Genesis 4 Choosing a way of life Living in a Broken World

New things are fun.

New toy – green john deere tractor as a boy

First bike

First telescope

First car

First time in Boston at college

First real job

But not all new things are fun

First broken relationship

First death of a loved one

First devastating defeat

Genesis is all about new things

Today we find the beginning of a new way of life

The way of Cain – The way of unbelief

Where Eve was talked into her sin Cain will not have even God talk him out of it;

nor will he confess to it as a problem , nor yet accept his punishment

It is a choice for a lifestyle of sin / a manner of life infused with unbelief.

No wonder Jude declares of those who choose a life style away from God

(NKJV) Jude 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, …

Outside the place of God / Outside a lifestyle of innocence. People must now choose a way of life as people live in a broken world.

Gen 4 is about choosing a way of life.

I. Choosing a way of life: A choice to make

A. Everyone must choose Gen 4:1-2

(ESV) Genesis 4 1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceivedand 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.

1. Cain, The one with promise

a. Cain – acquire

b. First use of Yahweh by a person – covenant God – Possible covenant redeemer

c. First born

d. Anchored in creation

2. Abel, The other one

a. His brother – known in relationship to Cain

b. Abel – breath or nothing or vanity

1) Less important? 2) Foreshadow a shortened life

B. Option 1: An obligation to perform Gen 4:3

(ESV) Genesis 4 3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offeringof the fruit of the ground,

At the set time for worship/offering/sacrifice

Person mentioned first – the issue resides in the person more than the sacrifice itself

a. Religion

b. Some of the fruit of the ground

c. No regard for Cain’s offering

1) Bring the wrong way or with the wrong attitude – God does not need it 2) Needs to be a reflection of the heart for God 3) Religious stuff is just a waste of time at best / a worship of false things at worst / pride and arrogance – look what I am doing for God – He ought to be thankful to me for I am doing

(NKJV) Proverbs 21 27 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; How much more when he brings it with wicked intent!

C. Option 2: A faith-focus of life Gen 4:4a; Heb 11:4

(ESV) Genesis 4 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. …

a. Clear that whatever the superior way God desired – that they knew what it was

b. Blood

c. First/Best

d. Faith

(ESV) Hebrews 11 4 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.

e. Faith must be the source of our actions

f. Only God can discern the real source

g. Faith is responding to God based upon the Word that God has revealed, trusting God will honor those who pursue Him in this way

D. Only one way is acceptable Gen 4:4b

(ESV) Genesis 4 4 … And the Lord had regard (was pleased with) for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard(not pleased with). …

1. The Lord sets the requirements for worship and service

2. A self determined way of worship has no standing

3. The act of obedience to His manner demonstrates true worship – He is such a priority that we will put aside our own thoughts and follow whatever He commands

II. Choosing a way of life: The danger of rejecting God’s correction

A. Rejecting correction Gen 4:5

(ESV) Genesis 4 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.

1. Bitterness

2. Burned hot

3. Impacted his demeanor

4. Obviously out of sorts

5. When one is mad at God / hard to be around / effects one’s life

B. An appeal to respond properly Gen 4:6-7a

(ESV) Genesis 4 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 (uplifted)? …

1. A compassionate appeal

2. And even if Cain wasn’t sure initially he had an opportunity to get it right now – do right > uplifted

3. If you do well – “uplifted” --- smiling

4. The converse is also true – at peace with God effects one’s life positively – at war with God effect’s one life negatively

5. This is an encouragement to do right more than a piercing rebuke

C. The danger of continued rejection Gen 4:7b

(ESV) Genesis 4 6 … 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.”

1. Sin couching like an animal or demon – ready to devour - Ravenous to devour you – (Satan?)

2. Seeking to control you

3. You must ruthlessly dominate it

D. Internal bitterness spawns destructive action Gen 4:8

(ESV) Genesis 4 8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

1. Gospel impacts / either hardens or softens – drives to a response

2. Lure him out to the field

3. Premeditated act to kill

4. Rejecting God impacts others

(ESV) 1 John 3 11 … we should love one another. 12 We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And whydid he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous.

5. Jealousy over God’s acceptance

Caden – friend hates Christian things

6. Strike out at God by striking out at those who love Him

III. Choosing a way of life: Results of willful rejection

A. A confrontation by God Gen 4:9-10

(ESV) Genesis 4 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.

1. God always confronts – now / later

2. Get in your face

3. Notice how – questioning / seeks to get us to fess up and wrestle with our own sin

B. Loss of God’s blessing Gen 4:11-12

(ESV) Genesis 4 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. …

1. Personal curse – like the serpent

2. Can’t choose own path and continue receiving God’s blessing

C. Fear and wandering Gen 4:13-14

(ESV) Genesis 4 12 …You shall be a fugitiveand 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, …

1. Fear / uncertainty / disruption / No stability

2. Yet no real repentance – only concern about getting caught and paying consequences

3. Note: others already on the earth / other siblings and their families from Adam/Eve

D. Estrangement from God Gen 4:16-17

(ESV) Genesis 4 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.

1. Obviously this all occurred after Adam and Eve had many sons and daughters, Cain marries his sister or niece

2. No longer lived in relationship with God or the place God was

3. Living apart from the place of God’s blessing Gen 4:16b

a. Nod – wandering

b. Dwell here – this is his lot from now on

4. Producing an ungodly heritage

a. Enoch – initiate / introduce / founder – a new way of life – world society

b. Family away from God – Wife sister / Niece / Enoch (different than the one in the family of Seth) – to initiate

c. Initiate a life and society without God – living independent

d. The development of the city Enoch – names after his son and his achievement rather than God

5. Not read 18-24

a. The early development of society / remarkable accomplishments by men

b. Arts/Science/cities – a world system apart from God – man focused

c. Seeking to humanly achieve apart from God

d. Had everything but God

e. Generations of ungodliness – Bigamy / murder / Arrogance / pride – exult in sinfulness

f. The channel for Satan to war against Eve’s seed

IV. Choosing a way of life: But God continues his plan

A. Grace still given

(ESV) Genesis 4 14 … 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.

B. Continuing the faithful line Gen 4:25

(ESV) Genesis 4 25 And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a sonand called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.”

1. Appointed – a new focus on the coming one appointed by God

2. Replace the unfaithful

3. Replacing the faithful who die in the way

4. God’s plan moves forward

C. Creating a remnant community for God Gen 4:26

(ESV) Genesis 4 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.

1. Seth - Appointed / Establishing – the plan goes on – establishing a Godly line

2. Figured out her mistake – notice she points to the replacement of Abel – got it wrong the first time

3. Godly heritage produced

4. Enosh – man / equivalent to Adam

5. The Godly line lived in relationship to the covenant LORD