Genesis 4

Cain and Abel

Last week’s post: Genesis 3

Genesis chapter 4 brings us the story of two offerings to God by two brothers. It appears that God liked one of the offerings, but not the other. My translation of the Bible reads like this: And the Lord appreciated Abel and his offering. As for Cain’s offering, the Lord was like, “meh.”

I have to admit, this is one of those stories I never understood growing up. Both brothers made an offering. It’s not like one made an offering and one didn’t. Both did. And, both were in line with their professions. Why was one better than the other? After reading it again, I think it may have to do with timing. Verse 3 begins with, “In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord.” (Genesis 4:3, ESV) That contrasts with the description of Abel’s offering, which is described as firstborn. The picture that is painted is this: Cain, who worked the ground, waited to see how the harvest turned out, used what he needed for himself, and then gave God the leftovers. In contrast, Abel gave the best of the firstborn. He didn’t wait to see how his herd would do or wait until the firstborn had kids of its own. He gave first and trusted God for future provision.

Cain’s way implies trust in himself. Giving thanks to God is an afterthought.

Abel’s way implies trust in God’s provision. Giving thanks to God is a first thought.

Immediately after this tale of dueling offerings, we see a timeless picture of human nature. Cain gets jealous and angry. God even tries to calm him down as he wrestles with his emotions. “…sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it,” (Genesis 4:7, ESV) God says. In other words, God says, “I can see what you’re wrestling with, Cain. I know you’re mad. I know you think revenge will fix it, but that feeling you have—that feeling that revenge will fix everything and make you feel better—it is a lie. It won’t fix things. It won’t make you feel better. It will destroy you. Fight it. Fight that urge.”

Everyone knows what happens next. Rather than contemplating how he could change his own life, he decides it would be better to just destroy another life. Cain gives into the urge. He kills Abel. The pureness of Eden sure did pivot quickly. I’ve heard it put this way. There were only four people on the planet and the murder rate was 25%.

Yes ,it was brutal; but I would argue that things haven’t changed all that much in modern times. The acts of righteous people still make us irrationally angry. Wherever there stands someone trying to change the world for good, there always stands someone standing at the ready to crucify her or him. It’s a reaction just like Cain’s. Our own failures make us mad, and it’s much easier to take that out on others than to make a change in ourselves.

On that note, I’ll leave you with some advice I heard Dr. Henry Cloud give in a speech once. He is much more eloquent than I; but I’ll attempt to summarize his words from memory.

There are three kinds of people in this world. They are classified by how they react to the light of truth. When the light of truth shines upon them, people generally react in three different ways.

The first type of people are wise people. They seek out the light. When the light of truth shines on them, they turn themselves toward the light. They adapt and change themselves and are molded by the truth. Even if the truth is brought to them in a backhanded or poor fashion, they still find ways to apply it to their lives.

The second type of people are foolish people. They see the light of truth and try to turn the light away from them. In other words, they do their best to bend the truth away from them. They make excuses. They blame others. They rationalize. They give every conceivable reason as to why that truth doesn’t apply to them. They don’t want to change, so they try to change the truth into something that makes them feel good about themselves and their life choices.

The third type of people are like Cain. When the light of truth shines on them, they want to destroy the light. These people can’t be trusted. They don’t want to hear truth, and anyone who delivers truth to them is going to get attacked. They don’t waste time trying to rationalize their choices, they just lash out at anyone speaking truth. They want to destroy truth and all who bring it.

We all know people like all three: wise, truth seekers. Foolish, truth benders. Evil, truth killers.

The point: fight to be a person who bends your life to the truth rather than a person who bends truth to your life. Then, you’ll discover one of those great paradoxes of the Bible. Make the truth a slave to you, and everywhere will feel like a prison to you…just as it did to Cain. That was his consequence. But, if you seek to make yourself a slave to the truth as the Bible says, the truth shall set you free.

^“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” John 8:31-32, ESV

Scripture quotations are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission.