Genesis 4

Genesis 4 – Outline

I. Cain and Abel’s Offerings (4:1–7)

(v.1–2) Birth of Cain and Abel – first children born after the Fall.

(v.3–5) Cain brings fruit of the ground; Abel brings the firstborn of his flock.

God accepts Abel’s offering but rejects Cain’s, exposing Cain’s inner sin.

(v.6–7) God warns Cain to rule over sin before it rules him.

II. The First Murder (4:8–12)

(v.8) Cain kills Abel in the field.

(v.9–10) God confronts Cain—“Where is Abel your brother?”

(v.11–12) Cain is cursed; the ground will no longer yield for him, and he will wander the earth.

III. God’s Mercy and Cain’s Mark (4:13–16)

(v.13–14) Cain fears vengeance and exile.

(v.15–16) God places a mark on Cain to protect him and sends him to the land of Nod (“wandering”).

IV. Cain’s Descendants and Civilization (4:17–24)

(v.17–18) Cain’s descendants build cities and multiply.

(v.19–22) Lamech’s family advances civilization—raising livestock, creating instruments, and metalworking.

(v.23–24) Lamech’s violent boast shows the deepening corruption of humanity.

V. The Birth of Seth and Renewal of Hope (4:25–26)

(v.25) Eve bears Seth, given “in place of Abel.”

(v.26) Seth’s line begins to call on the name of the Lord, restoring worship and hope for humanity.

Key Themes

The Spread of Sin: From disobedience in Eden to murder in the next generation.

Heart of Worship: God desires obedience and faith, not mere offerings.

God’s Justice and Mercy: God judges sin yet shows mercy to Cain.

Two Lines of Humanity: The godless (Cain’s line) and the godly (Seth’s line).

Hope of Redemption: Despite sin’s growth, God preserves a faithful line through Seth.

Introduction:

Genesis 3

You can eat of any tree but the tree of knowledge of good and evil

Eve was deceived and ate of the tree and gave to Adam and he ate and their eyes were opened

At that moment they realized they were naked, they sewed fig leaves together to cover their nakedness

God made them tunics of skin

This was the first animal sacrifice, God atoned for their sin

Tunics of skin: In order for Adam and Eve to be clothed, a sacrifice had to be made. An animal had to die. 

Without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins 

Adam and Eve were clothed with a garment that was purchased with the life of another.

We are clothed with a garment of righteousness that was purchased with the life of another, Jesus Christ.

And clothed them: This, together with the expression of faith in God’s promise indicated in the naming of Eve (Genesis 3:20), indicates that Adam and Eve were rescued from their sinful condition.

Adam had faith in God’s promise of a Savior, and God provided a covering for them through a sacrifice. We will see Adam and Eve in heaven.

Hebrews 9:22 “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.”

Notes

Throughout the book of Genesis we hear a lot about brothers

Cain means acquire, Abel means breath

Cain was a farmer and Abel was a shepherd

1. (V1) Adam knew his wife

Speaks of intimate relations

Two became one

The first born was Cain, which means in Hebrew to acquire

The second born was Abel which means breath

1.1 (V2-5) Abel was a shepherd and cain was a tiller

Cain brought an offering of fruit

Abel brought of his firstborn of the flock

a) Abel’s offering was accepted

This shows Abel’s offering was extra special. The fat of the animal was prized as its “luxury” and was to be given to God when the animal was sacrificed (Leviticus 3:16-17, 7:23-25). The burning of fat in sacrifice before God is called a sweet aroma to the Lord (Leviticus 17:6).

Hebrews 11:4 “By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.”

Perhaps God taught them about sacrifices and the shedding of blood. They would have been taught by God and passed it down to their children

b) Cain sacrifice was rejected by God

Cain’s heart was not right with God

It was by faith Abel’s sacrifice was accepted by God, which means he had faith in God and was right with God

1.3 (V6-7) God warns Cain

Why are you angry?

Cain never repented of his sins

His concern was for his punishment

Unconfessed anger or bitterness will lead us to commit more sin

Matthew 5:21–22 ““You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.

Jesus taught the anger of the heart is the moral equivalent of murder with the hands

Application: People stew on things, they go over it and over it, until eventually they do or say something they cannot take back

1.4 (V8) Cain commits murder

He talked with his brother, it was premeditated

God warned Cain, but he did not listen and his bitterness turned to anger which resulted in murder

1.5 (V9) Am I my brothers keeper?

This was like back talk

No remorse

1.6 (V13) My punishment is greater than I can bear

a) The mark was a mark of mercy

God doesn’t give us what we deserve

At that moment God placed a protective mark on Cain

It might appear people get away with committing evil, but everyone has their day in court (Judgement Day)

Genesis 9:6 ““Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man.”

Hebrews 9:27 “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,”