It is amazing to me how many patterns were established in the beginning of this world. Through Genesis chapters 1 & 2 we understand that Adam was given dominion over the earth:
1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
2:15 And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.
2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
2:20 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field...
Adam was given dominion over the earth, however it was not a license to possess. It was a sacred charge to care for what belonged to God. When he was cast out of the Garden he lived upon the land, tilling the soil and tending his flocks. The land was held in common among his family. And alongside the practical work of sustaining life, Adam taught his children how to worship and how to draw near to God as in the example of Abel. Adam's way was to have the land shared among his family, lives were ordered around worship and instruction, and the work they did was rooted in care for the earth and its creatures.
Cain chose another way. He went out from the presence of the Lord and the first thing he did was build a city and he named it after his own son, Enoch. He divided the land and claimed ownership over ground God had given to be shared. From that seed grew envy and rivalry, because men now looked at a neighbor's portion and wanted it. The marketplace followed, and what might have been wonderful gifts for gladness and worship were turned into tokens of wealth.
Many of Adam's descendants were drawn by the glitter of Cain's cities and left the life Adam had taught them. Seth led those who remained faithful away to the mountains. The world that grew through following Cain's way was so full of violence and corruption that God chose to begin again.
Noah continued Adam’s way. Through Ham’s rebellion came Nimrod of Mesopotamia and Mizraim who began Egypt, both repeated Cain’s way. Abraham born some 400 years after the flood in the city of Ur, which was deep in the ways of Nimrod, heard the call of God and walked out of the cities to live as a sojourner. The same two ways, the same choice, century after century.
Coming to understand this stirred something deep in me, not just as an idea to think about, but as a call to examine my own household and ask honestly which way we are walking. More on this later.