Cain and Abel

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. 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. 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 contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. 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 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.” 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. Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

1) How we should Worship God

1) Worship

Genesis 4:3 ESV

In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground,

Genesis 4:3–4 ESV

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,

Genesis 4:1–5 ESV

1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.” 2 And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 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, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.

Lesson 2:

Don’t need to read into their occupations, simply for story reference

Things to understand:

Both grew up in the same home, with the same teaching from mom and dad.

This is not far removed from the story, the affects of sin’s curse is revealing itself.

Cain and Abel were both affected by sin and were sinners.

They bring offerings to God

There was either and expectation that offerings be brought to God (likely) or they had decided to do so as a way to show their love for God.

Each gathers his offering and brings it before God

Cain brought God “some fruit from the ground”.

Abel brought God “the first born and fattest portions of his flock.”

“the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering.”

God only accepts Abel’s offering

“But for Cain and His offering, the Lord had no regard.”

God does not consider (ignores, disregards) Cain’s offering.

Why does God accept Abel’s offering and not Cain’s?

He likes Abel better and so He chooses Abel’s offering over Cains. NO

Abel’s offering is a blood offering and God is only appeased by blood.

God institutes different kinds of offers, not just blood offering

The author specifically points out the jobs they have, one job is not more important.

He doesn’t correct Cain about bring the wrong type of thing. (if you do well..)

Abel gave from the right heart/motivation

Hebrews 11:4 ESV

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

We learn from Hebrews that Abel gave from his faith.

Cain, then, gave what he thought was satisfactory.

It isn’t that Cain’s offering was insufficient, but it revealed Cain’s heart and motivation.

You see it played out in the next verses.

The point is that right from the beginning God draws our attention away from what fallen humans think is important, namely how our works can make us look impressive, to what God thinks is important, namely how our works reveal who we trust.

Abel gives what he thinks God is worthy of.

God is worth my first and my best.

God will sustain me and care for me even if I give Him my best.

God is more concerned with our faith than our work.

We are all much like Cain, giving what we think we need to in order to get what we want.

It shows itself in our spending habits and our generosity. (We give to feel better or get someone off our back, either God or our wife.)

It shows itself in how we spend our time. (We see our time is something we earned and should choose how to use it)

If shows itself in how we treat others. (if I do this I should get that…)

Sin destroys us from the inside out.

Genesis 4:6–8 ESV

6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 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 contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” 8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

gen 4:

We can focus on Cain killing Abel as his sin, but Cain’s sin started long before Abel’s death

Anger, bitterness, envy, self-centeredness all begin deep in Cain’s heart.

God points this out “sin is crouching at the door.”

But even when our sin materializes into action, it’s destruction continues.

Genesis 4:9 ESV

9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”

Genesis 4:9 ESV

9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”

gen 4:

Cain’s sin causes him to deny, dodge, and hide from God.

Much like his parents did, and much like we do.

The best ways to avoid dealing with our sin is to:

deny it (lie),

dodge it (rationalize it), or

hide (don’t face up)

1 John 1:9 ESV

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

God’s grace is found before and after our sin.

Genesis 4:7 ESV

7 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 contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

Gen 4:

God warns Cain that his heart is leading him to sin.

God’s Word to us is grace manifested.

God desires that we would not sin.

1 John 2:1 ESV

1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

But God’s grace does not leave after we sin.

Genesis 4:15 ESV

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.

God

Abel’s blood points us to Christ.

Look at your marriage, if he doesn’t ____ then you can forget _______, look at all I have done.

We daily live out an attitude of selfish

Genesis 4:10 ESV

10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground.

Gen 4:

Abel’s blood cries out for justice, damning Cain in his sin.

But just as one man’s blood leads to condemnation, Christ blood leads to redemption.

Hebrews 12:24 ESV

24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

What puddles of blood have you left in your life?

Your sin deserves God’s just wrath, but their is a better word, JESUS

Even as we follow in the footsteps of Cain, we have hope in Christ.

Question for Reflection:

1) Why are you here today?

What motivates you to give, come, serve…?

Examine our heart oh Lord that we may worship you in Spirit and truth.

2) What sin do you need to bring to the cross today?

3) What word from the Lord do you need to heed today?

4) Whose blood do you trust in today?

Abel’s blood that has stained your hands?

Or Christ’s blood that will wash you clean?

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