Lessons in Genesis 4

Genesis 4 Lessons in Genesis 4 Introduction: Genesis chapter 3 records for us the fall of humanity into sin. Yet it does not reveal to us how far man has fallen. The rest of the Bible goes on to show that Mankind in it’s fallen sinful nature does not seek after God but by nature wanders from God, and suppresses the truth of God. We see this very clearly as we move on into Genesis chapter 4 where mankind (depicted by Cain and his descendants) move further into autonomy, setting themselves up as their own god and clearly disregarding/defying Yahweh and his will for humanity. Cain and his descendants are sharply contrasted with another family line seen in humanity (depicted by Abel and Seth). Those who would push against the natural tendency to wander from God and instead draw near to God by faith. In the line of Cain we see rich cultural developments but increasingly people declaring that they don’t need God. In this line of the seed of the woman we see people who are weak, a mere breath (Abel, Seth, Enosh), but people who “call upon the name of the Lord”. They recognize their dependence on the Lord, their king, and make the LORD central in their lives: they pray to God and worship him. Kenneth Matthews says, “Cain’s firstborn and successors pioneer cities and civilized arts, but Seth’s firstborn and successors pioneer worship.” What are the main teachings or thoughts of Genesis chapter 4? 1. God’s faithfulness to bring salvation through the seed of the woman. a. Cain is corrupt. i. Eve exclaims, “I have received a man with the help of the LORD”. It seems that Eve believes Cain to be the promised seed who will crush the head of the Serpent. ii. It doesn’t take Eve too much time to realize that Cain is not the Promised seed; for she names her next child abel which means vanity or breath. iii. Eve has lost hope in Cain and it’s easy to see why. He is not one who is humble toward God. iv. As we look at Cain and his descendants we see that any hope of salvation through man is vain. v. Cain’s family grows more corrupt as time passes. vi. It is through Cain that the first murder is committed, it is through his descendent Lamech that polygamy is begun, departing from God’s plan for marriage which is clearly mapped out for us in Genesis 2. It is also through the Line of Cain that Man declares his independence and ability to protect and avenge himself, he does not need God, or his protection. b. What about Abel? Abel is dead. i. The Devil has succeeded once again. Cain he has corrupted and used him to slay his brother Abel. Now what of the promise of God to redeem his creation through the seed of the woman? ii. Verse 25-26 “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. iii. This passage is obviously recorded to assure the Israelites that God is faithful to his word and to his people. He has said and it will come to pass. It is written that they might know, “that no power of hell, no scheme of man, can ever pluck (them) from his hand” - that nothing can thwart the purpose of God, whether it be corrupted Cain, slain Abel, the pollution of mankind, the deadness of Sarah’s womb, Isaac being sacrificed, or Joseph being sold into slavery - Nothing shall separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And Jesus came didn’t he? The Seed of the woman came and triumphed over the serpent, proof that God is faithful to his word. 2. The seriousness of sin. - the hiddenness and power sin. a. Vs 6-7 “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 for you, but you must rule over it.” b. The hiddenness and power of sin c. Sin is crouching - the language used here is typical of speaking of leopards or tigers. What these animals do is before they pounce they seemingly disappear, they crouch. d. God is showing us that sin does this same thing in our lives, it seeks to hide itself from our view. It insist that it’s not there or that it’s smaller than we think it is. And it crouches waiting to have us, to overpower us and take control of our lives. e. Example’s: i. a grudge- self justification for being angry. ii. fantasies - always living in the future or always thinking if things were different. It’s a lack of thankfulness. But this is the way it hides itself as us being planners, or dreamers. iii. Work - I’m not a workaholic, I just have a strong work ethic. iv. Money - I’m not stingy or relying on my savings account for security, I’m just thrifty, and I’m being a good steward. f. Don’t under estimate your sin. Don’t minimize your sin. See it for the powerful beast that it is. If you don’t deal with your sin it will have you, it will dominate your life, and take control. g. David asked that the Lord would cleanse him from secret faults, sins that he could not see or potential sins. We need to ask the Lord to do the same with us. h. This is an area of our life that demands christian fellowship. Fellowship is so important for us as christians because so often we can’t see the sin that is crouching waiting to pounce. Community allows others to see what is going on in your life, and often these people can see what you are failing to see and deal with, they can see the sin that is crouching. i. We as christians need to be spending a lot of time in deep christian community. 3. God’s mercy toward the sinner. a. Notice, God sees that Cain’s countenance is fallen, which means that Cain is depressed. God sees it, and asks Cain a series of questions. i. Now God being God could easily, rebuke Cain, and tell Cain how dare he bring to him this offering, and sulk when it is not accepted... I”m God! ii. But look at God’s way with Cain, it is gentle, God asks, what’s going on, why are you angry, why are you depressed. God comes in as the wonderful counselor and finally exhorts Cain to do what is right. iii. Cain shuns God’s counsel and he murders his brother Abel. iv. God comes to Cain again, with questions: where is your brother and what have you done? v. Cain is defensive, defiant and unrepentant. vi. God pronounces a curse on Cain. 1. 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.” 2. 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.” 3. Cain pleads for mercy, he isn’t repentant but he really is crying out. 4. 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. 5. Look at God’s mercy on a sinner who is unrepentant, and has just committed the heinous crime of murder. 6. How much more toward us who are repentant of our sin and who humble ourselves before him? 4. The significance of Sacrifice. - 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. a. This is the first time sacrifice is ever mentioned in scripture. b. When we look at this passage we really don’t understand why Cain is rejected and Abel is received. c. The writer of Hebrews tells us, “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. d. Cain is coming with works - asking God to accept him for the things he has done. Cain is the religious man who thinks if I do right God will bless me, God will accept me. e. Abel is coming in faith, he comes with a blood sacrifice, believing in the promise of Genesis 3:15 that a deliver will come who will crush the head of the serpent and offer the greatest sacrifice of all. Abel’s testimony still speaks though he was killed, God only receives those who come to him through faith. f. Abel is probably not the guy that we would like to identify with in scripture, his name means vanity or breath, and his life ends with him lying in his own blood in a field. But this man is the model or pattern for all who would come to God, they must come as Abel, understanding that they’re own life is mere breath, vain, “Nothing in my hands I bring but simply to the cross I cling”. This is the one that God accepts, this is the man or woman that God justifies! g.