Questions From Genesis (Part 3)
God has asked Adam and Eve thought-provoking questions designed to make them evaluate where they stood, spiritually. He also imposed on them penalties appropriate for their disobedience. Everyone living this many centuries beyond the first couple should likewise evaluate themselves in the same manner. "Where are we, spiritually speaking?" And when we sin—or better yet, before we sin, we should ask, "What is this that you have done [or are about to do]?"
In Genesis 4, God asks more questions that expose the guilty, and Cain asks one which, though offered in contempt, nevertheless must be asked legitimately by each one of us. The chapter begins with being blessed with children. Cain came first and then Abel. A problem developed between them, however, that was not of Abel's making.
Since Abel offered the firstling of his flocks by faith (Heb. 11:4), he must have been responding to a command from God (Rom. 10:17). The blood from the offering was pleasing to God, but it was surpassed by the blood (His own blood) Jesus offered for sins (Heb. 12:24). Cain offered a bloodless sacrifice. (For a fuller explanation, see The Church, the 16th Annual One Day Lectureship hosted by this congregation).
God then did something He is never supposed to do (at least in this century). "But He did not respect Cain and his offering" (Gen. 4:5). What? God is supposed to accept everyone's worship, so long as it is sincere. No, that's one of the devil's most successful lies. God will only accept worship that is offered "in spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24). As our Creator, God has the sole right and authority to decide what constitutes acceptable worship. What Cain offered did not meet His Divine standard. Furthermore, He could not respect Cain for offering something different than what He required.
Cain was very angry. One possible factor was that his pride had been hurt. Apparently, he was angry with his brother as well. Had they discussed what they were going to bring? Had Abel warned him that what he had would possibly be rejected? Even if that conversation had occurred, Cain made his own decision, and no blame could be placed upon Abel who simply did what God had commanded him. We must beware of the danger of sin. We tend to blame others for our actions. Both Adam and Eve had, but now Cain does so—with a vengeance. He becomes irrational.
God asks him a series of questions to get him to think about what he has done (and also what he is about to do).
1. "Why are you angry?"
2. "And why has your countenance fallen?"
3. "If you do well, will you not be accepted?"
He is angry at the way God treated him, but he had no right to feel as he did. He had not given God the offering He desired. God had not failed him; he had failed God. Second, he was chagrined—maybe even humiliated—by the rejection, but this too was his own fault. When people become emotional, they usually fail to think logically. "I'm really upset, and it's everyone else's fault!" The third question indicates there is a solution to Cain's problem—that he could instead do well. Give God what He commands.
Centuries later, Saul did not give Jehovah what He commanded him, either. Samuel told him frankly that "to obey was better than sacrifice," adding that rebellion and stubbornness were not acceptable (1 Sam. 15:22-23). Saul's actions amounted to a rejection of the Lord, for which God rejected him as being king. Neither Cain nor Saul probably imagined themselves to be rejecting the Lord, but their actions did.
God's Solution
God informs Cain that if he does not do well, sin lies at the door. In other words, he is opening himself up for any sin to come in and dominate him. In this case, Cain's anger would be so aroused that he would murder his own brother. He allowed his emotions to drive him (instead of keeping them in check)—with disastrous results. It resulted in a righteous man losing his life, and Cain himself had to live as a marked man; everyone would know what he had done for the rest of his long, long life. He would never escape from the persistent shadow of his unconscionable deed.
The solution for all of us is, "Do well." The fewer sins we commit, the fewer consequences we will need to deal with—and the less hurt we will inflict on others. Part of the Hippocratic Oath is, "First do no harm." How great that would be for all of us to adopt as a personal motto! And right along with it should be, "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them…" (Matt. 7:12). These two make a great team. Do no harm to others, but instead do for them what you would like to have done for you. How many regrets could be avoided by practicing these principles?
"Where is Abel Your Brother?"
Of course, we know that Cain obeyed the rage within him and killed his brother. The next question God asks Cain is, "Where is Abel your brother?" Once again, God is not seeking information; He knows the answer to the question. He asks it to put Cain on the spot. But he avoids it by making a sarcastic query (which merits its own discussion later). He cannot blame his actions on his wife (he was not married yet) nor on the serpent (whose involvement is not mentioned). What a tribute to the wickedness of Cain—he sinned without even needing Satan to prompt him!
One answer to, "Where is Abel?"—one which Cain probably did not think of—is, "He is safe." No more harm can befall him now because he died as a faithful servant of God. His body had been struck down and killed, but his spirit and reputation live on. "By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts…" (Heb. 11:4). The Holy Spirit, who inspired these words, claims three things:
Abel was righteous. No one but Jesus has ever been righteous on his own merit. Abel was righteous because of his obedience (his giving to God the offering He required).
Abel was righteous based on his actions (complying with what God said to do).
The sacrifice bears witness of that righteousness, and God also testifies of his gifts.
Attention needs to be called to these points because so many say, "There is nothing you can do to add to God's grace." "Salvation is 100% by God's grace." Statements like these undercut the importance of man's obedience, and they constitute false doctrine. Likewise, on the Day of Pentecost, when salvation was offered, the crowd wanted to know what they should do. Peter did not respond by saying, "Do? You can't do anything. Don't you realize salvation is 100% grace and 0% of anything you might do?"
No. Instead he told them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38). Then he had the temerity to exhort them: "Be saved from this perverse generation" (NKJ). Most translations (except the NKJ and the NASB) have, "Save yourselves," which stresses the fact that the hearers had to take action. "Be saved," is not as emphatic, but it still requires a decision on the part of the listener, and he still must make the decision to repent and be baptized (which is obedience, not merit).
God had given Cain and Abel a command regarding worship. Abel faithfully rendered it; therefore, although forced to leave earth before living a full life, his spirit is nevertheless safe and shall be rewarded on the Day of Judgment. Hebrews 11:4 also adds this description: "And through it he being dead still speaks." The obedience of a righteous man lives on. It will forever stand unbesmirched and unsullied by anything in this world. Abel will live in eternity with all the saints.
"What Have You Done?"
Essentially, God asks Cain the same question He asked his mother: "What have you done?" Apparently, Cain was not in a reflective mood; thus, God (avoiding another flippant remark from this ungodly man) adds: "The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground." Nothing can be hidden from God; Cain should have learned that from his parents.
Just as God had punished Adam and Eve, he will execute justice upon Cain, also. Many people have committed murder. They undoubtedly think as Cain did—that no one knows and no one will find out. A few succeed in hiding it from men; none fool God. After the pronouncement of the punishment, Cain behaved like most bullies; he acted like a wimp: "My punishment is greater than I can bear" (Gen. 4:13). Does anyone feel sorry for him?
What had he done? He had killed a human being made in the image of God. Cain had no part in creating his brother. He had no authority, therefore, to take his life. Abel had committed no crime or been convicted by a jury. God certainly did not consent to his execution. Cain killed his brother though he was not worthy of death. No impartiality existed in this matter; Cain killed his brother based on his own emotional explosion.
What had he done? He opened the door for any other profane person to kill a fellow human being just because they had the desire to do so. Lamech, Cain's descendant, bragged about it (Gen. 4:23-24). He paved the way for Jezebel to see to it that a righteous man (Naboth) was put to death that she might confiscate his property. Eventually, Jesus (the most righteous individual to ever exist) would be murdered by a mob led by the chief priests. The unique factor in this murder is that there actually was a trial (of sorts). It was a mock trial in which the outcome was known before it began. A further irony was that those promulgating the death of Jesus were supposed to be the spiritual leaders of the people, which makes them even worse than Cain.
No one wants to be in Cain's position; God makes known His displeasure with what Cain had done—by taking away from him what he loved the most. Cain was "a tiller of the ground" (Gen. 4:2). He loved the soil—so much, in fact, that he brought God "an offering of the fruit of the ground" (Gen. 4:3)—instead of a blood sacrifice. But he spilled his brother's blood onto that same soil (Gen. 4:10). God then pronounced the penalty of separation between Cain and the ground.
"So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth" (Gen. 4:11-12).
That's what Cain had done. He never thought about the consequences of his actions beforehand. Now, he must pay the price. He lost what he loved. How many mornings had he, upon waking, looked out and seen the marvelous crops he had worked so hard for? What a satisfaction it must have been to think, "I planted and nurtured these crops and will surely enjoy the harvest." No more would such a good feeling be his. He opened the door for more murders in the future. And he murdered his own soul. The evidence indicates he never repented. He was "of the wicked one" (1 John 3:12) and lived after the manner of brute beasts (Jude 10-11).