The Story of Cain and Abel
There are several lessons we can learn from the story of Cain and Abel. Here are a few that I find helpful as I strive to live a Christian life. I hope they help encourage you in your walk with Jesus.
Cain Wasn’t Abel! {v 1-2} At the risk of being obvious here is the point I hope you will not miss. Don’t pretend you’re somebody else. Be yourself as an individual and as a congregation. Cain did everything that he possibly could to be Abel. He made offerings like Abel. He simply was not able to please God.
The man was intimate with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have had a male child with the Lord’s help.” She also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground. – Genesis 4:1-2
Cain wasn’t able to worship. {v 3-5a} He had all the right stuff and went through the correct motions. Many of us are guilty of the same attempts to worship without having our heart in the right place.
In the course of time, Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also presented an offering — some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but he did not have regard for Cain and his offering. – Genesis 4:3-5a
Cain wasn’t able to control his temper. {v 5b-8} Not only did he get mad, but he also got mad with God. This is very dangerous. His anger caused him to murder.
Cain was furious, and he looked despondent. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent? If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. – Genesis 4:5b-8
Cain wasn’t able to tell the truth. {v 9}
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”
Cain wasn’t able to escape God’s:
- Punishment {v 10-12} I know it sounds strange, but now that I’m older I really appreciate the fact that my parents loved me enough to punish me. Then he said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! So now you are cursed, alienated from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed. If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”
- Protection {v 13-15} Lottie Moon once said, “I have a firm conviction that I am immortal until my work is done.”
But Cain answered the Lord, “My punishment is too great to bear! Since you are banishing me today from the face of the earth, and I must hide from your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.” Then the Lord replied to him, “In that case, whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” And he placed a mark on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him.
Cain wasn’t able because he rejected God and moved away from His presence.
Then Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
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