January 11, 2024 | Be God's Light
Cain and Abel
Scripture: Genesis 4(NIV)
1 Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. 11 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.”
13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
15 But the Lord said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
17 Cain made love to his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech.
19 Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes. 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.
23 Lamech said to his wives,
“Adah and Zillah, listen to me;
wives of Lamech, hear my words.
I have killed a man for wounding me,
a young man for injuring me.
24 If Cain is avenged seven times,
then Lamech seventy-seven times.”
25 Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” 26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh.
At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.
Devotional
In this famous first murder, there are many things going on. For some reason, Cain’s fruit and vegetable offering was not received as well by God as his brother Abel’s animal offering. Perhaps Cain was giving the leftovers (“some of the fruits”) while his brother was giving the best (“some of the firstborn”). Maybe it had to do with attitude, one making a reluctant sacrifice while the other made a joyful one.
We can see that both the quality of the gift and the way it was given were part of the problem: “The Lord looked with favor on Abel AND his offering, but on Cain AND his offering he did not look with favor” (v. 4-5). This made the older brother jealous, angry, and sad. What do you do with negative emotions when they arise in your heart toward another person?
In verse 7, God paints a compelling picture for Cain, telling him that sin is crouching at the door of his heart in order to overwhelm him. The Lord tells him to stamp it out, to kill the sin. He kills his little brother instead.
In the New Testament, Paul writes about this battle within us: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Romans 7:15). When God confronts Cain and asks him where Abel is, he famously lies to the Lord saying, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
One of the things I have discovered in my years of ministry is that when people are caught sinning, they almost always lie to cover it up. But this is not the way to God’s heart. Proverbs 28:13 says, “Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Confession is good for the soul.
Buried in the genealogy near the end of the chapter, we see that one of Cain’s descendants carried on the family tradition. Lamech killed a guy for hurting him. Are there any negative traits or tendencies that have been passed down to you? Cry out to God and quash the curse. Sin may be crouching at your door, but through the Lord you have the power to rule over it!
Poem
Why do you hate me?
Why do you hate me?
I've done you no wrong
I'm just living my life
Just going along
The path God is taking This soul of mine on
Why do you hate me?
I've done you no wrong
There's plenty of room
In this big spacious world
For talents and daydreams
For both of us, Girl
Your focus is off
I'm not in your way
Stop looking at me
And live your today
You catch me off guard
With your knife killing words
At time of my joy
You whip out your sword
I don't want to fight you
I don't have a clue
Why do you hate me
I'm me and you're you
This isn't a contest
This isn't a fight
I just want to express me
And live my full life
Let me give my offering
And you give yours, too Why do you hate me?
I haven't a clue
