ABEL & CAIN (Genesis:4:1-15)

Abel & Cain The Main Verse: (Gen 4:5&6) “So the Lord said to Cain, why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it”

Abel & Cain Gen (4:1-15) II. The two offerings (Vs 2-5) We will discuss the followings: I. Adam knew his wife (Vs1) II. The two offerings (Vs 2-5) A. Cain’s offering B. Abel’s offering. III. How did Cain know that God respected Abel’s offering and not his. IV. The free will of man and God’s warning (Vs 5:7) V. Cain kills Abel (Vs 8&9). VI. The Voice of the Blood. (Vs 10). VII. God’s Love and Mercy (Vs 11-15)

I. Adam knew his wife (Vs1) (Gen 4:1) “Now Adam knew his wife and she conceived and bore Cain and said ‘I have gotten a man from the land” Q: If Adam and Eve did not fall, do you think they would have known each other and bore children? Some depended on this text (Gen 4:1) to declare that “Adam started to ‘know’ Eve as his wife after the fall”. The marital body relationship between them is a fruit of the fall.

I. Adam knew his wife (Vs1) Some extreme say that ‘the fall itself was nothing but the practice of that relationship. The Church Fathers View “God was the founder of marital life in its complete form. With or without the fall, this relationship would have been consummated between our first parents to beget children”. How did God design marriage? Companionship, The two became one & Be fruitful and multiply.

I. Adam knew his wife (Vs1) Eve Said that “ I have gotten a man from the lord”. Why did she say that? Divine gift & The Promised Savior.

II. The Two Offerings (Vs2:5) The offerings implies the followings: Offering is an Act of Worship. A sense of the guilt of sin. A realization of their need of acceptance before God. A revelation of God’s way to acceptance. Q: What are the type of offerings, God requested from Moses? Burnt, Peace, Sin, Trespass & Meal

II. The two Offerings: Cain’s offering (Gen 4:3) “And in the process of time it came to pass Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord” 1. The product of the ground which God cursed. “Cursed is the ground for your sake…” (Gen 3:17). St Ambrose said “ Cain’s offering was of the fruit of the ground, incapable of reconciliation between God and man; while that of Abel was a blood sacrifice that carries symbol of the Lord Christ, who alone is capable of reconciling us with the father, through the shedding of His blood for our sake”.

The two Offerings: Cain’s offering (Gen 4:3) 2. It is not his first fruit. Read Exodus 13:1-2 and Leviticus 23:9-10. Nehemiah “And we made ordinances to bring the first fruits of your ground and the first fruit of all the fruit of the trees year by year to the house of the Lord. To bring the first born of our sons and our cattle, as it is written in the law” (Neh 10:35). 3. The results of his own labor.

The two Offerings: Cain’s offering (Gen 4:3) 4. It looks good from outside. Samuel and David: “But the Lord said to Samuel ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature; because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1Sam16:7). 5. Cain offered in self will and not with faith (unbelief) “By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain thought which he obtained witness that he was righteous” (Heb 11:4.) 6. Holy Traditions- “So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” Rom 10:17

The two Offerings: Abel’s offering (Gen 4:4) “Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering” (Gen 4:4). 1. The first born of the flock (Lamb). Involves the shedding of blood, which God required for forgiveness of sins. “And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood and without shedding of blood there is no remission” (Heb 9:22). Giving God his best.

The two Offerings: Abel’s offering (Gen 4:4) The Lamb is a sacrifice (old testament). Christ was called the Lamb of God. “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said ‘Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world’” (John1:29). 2. Offered in faith (Heb 11:4) 3. Not The labor of his hands. 4. Following the Holy traditions

III. How did Cain know that God respected Abel’s offering and not his? + St. Didymus the Blind says “Because a fire probably came down and consumed the offering, as it happened with Aaron and his children, when “Fire came out from before land and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces” Lev 9:24. + Also it happened with the prophet Elijah (1King 18:38-40)

VI. The free will of man and God’s warning “Cain was very angry and his countenance fell. So the Lord said to Cain, why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it” (Gen 4:4). 1. Cain gets angry. “Be angry and do not sin” Eph 4:26. 2.God approached him. 3. God warns him. 4. God revealed to Cain his power (free will)

V. Cain kills Abel “Now Cain talked with Abel his brother and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother 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?” (Gen 4:8-9). St John Chrysostom says “He got rid of him because he saw how he was beloved; assuming that by killing him he deprives him of love; yet what he did made more beloved by God, who sought him, asking ‘Where is Abel your brother? Anger can lead to killing.

VI. The voice of the Blood “God said, ‘What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to me form the ground” (Gen 4:10). The blood refers to the soul. Cain hid his brother’s body, but he could not stop or hide the soul’s crying to God. If the blood is shed, the soul stays crying about the blood unfairly shed on the ground. St. Ambrose Says “ Blood has a loud voice, that reaches from earth to heaven” Moses before crossing the Red Sea (Ex 14:15)

VII. God’s Love and Mercy (Vs11-15) Read Gen 4:11-15. “And the Lord said to him, therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him” Gen 4:15. David said ““The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy.” (Ps 145:8) Jonah’s problem: “I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger” (Jonah 4:2).

VII. Abel’s and Cain But God was merciful and compassionate toward him St. Basil the Great believes that Cain committed seven sins and deserved seven punishments. “His seven sins were: 1.Envying his brother. 2. Getting angry. 3. Lying to God. 4. Deceiving Abel into going to the field. 5. killing his brother. 6. Offering a terrible example to humanity. 7. Erring to his parents by killing their son. But God was merciful and compassionate toward him

Abel & Cain Gen (4:1-15) II. The two offerings (Vs 2-5) We will discuss the followings: I. Adam knew his wife (Vs1) II. The two offerings (Vs 2-5) A. Cain’s offering B. Abel’s offering. III. How did Cain know that God respected Abel’s offering and not his. IV. The free will of man and God’s warning (Vs 5:7) V. Cain kills Abel (Vs 8&9). VI. The Voice of the Blood. (Vs 10). VII. God’s Love and Mercy (Vs 11-15)

Abel’s and Cain Gen 4:1-15