What Was Cain’s Mark Mentioned In Genesis?

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The word “mark” in Genesis 4:15 in the King James Version of the Bible is a translation of the Hebrew word “owth.” According to “Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible“, the Hebrew word “owth” may be rendered “mark,” or “signal, flag, monument, sign, or beacon.”

The “owth” — mark or sign — that God made for Cain could have been something to carry on his person, perhaps around his neck — from which the ancient and modern custom of wearing a charm or talisman for protection may be derived. Is it not possible that Cain or his descendants may have begun to look upon this sign — which may have been in the form of a CROSS — as a “good luck” charm and turned it into an item of idolatrous worship? (Compare Num. 21:4-9 with II Kings 18:4 for a similar example.) The various forms of the cross are of pagan origin and go back to earliest antiquity.

The Hebrew word “owth” could also indicate even a boundary marker that God set up to separate or segregate Cain and his descendants from the rest of mankind. Genesis 4:12 shows that God banished Cain to the land of Nod — meaning land of “wandering” — east of Eden or Palestine.

The “Jewish Publication Society” translation renders Genesis 4:15, “And the Lord said unto him [Cain]: ‘Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.’ And the Lord set a SIGN FOR Cain, lest any finding him should smite him.” The original Hebrew conveys both meanings — a mark on the person of Cain, or a sign set up for him to segregate him from others.

Some have thought that Cain’s mark involved skin color. Cain’s mark was NOT the changing of his skin color as some suppose. Cain, in accordance with certain West African traditions, may well have been dark, but his sin was a matter of character, not of heredity.

God created ALL races — white, yellow and black, to serve and glorify Him with their own particular abilities. Racial differences are not due to the “mark of Cain.” God originally planned that humanity be divided into various races so that they might learn to live and work together in their own respective heritages around the world.

 

Source: Plain Truth, 1967

Reconciling Evolution, History And the Bible

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Where do the so-called “Ice Ages” fit in Bible history? Why  did so many forms of animal and human life disappear at the close of  the geologic period labeled “Pleistocene” by scientists?

Most people do not know how a geologist reaches his conclusions. A geologist, of course, is one who makes a study of earth history. He investigates the rock structure of the surface of the earth. Working in the field, he discovers strata of sandstone, or limestone, or silt. Perhaps in them are fossils. He wants to know when the strata were deposited. How does he decide? The answer is: HE DOESN’T!

Being a very careful man — a scientific man — he will go to a paleontologist for the answer. And who is a paleontologist? He is a scientist who makes a special study of fossils. It is his function to explain to the geologist the apparent age of the fossils. And how does the paleontologist know the apparent age of the fossils? From geology? No! How can he learn it from geology when even the geologist does not know the age of fossil strata until he goes to the paleontologist who studies the fossils!! Then how does the paleontologist discover how old fossils are? Simple! He turns to the evolution theory!

Life, the paleontologist tells the geologist, developed from the very simplest cell into the varied complex creatures that inhabit the earth today. “But what is the age of the fossils?” asks the geologist.

“Let me explain that,” replies the paleontologist. “Evolution is a very slow process. It may take millions of years for one species of life to slowly develop into another totally different species. The age of your strata are determined by how long we think it took that particular species of fossils to develop. Of course, we paleontologists don’t all agree on these details. You might get a different answer from another paleontologist! After all, even though we all believe evolution is a fact, we do not know exactly how it occurs — or even the exact order in which various species of life evolved.”

And that, in simple language, is what happens! The age of the fossils is guessed at by the paleontologist. The source of his knowledge (or misknowledge) is not geology, but the evolution theory. He takes it for granted. He assumes the theory is a fact — or reasons as if it were a fact. The geologist then deduces the age of the strata from the assumed age of the fossils.