Gen 4 “Cain and Abel”
Intro: Story—my brother and I quarreling/fighting. Always a limit to how far it would go.
-Today, we learn about a dark day in history: the first murder—but even worse: one brother murdering another brother. -But even this great darkness cannot stop God from bringing about His good purposes for His people.
*M.I.: No evil deed—not even murder—can stop God from brining about salvation for His people.*
CONTEXT
-Genesis is book of beginnings: ch 1-2 (Creation of the world; Adam and Eve). Ch 3 Fall and beginning of death and sin
-God made a promise that the ‘the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent’ (Gen 3:15)
-Adam & Eve have been banished from the Garden, but surely had this promise of hope of seed from Eve.
TODAY: No evil deed—not even murder—can stop God from brining about salvation for His people.
I. Cain and Abel (4:1-16)
-Eve Conceives and has two sons (1-2)
-Cain was a ‘worker of the ground’ while Abel was a ‘keep of sheep’
–NOTE: Eve’s heart toward God (even after her sin)àhumble and grateful. (hopeful of Gen 3:15 promise)
-2 Different WORSHIP Offerings and a Choice to Make (3-7)
-Cain and Abel bring their offerings to God, each respective of their trade (3-4a)
-God has “regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard” (4b-5a)
–WHY? àNOT because God only accepts animal offerings.
-But either: 1. Cain’s heart was in wrong place;
2. Abel gave his best offering, but Cain did not
-Cain responds with anger and self-pity (5b)
–NOT: Sorrow over offending God, but sadness over his own rejection.
-God graciously counsels Cain (6-7)
-God Reasons with Cain: “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted?
–Summary: You don’t really have a good reason to be angry and upset.
-Self Pity and Rage are irrational, and we experience this too.
-God Warns Cain: And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”
-Sin (like a vicious animal) is crouching at the door; its desire is for you, but you must rule over it!
–ILLUSTRATION: Vicious Tiger at the door. Would you cavalierly walk by?
-Sin is like that, but actually worse—ruins your soul and leads you to hell.
-TODAY, We experience temptation and sin crouching at the door
-We rule over by God’s grace and power of the Holy Spirit. (Matt 26:41)
–Active stance: “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”
–CROSSROADS: Cain faces a choice: will he listen to God, or give way to sin?
-The Murder of Abel and Callousness of Cain (8-10)
-Cain murders his brother Abel (8)
-First murder in human history
-Another evidence of Fallen humanity and corrupted life after the Fall.
NOTICE: ***The PROMISE of the seed will NOT be fulfilled through Abel**
-God questions Cain, but Cain is callous and ‘smart-aleck’ to God (disrespectful, insolent) (9)
-God exposes the sin of Cain (10)
-God is a righteous judge and righteously exposes sin and evil.
-Cain is Cursed (11-16)
–God curses Cain: the ground will NOT produce for you; you’ll be a fugitive and wanders (11-12)
–Cain despairs over his punishment, but is unrepentant—only self-serving (13-14)
–God shows him mercy by granting him a mark of protect and promise of vengeance on those how harm him (15)
-Cain departs “away from the presence of the LORD” and settles far away from Eden (16)
- The Wicked Line of Cain (17-24)
Now, Moses tells us about the line of Cain, all the way down the 7th descendent from Adam
-Cain’s line: [Adam]—Cain—Enoch—Irad—Mehujael—Methushael—Lamech (17-22)
-Moses doesn’t tell us where ‘Cain’s wife’ came from. Adam and Eve had other kids [Gen 5:4]
-Climax of genealogy is Lamech (23)
-Polygamist (2 wives); Brutal and murderous (killing); Arrogant (77 fold)
*WHY DID MOSES INCLUDE THIS GENEOLOGY?
àTo show us: The PROMISE of the seed will NOT be fulfilled through CAIN either.Questions:
Have God’s good purposes—to bring about a savior through the seed of Eve and crush the serpent—failed?
Can there really be any hope of goodness and salvation in life outside the Garden of Eden?
BIG IDEA: No evil deed—not even murder—can stop God from brining about salvation for His people.
III. Eve’s 3rd Son: Seth (25-26)
-A 3rd son is born! SETH (25)
-Eve’s statement: ““God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.”” (25b)
-There is STILL hope that the ‘Snake-crusher’ would come and defeat Satan from seed of Eve.
-Godly Line of Seth: At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD. (26)
-This is speaking of corporate worship and delight in God
-Here (while Adam was still alive), God’s people began worshipping the LORD together!
-There was hope after that dark murder of Abel for the people of God.
-God would still bring about the seed of Eve who would crush the serpent!
M.I.: No evil deed—not even murder—can stop God from brining about salvation for His people.
GOSPEL:
Jesus: The snake crusher. Humanly speaking—from the godly line of Seth (Luke 2:38)
–Not Even DEATH can STOP GOD’S GOOD PURPOSES TO SAVE HIS PEOPLE: Acts 2:23-24
APPLICATION: Do you believe this?
–World: Great darkness—abortion; coldness toward God; false religions; sexual immorality.
SEE: None of this will stop God from bringing about His good purposes of salvation for His people.
–Church: Great leaders fall; Faithful leaders die; Ministries and church don’t grow the way we expect or hope.
SEE: None of this will stop God from bringing about His good purposes of salvation for His people.
-CCF! God’s good purposes to make us holy and bring glory to His name will prevail!
–Us: Great darkness within; Way of the Old Nature; Temptation of devil; Weakness of the flesh.
SEE: None of this will stop God from bringing about His good purposes of salvation for His people.
-God began a good work in you, and HE will carry it on until Jesus returns (Phil 1:7)
CLOSE: No evil deed—not even murder—can stop God from brining about salvation for His people.
