Cain & Abel Series

Genesis 4:1-16. [4:1] 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 for 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. (ESV)

After two years of secular media and entertainment, withdrawn from firsthand discussion and fellowship, the saints of God are unfortunately reflecting more and more of their fallen environment. Reflecting the culture itself, many believers in Canada cannot seem to relate to their brothers and sisters without undue assumptions and hostility. Arguments are prevalent over vaccinations, mask mandates, the role of government, the interaction and gathering of believers etc. etc. etc. The problem we now face as governments begin scrapping mandates, is how are we going to relate to one another. The world will judge the claims of our love, based on how we regard and relate to one another. As even the vaccine passports seem to be coming to an end, how will the Saints of God reflect the fellowship that God desires?

In Genesis 4, we see the effects of listening to the voice of Satan. Far from a liberation of shackles and freedom, the effects seen in the offspring of Adam and Even are evident. Broken fellowship with God, has resulted in mistrust and hostility in the family of God. Although we see the fruit of God’s blessing through offspring, the results of the fall are profound. Not only are the lesser impacts upon the Dominion mandate seen in the burden now of work and pain of childbirth, but a much more profound broken fellowship with God is now evidently profound.

Much worse than an earthly virus, sin contaminates, spreads and issues in death. In Genesis 3 the sin was against God, in Genesis 4 it is against a fellowman. The order here is ever the same; the one who has no fear of God his eyes, has no genuine respect for the rights of his neighbor. Again, in Genesis 4 we see the local fulfillment of Genesis 3:15—the enmity between the two seeds—the wicked and the righteous, Cain and Abel. Further; we are shown, even more clearly than by the coats of skins in the previous chapter, that the guilty sinner can only approach God by means of a sacrifice (Pink, A. W. (2005). Gleanings in Genesis (56). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.)

Genesis 4:1-16, gives a picture of faith and how it is only by genuine faith through an approved sacrifice, that we can approach God. The rejection of this means rejection by God Himself. The tragic lesson of this rejection is spelled out in: 1) The Characters (Genesis 4:1–2), 2) The Crime (Genesis 4:3–8), 3) The Consequences (Genesis 4:9–16).