Sin = Death

It was just a little white lie. If no one gets hurt its okay. I just took what was owed to me. How bad is sin? The tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden did not contain poisoned fruit. Man was not suffering from food poisoning. He had disobeyed God. How bad was that? Adam and Eve probably never quite understood the extent of their disobedience. It plunged the entire human race into sin and its consequences. When Eve held the bleeding dead body of her son, Able and knew her other son; Cain was the murderer, she got a glimpse of how bad sin could really be.

Outline of Chapter 4

The birth, trade, and religion of Cain and Abel, v. 1-7.

Cain murders his brother Abel, v. 8.

God calls him into judgment for it, v. 9-10.

He is cursed, v. 11-12.

He despairs, v. 13-14.

A promise given to him of preservation, and a mark set upon him to prevent him from being killed, v. 15.

He departs from God's presence, v. 16.

Cain has a son whom he calls Enoch, and he builds a city which he calls after his name, v. 17.

Cain has several children, among whom are Lamech, the first bigamist, v. 18-19.

Jabal, who taught the use of tents and feeding cattle, v. 20.

Jubal, the inventor of musical instruments, v. 21.

Tubal-cain, the inventor of smithwork, v. 22.

The strange speech of Lamech to his wives, v. 23-24.

Seth was born to Adam and Eve in the place of Abel, v. 25.

Enoch was born, and the worship of God was restored, v. 26.

(from Adam Clarke's Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Biblesoft)

1. THE FIRST FAMILY (vs. 1-16)

This chapter is a continuation of Chapter 3. Yet it is distinguished from the previous chapter by the use of the name Yahweh by itself, and, in one instance, 'Elohiym by itself, to designate the God. In chapter 3 the two names were used together. In the creation week and in the judgment, God has proved Himself the originator of all and a keeper of His word, and, therefore, the significant personal name Yahweh is ready on the lips of Eve and from the pen of the writer. The history of fallen man now proceeds. The first family comes under our notice.

Just as all mankind were represented in Adam, so to are the distinction of mankind after the fall into saints and sinners, godly and wicked, the children of God and the children of the wicked one. This was represented in Cain and Abel, and an early instance is given of the hostility put between the seed of the woman and the influence of the serpent.

2. The Occupation of Cain and Abel:

They both had a calling. Though they were heirs apparent to the world so to speak, they were not brought up in idleness. God gave their father a calling, even in innocence, and He gave them one. Their occupations were different, so that they could trade and exchange with one another, as there was occasion. Cain was a farmer and Able was a herdsman.

Cain and Abel brought an offering to the Lord and that is where all the trouble started. What prompted them to bring offerings to the Lord is not stated, only that they did.

THINGS TO NOTE:

Gen 4:3-5

The worship of God is not a novel invention, but an ancient institution. It is was established from the beginning (1 John 1:1) after the fall.

It is a good thing for children to be well taught when they are young, and trained up in the ways of the Lord, so when they are capable of acting for themselves they may, of their own accord, bring an offering to God. This nurturing of children in the Lord, is a must for parents, Gen 18:19; Eph 6:4.

We should, every one of us honor God with all that we have, according all that He has given us. But beware, and give God your best out of love not just compulsion. Hypocrites and evildoers can be found going as far as the best of God's people in the external services of religion.

3. CAIN AND ABLE’S OFFERINGS (vv. 3-7)

To a by-stander, the sacrifices of Cain and Abel would have seemed both good and acceptable. But God, who does not see as man sees, did not find them equal. God had respect to Abel and to his offering, and showed His acceptance of it. However for Cain and his offering God had no respect. We are not told why, but we can be sure there was a good reason for this difference.

In the qualities of the offering. Cain more than likely brought the fruit of the ground, that is any thing that was at hand, which he had not taken for himself. But Abel was deliberate in the choice of his offering: not the lame, or the lean, or the sickly, but the first of the flock. The best he had, and the fat of the best of those best.

There was, it seems an internal moral distinction in the intention or disposition of the offerings. Abel had faith-that confiding in God is accompanied with confession of sin, and a sense of gratitude for His mercy, and followed by obedience to His will. Cain did not have this faith. He may have had a faith in the existence, power, and bounty of God; but it lacked that penitent returning to God, that humble acceptance of His mercy, and submission to His will, which constitute true faith. It must be admitted the faith of the offerer is essential to the acceptableness of the offering, even though other things were equal.

Simply restated, the great difference was this, that Abel offered in faith, and Cain did not. God did not look upon Cain because He had already looked at him and seen what was in his heart. There was a difference in the attitude in which they went to God with their offerings. Abel came to God in the right attitude of heart for worship and in the only way sinful men can approach a holy God. He offered with an eye to God's will as His rule, and God's glory as his end, in dependence upon the promise of a Redeemer; but Cain did what he did only for those present, or to save his credit, not in faith, and so it turned into sin.

4. Cain’s Anger (vv. 6-7)

Cain's unbridled anger showed itself instantly. Furious wrath blazed out, revealing the spirit that was lodged in his heart. Cain became an enemy of God and hostile to his brother. His wounded pride produced envy and a spirit of revenge. And these brought forth the burning hatred and violence that made murder possible.

Cain’s anger also brought on brooding and an unlovely, gloomy spirit. Gently and patiently God dealt with Cain, seeking to save the rebellious sinner. He assured him that if he would sincerely repent, he might again lift up his face in happiness and reconciliation. The merciful Jehovah held out to Cain the hope of forgiveness and victory as he faced his momentous decision.

THINGS TO NOTE:

It is common for those who have rendered themselves unworthy of God's favor by their presumptuous sins to have indignation against those who are dignified and distinguished by it.

“Envy is a sin that commonly carries with it both its own discovery, in the paleness of the looks, and its own punishment, in the rottenness of the bones.”

(From Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)

“Sin past, in its unanswered and unacknowledged guilt; sin present, in its dark and stubborn passion and despair; but, above all, sin future, as the growing habit of a soul that persists in an evil temper, and therefore must add iniquity unto iniquity, is awaiting thee at the door, as a crouching slave the bidding of his master. As one lie borrows an endless train of others to keep up a vain appearance of consistency, so one sin if not repented of and forsaken involves the dire necessity of plunging deeper and deeper into the gulf of depravity and retribution.”

(From Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft)