1 2 10/24/04 a) The declaration was first an expression of her faith in the promise GENESIS 4-5 of God of a redeemer. Gen. 3:15 b) But equally a recognition of her God- Beginning chapter 4, we begin to witness the given ability to procreate, after her development of the human race in its fallen state. own image. -There are two categories men and women are divided into: the ungodly and the godly. 4:2 The conception and birth of Abel. 1) She bore Abel, which means vapor, Now the godly are so, only by obedience to God's vanity. revelation of Himself, the woman's seed. * Perhaps prophetic of his short life? 2) The two boys had different occupation. But the ungodly are those who do not acknowledge a) Abel was a shepherd, a keeper of nor obey God’s revelation of Himself, the seed of sheep. the serpent. b) Cain was a farmer, a tiller of the -Within the ungodly there are those who serve ground. their own flesh and desires, who are captives at Satan's will. 4:3-5 The worship of Yahweh by Cain and -And those who are willfully serving Satan, having Abel. pledged allegiance to Him. -Therefore because Adam and Eve did not follow 4:5 Cain presented his gift. Satan in the fall, there are not two wills, but 1) In the process of time means at the end of millions in the world! days without any set duration. 2) Cain brought his offering of the fruit of 4:1-7 The two sons of Adam and Eve . the ground. 4:1 The conception and birth of Cain. 4:4a Abel presented his gift. 1) Adam knew his wife, a euphemism foe 1) Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock sexual relations and she conceived. and of the fat thereof. 2) She bore Cain acknowledging that she 2) The Lord respected had acquired a man from the Lord. 3 4 4:4b-5 The Lord made a difference in the 1) God asked Cain two questions. Vs. 6 gifts. a) Why are you angry? 1) God excepted Abel’s gift but not Cain’s * His answer should have been offering. Vs. 4b-5a because I have hate and envy. a) There have been many who have said b) Why is your countenance fallen? that it was due to one being a blood * Again, he should of said, “Because offering and the other fruit of the You chose Abel over me”. ground. c) God was provoking Cain to self- b) But this is reading into the passage examination in order to see his fault, and besides the Law later did allow rather than blaming God or Abel. grain offerings. 2) God gave to Cain two choices. c) The New Testament provides us with a) If you do will, you not be accepted? the reason, it is the commentary on * Doing well meant confession of his the Old Testament. sin. 1)) By faith Abel offered unto God a b) If you do not do well, sin lies at the mare excellent sacrifice than Cain. door. Heb. 11:4 * Sin as a ravenous beast was 2)) Cain is said to be a wicked one crouched ready to leap and rule and his works evil and his him. brother’s righteous. 1Jn. 3:12 c) Cain was warned about sin desiring to d) God knew Cain's attitude and heart master him but he was to rule over it. and rejected his offering. Jer. 17:9, * If he did not turn to God and resist Matt. 15:18-19 sin nature by God’s power, he 2) Cain was very angry as a result being would be controlled by sin. visible by his countenance. Vs. 5b-c a) It speaks of burning, kindled, fierce 4:8-15 The murder of Abel by Cain. anger. b) Don’t let the sun go down on your 4:8 Cain nursed his anger rather than wrath. Eph. 4:26 turning to God in repentance. 1) Cain talked with Abel his brother as they 4:6-7 The Lord confronts Cain. were in the field. Vs. 8a-c 5 6 a) He plotted the murder, being c) Adam and Eve had justified their sin premeditated. but now Cain denies it completely. b) He arranged it so no one was around. 1)) Woe to them! for they have gone 2) Cain rose up against Abel his brother and in the way of Cain, Jude 11 killed him. Vs. 8d 2)) Absalom killed Amnon because he a) His evil heart of anger led him to raped Tamar. 2Sam. 13 murder. 3)) The one that hears God's Word b) His murder was treachery, his own and doesn't do is building on sand. brother, stated twice. Matt. 7:26 4:9-16 The judgment of Cain. 4:11-12 The Lord sentences Cain. 1) God curses Cain from the earth, that the 4:9-10 The Lord confronts Cain. earth yield not her strength, as his 1) The LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel judgment. your brother?” Vs. 9a-b 2) God relates the curse to the blood of Abel a) He responds sarcastically, “I do not at his hand. Haggai 1:5-7 know. Am I my brother's keeper?” b) As if to say, “Do I have to keep an eye 4:13-14 The complaint of Cain to the Lord. on him all the time?” 1) Cain regretted the consequence, not the 2) The LORD again said, “What have you sin, “My punishment is greater than I can done?” Vs. 10a-b bear. Vs. 13 * Certainly to impress on him the 2) God had driven him out that day from the magnitude of his sin! face of the ground. Vs. 14a 3) The LORD confronts Cain with the 3) He would be hidden from God’s face. Vs. murder of his brother, “ The voice of 14b your brother's blood cries out to Me from 4) He would be a fugitive and a vagabond the ground.” Vs. 10c on the earth. Vs. 14c a) The life of the flesh is in the blood. 5) He understood that anyone who found Lev. 17:11 him would try to kill him. Vs. 14d b) Blood pollutes the land. Nun. 35 7 8 4:15 The Lord provides protection for 2) Cain dwelt in the land of Nod on the east Cain. of Eden “dwn” means wondering, 1) The seven-fold vengeance is referring to indicative of his judgment by God and full divine retribution if anyone killed monument to his own legacy. Cain, this is the mercy of God. Vs. 15a-c a) This could very well be the sign given * The number seven as we have seen is to Cain by the name of the city symbolic of completeness. “wondering”, kind of like the Refuge 2) God set a mark on Cain, lest anyone Cities to come in the Law for the finding him should kill him. Vs. 15d-e “blood redeemer”. Num. 35 a) This was not some visible mark as b) Whenever a person rejects to repent some believe, for out of the seventy- and get right with God, he or she six times the word appears, it is merely wonders without direction in always translated “sign” given not life! “mark” on Cain. 3) The direction was east of Eden “Nde” b) What it was, no one knows, be it the which means pleasure. mere sign of his wonderings, fear of a) Just like his parents from the paradise being killed, it is speculation. of pleasure God had intended for man c) What is clear is that the purpose of the but sin ruined it all. mark was for protection by the mercy b) But now Cain is removed further away of God, just as the coverings for from that place of blessing by the Adam and Eve’s nakedness were by covenant God Yahweh. due to much the mercy of God, the parallel is greater sin. unmistakable. Gen. 3:21 4:17 The birth of Cain’s son. 4:16-24 The line of Cain. 1) Parallel to the godly line. Gen. 4:1, 25 2) Cain knew his wife, means Cain married 4:16 The Lord turned Cain over to a self- his sister. will life. a) Later in the Law it was forbidden to 1) Cain went from the presence of the marry a sister and incestuous LORD to lived a life further from relations. Yahweh than he could of ever imagined. 9 10 b) The Athenians law made it c) Lamech reveals that the earth had compulsory to marry the sister if she become completely like Cain, had not found a husband at a certain glorying in violence. age. 3) Enoch was his son, not to be confused 4:19-22 The descendants of Lamech. with Enoch in the line of Adam. 1) Lamech practiced of polygamy. a a) Enoch means dedicated. deterioration from the monogamous b) Conservative guess would be a million institution at Creation. people. Gen. 5-.4 2) Lamech took for himself two wives, 4) Cain built a city and named it after his marking the sensual and selfish self love son, “dedicated”. of fallen man. Vs. 19 * Literally was building, some suggest a) Their names Adah means “ornament” that he never finished it, if so it is a or “pretty”. perfect picture of man b) The name Zillah means “shade”. uncommitment! 3) The first wife Adah bore Jabal “stream of water”.