Cain and Abel

Genesis 4:1-2

Summary

In the story of Cain and Abel we see man’s battle to rule over the knowledge of good and evil.

This makes sense because we are following Adam and Eve’s introduction of the knowledge of good and evil into the world.

The story of Cain and Abel is the first story out of hundreds where tension begins to grow because of the question “How do we fix the problem of good and evil?”

Interesting Parallels

Jesus and the Israelites

Abel was a sheep herder | Jesus referred to himself as the good shepherd John 10:11

John 10:11 ESV

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Jesus was slain by his brothers and sisters | Abel was killed by his brother

Jesus’ blood spoke life and freedom to God for his brothers and sisters | Abel’s blood spoke death and judgement to God against his brother

Jesus was innocent | Abel was innocent

Israelites were guilty | Cain was guilty

Israelites killed out of anger | Cain killed out of anger

Adam and Eve

Eve is tempted | Cain is tempted

Eve deceives Adam | Cain kills Abel

God curses both of them

God gives them both the ability to choose right from wrong or obedience from disobedience

Cain works the ground like Adam | Abel takes care of the living which is Eve’s namesake

Cain was a worker of the ground | The serpent was cursed to crawl on the ground

Genesis 4:1-5

Genesis 4:1–5 ESV

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.

Why Abel and not Cain?

Hebrews 11:4 tells us that it was because of Abel’s faith that his offering was accepted which has to mean it was because of Cain’s lack of faith that his offering wasn’t accepted.

Hebrews 11:4 ESV

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.

The word for faith here is pistis which is defined in the NT as reliability based on evidence which would include one’s word. Therefore, in order to have faith in God you have to know what He said. Then, once you know what He has said you believe it and operate according to your belief in it.

If you don’t operate out of faith it means you are not operating out of God’s word which means you are operating against His word. Abel brought his offering out of faith and Cain did not.

Genesis 4:6–7 ESV

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.”

God is trying to teach Cain a valuable lesson. What is that lesson?

You don’t always get what you want.

Sometimes things happen that are beyond our control. Sometimes things don’t go the way we would like. Sometimes things happen that are just plain bad.

In every instance when that happens, God is looking at how we respond and He is saying to us “Sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

How do we rule over it?

We don’t give it what it wants. We crucify our flesh and do what is right rather than what is emotionally satisfying.

Is Cain going to rule over this temptation?

Genesis 4:8–9 ESV

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?”

Cain chose to give into his emotions and therefore he allowed sin to bind him and curse him.

Again God approaches Cain in the same way He approached Adam and Eve by asking a question.

This gives Cain a chance to own up to his actions and to contemplate the depth of what he had just done.

How does Cain respond?

He lies to God. As if God had no clue, but in Cain’s weakness and fear the only thing he could do is lie.

It takes a strong person to tell a truth in the face of judgement, a weak person would lie.

Genesis 4:10–12 ESV

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.”

Abel’s blood cried out to God from the ground.

The death of the righteous at the hands of the wicked does not pass by God’s ears. God isn’t just sitting on His throne indifferent towards the cries of the innocent. He sees them and knows them and is going to one day bring judgement to mankind for them.

Cain started out the story sowing and reaping fruit from the ground, and at the end he reaped judgement from the ground by sowing the seed of his brother’s blood.

Our actions are the seeds we sow into the ground. If you had to survive off the fruit of the seeds you have sown with your actions would you have enough fruit to survive? Or would you only be left with maybe an apple?

This isn’t a matter of salvation this is a matter of what you are going to be held accountable for when you stand before God. Thank God for Jesus.

Jesus replaced Abel’s blood with his blood. Now we won’t stand condemned for the evil things we have done, but we will stand victorious under the mantle of Jesus’ name.