GENESIS 4
GENESIS 4:
As you can see in my blog "Studying gives me a headache", I read Genesis 4 and gave myself a headache in trying to figure out what it was saying to me. It would've been so easy to close the Bible and carry on with life. But, remembering I'm looking for God's hand in His word, I had to read it more than once -- and I had to do it while clinging on to the loving heart of our Heavenly Father, so I wouldn't read this passage -- or the OT -- with a 'cranky voice'.
I was reading something in the OT once, and God poked me -- in spirit -- and asked why I read it as though He was angry. I gave God an angry voice... The next thought that came to me was, "What if God was sad when He spoke, and not angry? What if His heart was broken?" I don't know where I picked up the angry voice from. My childhood? The movies? A sermon somewhere? I don't know...but from that thought on, I viewed God's heart -- and voice -- in a new light. Genesis 4 reminds me of this.
As you can see in my blog "Studying gives me a headache", I read Genesis 4 and gave myself a headache in trying to figure out what it was saying to me. It would've been so easy to close the Bible and carry on with life. But, remembering I'm looking for God's hand in His word, I had to read it more than once -- and I had to do it while clinging on to the loving heart of our Heavenly Father, so I wouldn't read this passage -- or the OT -- with a 'cranky voice'.
I was reading something in the OT once, and God poked me -- in spirit -- and asked why I read it as though He was angry. I gave God an angry voice... The next thought that came to me was, "What if God was sad when He spoke, and not angry? What if His heart was broken?" I don't know where I picked up the angry voice from. My childhood? The movies? A sermon somewhere? I don't know...but from that thought on, I viewed God's heart -- and voice -- in a new light. Genesis 4 reminds me of this.
Genesis 4:1-6
New International Version - UK (NIVUK)
Cain and Abel
Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.
She said, ‘With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.’
2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.
3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord.
4 But Abel also brought an offering – fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.
The Lord looked with favour on Abel and his offering,
5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favour.
So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?
7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?
But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door;
it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.’
Try this: Read God's response as though He's angry... Then read it as though He is a loving Father, simply pointing out the consequences of certain choices... Then read it as though God is hurting over the consequences Cain is going to have to face because of his choices -- and possibly his attitude.
Because I know who Jesus is, and, as He said, "Anyone who has seen [Him] has seen the Father..." I know the Father to be far more loving than man has often claimed He is. In reading the OT, I must see God as Jesus saw Him -- not as 'man' in Hollywood, war or religiosity proclaims Him to be. So, again, in reading the OT, in looking for the Father's hand, I must not leave His heart out of it, and as you can see through Jesus, God's heart is full of mercy, grace and love.
In reading God's response in showing Abel more favour than Cain, I had to wonder about the offerings given. I figure Abel gave from the best of the best, meaning he trusted God; he had faith in God and God's provision for him. To me, he comes across as being grateful. Cain, in giving 'some of the fruits', rather than giving from the best of the crop, did not had faith, nor gratitude, it seems. This seem to be the case if we're to take in to account the personality he displays in the upcoming verses.
Cain was a selfish man, wasn't he. He gave out of his selfishness, not out of faith. Out of greed, even. And, as we know, you cannot please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6) -- hence the lack of favour offered to Cain, I guess.
Sure God could've let Cain get away with the snooty attitude and overlooked the offering, and chances are God didn't make a fuss about it, but Cain witnessed the favour Abel received for his offering, however, God points out that Cain has sinned, and sin has consequences. God didn't punish Cain for his offering, but He did give the guy the "heads up" over what happens when one chooses to give in to sin.
Cain gave his offering through lack of faith and with greed and selfishness in his heart, it seems to me. Cain sees the favour of God on his brother and gets upset about it. In response to that, God says, "Why are you angry...? If you do what is right, won't you be accepted?" so we know Cain did something wrong. We also know that Cain had an attitude problem. Jealousy? Vanity? Narcissism? Who knows... Whatever it was, it was in full swing now.
God warned Cain that if he chose to do wrong, sin would crouch at his door. God offered Cain a way out of sin. He didn't punish Cain...but Cain went with the sensations eating at his flesh, didn't he. Greed. Selfishness. Jealousy. Anger. It all ate him and he fed it with bitterness until he gave in to sin. And I think we all know what that feels like. From there, sin had a greater hold on him.
God didn't stop Cain from sinning. God has granted us all freewill, and He allowed Cain to use his. Again, it must be emphasised, I feel, God warned the man; He laid the consequences out before him, and Cain had the opportunity to turn from sin. God told Cain that he had to use his will to rule over sin. But he didn't. All that was eating at him was given a foothold; sin got in... And off Cain went and killed his brother.
After killing his brother, Cain chooses to lie to God.
I suggest using the voice of a loving Father when reading God's response -- remembering Abel, the one who had found favour with God -- had just been killed.
Because I know who Jesus is, and, as He said, "Anyone who has seen [Him] has seen the Father..." I know the Father to be far more loving than man has often claimed He is. In reading the OT, I must see God as Jesus saw Him -- not as 'man' in Hollywood, war or religiosity proclaims Him to be. So, again, in reading the OT, in looking for the Father's hand, I must not leave His heart out of it, and as you can see through Jesus, God's heart is full of mercy, grace and love.
In reading God's response in showing Abel more favour than Cain, I had to wonder about the offerings given. I figure Abel gave from the best of the best, meaning he trusted God; he had faith in God and God's provision for him. To me, he comes across as being grateful. Cain, in giving 'some of the fruits', rather than giving from the best of the crop, did not had faith, nor gratitude, it seems. This seem to be the case if we're to take in to account the personality he displays in the upcoming verses.
Cain was a selfish man, wasn't he. He gave out of his selfishness, not out of faith. Out of greed, even. And, as we know, you cannot please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6) -- hence the lack of favour offered to Cain, I guess.
Sure God could've let Cain get away with the snooty attitude and overlooked the offering, and chances are God didn't make a fuss about it, but Cain witnessed the favour Abel received for his offering, however, God points out that Cain has sinned, and sin has consequences. God didn't punish Cain for his offering, but He did give the guy the "heads up" over what happens when one chooses to give in to sin.
Cain gave his offering through lack of faith and with greed and selfishness in his heart, it seems to me. Cain sees the favour of God on his brother and gets upset about it. In response to that, God says, "Why are you angry...? If you do what is right, won't you be accepted?" so we know Cain did something wrong. We also know that Cain had an attitude problem. Jealousy? Vanity? Narcissism? Who knows... Whatever it was, it was in full swing now.
God warned Cain that if he chose to do wrong, sin would crouch at his door. God offered Cain a way out of sin. He didn't punish Cain...but Cain went with the sensations eating at his flesh, didn't he. Greed. Selfishness. Jealousy. Anger. It all ate him and he fed it with bitterness until he gave in to sin. And I think we all know what that feels like. From there, sin had a greater hold on him.
God didn't stop Cain from sinning. God has granted us all freewill, and He allowed Cain to use his. Again, it must be emphasised, I feel, God warned the man; He laid the consequences out before him, and Cain had the opportunity to turn from sin. God told Cain that he had to use his will to rule over sin. But he didn't. All that was eating at him was given a foothold; sin got in... And off Cain went and killed his brother.
After killing his brother, Cain chooses to lie to God.
I suggest using the voice of a loving Father when reading God's response -- remembering Abel, the one who had found favour with God -- had just been killed.
10 The Lord said, ‘What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. 11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.’
I imagine God's heart breaking there. He didn't want any of His children to suffer. Not Abel and not Cain... But sin had had its way and now the flesh of the one who brought forth sin had to pay. Such is the way of sin. It costs the sinner... (Thank God for Jesus! But more of that in the NT readings.)
And now Cain is scared...
Isn't that the way of sin? Isn't that just like Satan, to push and tempt until we give in, and then, when sin has had its way, and we're left to pay for it, the 'powerful' emotions that drove us to it have faded and we're left with guilt, or shame, or fear, or something that causes us great anxiety - and we're left to foot the bill.
It's like sin to do that, yes. It's like Satan to do that, yes. Evil flirts and tempts and manipulates, yes...but it's also like our flesh to do that, too. Our flesh delights in anything that makes us feel good or powerful or in control, and we don't always care about the cost until after the fact, especially if we're in angry, jealousy, or greedy mode. We're even more prone to go in the way of the sin brought on by such moods if we believe somebody else is going to pay. (ie 'They did wrong by me so they deserve to suffer; even if I have to sin against God to make them suffer!') But in the end, whether we see it straight away or not - as Cain was able to when God pointed it out to him -- we pay for what we do.
But, as God said, "...if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it." We pay for our sins. It doesn't matter who or what does the tempting. We have the will to say no - if we choose to use it. But, gee, I'm with Cain, I'm afraid. Not giving in to such emotions is difficult...without the Holy Spirit. (Again, Thank God for Jesus coming to pay the price for us and for granting us His Spirit!!!)
Anyway...back to Genesis 4
In his whining, or fear, or whatever mood he was in now, Cain says God is casting him out of the land. But God gave him the heads up. Cain chose the direction he wanted to go. As yet, no one else was there to pay for Cain's sin (ie Jesus) so he had to pay for them himself. God had warned him about this...
Don't you think Cain reacted as many of us do when we're caught out? "Look at what you are doing to me, God!" *whimper* *whimper*
Cain, having to pay for his own sins, had to go in the way they led him. Unfortunately, this meant he had to go from God's presence. (Oh! My! Gosh! THANK GOD FOR JESUS! Jesus paid for our sins and reunites us with the Father; we no longer have to leave God's presence. THANK YOU, JESUS!) But God showed mercy to the guy. God's hand and heart were with Cain all the way. Cain turned away from both in order to serve his flesh and sin. Not God's fault.
One last thought for now...
You know what intrigues me about this passage, more than anything? Why does Lamech get a mention???? It feels like a cop-out to me. "Cain got away with it and was protected, so I should be, too!" Yeah...I don't get that bit. Why mention it...? "God???"
And now Cain is scared...
Isn't that the way of sin? Isn't that just like Satan, to push and tempt until we give in, and then, when sin has had its way, and we're left to pay for it, the 'powerful' emotions that drove us to it have faded and we're left with guilt, or shame, or fear, or something that causes us great anxiety - and we're left to foot the bill.
It's like sin to do that, yes. It's like Satan to do that, yes. Evil flirts and tempts and manipulates, yes...but it's also like our flesh to do that, too. Our flesh delights in anything that makes us feel good or powerful or in control, and we don't always care about the cost until after the fact, especially if we're in angry, jealousy, or greedy mode. We're even more prone to go in the way of the sin brought on by such moods if we believe somebody else is going to pay. (ie 'They did wrong by me so they deserve to suffer; even if I have to sin against God to make them suffer!') But in the end, whether we see it straight away or not - as Cain was able to when God pointed it out to him -- we pay for what we do.
But, as God said, "...if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it." We pay for our sins. It doesn't matter who or what does the tempting. We have the will to say no - if we choose to use it. But, gee, I'm with Cain, I'm afraid. Not giving in to such emotions is difficult...without the Holy Spirit. (Again, Thank God for Jesus coming to pay the price for us and for granting us His Spirit!!!)
Anyway...back to Genesis 4
In his whining, or fear, or whatever mood he was in now, Cain says God is casting him out of the land. But God gave him the heads up. Cain chose the direction he wanted to go. As yet, no one else was there to pay for Cain's sin (ie Jesus) so he had to pay for them himself. God had warned him about this...
Don't you think Cain reacted as many of us do when we're caught out? "Look at what you are doing to me, God!" *whimper* *whimper*
Cain, having to pay for his own sins, had to go in the way they led him. Unfortunately, this meant he had to go from God's presence. (Oh! My! Gosh! THANK GOD FOR JESUS! Jesus paid for our sins and reunites us with the Father; we no longer have to leave God's presence. THANK YOU, JESUS!) But God showed mercy to the guy. God's hand and heart were with Cain all the way. Cain turned away from both in order to serve his flesh and sin. Not God's fault.
One last thought for now...
You know what intrigues me about this passage, more than anything? Why does Lamech get a mention???? It feels like a cop-out to me. "Cain got away with it and was protected, so I should be, too!" Yeah...I don't get that bit. Why mention it...? "God???"