Shattered Relationships
|
Key Verse: “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is couching at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.” Selected Scripture: |
CAIN WAS THE FIRSTBORN son of Adam and Eve, followed by a brother, Abel. As they grew up together in the abode of their parents, we can imagine they had many happy and joyous times together as a family, even as the effects of sin slowly began to take effect. As is so often the case among families, these two brothers began to think in different directions and to steer their attentions accordingly as they grew into manhood. Cain was a man of the earth—a farmer—or, as the scripture says, “a tiller of the ground.” (Gen. 4:2) Abel, on the other hand, was “a keeper of sheep.” Both occupations were certainly admirable and necessary to the survival of their family. On the surface it seems wise that they had entered upon different fields of endeavor.
Cain and Abel both recognized the privilege of rendering thanks to God for the bounties of their respective vocations. They both brought offerings before the Lord. “Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof.” (vss. 3,4) The account states that God “had respect,” or gave consideration or regard to Abel and his offering, but not to Cain’s. (vss. 4,5) Why was this? Was not Cain’s offering just as acceptable as Abel’s?
God made a distinction between the acceptableness of the two offerings because of what they represented. Abel’s was more pleasing because he offered an animal sacrifice, which required the shedding of blood. This act was used by God to be a type of the need for the shedding of blood in order to accomplish man’s salvation. Abel’s offering pointed to Jesus, who said, “This is my blood … which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matt. 26:28) Cain’s offering, as pleasing as it may have been in every other way, did not carry the significance God desired to illustrate to mankind.
Cain’s reaction to God’s statement was swift and violent. “It came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.” (Gen. 4:8) Was it possible that Cain could be driven to such a terrible act simply because God did not show him favor for his offering? Although perhaps he used this as an excuse, it is obvious that there was a much more significant cause for Cain’s act; namely, a long-standing hatred for his brother.
This is made evident by the Apostle John, when he gives us an all-important lesson concerning brotherly love. He says, “This is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother.” (I John 3:11,12) John said truly, “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.” (vs. 15)
For Cain to be pleasing to God he needed to bring an offering acceptable to God. His character needed to be changed from hatred to love. If he had done this, he would, indeed, have been pleasing to God.