heart’s desire for immortality. This was the search of all civilisations that ever evolved on earth. He knows and wants life to continue but he’s blind to how this can be.

Life indeed is Christ; life is in being in the presence of God. Death, on the other hand, is being away from the presence of God, even when we are succeeding in our definitions of life and glory. Immortality – the desideratum in man’s soul – is divine nature. Attaining it is becoming Him who alone hath immortality (1 Timothy 6:16). In man’s search for immortality, he has tried many ways except the true one because it’s impossible for man to just so do. Some cultures wove mysteries around it, some invented some beliefs and ways and, some still, mystify it. Living away from God in the land of Nod, east of Eden, simply veil it, even now when man is living in his most golden age of civilisations – the very zenith no generation has ever attained. Of course, plodding on in his way and succeeding but not in the way of Life.

All the engaging activities of man summed up as being away from God are legal – one needs them to survive in this present world, but are not the reason for being; they’re not the purpose of life – though our hearts yearn for them and we pray fervently to God to acquire them. Nevertheless, they’re legal

God, for example, is not against science, technology, commerce and the arts, but they are not yet the dream of God for His own people. God’s purpose is eternal life. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory, honour and immortality, eternal life (Romans 2:7). Well doing here means being regulated by the Holy Spirit.The glory and honour referred to are not what we think, which are culture-dependent. For example, there was a time when having many wives and children were the pinnacles of success, but not anymore. Glory, honour and immortality – far more than we can imagine – all head up in eternal life.

Christ Jesus is the author of immortality issuing into eternal life. He’s described as the One Who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel (2 Timothy 1:10). The Lord Jesus Christ in His priestly prayer defined eternal life as knowing Him, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hath sent (John 17:3)

This is indeed being in the presence of God. This is eternal life.

Father, help us to retrace our steps from the land of Nod and back to your dear presence. Help us to be established in You.

Thank You Lord