Forgotten Stories from the Old Testament: Lamech

Posted on Dec 17 in Forgotten Stories from the Old Testament, Religious, Scripturesby Chas HathawayPrint

The story of Lamech is hardly an inspirational one, but it carries a very important warning. The Lord has no toleration for secret combinations, and Lamech was what you might call the heir to Cain’s secret society. We know little about what happened to Cain after he was cursed, except that he was a fugitive and a vagabond, and had to constantly watch his back for fear someone would kill him.

Anyone who was leader of this secret combination was called Mahan, master of the great secret, and from the Pearl of Great Price, we learn that this combination didn’t end when Cain was “discovered” and cursed. Lamech, one of Cain’s descendents, became Master Mahan.

Lamech murdered a man for the sake of the oath, and as is common for evil leaders, Lamech became prideful in his position. He thought that as Master Mahan, he could boast to his wives about the murder he had committed. He was sure that in his position, and as devoted to his secret society as he was, he was more dangerous than Cain ever was. He thought that the combination would take vengeance on anyone who tried to stand in Lamech’s way. Big mistake. He forgot that satan has no concern for his own, and hates his own followers just as much as he hates the Lord’s people.

When Lamech’s wives made the secret of Lamech’s crime known to the people, he was in big trouble, because it meant that Lamech had exposed the secret. In fear of his own band, Lamech had to flee. He became a fugitive and a vagabond like Cain.

Often it is by the wicked that the wicked are punished.

The secret combination grew, and became like a deadly cancer to the world, destroying souls. I guess the point of the story is that satan will not take care of the wicked, and he will destroy anyone he can, whether they are helping his cause or not. There can be nothing gained by alliance with evil. So stick with the Lord and His prophets!

Here’s the scriptural account:

Moses 5:47-58

47 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah: Hear my voice, ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech; for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.

48 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech shall be seventy and seven fold;

49 For Lamech having entered into a covenant with Satan, after the manner of Cain, wherein he became Master Mahan, master of that great secret which was administered unto Cain by Satan; and Irad, the son of Enoch, having known their secret, began to reveal it unto the sons of Adam;

50 Wherefore Lamech, being angry, slew him, not like unto Cain, his brother Abel, for the sake of getting gain, but he slew him for the oath’s sake.

51 For, from the days of Cain, there was a secret combination, and their works were in the dark, and they knew every man his brother.

52 Wherefore the Lord cursed Lamech, and his house, and all them that had covenanted with Satan; for they kept not the commandments of God, and it displeased God, and he ministered not unto them, and their works were abominations, and began to spread among all the sons of men. And it was among the sons of men.

53 And among the daughters of men these things were not spoken, because that Lamech had spoken the secret unto his wives, and they rebelled against him, and declared these things abroad, and had not compassion;

54 Wherefore Lamech was despised, and cast out, and came not among the sons of men, lest he should die.

55 And thus the works of darkness began to prevail among all the sons of men.

56 And God cursed the earth with a sore curse, and was angry with the wicked, with all the sons of men whom he had made;

57 For they would not hearken unto his voice, nor believe on his Only Begotten Son, even him whom he declared should come in the meridian of time, who was prepared from before the foundation of the world.

58 And thus the Gospel began to be preached, from the beginning, being declared by holy angels sent forth from the presence of God, and by his own voice, and by the gift of the Holy Ghost.