WHEN MEN BEGAN TO CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD

" And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, ‘For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.' And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD." (Gen 4:26) "And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth" (Gen 5:3).

The guilt of sin, expulsion from the Garden, and the murder of Abel must have been sources of unspeakable grief to our ancient parents. Those circumstances were enough to blast all hope from the soul, causing despair to ruthlessly rule all men. But that was not the case. 130 years after their expulsion from the Garden, Adam had another son–one after his own likeness, or totally unlike Cain. Eve recognized it immediately, acknowledging God had appointed someone to take Abel's place–someone through whom the promised Savior would come.
Seth lived 105 years, and begat Enosh (Enos in the KJV), living 815 years after that, until he was 912 (Gen 5:6-7). At the time of Enosh's birth, "men began to call upon the name of the Lord." It all began with a certain man, and when a certain son was born. It was the beginning of a new era, and a precious one, indeed. Men began to reach out for God, to ask of Him, and to seek Him with new fervor. They had a new sense their need of Him.

The name "Enosh," given to his son by Seth, means weak, faint, and frail. Even though Adam lived for 930 years, Seth for 912 years, and Enosh for 905 years–yet they truthfully saw themselves as weak, faint, and frail. That is why Seth gave his son that name. There was a great sense of human inadequacy at that time. It was so fresh and vital that men began to "call upon the name of the Lord," sensing the poverty sin had brought into the race. It was a sense of their weakness that provoked them to call out to God. They were asking for His involvement with them, His help, His blessing. They knew sin had taken from them, and only God could give them what they needed. Thus they "called upon the name of the Lord." This is viewed in comparison with Cain who "built a city," thereby relying upon the flesh (Gen 4:17).

And what do you suppose the possibilities are of a new era beginning in our time–an era when men again begin to call upon the name of the Lord? Is it beyond possibility? Indeed not! We have greater reason to be optimistic about this than those of our text. It could all begin with a single man and a single offspring. And there is something to think about.