Chapter 6—Seth: When Men Turned to God
This chapter is based on
Genesis 4:25
to 6:2.
To Adam was given another son to be the heir of the spiritual
birthright. The name Seth, given to this son, signified “appointed,”
or “compensation”; “for,” said the mother, “God hath appointed me
another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.” Seth resembled Adam
more closely than did his other sons, a worthy character following in
the steps of Abel. Yet he inherited no more natural goodness than did
Cain. Seth, like Cain, inherited the fallen nature of his parents. But
he received also the knowledge of the Redeemer and instruction in
righteousness. He labored, as Abel would have done, to turn the minds
of sinful men to revere and obey their Creator.
“To Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his
name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of Jehovah.” The
distinction between the two classes became more marked—an open
profession of loyalty to God on the part of one, contempt and disobe-
dience on the part of the other.
Before the Fall, our first parents had kept the Sabbath, which
was instituted in Eden, and after their expulsion from Paradise they
continued its observance. They had learned what every one will sooner
or later learn, that the divine precepts are sacred and immutable and
that the penalty of transgression will surely be inflicted. The Sabbath
was honored by all who remained loyal to God. But Cain and his
descendants did not respect the day upon which God had rested.
Cain now founded a city, calling it after the name of his eldest son.
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He had gone out from the presence of the Lord to seek his possessions
and enjoyment in the earth, standing at the head of that great class of
men who worship the god of this world. In that which pertains to mere
earthly and material progress, his descendants became distinguished.
But they were in opposition to the purposes of God for man. To the
crime of murder, Lamech, the fifth in descent, added polygamy. Abel
had led a pastoral life, and the descendants of Seth followed the same
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