Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal-Cain

          Cain made love to his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch.  To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech. Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes. Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah. (Genesis 4:19-22)

          Continuing with the theme of creativity, the passage above is the first time several things are mentioned: a city, tents, stringed instruments and pipes, and tools made of bronze and iron. The generations listed parallel those between Seth and the Enoch who is the exception to the “and then he died” rule and who was the father of Methuselah and the great grandfather of Noah. The time periods might not follow, because we don’t know how long Cain’s descendants lived, but the point is that the time described begins with the generation after Adam and Eve.  It’s also interesting to note that Seth’s line was remarkable in their lifespans and relationships with God, while Cain’s is remarkable in either its organization or in its skills.

          We don’t know that there were no other cities before or besides Enoch. Technically, “city” might be a little generous from our perspective. We don’t know how big it was. We don’t know whether those who lived in tents invented tents or constituted a division of people who did these things while other divisions did things like invent or play stringed instruments or invent bronze tools. The point is, however, that these things probably happened at least 1000 years before the flood. These things also suggest that thinking that those who lived so long ago were stupid hunger-gatherers or subsistence farmers is foolish. I suspect that we lost a great deal of knowledge and technology in the flood, and that we had to find or invent it again.

          Now, concerning our subject of creativity, once again, all we have amounts to historical footnotes. Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal-Cain did thus-and-so. These are big things, but no time is spent describing how many years went by before they brainstormed about how convenient or pleasant something would be. We don’t know how many times the musical instruments and tools completely failed. We don’t know whether their families mocked these crazy ideas or celebrated them. We don’t even know whether they considered these accomplishments worth doing. All we know is that they did these things by the end of their lives.

          Having written that, Hebrews 11 comes to mind. Some of the folks listed in the Hall of Faith are remembered for what they accomplished. Some are remembered for having died horrible deaths before they received what they were promised. The best conclusion we can draw, then, is that if you aren’t dead, you may still accomplish, invent, create, negotiate, etc., something of value and use. Those things you consider unimportant may be your claim to fame. Your failures may be stepping stones to creative success.