Studies In Genesis: Chapters 4 & 5 Series

Note: When doing a study on a book in the Bible you use a lot of resources. The major influence for me on this study of Genesis is The Genesis Record by Henry Morris.

Genesis 4

1. And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

We see here that probably Eve thought that this was the serpent bruiser that God had sent her. She was thanking the Lord for what she had received from her seed. Unknowing to Eve it would be 6,000 yrs later that the real serpent bruiser came to this earth. But she did thank the Lord for this child.

2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of

sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

3. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of

the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

Here we see the beginning of the sacrificial system in the Old Testament. This is man offering a sacrifice to God. We see this is required from the beginning of time God wants a sacrifice. This could not actually suffice and give forgiveness as Christ did but it would have to do until Christ came down. Let us see what God thought of the sacrifice.

4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and

of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his

offering:

5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And

Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

What is wrong with the sacrifice of Cain? It seems it was given from the sweat and brow of Cain. It seems to have been given with good motives. So what is wrong with It. Only through the sacrifice of blood could their be remission of sin. Hebrews 9:22-AV "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."

There must be a blood sacrifice to forgive sins. Cain's sacrifice denied three things of God (1) nature is evil, we cannot come to God on our own terms and our own hands but we must come to God on his terms. A lot of people want to come to God on their terms but God will not accept their sacrifice. (2) man is separated from God, Cain acted as though everything was all right. Just as if they were in the Garden of Eden and the fall never happened. He again offered with no idea of what the offering was for. People today try to do this by denying sin. This is liberalism but we need to realize that we are fallen and separated. (3) man cannot offer works to God, no matter how much effort he put into it nor how good it was we cannot offer God our works in return for forgiveness. How many people do I know have told me they needed to go to Chruch because they have done wrong. Or they needed to pay their tithes or just work. NO! Salvation is by grace and that is the grace of God shown in his son Jesus Christ.

So the Lord accepted Babel's sacrifice because he came with a true and faithful heart, he was obedient.(HEB. 11:4) The Lord rejected Cain's sacrifice because he was disobedient and lacked faith.

6. And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is

thy countenance fallen?

7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou

doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee [shall be]

his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

God is talking to Cain and asking him why he is angry. Why is he mad? Is it because he made a mistake? Or is it because he was mad at himself in sin, No but it was because God rebuked him. We must make sure we pay attention to God to make sure that we do not get mad at him for rebuking us.

8. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass,

when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his

brother, and slew him.

Just before this Cain was angry with his brother and now he has slew him. This is where anger leads to. This is why God tells us not to let the sun God down on our anger. With anger there is jealously. And with jealously there is pride. What happens with pride and wrong desires. (James 1:15 reads," Then when lust hath conceived , it brigneth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death") Anger always causes us to do or say something that we would not do when we are not angry