Genesis 2:1-3 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2 And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
The first form of government:
According to Scripture before there was any human government or rebellion, God ruled over all (Job 38:4-7; Isa 66:1; Psa 103:19). God gave rules regarding the Treed of Life and the marriage and reproduction in marriage. After the devil rebelled, then there was a faction that was ruled by him and served by the fallen angels (Isa 14:12-14; Matt 12:26). Then satan attacked man and man sinned against God, rebelling against God’s rule, thus establishing another kingdom – that of man’s rule.
The establishment of government:
After man sinned, God apparently provided man with a way to gain access to Him by way of sacrifices (Gen 4:3-4) and along with this there was a right way and wrong way and man was given the opportunity to either align with the proper way or go against it – just as Cain did it. We are not told about other brothers and sisters and their offering sacrifices, but we can only suppose they too were included in this order.
There was no other apparent law established regarding interpersonal and societal relations, only those regarding access to God. Cain rebelled against God’s way and eventually killed his brother in a moment of anger (Gen 4:8). At this time Cain became a killer, but there was no law established regarding punishment or order regarding it. This was the first murder and Cain now an outcast from others because of it. (Gen 4:11-12). God cursed him and the ground from which he made his living. Cain complained about his punishment that it was too harsh, so God established another law among men – a law against slaying Cain (Gen 4:15).
No official laws have been established regarding murder, marriage or anything else other than worship of God and the mark upon Cain preventing others from killing him. Now Lamech sets his own laws by taking two wives and killing two men (Gen 4:19, 23-24). Without any laws governing man’s actions, he quickly degraded into a vile person and thus society as a whole went with him until God decided to stop it (Gen 6:5-7, 12).
After the flood god established a law pertaining to murder and the responsibility of man regarding it (Gen 9:5-6); God also gave man the privilege to eat meat, yet restricted the eating of blood (Gen 9:4) and also reiterated God’s command to multiply and replenish the earth (thus establishing the man-woman marriage).
In Jn 1:12 we are told how we are able to become the sons of God – by trusting His word of truth and appropriating His forgiving mercy; we deny His name by doubting His word and despising His offer of salvation.
The word is light, truth, living and energizing (Heb 4:12). Too often people charge Christians that they put too much emphasis upon the Word, but it is clear, we can never do that.
