Genesis 4-6: The Serpent Seed?
UPDATE: What does "Kenite" mean?
"And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain..." so begins Genesis 4. That seems pretty plain - Cain is born from a union of Adam and Eve. I have recently come into contact with folks that do not believe this! Their teaching is called "the serpent seed doctrine." In brief, the doctrine teaches that Eve's sin in the garden was not disobedience but sexual contact with the serpent! As a result of this sexual contact with the serpent Cain was born. My initial reaction to this peculiar theology was "You've got to be kidding me!" Since I interact regularly with some folks who believe this, I thought I would investigate it in this post. The truth about the serpent's seed is found in Genesis 3:15, where the first reference is made to the coming Redeemer Who will destroy Satan and his seed. In John 8:44, Jesus makes it clear that unbelievers are serpent's seed: "Ye are of your father the devil..." This new "serpent seed doctrine" comes from the serpent himself (1 Timothy 4:1).
One of Satan's messengers for this false doctrine is Arnold Murray of the Shepherd's Chapel. Murray teaches that the Kenites are the descendants of Cain. According to Murray, the Kenites survived the global flood and continue to this day (source: www.carm.org). Obviously, Murray must not believe what God's Word says concerning the flood (Genesis 7:21-22). He states plainly of Kenites on the Shepherd's Chapel website:
It is a Hebrew word that has only one meaning, "sons of Cain."
This Hebrew definition was apparently concocted by Murray. Upon examining Strong's Concordance, the word means "a Kenite or member of the tribe of Kajin." The Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Definitions gives this meaning: "Kenite = “smiths” 1) the tribe from which the father-in-law of Moses was a member and which lived in the area between southern Palestine and the mountains of Sinai." Two standard Hebrew lexical references do not have the "only one meaning" of the word according to Arnold Murray.
The only way this wacky doctrine can be supported is by abandoning a literal interpretation of Scripture. Serpent must not mean serpent (how could a woman and a snake have intercourse?). Genesis 4:1 must not mean what it says (Adam is the father of Cain). There is no sense in answering any other arguments from Murray. By not accepting his teaching, it is probably just because I am a Kenite - child of Satan (according to Murray).
What are the consequences of believing in the serpent seed doctrine?
- The Scriptures cannot be trusted. If they could, then a plain reading of the Bible could be believed instead of Arnold Murray's perverse twisting of the Word (which defies logic and context).
- If a literal interpretation of the Scriptures is thrown out, then the Words of Scripture have no authority. The meaning is up to each individual's imagination.
Fortunately, we do not have to depend on the teachings of Arnold Murray or any other man to reveal hidden or lost truths in the Scriptures. We just need to read the Scriptures with an open heart and mind to receive God's truth.
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December 23rd, 2009 - 15:43
In the third chapter of Luke why isn’t Cain listed in Adam’s genealogy? If he was the first born of Adam wouldn’t cain be listed instead of Seth?
Why is the word fornication used in John 8:41 ? “You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.”
Luke 3:23 “And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph…” they weren’t referring to the legitimacy of Christ in the previous verse. Christ was believed to be the son of Joseph.
What does “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, …..” in 1 John 3:12 mean? Show us one verse that says Cain was of Adam.
Why did a virgin have to give birth to HIM?
December 23rd, 2009 - 15:58
Matt,
I took the liberty to move your comment over to this site, because I am going to be shutting down the other domain. I have already moved the old posts over to this site. Thanks for your questions. I’d love to discuss this with you. Here’s a brief answer to each of your questions.
1) Cain isn’t listed in Luke’s geneaology. Luke’s genealogy doesn’t show everyone’s firstborn. The intention is to show a lineage not a record of everyone’s firstborn. For example: Luke 3:33-34 Judah is listed as the son of Jacob; he is Jacob’s son, but not the firstborn – he is actually the 4th son.
2) John 8:41 is clearly a stab at Jesus’ scandalous birth. His (supposed) parents were not married when Mary became pregnant. They are not saying that Jesus’ father was not known. They assumed that it was Joseph & that Joseph had got Mary pregnant prior to their marriage; thus, he was assumed to be born of fornication.
3) What does 1 John 3:12 mean?
“Murder, of course, is the lowest level on which one may live in relationship to someone else. It is the level on which Satan himself exists. The devil was a murderer from the beginning of his fallen career (John 8:44), but Christians have heard, from the beginning of their experience, that they are to “love one another.” John emphasizes origins:“Go back to the beginning.” If our spiritual experience originates with the Father, we must love one another. But if it originates with Satan, we will hate one another. “Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning” (1 John 2:24).
Cain is an example of a life of hatred; we find the record in Genesis 4:1–16. It is important to note that Cain and Abel, being brothers, had the same parents, and they both brought sacrifices to God. Cain is not presented as an atheist; he is presented as a worshiper. And this is the point: children of the devil masquerade as true believers. They attend religious gatherings, as Cain did. They may even bring offerings. But these actions in themselves are not valid proof that a man is born of God. The real test is his love for the brethren—and here Cain failed.
Every man has a “spiritual lineage” as well as a physical, and Cain’s “spiritual father” was the devil. This does not mean, of course, that Satan literally fathered Cain. It means, rather, that Cain’s attitudes and actions originated with Satan. Cain was a murderer and a liar like Satan (John 8:44). He murdered his brother, and then he lied about it. “And the Lord said unto Cain, ‘Where is Abel thy brother?’ And he said, ‘I know not’ ” (Gen. 4:9).
In contrast to this, God is love (1 John 4:8) and truth (John 14:6; 1 John 5:6); therefore, those who belong to God’s family practice love and truth.
The difference between Cain’s offering and Abel’s offering was faith (Heb. 11:4), and faith is always based on the revelation God has given (Rom. 10:17). It seems clear that God must have given definite instructions concerning how He was to be worshiped. Cain rejected God’s Word and decided to worship in his own way. This shows his relationship to Satan, for Satan is always interested in turning people away from the revealed will of God. The devil’s “Yea, hath God said?” (Gen. 3:1) was the beginning of trouble for Cain’s parents and for all mankind since.
We are not told by what outward sign the Lord accepted Abel’s sacrifice and rejected Cain’s. It may be that He sent fire from heaven to consume Abel’s sacrifice of an animal and its blood. But we are told the results: Abel went away from the altar with God’s witness of acceptance in his heart, but Cain went away angry and disappointed (Gen. 4:4–6). God warned Cain that sin was crouching at the door like a dangerous beast (Gen. 4:7) but promised that if Cain would obey God, he, like Abel, would enjoy peace.
Instead of heeding God’s warning, Cain listened to Satan’s voice and plotted to kill his brother. His envy had turned to anger and hatred. He knew that he was evil and that his brother was righteous. Rather than repent, as God commanded him to do, he decided to destroy his brother.
Centuries later, the Pharisees did the same thing to Jesus (Mark 15:9–10), and Jesus called them too children of the devil (John 8:44).
Cain’s attitude represents the attitude of the present world system (1 John 3:13). The world hates Christ (John 15:18–25) for the same reason Cain hated Abel: Christ shows up the world’s sin and reveals its true nature. When the world, like Cain, comes face-to-face with reality and truth, it can make only one of two decisions: repent and change, or destroy the one who is exposing it.
Satan is the “prince of this world” (John 14:30), and he controls it through murder and lies. How horrible to live on the same level as Satan!
A hunter took refuge in a cave during a rainstorm. After he had dried out a bit, he decided to investigate his temporary home and turned on his flashlight. Imagine his surprise when he discovered he was sharing the cave with an assortment of spiders, lizards, and snakes! His exit was a fast one.
If the unsaved world could only see, it would realize that it is living on the low level of murder and lies, surrounded by that old serpent Satan and all his demonic armies. Like Cain, the people of the world try to cover up their true nature with religious rites; but they lack faith in God’s Word. People who continue to live on this level will eventually be cast into outer darkness with Satan to suffer apart from God forever.”
Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, “An Exposition of the New Testament Comprising the Entire ‘BE’ Series”–Jkt. (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1996, c1989), 1 Jn 3:11.
4) One verse that says Cain was of Adam: Genesis 4:1 “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.”
July 28th, 2009 - 13:30
Thanks for clearing that up Rex. I thought you were trying to indicate that I said people were lost if they didn’t believe just like me. Anyone who doesn’t respond with repentance and faith to Christ’s gift is lost forever whether they agree with a plain interpretation of Genesis.
July 28th, 2009 - 03:17
Jack: I have a lot of experience with the Jehovah Witnesses. In my opinion, the unforgivable sin according to them is wrong doctrine, that’s how they condemn all the rest of Christendom. These Murrayites do the same, as do all cults. They come up with some private interpretation of scripture and then condemn anyone who doesn’t follow their teaching. In this way they fill their followers with fear and the fear keeps subservient to them. They follow their knowledge of right and condemn everyone else as wrong. They are eating at the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This gives them a sense of superiority, privileged insight and rejection of anyone who disagrees. Our Lord calls for unity, acceptance and love. These divisive doctrines do the work of the enemy by dividing the body of Christ. I have an understanding of scripture, here it is: Love God, love Jesus, love your neighbor, forgive, die to the flesh, and be born again to the Spirit. I am set free by the shed blood of Jesus. I will not be shackled with guilt by those who say the blood sacrifice of Jesus is not enough. I will not be shackled by those who say I have to follow their thinking rather than my simple reading of scriptures and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in my heart. I will not be shackled by those who have a head knowledge given by a man on T.V.. They can say I’m a Kenite or whatever they want, but I have the earnest of my inheritance in the depths of my being and no one can undermine my Faith in that. Anyone can judge me if they want, but it is of none effect because I’m already judged by the Blood of the Lamb; not by any man’s words. The True Church is one without spot or wrinkle. It is united and there is no one who can tear it apart.
July 26th, 2009 - 15:20
Wow! What’s the big problem? I am saved by the blood of Jesus, by the word of my testimony and that I love not my life unto death. There is evil hiding in all the different ways of understanding how to approach the throne of God and His Word. Why would you presume to put anyone into hell just because they see the scripture different than you? When you judge me you are usurping the office of Jesus who came to judge the quick and the dead. I don’t care who impregnated Eve, God will take care of all that, when the time comes. He’ll let Banhamites and Murrayites huff and puff all they want. You guys are so arrogant because you think you have some gnostic truth. You can try to be saved by your secret knowledge, as you condemn everyone else who doesn’t follow you. Jesus judges me, and my doctrine, not you. His shed blood is my only righteousness, not any self congratulating intellectual knowledge. God luck Pastor Jack, thanks for allowing the Kenites brag about their Pastor Murray.
July 13th, 2009 - 22:30
Hi Pastor Jack,
My husband and I divorced. He tried to teach our children that Eve had sex with the devil. He tried to explain that the people in the garden were actually trees, or the trees were actually people. When the children tried to explain this new revelation to me, we had a serious laugh and named this new idea the “hump a stump doctrine”. After a little research I found that it is not new at all. Mr. Murray may have borrowed this absurd and shocking notion from William Branham, modern day prophet. My former husband even gave both of my children a book titled “Discovering God’s Natural Truth” which teaches the hump a stump and explains how God and angels travel in space ships according to Ezekiel 1:16-19. Written by Phyllis Mcullough Downing. I’ts hard to beleive people are so hungry for truth that they will believe anything.