Genesis 4.1: “Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, ‘I have gotten a man with the help of Yahweh!’”

And thus, with the arrival of this first child born after their fall into sin and the imposition of the curse upon the whole creation God had made ‘very good,’ the longing and ‘pining’ for the promised Redeemer of Genesis 3.15 also is born.

But, oh, how bitterly disappointing Cain will be! He was not at all the ‘seed of the woman’ who would ‘crush the head’ of the serpent (Romans 16.20). Cain himself was ‘of the Evil One’ (1 John 3.12).  

‘Long lay the world in sin and error pining…‘

And this same renewed longing and hope would be re-conceived and re-born with every mother and man-child all throughout the Old Testament. The plaintive wailing of “How long, O LORD?” would echo and reverberate for seemingly endless centuries of longing for the birth of their long-awaited and long-expected Savior – only for their hopes to be shattered with everyone who would come after.

They would be known as those who were ‘waiting for the comfort of Israel’ and ‘waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem’ (Luke 2.25, 38).

But … ‘How long, O LORD?’

But then, ‘when the fullness of the time came’ … “Now it happened that while they were there, the days were fulfilled for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn Son…” (Luke 2.6-7). God has kept His Word and sent His Son, our Redeemer and Savior as first promised from the beginning! The waiting, longing, and pining is over! The angel of God heralds the announcement: “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you Good News of great joy which will be for all the people. For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the LORD! … Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased!” (Luke 2.10-14).

“And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The Grace of our Lord Jesus be with you” (Romans 16.20).

I am praying and hoping you, also, hear Him, believe in Christ, and rejoice in the yet-to-be-fully-enjoyed hope of the Glory of God!