Cain and Abel

Genesis Cain and Abel - Genesis 4:1-26 June 1, 2025 We're back in the book of Genesis this morning, specifically in chapter 4. This really is a heart-breaking chapter, as we begin to see the effects of sin that was first introduced to us a couple of weeks ago in chapter 3. The curses from chapter 3, verses 14-19, gave us the understanding that sin would be passed on from generation to generation, with Adam being the sin-bearer. That's sort of what we see in our text this morning, the birth of two brothers, who would be born as sinners. One would choose to follow God, while the other was more focused on himself. Really, we could look at these two as pictures of the world (Cain) and the spirit (Abel, and later, Seth). Once again though, we see a relatively short account of the first family, which will effectively conclude in chapter 5 next week. Where we see the primary focus, if you recall from our opening chapter, in the book of Genesis is found in chapters 12-50, when we are introduced to the nation of Israel. Also alluded to several weeks ago, the book of Genesis does not give us all the answers, rather we are given the details in which Moses (the generally accepted author) was led to share from the Holy Spirit. In other words, it's easy to get distracted by the details that are not there, rather than what is in the text, and the rest of the Bible. So, what I want to do this morning is ask and answer the question: What is the message of Genesis 4? First, let's read Genesis 4, then we will work on answering that question. 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. 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. 9 THEN THE LORD SAID TO CAIN, "WHERE IS ABEL YOUR BROTHER?" HE SAID, "I DO NOT KNOW; AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER?" 10 AND THE LORD SAID, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? THE VOICE OF YOUR BROTHER'S BLOOD IS CRYING TO ME FROM THE GROUND. 11 AND NOW YOU ARE CURSED FROM THE GROUND, WHICH HAS OPENED ITS MOUTH TO RECEIVE YOUR BROTHER'S BLOOD FROM YOUR HAND. 12 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." 13 CAIN SAID TO THE LORD, "MY PUNISHMENT IS GREATER THAN I CAN BEAR. 14 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." 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. 16 THEN CAIN WENT AWAY FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD AND SETTLED IN THE LAND OF NOD, EAST OF EDEN. 17 CAIN KNEW HIS WIFE, AND SHE CONCEIVED AND BORE ENOCH. WHEN HE BUILT A CITY, HE CALLED THE NAME OF THE CITY AFTER THE NAME OF HIS SON, ENOCH. 18 TO ENOCH WAS BORN IRAD, AND IRAD FATHERED MEHUJAEL, AND MEHUJAEL FATHERED METHUSHAEL, AND METHUSHAEL FATHERED LAMECH. 19 AND LAMECH TOOK TWO WIVES. THE NAME OF THE ONE WAS ADAH, AND THE NAME OF THE OTHER ZILLAH. 20 ADAH BORE JABAL; HE WAS THE FATHER OF THOSE WHO DWELL IN TENTS AND HAVE LIVESTOCK. 21 HIS BROTHER'S NAME WAS JUBAL; HE WAS THE FATHER OF ALL THOSE WHO PLAY THE LYRE AND PIPE. 22 ZILLAH ALSO BORE TUBAL-CAIN; HE WAS THE FORGER OF ALL INSTRUMENTS OF BRONZE AND IRON. THE SISTER OF TUBAL-CAIN WAS NAAMAH. 23 LAMECH SAID TO HIS WIVES: "ADAH AND ZILLAH, HEAR MY VOICE; YOU WIVES OF LAMECH, LISTEN TO WHAT I SAY: I HAVE KILLED A MAN FOR WOUNDING ME, A YOUNG MAN FOR STRIKING ME. 24 IF CAIN'S REVENGE IS SEVENFOLD, THEN LAMECH'S IS SEVENTY-SEVENFOLD." 25 AND ADAM KNEW HIS WIFE AGAIN, AND SHE BORE A SON AND CALLED HIS NAME SETH, FOR SHE SAID, "GOD HAS APPOINTED FOR ME ANOTHER OFFSPRING INSTEAD OF ABEL, FOR CAIN KILLED HIM." 26 TO SETH ALSO A SON WAS BORN, AND HE CALLED HIS NAME ENOSH. AT THAT TIME PEOPLE BEGAN TO CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD. Back in our opening sermon of this series, I summarized this chapter as the continued development of the effects of sin on the hearts of man. This ties in with our main idea this morning, which is ... The effects of sin are serious, so I must take my faith seriously! In order to answer our question this morning, which is: What is the message of Genesis 4? We must look carefully at the contents of the chapter. Since we're in chapter 4 of this great book, I developed four answers to this question. Don't worry, I won't use this same pattern for the rest of the sermon series, I don't think a 50-point sermon when we get to Genesis 50 will be a good idea. Here's the first: * We should make offerings that reflect our devotion to God. (vv. 3-4) o The context here, of course, is that we see both Cain and Abel bring an offering to the Lord. o This act is good, however, we read further that Cain's offering was not acceptable, while Abel's was. o In verse 4, the Hebrew hints that Cain may have brought his offering from what was close at hand, or readily available (or convenience), while we see that Abel's sacrifice was from the "firstfruits" of the cattle. o Generally, the idea of firstfruit not only represents the best of the best, but also that it was the firstborn, or in accounting terms, it was the top line, the gross, verses the net. o Moses doesn't give us all the details to understand perfectly, only that Abel's was accepted, however the rest of the Scriptures add some additional hints. o For example, Hebrews 11:4 reads: 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. This seems to be in complete agreement with the Genesis account. o But 1 John 3:11-12 gives us additional context, when the Apostle John says, 11 FOR THIS IS THE MESSAGE THAT YOU HAVE HEARD FROM THE BEGINNING, THAT WE SHOULD LOVE ONE ANOTHER. 12 WE SHOULD NOT BE LIKE CAIN, WHO WAS OF THE EVIL ONE AND MURDERED HIS BROTHER. AND WHY DID HE MURDER HIM? BECAUSE HIS OWN DEEDS WERE EVIL AND HIS BROTHER'S RIGHTEOUS. So, Cain's heart was evil. o Finally, in Jude 11, Jude "warns of the way of Cain, which is unbelief, empty religion leading to jealousy, persecution of those truly godly, and murderous anger," as one author summarized it. o Other theories make the allusion back to Genesis 3:21 which points to a blood sacrifice, which Abel would have done in this case. o Now, we begin to understand a bit more of why Cain's sacrifice was not acceptable. o What we see is that it was less about what was sacrificed, rather than the heart of the sacrifice. o Here's how Warren Wiersbe put it, "Cain wasn't rejected because of his offering, but his offering was rejected because of Cain: his heart wasn't right with God" o Maybe, to put it another way, Cain was being religious. And, just like religion, the action does not always correspond to the heart. o Jesus uses the example of "white-washed tombs" in Matthew 23 when He addressed the Religious leaders. Yes, maybe the tombs look clean, but inside there was rotting flesh and bones. o What was needed was authenticity. * Authentic worship. * Authentic words. * Authentic actions. o You see, what we do, how we serve, and what we give must be driven by a right heart, otherwise we're only showing our devotion to ourselves. o Second ... * How we respond to sin affects our relationship with God (v. 7) o There's that sin word again. o Sadly, many churches and church leaders fail to teach this topic or even mention the word. o The word sin means "to fail" or "to miss the goal" * Which I know a lot about, right Steve and Joel? o As I mentioned when we opened, Cain was born into sin - just like Abel was, and just like you and I were. o And as such, we are all at risk of falling into temptation. o God, however, as He did with Adam, He gives Cain an opportunity to confess and to repent. Which, we know he did not. o God also gives us a solution to overcoming sin at the end of verse 7. He told Cain that he must rule over it, as opposed to being a slave to sin. o James, the Lord's brother, adds these words several thousand years later. * 21 THEREFORE PUT AWAY ALL FILTHINESS AND RAMPANT WICKEDNESS AND RECEIVE WITH MEEKNESS THE IMPLANTED WORD, WHICH IS ABLE TO SAVE YOUR SOULS. 22 BUT BE DOERS OF THE WORD, AND NOT HEARERS ONLY, DECEIVING YOURSELVES.(James 1:21-22). * Later, in chapter 4:7-10, James wrote: 7 SUBMIT YOURSELVES THEREFORE TO GOD. RESIST THE DEVIL, AND HE WILL FLEE FROM YOU. 8 DRAW NEAR TO GOD, AND HE WILL DRAW NEAR TO YOU. CLEANSE YOUR HANDS, YOU SINNERS, AND PURIFY YOUR HEARTS, YOU DOUBLE-MINDED. 9 BE WRETCHED AND MOURN AND WEEP. LET YOUR LAUGHTER BE TURNED TO MOURNING AND YOUR JOY TO GLOOM. 10 HUMBLE YOURSELVES BEFORE THE LORD, AND HE WILL EXALT YOU. o You see, God gives us a way out. o You don't have to give into temptation o But God warns us here that sin is waiting for you. Crouching like a predator. o So, we must remain close to God. o Third: * The consequence of my sin goes beyond myself. (vv.8-24) o Back in verse 5, we see that Cain was angry. o The wording in verses 7-8 seem to indicate that some time had passed. o Recall, we saw God's warning, and we see in verse 8, that even though Cain had every opportunity to get right with God, the anger in verse 5 remained with him and caused him to commit the very first murder. o What's interesting here is that God did not punish Cain in the way that maybe we would have thought. o Remember, it was not until Genesis 9:6 that God instituted capital punishment for murder. o So, God did not have Cain killed for his actions, instead, he let him live without fear of being killed by others for his actions against his brother. o Once again, God's mercy is on full display here. But there is also judgement. o Look at verses 12-13 * Cain's work would become fruitless, and he will become a wanderer and a fugitive. * Because of his actions: * He lost fellowship with God, and * He lost fellowship with his family o Again, Cain was not the only one affected by his sin. * Adam and Eve lost both of their sons * And even though we see Cain moved on, married, had children, and built a city, his ancestors, as it seems, did not have a relationship with God. o In fact, the text gives us many hints to confirm this. * In verse 17, Cain names the city after his son. * If we fast forward to Genesis, chapter 28, Jacob renames a city from Luz to Bethel (which means "house of God") * You see the contrast there? * Self-focused versus God focused. o Then, we're introduced to Lamech (which, if you did the math, is seven generations from Cain at this point). What we see here is the nature of the culture from Cain's line. * Lamech was the first polygamist. * Back in chapter 2, we're introduced to marriage as the union of one man, and one woman. * Lamech went against the will of God. * What's interesting about these wives and daughters is how they seem to show us the emphasis of his heart through their names. o Adah means, "pleasure, ornament, or beauty." Zillah means, "shade" probably referring to a luxurious covering of hair. His daughter's name was Naamah, which means, "loveliness." Lamech's culture was committed to physical and outward beauty. * He also brags to his wives about killing two people. * I thought a lot about his brag, and those who seem to have no remorse when they take the life of someone else. * It should break our heart anytime someone takes the life of another. * It should break our heart anytime someone is violent towards another. * It should break our heart anytime someone is violated. When a child is aborted. When someone is tortured. * God said in chapter 1, verse 27, that we were created in His image. * Acts 17:25 says that God is the giver of life, and Job 1:21 reminds us that God is also the taker of life. o We are to respect human life. o Finally, we see hope from the midst of this wicked culture, as we learn here that ... * God offers life to those who seek after Him (vv. 25-26) o We're introduced to another son, Seth, in verse 25. o Seth's birth represented a new life, and it was through Seth (as we'll see next week) we get to Noah, who is described as a righteous and blameless man. o But, maybe more important than this is that it was during the time his son (Enosh) was born, that people began to call upon the name of the Lord. o Paul, quoting the prophet Joel, reminds us that, FOR EVERYONE WHO CALLS ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED. o So, we see that even though on Cain's side there was a sin-centered nation developing, through Seth, we see new-life. Earlier, I said that the effects of sin are serious, so I must take my faith seriously! How do we do that? Through a changed heart, leading to obedience and good works. How does that occur? Through faith in Jesus. Calling on His name. So, when we look at the overall message of chapter 4, we see that it focuses around the heart. The heart directs who we worship, if we honor God, how we respond to temptation, and how we treat others. And it can only be pleasing to God when it is wholly devoted to the Creator of the universe, possible only through the work of Jesus Christ. In the end, it comes down to being like Abel who had a God-focused approach to life and worship, living according to the spirit, or like Cain, who focused only on himself, living according to the world. Are you a Cain, or an Abel? Let's pray. 2