Story: Cain and Abel
Passage: Genesis 4
Characters: Adam and Eve (4:1), Cain (4:1), Abel (4:2), Lamech (4:18)
Interaction/Summary: Eve gave birth to Cain. first and then Abel. Both sons brought sacrifices to God but God only accepted Abel's. Cain got angry and deceived and killed Abel. God confronted Cain and Cain tried to lie to God. God cursed Cain but still protected him. Cain ran away and was the forefather of a lot of people. Eve bore another son and named him Seth. People began to call on the Lord. Lamech, on of Cain's descendants, killed a man and arrogantly bragged about it to his wives.
Thoughts: Cain worked the ground whereas Abel kept sheep. We don't know exactly why God rejected Cain's offering but it is implied that Cain did not give his best fruits and vegetables to God. Cain was not necessarily angry that God rejected his offering. I think he was mad that his younger brother's was accepted over his. Ancient cultures placed a lot of weight on birth order. AS the first born, Cain had more status than Abel. As we will see continually throughout Genesis though, God could care less about birth order. In fact, as we read through the entire Bible we will see that God could care less about any earthly cultural standard we use to ascribe status and glory to ourselves. There are only two statuses in the kingdom of God. God who deserves glory, and creation, which gives Him glory. I find it interesting that God actually warned Cain before the murder that he would be tempted to sin. He even promised that if Cain did right, he would be accepted, which literally is worded as his face would be lifted up. God wanted him to be happy even though he had just given a bad offering. God also told Cain to rule over sin. This tells us that we are meant to have authority over sin. Cain lied to God's face when God asked where abel was. When Adam and Eve sinned, they did not lie, they just shifted the blame. Having been born in a fallen world, Cain probably did not appreciate the holiness and all-knowingness of God so he tried to lie. His response was either arrogant or fearful. God cursed him. God's curse took away Cain's entire livelihood. Cain worked the ground according to the beginning of the chapter and now the ground would not produce for him. He recognized that he would be killed for what he did once he left the Lord's presence. But God did not intend to kill him. God showed love and mercy to Cain by protecting him and promising to fiercely avenge anyone who harmed him. God showed love to Cain immediately after he killed his brother. He destroyed someone made in God's image and God's response was to love him and show him mercy! Cain began to have descendents. Of interest are Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal-cain. They were the fathers of tent-dwelling livestock-keepers, musicians, and metalworkers respectively. Notice that none of them worked the ground. Cains curse continued through the generations. Notice also that these occupations took a lot of skill and art. God actually talks about or references these occupations throughout scripture. So God banished them from farming, but He provided them with jobs which were still very technical and noble and allowed them to use their creative power. The passage gives a short anecdote about Lamech killing someone who had wronged him. His response was not one of guilt, but of pride as he tried to include his own curse for anyone who harms him. The passage then turns back to Adam and Eve as they have another son named Seth who replaces Abel. It is interesting that while this passage is mostly about Cain and his family, it starts and ends with Adam and Eve. After a brief rabbit trail, the story is back on track and ready to continue. The passage ends by saying at that time, people began to call on the LORD. In Eden there might not have been a need to call on the Lord for help. The Lord lived in perfect unity with humanity. In the fallen world, people realized that they could not control things on their own and they began to call on the God they had turned their backs on.
Passage: Genesis 4
Characters: Adam and Eve (4:1), Cain (4:1), Abel (4:2), Lamech (4:18)
Interaction/Summary: Eve gave birth to Cain. first and then Abel. Both sons brought sacrifices to God but God only accepted Abel's. Cain got angry and deceived and killed Abel. God confronted Cain and Cain tried to lie to God. God cursed Cain but still protected him. Cain ran away and was the forefather of a lot of people. Eve bore another son and named him Seth. People began to call on the Lord. Lamech, on of Cain's descendants, killed a man and arrogantly bragged about it to his wives.
Thoughts: Cain worked the ground whereas Abel kept sheep. We don't know exactly why God rejected Cain's offering but it is implied that Cain did not give his best fruits and vegetables to God. Cain was not necessarily angry that God rejected his offering. I think he was mad that his younger brother's was accepted over his. Ancient cultures placed a lot of weight on birth order. AS the first born, Cain had more status than Abel. As we will see continually throughout Genesis though, God could care less about birth order. In fact, as we read through the entire Bible we will see that God could care less about any earthly cultural standard we use to ascribe status and glory to ourselves. There are only two statuses in the kingdom of God. God who deserves glory, and creation, which gives Him glory. I find it interesting that God actually warned Cain before the murder that he would be tempted to sin. He even promised that if Cain did right, he would be accepted, which literally is worded as his face would be lifted up. God wanted him to be happy even though he had just given a bad offering. God also told Cain to rule over sin. This tells us that we are meant to have authority over sin. Cain lied to God's face when God asked where abel was. When Adam and Eve sinned, they did not lie, they just shifted the blame. Having been born in a fallen world, Cain probably did not appreciate the holiness and all-knowingness of God so he tried to lie. His response was either arrogant or fearful. God cursed him. God's curse took away Cain's entire livelihood. Cain worked the ground according to the beginning of the chapter and now the ground would not produce for him. He recognized that he would be killed for what he did once he left the Lord's presence. But God did not intend to kill him. God showed love and mercy to Cain by protecting him and promising to fiercely avenge anyone who harmed him. God showed love to Cain immediately after he killed his brother. He destroyed someone made in God's image and God's response was to love him and show him mercy! Cain began to have descendents. Of interest are Jabal, Jubal, and Tubal-cain. They were the fathers of tent-dwelling livestock-keepers, musicians, and metalworkers respectively. Notice that none of them worked the ground. Cains curse continued through the generations. Notice also that these occupations took a lot of skill and art. God actually talks about or references these occupations throughout scripture. So God banished them from farming, but He provided them with jobs which were still very technical and noble and allowed them to use their creative power. The passage gives a short anecdote about Lamech killing someone who had wronged him. His response was not one of guilt, but of pride as he tried to include his own curse for anyone who harms him. The passage then turns back to Adam and Eve as they have another son named Seth who replaces Abel. It is interesting that while this passage is mostly about Cain and his family, it starts and ends with Adam and Eve. After a brief rabbit trail, the story is back on track and ready to continue. The passage ends by saying at that time, people began to call on the LORD. In Eden there might not have been a need to call on the Lord for help. The Lord lived in perfect unity with humanity. In the fallen world, people realized that they could not control things on their own and they began to call on the God they had turned their backs on.
Questions: Why did God reject Cain's offering? Why did Cain decide killing Abel was necessary? Why did God grant Cain protection? It sounds like Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel were still living in the presence of the Lord. Did the fall not ruin that immediately? How did God react to Lamech's statement about killing someone? What made people realize their need for God again? Why was this side story about Cain included in the story of the beginning?
Lessons: When we don't give Him our best, we are implying that we deserve the best and not Him. This applies to our lives today and how we give our lives to God. God loves us and provides for us even when we are sinners! God had plans for Cain and his family. If Cain was important enough to God to include in His word to us, then we know how important our messed up lives can be to Him as well. Even with his love and mercy towards Cain, God did punish Cain severely by ultimately removing him from His presence. God loves us, but He does not take sin lightly!
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