CAIN AND ABEL

 

Cain And Abel

Genesis 4:1-15

Living Bible

4 Then Adam had sexual intercourse with Eve his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to a son, Cain (meaning “I have created”). For, as she said, “With God’s help, I have created a man!” 2 Her next child was his brother, Abel.

Abel became a shepherd, while Cain was a farmer. 3 At harvest time Cain brought the Lord a gift of his farm produce, 4 and Abel brought the fatty cuts of meat from his best lambs, and presented them to the Lord. And the Lord accepted Abel’s offering, 5 but not Cain’s. This made Cain both dejected and very angry, and his face grew dark with fury.

6 “Why are you angry?” the Lord asked him. “Why is your face so dark with rage? 7 It can be bright with joy if you will do what you should! But if you refuse to obey, watch out. Sin is waiting to attack you, longing to destroy you. But you can conquer it!”

8 One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were together there, Cain attacked and killed his brother.

9 But afterwards the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”

“How should I know?” Cain retorted. “Am I supposed to keep track of him wherever he goes?”

10 But the Lord said, “Your brother’s blood calls to me from the ground. What have you done? 11 You are hereby banished from this ground which you have defiled with your brother’s blood. 12 No longer will it yield crops for you, even if you toil on it forever! From now on you will be a fugitive and a tramp upon the earth, wandering from place to place.”13 Cain replied to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 For you have banished me from my farm and from you, and made me a fugitive and a tramp; and everyone who sees me will try to kill me.” 15 The Lord replied, “They won’t kill you, for I will give seven times your punishment to anyone who does.” Then the Lord put an identifying mark on Cain as a warning not to kill him.

 

I.  INTRODUCTION

The narrative tells us that the brothers presented offerings to God. Abel’s offering was accepted while Cain’s was rejected. The hatred, jealousy and anger arising from Cain’s rejection marked the entrance of hatred and murder into society.

Cain’s treacherous act of murder is just a miniature image of the history of the world. History, as we know it, is the story of the wars, battles, fights and bloodshed of mankind. History is the space in which Cain’s primitive weapon becomes ultimately the guns, pistols, rifles, and bombs which are instruments of death.

II.  THE BIRTH OF CAIN AND ABEL 4:1-2

“...Eve conceived and gave birth to a son.  The first child of Adam and Eve was Cain. Eve gave birth to another son, the second son named Abel.  

“And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of soil. One becomes shepherd and the other a farmer.

III.  THE REJECTION OF CAIN 4:3-5

The sacrificial system of worship seemed to have begun here. This is the first sacrifice recorded in Scripture. There is no record if after the fall,  Adam and Eve offered sacrifices to God. It is possible that they did, otherwise their two sons would not have offered sacrifices to God, for it is only logical for them to follow their parents. Adam and Eve must have trained their children to worship God. The point is Mankind began worshipping the one true God but because of sin, worship deteriorated into idolatry, polytheism and other pagan practices. (cf. Rom. 1:18-32). Man has not evolved from many gods to one God, but de-evolved from one God to many gods because of sin.

“... Cain brought of the fruit of the ground as his offering to the Lord. This makes sense because he was a farmer. And Abel, also brought of the first born of his flock and its fat portion. This also makes sense because Abel was shepherd. Here the similarity ends. And the Lord accepted Abel’s offering, but he rejected Cain’s

Why was Cain’s sacrifice rejected? There are diverse theological views. Some Bible Commentators think that Abel and Cain must have known that in approaching God, a sacrifice of an animal is the right way(cf. Gen. 3:21). So Cain’s Crops or produce of the land were not acceptable to God, for God was teaching them  “that without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.” So Cain should have purchased a sacrificial animal from the proceeds of his farm produce as his offering. The Christology of this view is that the shedding of blood of the animal sacrifice looked forward to Christ who shed his blood on the cross for the remission of sins. Other Commentators offer the view that Cain was flippant in his offering and didn’t put much care or value to his offering unlike Abel who gave the best portion of his flock.

Another view is that there was nothing wrong with the sacrifice of Cain when he offered his crops. Jewish law in fact recognizes crops and produce as fitting sacrifices or offerings. (Leviticus 2; 6:1414-23) The problem was Cain’s attitude. God saw what was in Cain’s heart.

There is something much deeper than the type of sacrifice, for it was one of attitude. Cain did not offer his offering in faith  (cf. Heb. 11:4). God saw Cain’s attitude. Perhaps he did not give the best of his crops or perhaps he ignored the requirement of animal sacrifice. Either way God saw the attitude of Cain’s heart.

“And Cain was very angry and dejected.” The rejection of the offering caused Cain to get angry and resentful. He became so jealous that his whole facial expression changed. He was angry at God and at his brother. He hated and was jealous of his brother Abel.  But the real problem was his heart attitude. When anger, hatred and jealousy grip the human heart, they change the whole personality of the individual and even the facial appearance. The problem with Cain’s worship was his heart was wrong.

IV.  THE PATIENCE OF GOD WITH CAIN 4:6-7

“Why are you angry?” the Lord asked him. “Why is your face so dark with rage?”   God patiently asks Cain this question in order to bring him to repentance, for anger is a serious thing and can have devastating results if not curbed.

God reminded Cain that his dark and bitter countenance could brighten up with joy if Cain would do what he should. That is, he should do the right thing. He should change his attitude and offer sacrifices with humility and repent. Then God went on to warn Cain. If he refused to obey he should watch out  because sin was waiting to attack him. God even had an encouraging word to Cain, if Cain had only listened and obeyed God. God said, Cain could conquer his hatred and anger. And then God went on to explain to Cain, “If you do what is right will you not be accepted?” It was not too late for Cain to reform his way.

And then another warning from God. “If you do not do what I right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you but you must rule over it. This is a very fair even loving warning. If Cain refuses to repent and accept God’s way of sacrifice for sin, then sin will grip him, for it couches at the door of one’s life like a lion, ready to jump, seize and destroy. If hatred and jealousy fester, soon a person will find himself controlled by a power greater then he can handle.

V.  THE MURDER OF ABEL BY CAIN 4:8

“And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field,” Cain apparently planned the murder of Abel by drawing him into a field away from anyone who might witness  his devious act of murder. Yet, he could not hide from God who saw it all.

“Cain attacked Abel his brother Abel, and killed him.” Apparently Cain did not heed God’s warning to him. He refused to repent, he nursed his hatred and conceived a plot to murder his brother. This, he thought, was the way to get even. Abel became the victim of his brother’s hand.  This murder began with hatred. Every outward act of sin first resides in the human heart (Matt. 5:21-22).  All war is the result of hatred, jealousy, envy and strife that is in every man’s heart. Only Christ can change the venality of the heart.

Cain’s act of murder placed him in the ungodly line of descendants that would oppose the godly line of descendants from which the  Messiah would come. According to Gen. 3:15, there would be these two lines.  Abel represents the godly line.  Cain represents the ungodly line. (cf. 1 John 3:11-12).

VI.  THE HEARING: Genesis 4:9

God asks Cain, “Where is Abel thy Brother?” God knew the whole situation but asks this question to make Cain confess his guilt before God. God still wants to bring him to repentance. Some Commentators offer the view that God was being fair to Cain that though He knew him to be guilty as sin, He still gave Cain due process, the opportunity to explain.

Cain’s defense, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain, knowing that he is guilty, refuses to accept responsibility for his brother.  While he denied it, he was totally responsible for his brother. “And now art thou cursed from the earth. . .

VII.  THE JUDGMENT OF CAIN 4:9-15

“The voice of your brother’s blood cries to me from the ground.” The ground soaked with the blood of Abel cries for justice.

“Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”

Cain was a farmer of great pride and success but now he will not be able to get any ground to produce. There will be nothing but frustration, sweat, tears and toil for him. Cain lost his “green thumb.”

“Fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.” Due to his fruitless labor, Cain shall be banished and homeless. He will become a wanderer on the earth. He will become a fugitive, vainly seeking to find something satisfying. He will be lonely, empty and restless all the days that he lives.

“My punishment is greater than I can bear.”  Cain was cursed to a meaningless existence, which is fate far worse than death.

Even then God showed His continuing love by placing a protective mark on Cain before he was banished to the land of wandering.

do you believe this?

 

DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?

 

The most widely held belief today is that the advances in science, medicine, and genetics, might be able to prolong life. The quest for the so called fountain of life where there would no longer be death is never ending. Yet God’s Word definitely declares that it is appointed unto man once to die,  and after this the judgment.(Hebrew 9:27)

Death came into this world because of sin. And this is not speaking only of physical death, but spiritual death as well. Man is already dead spiritually, before he died physically. It may be possible to prolong life but will it be  worth living? Increased   life span is of little value unless it is worth living. St. Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles, did not see prolonging life as a major objective. Indeed as servant and follower of Christ, he regarded death as something of even greater worth.

Let me quote this great Apostle, he said, “For to me living means living for Christ and dying is even better.” (Philippians 1:21)

To this man of God Christ had made his life profoundly worth living, and dying in Christ is even better because nothing can ever separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. For St. Paul those who live for Christ have eternal life. St. Paul’s purpose in life is in sharp contrast with what drives so many people today. Some are driven by the desire for money, worldly possessions, and the apparent security they bring.  Others are driven by the desire to be famous, to have power, others are driven by the quest for significance and success. But for St. Paul, he said, for me to live is Christ.

The question my dear friends is what is it in Jesus Christ which St. Paul and all the Christians after him, that compelled them to affirm with great conviction their faith and belief in Him?

As a Christian allow me to speak the very Words which the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Gospel of John 11^th Chapter. In this passage Christ declared in no uncertain terms that He is the Giver of Eternal Life, and let me quote verse 25, He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me though he dies, yet shall he live and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

So we see Jesus' power over death.  I think this to be an essential message dealing with a critical theme.  We're living in a dying world where all of us face the inevitability of death.  We are deteriorating humans in a deteriorating world.  Our world is marked by tragedy.  Our world is marked by sorrow.  Our world is marked by sadness.  Our world is marked by death and dying.  Since the Fall of man is recorded in Genesis, chapter 3, there has been a curse on the earth.  And that curse has sent the earth and all of its inhabitants careening and spiraling into tears and disasters and pain and sickness and death.  In fact, we face these things incessantly.

Can Jesus overcome death?  What a message that is.  G. B. Hardy, the Canadian scientist, one time said, "When I looked at religion, I said I have two questions.  Question No. 1:  Has anybody ever conquered death?  Question No. 2: If they did, did they make a way for me to conquer, too?"  He said, "I checked the tomb of Buddha, and it was occupied; and I checked the tomb of Confucius, and it was occupied; and I checked the tomb of Mohammed, and it was occupied; and I came to the tomb of Jesus, and it was [What?] empty.  And I said, 'There is One who conquered death.'  And I asked the second question, 'Did He make a way for me to do it?'  And I opened the Bible, and He said, 'Because I live [What?], ye shall live also.'"  That's the question:  "Jesus, can You conquer death?  Are You the One who can reverse the curse?  Do You, as it says in Revelation 1, hold in Your hand the keys of death and hell?  If You are that One, show us, demonstrate it." The same Jesus who stood at the grave of Lazarus and groaned, who wept with Mary, was the same Jesus who said to Martha, "I am the resurrection and the life.  He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die.  Do you believe this?"

The question to us this evening is Do you believe this? (Settle this issue between you and the Lord while you still can). We are bringing this message of hope, this message of God’s love, this Good News for no other consideration but of the compelling love of Christ. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Death is a dreadful thing if one does not have Jesus Christ in his life. The Bible describes death as an enemy.  What is amazing is that this enemy cannot bite God’s people. 1 Corinthians 15:55-557, “O death where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Let me end by going back to the great Apostle St. Paul who speaks to us this evening, and let me quote the inspiring words  he said in his Epistle to the Romans the 8^th chapter, he said in verses 31-39,”Who then will condemn us? No one. For Christ died for us and was raised to life for us… Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity or destitute or in danger or threatened with death? No despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow- not even the powers of hell can separate s from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below-indeed nothing in all creation will ever able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Amen.

 

 

WHAT'S WRONG

WHAT’S WRONG

Perhaps we can agree that the world and the mass of humanity inhabiting this planet are not as perfect as they could possibly be. In this world, something usually goes wrong. So any rational thinking person is bound to ask the question: “What is wrong with the world?”

Mike Starkey, Vicar of the Holy Trinity, Twickenham, London, sharply observed that there are generally four major schools of thought which try to offer answers to this question.

The first school of thought is the world view of secular psychology. Things go wrong in this world, according to this view, because of the psychological aberration found in man and from which he suffers low self-esteem or lack of acceptance, or a host of sexual and mental hang ups. Man lacks some sort of psychological wholeness which might be mitigated, not cured, by psycho-therapy. This point of view seems to tell us that we are some kind of a nut and the world goes nuts. Hardly any comfort there.

The second world view is the belief system of the geo-political and social movements which views what is wrong with the world as something institutional and communal wherein society becomes abusive, power is held by special class of people and individual freedom is largely interfered with and rights are violated or unevenly applied. And so their political and social activism is geared towards political and social change and demand for more freedom, less restraints, and political rights. Sadly these movements have been around for too long, and despite their noise, miserably fail and are failing to make this world right.

The third answer to what’s wrong with the world is offered by the increasingly popular Eastern and New Age Philosophy and spirituality and Eastern mysticism. For this group, what’s wrong with the world is ignorance, maybe, lack of so called enlightenment. Offering esoteric concepts they believe that man should delve into and understand hidden mystical truths such as the illusory nature of the material world and the belief that man has divine qualities. This is reflected in the teachings of Hinduism, Buddhism and Scientology. There’s a lot of mumbo jumbo here which could drive one crazy. It might give some comfort, though, to the practitioner who is still confused. 

The fourth and to which I am partial and I’m not ashamed to stand with it, is the Judeo-Christian doctrine of Sin. The Biblical view of what’s wrong with the world is simply and plainly man’s sinfulness. Sin is described in the Bible as transgression of the law of God (1 John 3:4) and rebellion against God (Deut.9:7, Joshua 1:18)

The Bible explains the reason for the trouble. Humanity is sinful, not just in theory or in practice but by nature. Sin is part of the very fiber of our being. The Bible speaks of “sinful flesh” in Romans 8:3. It’s our “earthly nature” that produces the list of sins in Colossians 3:5. And Romans 6:6 speaks of “the body ruled by sin.” The flesh-and-blood existence we lead on this earth is shaped by our sinful, corrupt nature.

The sin nature is universal in humanity. All of us have a sinful nature, and it affects every part of us. This is the doctrine of total depravity, and it is biblical. All of us have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6). Paul admits that “the trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin” (Romans 7:14). Paul was in his “sinful nature a slave to the law of sin” (Romans 7:25). Solomon concurs: “Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, / no one who does what is right and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20). The apostle John perhaps puts it most bluntly: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).

Even children have a sin nature. David rues the fact that he was born with sin already at work within him: “Surely I was sinful at birth, / sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5). Elsewhere, David states, “Even from birth the wicked go astray; / from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies” (Psalm 58:3).

Where did the sin nature come from? Scripture says that God created humans good and without a sinful nature: “God created man in His own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27). However, Genesis 3 records the disobedience of Adam and Eve. By that one action, sin entered into their nature. They were immediately stricken with a sense of shame and unfitness, and they hid from God’s presence (Genesis 3:8). When they had children, Adam’s image and likeness was passed along to his offspring (Genesis 5:3). The sin nature manifested itself early in the genealogy: the very first child born to Adam and Eve, Cain, became the very first murderer (Genesis 4:8).

From generation to generation, the sin nature was passed down to all of humanity: “Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). This verse also presents the unsettling truth that the sin nature leads inexorably to death (see also Romans 6:23 and Ephesians 2:1).

Other consequences of the sin nature are hostility toward God and ignorance of His truth. Paul says, “The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:7–8). Also, “the person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

There is only one Person in the history of the world who did not have a sin nature: Jesus Christ. His virgin birth allowed Him to enter our world while bypassing the curse passed down from Adam. Jesus then lived a sinless life of absolute perfection. He was “the Holy and Righteous One” (Acts 3:14) who “had no sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21). This allowed Jesus to be sacrificed on the cross as our perfect substitute, “a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:19). John Calvin puts it in perspective: “For certainly, Christ is much more powerful to save than Adam was to ruin.”

It is through Christ that we are born again. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6). When we are born of Adam, we inherit his sin nature; but when we are born again in Christ, we inherit a new nature: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The doctrine of sin is no longer a popular subject in most of the Christian Churches today. According to Starkey, “Little surprise then that the doctrine of sin has been all but dropped from the vocabulary of many churches and appears only rarely in general conversation. The whole idea feels archaic intolerant and morbid. For most young adults today, the only real “sin” is being intolerant of other’s lifestyle choices.