The Beginning of Contrariety (Walking Contrary to GOD) | The Path of Resistance | How the World Lost Its Way

The world we see today, often marked by discord, unrest, evil, wickedness, sin, and a departure from peace, did not arrive at this state by accident. When we look back at the earliest historical accounts of humanity, we find a clear pattern of how mankind began to walk contrary to the Creator, leading to a landscape filled with violence and corruption.

The descent of humanity into a state of pervasive violence and corruption is a central theme throughout the early historical accounts of the world. This progression is typically understood as a series of deliberate choices where mankind prioritized self-will and physical desire over the instructions provided by the Creator.

The Foundation of Contrariety

The shift began in the Garden with man’s attempt to be equal to Elohim. This initial act of rebellion altered the human condition, making the pursuit of personal inclination more prominent than the pursuit of righteousness.

The Cycle of Violence and Corruption

1. The Seed of Disobedience

The descent began with a simple but profound shift: the introduction of disobedience. YAH gave Adam a direct and clear command: ¹⁶ ”And YAH Elohim gave a charge to Adam, saying, Of every tree which is in the garden thou mayest freely eat, ¹⁷ but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—of it ye shall not eat, but in whatsoever day ye eat of it, ye shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:16-17)

Both man and woman disobeyed YAH’s command: Genesis 2:6-7: “And the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes to look upon and beautiful to contemplate, and having taken of its fruit she ate, and she gave to her husband also with her, and they ate. ⁷ And the eyes of both were opened…” By stepping outside the boundaries established by GOD, humanity introduced a "divided devotion." This wasn't just a single mistake; it  was a conscious choice. This was the moment man decided to prioritize personal inclination over Divine instruction. Once the foundation of obedience was cracked, the structural integrity of human morality began to crumble.

2. From Envy to Violence

The transition from internal disobedience to external violence happened with startling speed. This terminal violence is first seen when Cain killed Abel. Genesis 4:8 - ”And Cain said to Abel his brother, Let us go out into the plain; and it came to pass that when they were in the plain Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.” This is the first breach of brotherhood when jealousy led to the first instance of bloodshed. This established a devastating precedent: that human life could be devalued to satisfy the ego, anger, or settle a grudge. When we stop seeing our neighbor through the lens of the Creator's image, the path to violence becomes a short one.

3. The Fruit of the Deviation

The Departure from the Marriage Covenant

As humanity continued to walk contrary to the instructions of the Creator, the corruption of the heart eventually extended to the foundation of the family unit. The record identifies a specific shift where the original design for marriage was set aside for personal desire. Genesis 4:19 - “And Lamech took to himself two wives; the name of the one was Ada, and the name of the second Sella.

Lamech’s life serves as a primary example of how walking contrary in one area, family structure, often correlates with a rise in overall violence:

• Arrogance and Violence: Immediately following the mention of his two wives, the text records Lamech boasting to them about killing a young man for merely wounding him. This suggests that when the sanctity of the marriage covenant is breached, the sanctity of life often follows.
• The Perversion of Mercy: Lamech arrogantly claimed for himself a "seventy and sevenfold" protection, mocking the mercy GOD had previously shown to Cain. His words reflect a heart that had become entirely self-centered and vengeful.

By setting aside the original order of the family, Lamech contributed to the "filling of the earth with violence," demonstrating that the rejection of GOD’s statutes in the home leads to the decay of the entire society outside the home.

4. The Era of the Nephilim

By the time of the ancient world’s great cleansing, the biblical record describes a terrifying state of affairs: “The earth was corrupt before GOD, and the earth was filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11). 

This wasn't just occasional wrongdoing; it was a systemic failure. The thoughts of man’s heart had become "only evil continually." This era serves as a sobering reminder of what happens when mankind completely abandons moral restraint in favor of physical desire and worldly power.

5. The Pride of Autonomy

The attempt to build the Tower of Babel represents a collective effort by humanity to establish a name for themselves independent of Elohim. The attempt to build a name for oneself, symbolized by the great towers of old, represents the ultimate form of walking contrary. It is the desire for autonomy: the wish to exist and thrive independent of the Creator. Genesis 11:4 - ”And they said, Come, let us build to ourselves a city and tower, whose top shall be to heaven, and let us make to ourselves a name, before we are scattered abroad upon the face of all the earth.” This collective pride led to fragmentation, confusion, and a world where nations began to strive against one another for dominance rather than dwelling in unity.

The Mechanics of "Walking Contrary"

What does it actually mean to walk contrary? Walking contrary to GOD is described as a rejection of the Statutes and Judgments designed to preserve life and peace. When these laws are ignored:

1. Justice is Perverted: Without a divine standard, "might makes right," leading to oppression and bloodshed. The powerful oppress the weak.
2. Idolatry Takes Root: Man begins to worship his own creations (the work of his own hands) or his own desires (his own image), which inevitably leads to a lack of empathy for others.
3. Nature Reflects the Discord: The very ground and environment are often described as suffering or being "defiled" by the blood shed upon them.

Ultimately, the world became full of violence because mankind sought to define good and evil on their own terms. By turning their backs on the Source of Life, they naturally gravitated toward the shadows of destruction.

Scriptural Focus on Contrariety

To understand the specific moments where humanity diverged from the path of righteousness, we look to the records of the Torah and the Prophets. Each instance provides a witness to how specific individuals or groups chose their own will over the instructions of the Creator.

The First Breach of Brotherhood

• Scripture: Genesis 4:8-10
• Pertains To: Cain
• Context: This marks the first transition from a heart of disobedience to an act of terminal violence. Because Cain’s own works were not righteous and his devotion was divided, he allowed jealousy to lead him to murder his brother, Abel. It established the "voice of blood" crying out from the ground.

The Breach of the One-Flesh Union

• Scripture: Genesis 4:19-24
• Pertains To: Lamech (a descendant of Cain)
• Context: Lamech is the first individual recorded in the scriptures to violate the "one-flesh" principle established at creation (Genesis 2:24). By taking two wives, Adah and Zillah, Lamech introduced polygyny into the human experience. This act was a direct departure from the monogamous pattern set by the Creator for man and woman.

The Corruption of the Earth

• Scripture: Genesis 6:5-13
• Pertains To: The Generation of the Flood (The Antediluvians)
• Context: This scripture describes a world where the "imagination of the thoughts of [man's] heart was only evil continually." It pertains to a collective society that had become so saturated with violence and corruption that the earth itself was defiled. This was the result of mankind completely abandoning the moral boundaries set at creation.

The Pride of Autonomy

• Scripture: Genesis 11:4-9
• Pertains To: The Builders of Babel
• Context: This pertains to a united front of humanity seeking to make a "name" for themselves and reach the heavens through their own strength. It is the scriptural example of mankind attempting to establish a civilization independent of Elohim's sovereignty, leading to the confusion of languages and the scattering of the nations.

The Rejection of the Statutes

• Scripture: Leviticus 26:21-25
• Pertains To: Israel
• Context: These verses explicitly define the "contrary walk." They pertain to the covenant people who, despite receiving the Law, choose to walk in opposition to it. The scripture warns that walking contrary to Elohim leads to a cycle of discipline and the withdrawal of Divine protection.

The Perversion of Justice

• Scripture: Habakkuk 1:2-4
• Pertains To: The Wicked and the Lawless
• Context: This prophet cries out regarding the violence and strife he witnesses. It pertains to those who cause the Law to be "slacked" and justice to never go forth. It illustrates how walking contrary to Elohim's judgments results in a world where the wicked encompass the righteous and "wrong judgment proceedeth."

The Way Back

The world is full of violence because we sought to define good and evil on our own terms. Yet, the history of our people shows that the path of resistance can always be traded for the path of return. By turning back to Elohim and embracing a heart of undivided devotion, we can step out of the shadows and back into the blessing.

Elohim still loves you, Israel. The call remains the same: Choose Life, Choose Blessing, Choose Undivided Devotion. Repent, Return, and be free from the shadows of gross darkness.

I hope this blog post has been helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below. Shalom qodesh qadasheem - the “set apart ones.”