All Creation Groans— Shed Blood Crying Out

Text: “10 And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10).

We’re all probably familiar with King David’s opening words in Psalm 19— “1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). If you’ve ever been out west to the Rocky Mountains and stopped to take in the sight of the peaks stretching across the horizon, those words probably came to mind. Even around here, you may have quoted those words as you enjoyed a particularly beautiful sunset. This is a familiar way that this creation testifies, if you will, to God and His glory.

Of course, we can also go a step further. You heard the familiar words of Luke 19 a few minutes ago when Jesus declared that, if the crowds were kept silent, the very rocks, themselves would cry out. Another beautiful example of the way that this creation testifies, if you will, to God and His glory.

Tonight, though, you are reminded of a slightly different type of testimony that creation offers. You and I need to reckon with the testimony that it will give against you and me on the day of judgment.

Last week we observed that creation, itself, was the first to feel the full effects of sin in this world as those animals were killed in order to provide clothing for Adam and Eve. Tonight we’re reminded how quickly it was forced to testify to the sin committed upon it.

In Genesis 4, we see the second way that human beings tried to use to hide their guilt and shame. In the case of Adam and Eve, they realized their nakedness and made clothing for themselves in order to hide their shame— literally and figuratively. Now their son tries to hide his guilt and shame in a different way. He tries to hide his guilt by using secrecy. Cain leads his brother out into the field away from any witnesses in order to carry out his terrible plan. He tries to hide his guilt and shame with secrecy. If no one saw it happen, did it really happen?

It doesn’t work, of course. Even though there were no human witnesses, Abel’s blood called out for justice from the ground. Abel’s blood and the ground, itself, testified against Cain, if you will. It would not act as an accessory to Cain’s crime by remaining silent. Here, we discover that this creation will not remain silent about the sin it is forced to witness. As the prophet Isaiah warned, the Day of the Lord is coming when “21 …the Lord [will come] out from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, and the earth will disclose the blood shed on it, and will no more cover its slain” (Isaiah 26:21). Creation, itself, will testify to the wickedness acted out upon it, to the many ways you have spent your life in service God’s enemies, to the way it, itself, has been abused.

Clearly this goes far beyond literal blood that is shed by the violent. It includes, for example, the blood that you shed through your inaction; the times you were able to help your neighbor but chose not to; the ways that you failed to be your brother’s keeper.

And it goes even deeper. Jesus warned that anyone who curses his brother is liable to judgment, anyone who is angry with his brother without good cause is guilty of murder (Matthew 5:21-22). How many angry words against your brother have flowed from your desk at work? How many cruel words have cut and pierced those closest to you even within the walls of your own home?

You have shed your brother’s blood, with both your indifference and your hate. Often, there are no witnesses to that blood you have shed— in fact, you may not long remember the blood you’ve shed in this way— but the sidewalks where you have walked past your brother who is begging for his daily bread are calling out to God even now; what will your desk have to say about the way you treated your co-workers? What testimony will the walls of your house give? (We could go on and on, couldn’t we?)

But the guilt from their blood does not compare to your guilt on account of your brother, Jesus Christ, and His blood that you shed. He chose to make Himself your brother. And if anyone was worthy of your care— your love!— it was Him, the One who gives you life every moment of every day. But you chose to shed His blood, too. You did it through the hands of the soldiers, but it was you and me who crucified Him. What Cain did in secret, you did quite publicly. He was lifted up on that cross for all to see.

But the blood of your brother Jesus speaks a far better word than the blood of Abel or of anyone else you have hurt with your hate or your indifference. As we sing in one of our Lenten hymns, “Abel’s blood for vengeance pleaded to the skies, but the blood of Jesus for our pardon cries” (Lutheran Service Book #433, “Glory be to Jesus.”).

Isaiah warned that the Lord would come out from his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, the earth would disclose the blood shed upon it, and it would longer cover its slain (Isaiah 26:21). And that was what happened on Good Friday. God heard the cries of Abel’s blood and all of the blood that you and I have shed. And the justice that they were crying out for was carried out there on the cross. Jesus suffered God’s vengeance in your place.

No amount of secrecy could actually eliminate your guilt and shame. But Jesus left your guilt hidden, there, in His tomb forever.

When Jesus breathed His last and gave up His spirit, the St. Matthew the Evangelist records that “52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised” (Matthew 27:52). Isaiah’s prophecy was transformed. He warned that the earth would no longer cover its slain as a warning to those who shed their blood. But now, as those saints went into the holy city and appeared to many (Matthew 27:53), it was not for the purpose of accusing, but to declare the full and free forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus Christ.

And yes, it is your place, not the place of the stones, to call out in praise for who Jesus is and what He has done. That is now what this creation is groaning for (Romans 8:19-23). “23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope [you] were saved” (Romans 8:23-24a).

And, in that hope, by the way, you find the grace to forgive those who hurt you. Even as they are literally shedding your blood, the pardon that you have found in Jesus’ blood gives you the grace to join the saints before you and Jesus, Himself, in praying for their forgiveness.

“10 [T]he Lord said [to Cain], “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground” (Genesis 4:10). Justice has been served for the blood that you have shed, both through your indifference and your hate. Now, the blood of your brother Jesus Christ cries out to the Father with a far better word— and a far more certain word of grace.

In fact, on the Last Day, you won’t need to worry about any long-forgotten accusations from someone you hurt years earlier. All of the acts of love, compassion, and sacrifice— all the blood, sweat, and tears that you have shed to care for your neighbor— will no longer be hidden. Jesus will lift each and every one of them up for all to see and will declare to you, “Well done.”