Cain and Abel
Text: Genesis 4
Core Idea: Because of what Christ has done for us, no sin will be able to separate us from the love of God. Then, today, place your hope in Christ and swim in the ocean of God’s grace. He will rescue you from sin, for He alone is mighty to save.
INTRODUCTION
Well, we are back in the Book of Genesis – looking at how all things started. And two weeks ago, we looked at the fall of Adam and Eve – and how that destroyed everything God intended to be good as sin entered the world. But even in the midst of that tragedy, we also saw a glimpse of hope as it was promised that one of Eve’s offspring would one day come to crush the head of the serpent and lead them back to the garden. Then, this must have been a source of great comfort to Adam and Eve as they were being banished from the garden. In fact, I could imagine them saying, “This is not the end. We’ll be back soon. That’s what God promised.” Because, think about it, God didn’t tell them when this prophecy would be fulfilled. So, it’s natural for them to think this way. But what happened next would crush their hearts, for they were about to witness the devastating ramifications of sin. Then, with that in mind, please open your Bibles to Genesis 4. And I will read this for us.
1 Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 And Abel also brought an offering – fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering He did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” 8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. 9 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. 11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today You are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from Your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 But the LORD said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the LORD’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden. 17 Cain made love to his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the father of Lamech. 19 Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes. 22 Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah. 23 Lamech said to his wives, “Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. 24 If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.” 25 Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” 26 Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the LORD.
Amen. This is the Word of God for you today.
Verse 1 tells us that Adam and Eve gave birth to a son – and they named him Cain. Now, can you imagine how excited and hopeful they must have been considering that he could’ve been the one God has been talking about – the serpent-crusher? No wonder they named him Cain – which literally means “the acquired one.” It’s as if they were saying, “We’ve finally received the one who will take us back home.” One thing we need to keep in mind is that people back then often chose names for their children according to the circumstances of the birth or the significance to the parents. So, for example, Leah named her first son Reuben (which means “see, a son”) because she felt that she was finally living up to her husband’s expectations. The next son was named Simeon (which means “heard”), for she felt that God heard her cries. Then, Levi (which means “attached”), for she thought that Jacob would now be attached to her more than Rachel. All that to say, it’s no accident that Adam named his sons Cain and Abel. I point this out because Abel means “vanity, vapor, or meaningless.” It’s actually the same word used in the Book of Ecclesiastes when Solomon grieves, “Meaningless! Meaningless! Everything is meaningless!” (Eccl. 1:2). Then, we can’t help but ask, “Why? Why would they name him something so negative?” Several commentators suggest that it’s because they must have thought this second son was unnecessary – in that they already had Cain, the serpent-crusher. Why another son? So, to them, Abel was somewhat pointless – hence, the name. Considering this, can you imagine how differently Cain and Abel must have been treated at home? Even if Adam and Eve had no evil intention of favoring Cain, the contrast in the way they cared for him would’ve been obvious. And this sets the scene for the rest of the story. Then, let me point out three things here.
· THE DEADLINESS OF SIN
· THE EXTRAVAGANCE OF GOD’S GRACE
· THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE WORLD
1) THE DEADLINESS OF SIN
I think it’s safe to assume that Adam and Eve must have talked to their sons about their life in the garden (how beautiful it was and how much they longed to be there again) and taught them how to worship and give offerings to the Lord. Now, we’re not sure if this was their first time doing this or not – but here in verse 4, we read that God accepted Abel’s offering while rejecting Cain’s. And we can’t help but ask, “Why? Why did God reject Cain’s offering?” Some argue that Cain’s offering was rejected because it wasn’t a blood sacrifice. Since blood alone can atone for sin, they claim that animal offerings were more superior and acceptable to God than grain offerings. The problem with this view is that Cain and Abel weren’t offering gifts for atonement but as an expression of their devotion. In fact, Leviticus 2 clearly states both types of offerings are acceptable before the Lord. What this tells us is that the problem was not in what Cain gave but in how he gave. In other words, the problem was in the heart. Look at the details given here. Cain gave some of the fruits, but Abel gave fat portions from the firstborn of his flock, which essentially were the best parts. Implication? Cain made a gesture of thanks, but Abel risked his future by giving God the best of what he owned. Cain didn’t put much thought into it, but Abel was intentional and careful in his giving. Cain gave out of plenty, while Abel gave until it hurt. Why? Because Abel valued God more than his flock, his future, and his well-being. Franz Delitzsch writes, “Abel’s thanks came from the depth of his heart, whilst Cain merely offered his to keep on good terms with God.”
Now, how did Cain respond? Verse 5, “Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.” Cain was visibly upset. Why? Maybe because he felt humiliated. Maybe because he didn’t get his way. Maybe because he was envious that Abel did better than him for once. The reasons can be endless. But whatever the case may be, Cain was so angry that his rage was clearly shown on his face. There was an intense resentment growing against God. Knowing this, God graciously came to warn him of the danger he was facing. Verse 6, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” We’ll talk more about this in our second point, but what I want you to see is that God was not irritated by Cain’s attitude. He had all the right to be. But He didn’t. He didn’t say this with anger but with fatherly concern. He was basically saying, “Cain, why are you so upset? I’m not rejecting you. This is not about you. I’m simply taking this opportunity to teach you how to worship Me appropriately. You can’t just come to Me on your own terms. You need to learn the right way of approaching Me – which is to come with all of your heart. What matters isn’t really about what you give but how you give because I want you more than anything else. Don’t you think that you’ll be accepted if you come to Me the right way? Now, I could see that your anger is about to devour you like a beast. Don’t give in. Guard your heart. Turn to Me. Rely on Me. I will help you. I will be here for you.” That’s what God was saying – He was pleading with Cain. At this, Cain should’ve humbled himself, confessed his sins, and returned to God on His terms. But he didn’t.
Verse 8 – he killed Abel. This was no accident. This didn’t happen in the heat of the moment. It was premeditated. It was deliberate, for he intentionally took Abel to the field. The sin of anger had devoured Cain’s heart just as God had said would happen. Now, it’s easy to miss the weightiness of this tragedy because we rarely stop here to reflect, but that’s what I want us to do right now. Look at verse 8 again, “Cain said to his brother Abel… Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.” The writer of Genesis emphasized this to help us feel how heartbreaking this whole thing was – Cain killed his own younger brother. And considering that there was no poison, guns, or weapons, Cain must have killed Abel with his own hands – which means this is something that would’ve made you turn away in disgust and horror if you were there to witness it. But the most shocking thing about all this was the fact that there was no remorse, guilt, or shame in Cain’s heart.
What do we learn from this? Among many things, just two things. First, the heart of worship. When it comes to worship, what God ultimately desires is our hearts. We can sing loud, pray all the right words, serve sacrificially, and give generously, but if our hearts are not in them, they mean absolutely nothing to God. In fact, they’re offensive to Him. Listen to these sobering words God spoke against the Israelites in Isaiah 1:11-16, “The multitude of your sacrifices – what are they to Me? I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before Me, who has asked this of you? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to Me. I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. Your New Moon feasts and your appointed festivals I hate with all My being. They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide My eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood! Wash and make yourselves clean.” I’m not saying these things are not important – they are. But God is not satisfied with just the external acts of worship from us because He wants all of us. Then, let me ask you, “Are you coming today with all of your hearts? Or are you giving God a token gesture by just showing your face here? Are you here so that you can use it as a bargaining chip later? ‘I’ve done this and that for You – why aren’t You blessing me?’ Or are you giving your all because your heart is exploding with love for Him, because you’ve been captivated by His beauty and glory, because you recognize that He alone is worthy of your praise?” Brothers and sisters, we should never take this time lightly. We should never come casually on our terms. We should come as He desires.
Second, the gravity of sin. Friends, don’t forget that sin is crouching at the door of your heart even right now – hiding and waiting for the opportunity to devour you. In talking about temptation, James 1:15 says, “After desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” Sadly, I think we all have experienced this in life. We thought lightly of our sin and chose not to do anything about it – and it consumed us. Think about it. It might have started with just a fantasy – but you’ve become addicted to pornography, and your view of the opposite sex is now completely distorted. It might have started with a small frustration – but your anger is now shaping your character and dictating all that you do on the road, at work, and at home. It might have started with a small lie – but it became a habit, and now people have a difficult time trusting you. It might have started with a bit of worry – but now, you find yourself blaming God and others for everything that’s wrong with your life. It might have started with some laziness – but it’s now making you completely apathetic in life. Brothers and sisters, is there sin that no one knows about, sin that you’re constantly justifying, sin that you don’t want to deal with because, in the deepest of your heart, you kind of enjoy it, sin that you’re too lazy to do anything about, sin that you’ve now become apathetic toward? If so, respond to God’s gracious call and take immediate, drastic action today to guard your heart. John Owen said, “Be killing sin or it will be killing you.” Don’t take your sin lightly because it will one day devour you. Turn to God for help. Turn to others in this community for help. And continue to fight the good fight of faith.
2) THE EXTRAVAGANCE OF GOD’S GRACE
Verse 9, “Then the LORD said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?’” If you’ve been part of this sermon series, this should remind you of another question God asked in the garden when Adam and Eve hid after eating the fruit. Do you remember? In Genesis 3, God asked Adam, “Where are you?” Now, God obviously wasn’t asking this because He really didn’t know where Adam was – God asked because He wanted to draw Adam out of his hiding place so that He could listen to him, speak to him, discipline him, but also restore him. In the same way, God knew exactly where Abel was because verse 10 tells us that his blood was crying out to Him from the ground. But God asked because He wanted to draw Cain out to confess and repent so that he could learn to own up to his actions, be forgiven of his sins, and be restored in grace. Yes, God was grieving over his sin – and He certainly wasn’t going to overlook his sin. But God’s heart for Cain was still filled with compassion and love even after all that he had done – which means that this question, “Where is your brother Abel?” was God calling out for Cain. In fact, uncovering of sin was God’s way of loving Cain. We might find that hard to believe because it’s painful to have our sins exposed, but God did this so that Cain could be brought back – which means that it wasn’t over for Cain. He still had a chance to be redeemed. But he ignored that call of grace. Verse 9, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” He flat-out lied. He was basically saying, “I couldn’t care less where my brother was.” And God did not hold back His righteous anger in verse 10. He was basically saying, “How dare you lie to Me! I’m the One who created the universe. I’m the One who gave you life. I’m the One who knows all things. And you have the audacity to lie to My face? Of course, you’re your brother’s keeper. I’ve brought you together for that very purpose – so that you can do life together. But you threw away that gift because you did not listen to My warning. And for that, you’re going to get what you deserve. Something that your brother has been crying out to Me – justice. You’re going to receive My wrath. Because you spilled blood on the ground, it will no longer yield fruit for you. You will plant and labor, but you will gain nothing. In fact, you’ll continue to roam the earth like a wanderer – and you’ll never know true rest because you’ll never feel at home anywhere.” Now, you may think that this is harsh, but we shouldn’t forget the fact that Cain is not a victim here. He’s a murderer who brutally killed his own brother – which means that he was receiving what he deserved. God’s punishment fits his crime. I say this because many point to texts like this to argue that the OT God is a God of judgment and condemnation who is merciless toward people. But nothing could be further from the truth, for what we see next shows the extravagant nature of God’s grace for Cain.
Cain said in verse 13, “My punishment is more than I can bear. Today You are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from Your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” Here, you can clearly see that he’s still only thinking about himself. He was sorry but not sorry. He was really sorry for himself – there was no remorse for God or Abel. He wasn’t grieving for sin – only the consequences. Now, if I were God, I would’ve said, “Stop complaining. Stop making this about you. This is not about you. You’re getting what you deserve. You should be thankful that you’re not being executed right away. Go away and never show your face here again.” But thank God, He’s nothing like me. Verse 15, “But the LORD said to him, ‘Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.’ Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him.” Even though Cain remained unrepentant, God still responded in grace. Now, this is not to say that God retracted His curse against him. Just as Adam was banished from the garden, Cain will also be banished from God’s presence. But God still offered protection over him when He didn’t have to. This is what theologians call common grace – it’s common because these blessings are available to both Christians and non-Christians. It doesn’t necessarily lead to one’s salvation, but it’s definitely meant to showcase God’s kindness to the world. So, for example, rain, sun, marriage, childbirth, health, and talents are all part of what’s known as common grace. Now, if you’re wondering what this mark could’ve looked like, some say that it was a tattoo, a birthmark, or a hairstyle, while others argue that it was more symbolic. We’ll never know for sure because the Bible doesn’t clearly tell us. But one thing this does tell us is the fact that God hasn’t abandoned Cain. Yes, he was arrogant, self-absorbed, unrepentant, and incredibly wicked. But God still wasn’t going to let go of him. In fact, I firmly believe that if Cain had humbled himself, turned back, and genuinely repented before the Lord, he would’ve certainly been forgiven. Unfortunately, I don’t think he did because we find the phrase “the way of Cain” in Jude 1:11 as a way to describe a path of defiance, falsehood, and hypocrisy in opposition to God. Regardless, the point I want to make is the fact that God’s grace is much bigger than we could ever imagine.
I was talking to one of the members recently – and she shared that it’s been hard to find that fine line between freely receiving God’s love for her and not taking advantage of His grace. I wonder if some of you are struggling with the same thing. You know that you’ve been bought by the precious blood of Christ – so you want to run to God whenever you sin so that you may be forgiven and be freed from the weight of your guilt and shame. But this has been happening too often (this cycle of sinning and running to God for forgiveness) – and you’re wondering if you’re abusing His grace, making it cheap. One of the things I shared with her is the fact that I’ve never felt that way whenever Eli came to say sorry. Not once did I say, “Are you serious? Again? This is your 15th time doing this. That’s it. I can’t forgive you anymore. Go away. I can’t even look at you right now.” No, every time he came, I was thankful that he was being honest, that he was trying to make things right again. Sure, I may warn him, instruct him, encourage him not to do it again. But I’ve never thought that he was taking advantage of me. Why? Because of my love for him. Brothers and sisters, if I, as a flawed and sinful being, can love my son this much, how much more will our heavenly Father love us and forgive us over and over again? God’s love is surprising because it’s unbelievably extravagant. Then, I plead with you, come back to God today. You haven’t reached the limit of His patience – in fact, you’ll never be able to do so. And if you’re still doubting, I invite you to look to the cross, for God’s love, His grace is most clearly displayed through the death of His Son. The truth is that we’re no different from Cain – we, too, have killed our Brother (our elder Brother, Jesus), for it was our sin that held Him on the cross. But what’s amazing is that, unlike Abel, who cried out for justice, Jesus cried out for forgiveness. He said in Luke 22:34, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And because He died for us, because He paid the penalty for our sins, we’ve been forgiven and brought back to the presence of God. Then, friends, cling to this gospel truth today. Experience His love for you through this text.
3) THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE WORLD
Now, after the curse, you may think that Cain would be suffering in misery – but he actually flourished. Verse 16 tells us that Cain got married, gave birth to a son, and built a city for himself. In fact, a few generations later, Lamech’s sons became the pioneers of shepherding, music, and technology – all of which helped the civilization to advance greatly. Again, this is a reflection of God’s common grace. But what this portion of the passage wants to show us is that despite the advancement in culture, the wickedness of mankind got worse and worse. Cain building a city was his attempt to reverse God’s curse. It was as if he was saying, “God, if You think that I can’t have rest, I’ll build a city so that I can obtain rest for myself.” In fact, his arrogance is clearly shown when he named the city after his own son, Enoch. Richard Phillips writes, “By naming his city after this son, Cain was showing pride in his family achievements. Later in the Bible, we will discover faithful servants of God founding cities and other important places, and almost without fail, they name them in praise of some aspect of God’s glory.” For example, when Abram arrived in the land to which God had called him, he named it “Bethel,” which literally means “house of God.” In other words, Cain was displaying the glory of his own achievements by naming the city after his son. But it gets worse. Verse 19 tells us that Lamech, Cain’s descendant, had two wives. Already, God’s design for marriage was being distorted. And if that wasn’t bad enough, we read in verse 23, “Lamech said to his wives, ‘Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words. I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.’” Rather than being ashamed, he proudly boasted about the fact that he killed a man. He wore violence as a badge of honor. Not only that, but he also began to regard vengeance in terms of duty. He was basically saying, “It’s my right to respond this way. If you hurt me, you better get ready to pay for it. I’m going to come at you with everything I have. In fact, if I fail, my children and their children will finish the task. You’re going to regret offending me.” There was no hint of mercy in his soul. He had no regard for anyone else. It was all about his rights, his comfort, and his freedom. This is the legacy that Cain left for future generations. He and his descendants may have greatly advanced the culture – but their efforts couldn’t make them holy and righteous before the Lord. And sadly, that’s exactly what we see in our world today. In the last 50 years, we’ve seen extraordinary advancements in technology and science – transforming how we live, work, and interact with the world. From the rise of personal computers to the arrival of the internet, the creation of smartphones, and the emergence of artificial intelligence, technology has become an integral part of our daily lives. But even though these things made life more comfortable and convenient, the nature of crime has gotten worse and worse. The things we read on the news every day make us cringe and wonder, “How can someone do this to another human being?” Richard Phillips writes, “While man is able to change and manipulate his environment, he is not able to change himself. The economy may expand, arts may flourish, and science may advance, but man is not able to become trustworthy with these gifts.”
Thankfully, we see a contrast. Verse 25, “Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth… At that time people began to call on the name of the LORD.” Whereas Cain placed his hope in the building of cities and the advancement of worldly culture, Seth and his line placed their hope in the Lord. The legacy Seth left was not flashy and fancy like the one left by Cain – but the Bible tells us that his legacy will last forever, for even though everything on earth will fade away, God is faithful forever. Then, let me ask you, “What kind of legacy do you want to leave for your children and the generations to come?” Sure, it may not look glamorous from this world’s perspective. But, friends, I pray that you’ll make every effort to leave a lasting legacy as you lead your family and those around you to place their hope in the Lord. Now, this is not to say that anything worldly is evil. Of course not. Do your best to make this world a better place. Be part of that advancement. Yes, be in the world but not of the world. Be the light of the world so that you can lead others to call on the name of the Lord.
CONCLUSION
Lighthouse family, because of what Christ has done for us, no sin will be able to separate us from the love of God. Then, today, place your hope in Christ and swim in the ocean of God’s grace. He will rescue you, for He alone is mighty to save.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1) Why do you think God rejected Cain’s offering but accepted Abel’s? What does this teach us about true worship? How can we guard our hearts from offering “token gestures” of worship rather than giving God our all?
2) How does God’s warning to Cain about sin “crouching at his door” apply to us today? Are there sins in your life that you might be taking too lightly? How can you take immediate and drastic action to address them?
3) What does God’s response to Cain after Abel’s murder reveal about His character? What does this say about God’s patience and mercy? How does God’s extravagant grace in this story encourage you to approach Him despite your failures?