GENESIS 4: Cain and Abel

 After coming out of the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had two sons.

(Genesis 4:1-2) Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, "I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD." And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground.

It is clear that their parents talked to them about God, since they both decided to present an offering to the Lord.

(Genesis 4:3-5)  In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.

Each one of them presented the fruit of his labor. But, why was one of the offerings accepted, while the other one was not? Some say that Abel offered the best one (the fat of the firstborns), while Cain only presented some fruit. This is an explanation that makes sense… but I want us to look at this situation from another perspective, since there is a deeper message in this passage.

Cain and Abel were giving an offering to God as a way to please Him. They wanted to get close to God. Remember that they, too, had been left out of that close relationship to God Adam had enjoyed. God took this opportunity to teach them (and us as well) the correct way to approach him.

Abel’s Offering: Blood

Abel offered an animal sacrifice, which involves the shedding of blood.

God accepted this offering because it was the only way man can receive forgiveness of sin.

(Hebrews 9:22)  Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

Abel’s sacrifice was in accord to what God would later reveal to be the way to get close to Him. If we approach God with sin in us, we would die. But if someone else dies for us, then we may approach him and reconcile ourselves with God without dying.

(Leviticus 17:11)  For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.

(I Peter 1:17-20)  And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you.

Cain’s Offering: Fruit

Cain’s offering was of the fruit of the ground, which represent our works. God wanted us to know that we may not approach him and try to win his favor with our own “righteous deeds”. Good works are not able to save us, only the substitute sacrifice, that is, the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, the only righteous one. 

(Romans 3:20-26)  For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-- the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

How does God see our own righteous deeds?

(Isaiah 64:6)  We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

CAIN’S REACTION

When we give and offering to God, we should be seeking to please Him. Maybe this was Cain’s original intention. However, we later realize where his heart was. The Bible tells us that he “was very angry, and his face fell” (4:5).

If Cain’s objective was to please God, he would have traded his fruit for sheep and offered those to the Lord. But it is evident that he was more interested in doing his own will, than pleasing God.

Even then, God gave him the opportunity to reconsider and repent.

(Genesis 4:6-7)  The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it."

In his mercy, God warned him that sin was crouching at the door, but he still had the chance to close that door. If he really wanted to please God, he should set his eyes on the Lord, and not on his own desires and emotions.

But instead of repenting, Cain unleashes his emotions.

(Genesis 4:8)  Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

Instead of closing the door to sin, as God had warned him to do, he completely opened it.

(Proverbs 17:19)  Whoever loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction.

Again, in His mercy, God gives Cain the opportunity to confess his sin and repent.

(Genesis 4:9)  Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?"

Instead of repenting and humiliating himself before the Lord, Cain is filled with pride. This was the cause of his fall.

(Proverbs 16:18)  Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

(Proverbs 18:12)  Before destruction a man's heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.

(Matthew 23:12)  Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

We all fail. Even then, God is willing to forgive us. However, in order to receive his favor, we must first humble ourselves and repent.

(James 4:6-10)  But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

CAIN’S PUNISHMENT

Since Cain did not repent, God punished him.

(Genesis 4:11-12)  And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.

Cain was a man of the soil, a farmer. But from this point forward, the earth was not going to assist him. No longer being able to be a sedentary man, he was now forced to be a wanderer.

Even then, Cain did not humble himself before God. Instead, he arrogantly protested:

(Genesis 4:13-14)  Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."

At that moment Cain wanted to die, because he could no longer do what he loved: to work the ground. But God told him that he was not going to die with his shame ahead of him. Maybe this would give him time to repent!

(Genesis 4:15)  Then the LORD said to him, "Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him.

Aren’t there many people like Cain? Whenever they are not doing well, they protest to God. They do not accept the punishment for their bad decisions, nor do they want to obey God. In their arrogance, they believe God is at their service. They do not recognize that he is God, and he is to be served and obeyed.

History repeats itself… but may Cain’s bad example not be reproduced in our lives.