God Has Erased Your Past

1st Chronicles 1:1
Adam, Sheth, Enosh

INTRODUCTION
The books of 1st and 2nd Chronicles details the history of Israel from the time of creation until the carrying away of the southern kingdom into Babylonian captivity. The first nine chapters of 1st Chronicles contain a listing of genealogies starting with Adam and ending with the family of Saul – Israel’s first king. 1st Chronicles 1:1 has only three words, three names, two of which are unfamiliar to most of us, but which are important for recognizing the transmission of the divine seed (see Genesis 3:15). What I would like to emphasize however is not so much what is included in this verse but what is excluded. It is noteworthy that the writer of the Chronicles (most likely Ezra) omitted all reference to Cain and his descendants as well as all reference to Abel. Genesis chapter 4 provides us with details as to events in the lives of Cain and Abel, but when it came to writing the records of God’s plan’s and dealings with humanity this phase of history was omitted from the records.

EXPOSITION
Let’s briefly recount the happenings of Genesis 4. Cain was the firstborn son of Adam & Eve; His name means “to acquire” as Eve said “I have gotten a man from the Lord”. Abel’s name means “breath” or “vapor”; probably associated with the shortness of his life. Abel was a keeper of sheep while Cain a tiller of the ground. Both sons offered sacrifices to God but Abel’s sacrifice is accepted while Cain’s is not. Cain is quite angry about the turn of events and eventually kills Abel. God challenges Cain regarding his actions and banishes him to the land of Nod.

Genesis 4 vs. 9-24 gives a description of the descendants of Cain. They included Jabal, Jubal, Tubal-Cain and Lamech. Cain’s descendants developed expertise in buildings, cattle rearing, music and metal work. Lamech is noteworthy for starting polygamy by taking two wives. Lamech is also reported to have killed a man and later boasting to his wives about it. This symbolized the rapid moral decay in the line of Cain.

The death of Abel would have gravely affected Adam and Eve, one is son killed by another, the seed gone and no hope of redemption. The chapter however ends with new hope; verses 25-26 describe the birth of Seth and subsequently Enos. Seth means “appointed” or “replacement” as Eve says “… God had appointed me another seed instead of Abel”. Seth later had a son named Enos who is believed to have established public worship – “Then began men to call on the name of the Lord”.


God’s record system
Let us now return to 1st Chronicles 1:1. With this history one would expect that the genealogy would have read something like this: Adam begat Cain and Abel; Cain killed Abel. Afterwards Adam beat Seth who begat Enos etc. While these may be the historical facts, in the eyes of God the errors along the path becomes irrelevant once we find our way back to God. So the record in 1st Chronicles reads: Adam Sheth, Enosh and NOT Adam, (Cain, Abel), Seth, Enos. Note that this is the same way that the genealogy Adam is presented in Genesis 5 and also the genealogy of Jesus in Luke 3.

So then, for persons whose lives might have been messed up, like Adam and Eve, for whom things might have gone utterly wrong so that you find yourself in sin, corruption and much disgrace, you can find your way back to God! God wants you to know that your past can be erased. Your history may be known, your errors may be common knowledge, but once you repent and present yourself to God He will blot out all records of your error in His heavenly books.

Look at what God says about your sins:

Isaiah 38:17 Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.
Micah 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Jeremiah 31:34 … for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

So God places our sins behind his back, He puts them in the bottom of the sea, He removes them as far as the east is from the west and He remembers them no more.

CONCLUSION
Although you may think that your condition is too messed up for God to give you new life, I would like to tell you that God has erased your past. There is a Seth in your womb; there is an Enos in your loin. Blot out the memories of Cain and his trespasses; Release the Seth that God has placed in you. Let out the Enos praise and begin to call on the name of the Lord!
Receive it by faith today! God has erased your past!!