Genesis 4 – January 9

When we left off in Genesis 3, sin had just entered the world. Today we see that it only took one generation for it to escalate to murder. I would like to point out seven important facts about this chapter that will help you grasp the story and its meaning.

1. Cain and Abel were likely twins. It says that Eve conceived once, but she bore twice. This means that from an outsider’s perspective, Cain and Abel may have looked identical. God, however, does not look at outward appearances, but at the heart.

2. It was the man that was rejected, not just the offering. In Hebrew, word order is really important with the first word in a list holding prime significance. Notice that it states that “Cain and his offering” were both rejected while “Abel and his offering” were welcomed.

3. We do not know how Cain and Abel were taught to offer sacrifices. It is likely the case that they had been told by their parents to present blood sacrifices, which would have made Cain’s offering unacceptable by nature of being vegetation. However, it is possible that the salad he presented would have been received if it was presented with the right heart. You will notice that he does not present his best, whereas Abel gave of the “firstborn of his flocks and of their fat portions.” Cain was only worshiping God outwardly, not in actuality.

4. Cain was not a neutral figure who turned to evil after God rejected his offering. In 1 John 3, when speaking about children of the devil, John informs us that Cain was “was of the evil one and murdered his brother.” His actions are an outworking of his already evil heart.

5. God was incredibly gracious to Cain both before and after he murdered Abel. God personally and verbally warned Cain not to carry out his evil plan. He warned Cain about the nature of sin and the way it was crouching at the door, just waiting to pounce on him. Cain did not listen and went forward with his violent scheme. Even so, God showed him kindness and marked him as a warning against anyone seeking vengeance. (Nobody knows exactly what that looked like or how it functioned.)

6. Isn’t it interesting that Abel, the righteous son, is the one who is the first to actually experience physical death instead of Adam, Eve, or Cain? From this point forward, Abel is going to function as a picture of a much more significant righteous, innocent person whose blood was shed by His brothers without cause. 1 John 3:12 gives us the underlying motive of why Cain killed Abel, “Because his own deeds were evil and his brother's righteous.” How much more can we say that about Jesus!

7. When the Lord spoke to Cain about the fallen body of Abel, He noted that “the voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.” His blood was crying out, “justice, give me justice.” Hebrews 12:24 later picks up on that phrase and turns it to reveal just how much mercy and grace we have received from Christ. “…and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of A Jesus’ blood does not cry out for justice. It proclaims grace and mercy for all who are sprinkled by it.