At that time...

 I love reading the read through the Bible plans. There are so many, and some have worked better for me than others, but, to sound cliche, every time I do this I find something that hits me in a new way. 

Like today:

"At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord"- Genesis 4:26b

It's only 1/2 of a verse, but said a lot to me today. And part of what I heard this morning was taking the Scriptures in context. This half a verse sounds great, it sounds like something that would be on a t-shirt or coffee cup. I mean, it would make a great new year's hashtag, #callonthenameoftheLord

It sounds, well, hopefull. In fact I have heard that this is a revival verse. That prior to this, as Adam and Eve, and Cain all had recorded conversations with the Lord in Scripture, those were personal, and this verse was communal. This verse was pointing to the fact that a new way of worshipping the Lord was emerging, people calling on the name of the Lord in a new way for the first time. What a great new year verse!

But, then there is the sticky little issue of context. 

This sentence ends what our Bibles list as chapter 4. Chapter 4 is a hard chapter, it contains the first murder in human history, a brother kills a brother over jealousy and pride. Then that brother, Cain, is ostracized from the community, sent out alone with his family. And as that family grows there is another murderer listed in the geneology, Lamech, who is the first man recorded as having 2 wives, and Lamech killed a man for wounding man. 

Chapter 5 is a geneological insert into the story to get us to the birth of Noah, in whose lifetime humaninty had hit degrading lows, and a masive flood would almost bring the creation of the human race to extiction. 

"At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord". 

Hebraic commentators say that the verb "began" in that verse actually means "began to profane". 

At that time human beings began to profane the name of the Lord. That makes more sense, I think. This is not a verse speaking of revival, this is a verse hinting at how self centered mankind had become, turning away from God, profaning even the holy name of the Lord. Which will soon bring us to the flood. 

Now, I do understand some of these stories in the beginning of Genesis (particularly chapters 1-11) to be more instructive than historical. This is not a biology book or a history book. These are sacred stories set down to instruct us and reflect to us an image of ourselves, and more importantly an image of God. 

And yet I wonder if we are not called to redeem that verse. If "at that time" mankind began to profane the name of the Lord, perhaps now "is the time" that mankind began to "revere" the name of the Lord. I know that when we watch the news things can seem pretty bleak in the world, in fact sometimes I think that mankind has hit all new kinds of lows right now, but then, when I look for it, I see so much good. 

There is sin in the world, there is evil in the word, there is darkness in the world. And yet there is also grace in the world, there is love in the world, and there is light in the world. 

The Gospel of John, like Genesis, speaks to God's creation. And John says that "In him (Jesus) was life, and that life (zoe) was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness but the darkness has not (can not, will not) overcome it" (John 1:5)

Later John says "the true light (Jesus) that gives light to every man was coming into the world" (1:9), and Jesus said that "You (plural, all of y'all who love and follow Jesus) are the light of the world...let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14a, 16b)

Yes, at this time, humanity revered the name of the Lord. That gives me hope, that in that revering that we are also doing. Doing what Jesus said for us to do: feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visist the sick and imprisoned, take care of each other! And the doing will reflect the light, and that light stems from love, loving the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, and strength, and loving your neighbor as yourself. 

Yes. At this time....