We are ALL Cain.
Amy K
I once heard a comedian tell a joke around the idea that the world is NOT becoming more violent, that it has always been violent since the beginning of time. “When there were only four people on the earth, someone got mad and genocided a quarter of earth’s population. That is pretty violent!”
Funny? Yes. True? Absolutely. The story of Cain and Abel is one that is familiar, even to nonbelievers. It is the tale of jealousy that ends with the first murder in humanity. Also, its lack of details has led to many theologians struggling to fill in the blanks with theories and assumptions. Many questions are raised about: Why Cain’s offering was not accepted? Why would it cause him to murder? How does this point to Jesus’ death on the cross? Were Adam and Eve awful parents? But besides looking for Jesus in the story of Cain and Abel, it is always best to accept the text for exactly what it says first.
Starting in Genesis 4, the first book of the Bible only needs eight verses to lead up to and describe the first murder on the planet. God was not writing an epic murder mystery, He was describing the most important information for us to understand the human condition when it is unrestrained by the Holy Spirit.
Although this is after the time of perfection in the garden of Eden, it is clear that God is still communing with Adam and Eve and their family. He is still talking to his children, after they disobeyed. We see that the curse of working the ground is in full swing as we find out that Cain is a “worker of the ground” and Abel, as a typology of Christ, is a shepherd. While this is before all of the sacrificial offering laws and directives in the book of Leviticus, the Lord clearly had given some instructions on offering a sacrifice to atone for the new sin-filled life that they now have entered since eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
If you think back, the Lord had made the very first sacrificial offering, when he killed an animal and made clothing to cover Adam and Eve in the garden. It is reasonable to assume that to remember this sacrifice, clearly linked to the first sin on earth, that a blood sacrifice was asked to atone for sins. Not until three books later, is there mention of a grain sacrifice, or a first fruits offering as described in the book of Leviticus. A blood sacrifice was necessary for the atonement of sin.
Leviticus 17:11 provides the explicit "why" behind the ritual:
"For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement by one’s life."
Hebrews 9:22 summarizes the entire sacrificial system by stating:
"In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness."
It is clear that while this type of sacrifice was a look back to God using a sacrificial animal to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve, it was also a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus’s death on the cross to pay the penalty for sin.
As the story unfolds, Genesis 4:3-5 says “In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.”
Cain brought fruit. Abel brought the first born of his flock. It does not speak about Cain’s heart or intent with his offering but it is clear, that he did not obey what God wanted. It is a silly course of events to think back on. His mother and father were given a very simple command from the God of the Universe, who spoke all things into existence. “Do not eat of THIS tree.” They ate from it, sending their known world into chaos and disorder for all of humanity. While they may not have realized at that time the consequences of their simple disobedience that would affect all of humanity, they knew that it fully changed the course of their lives and their children’s lives. You would think that their son would have taken directives from God more seriously? This didn’t seem like a huge lift, similar to the one and only law in the garden. And yet, Cain decided that he knew better.
God, in His grace went to Cain after his disobedience to speak with him. This is clearly still found in every family household. Your child disobeys, you tell him he was wrong, your child gets mad for being punished and then the parent goes to the child to talk to them and to strengthen the relationship while further explaining the error of the child’s ways. I think we all as parents have done this.
Genesis 4:6 “The LORD said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, and you must rule over it.’”
The Lord does not assume Cain’s motivation. He just clearly points out that Cain disobeyed and he should have followed the command of an acceptable offering. He then describes how sin wishes to conquer the heart and destroy the soul of his child, Cain. A warning to him to guard his heart against sin. It was not simply the sin of disobedience, it was the very sin of pride. The original sin, that not only had Lucifer cast down to Hell, but also made Adam and Eve think that they could be like God if they ate of the forbidden fruit. Cain gave fruit, isn’t it interesting that his offering is a nod back to the elements of original sin of his parents - fruit? Not a literary coincidence. At this time he could have taken the warning from God and repented and given what was required of him, but instead of seeing his own sin, he decided to destroy what God accepted.
Genesis 4:8 “Cain spoke to Abel, his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?”
He would not sacrifice the blood of an animal but he quickly sacrificed the blood of his own flesh and blood. Oh, how sin destroys rational thought. Sin seeks to cover up sin with more sin. It looks not to correct wrongs but to destroy anything that will show that it is wrong. And now instead of the blood that is meant to cover sins, we see that the blood of Abel instead is crying out from the ground for justice.
Genesis 4:10-12 “And the LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”
I could not help but look at my own heart while reading these verses. Do I look at what God has called sin as sin or do I think that I know better? Do I stay away from gossip and slander or do I simply rename it to “concern”? Do I look at the ways that God has created me as a wife and mother or do I envy the roles I do not have? Do I keep my mind on things above or do I wallow in fear of the unknown? Do I try to rewrite my own version of a God in my image, a kindler and gentler God and leave out His justice and holiness?
My heart looks horrifically similar to Cain’s when I hold myself above scripture, judging it and putting myself as an authority over it instead of kneeling under it and allowing it to be the author of my life. Even when I do not understand it. And when the Lord graciously convicts my heart and comes to speak to me as my Father to remind me to take a hold of sin so that it does not take a hold of me, do I try to drown out the voice or do I turn and repent and with the power of the Holy Spirit turn and obey the next time?
As we continue reading we find that Cain is punished for the murder of Abel, but He is given grace. He is put away, and marked so that he is not harmed by anyone who would seek to avenge the death of Abel.
Genesis 4:14-15 “Cain said to the LORD, ‘My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.’ Then the LORD said to him, ‘Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him seven-fold.’ And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him.”
Cain feared that being sent away would lead to his death at the hands of others. In response, God placed a mark on Cain—not just as a sign of his guilt, but as a sign of divine protection to prevent anyone from killing him. And in His complete sovereignty, we see a glimpse of what the Messiah would bring. In the New Testament, believers referenced being "marked" or "sealed" by the Holy Spirit. Just as Cain’s mark warned off the "avenger," the "covering" of Jesus' sacrifice acts as a mark that protects the believer from the spiritual consequences of their sin.
That is the great hope that we live with, that while yes, we are all Cain, God is the same God that went to Cain and pleaded with him to turn from sin and in His grace has given the ultimate sacrifice for our sins and has marked us to save us from sin and death. Glory be His Name!