Quest

Studies in the Book of Genesis 1-11 #

The Quest for Righteousness

Gen 4:1-8

3. Early in the morning when the sun comes up, the shadow of a person is not clearly defined. The shadow is long and it is not easy to tell that it is the shadow of a person. As the sun rises higher and higher, that shadow begins to look more like a person. At high noon, in summertime, there is no more shadow. This is like some of the things in the OT which were shadows of NT things. Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. All of the Bible is about Jesus, but the further back you go the more you see Him in shadows and types. In time, God’s revelation increased until Jesus appeared on this earth. Now there are no more shadows. That is why you did not bring a lamb with you tonight to have me offer at church. Jesus is the reality that those lambs of the OT shadowed.

5. We see the two different ways that Cain and Abel sought righteousness before God

b. Every culture has worship – it may be perverted or distorted. It may be worship of a stick or the moon.

b. We will see tonight the beginning of a works religion in Cain’s quest for righteousness

I. THE BIRTH OF CAIN – vs 1-2

(4) Natural birth—Cain was the first to come by natural birth which is the way all people have been born since, with the exception of Christ.

A. The Comment About his Birth – vs 1

1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

1. This was faith in the promise of God given to A/E in 3:15

2. Cain was not that seed, as Eve had hoped that he was

B. The Child After his Birth – vs 2a

1. Abel had a much different type of character than Cain as is seen in the offerings each presented to God.

2. Abel was a believer but Cain was an unbeliever.

C. The Career After his Birth – vs 2b

1. Both occupations are honorable.

2. Cain was a tiller of the ground

3. Cain’s job was not inferior to Abel's work

II. THE BURNT OFFERING OF CAIN – vs 3-7

· This is where the character of Cain is revealed and where the trouble in Cain's life begins to manifest itself.

A. The Contrast in Cain's Offerings – vs 3-4

3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. 4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

· Cain was religious, he was no infidel, but he was an apostate, for Cain's offering said Cain rejected Jesus Christ.

1. Not of Faith

a) Abel brought his offering by faith, but Cain did not offer by faith.

b) Bringing an offering by faith, says Abel was following the Divine instructions for the offering.

c) Cain did not obey God's instructions regarding the offering.

d) Cain was not trying to please God but Abel was.

2. Not of the Finest

a) Abel's offering "of the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof"

b) Abel brought the best, the finest.

c) Nothing is said of Cain's offering that indicates it was the best.

3. Not of the Flock

a) "Cain brought of the fruit of the ground"

b) The command was for an animal sacrifice.

c) One of the first things apostates attack is the necessity of the blood in salvation.

d) Cain wanted righteousness his way

e) He used human reasoning instead of divine revelation to come to God

f) False religion is what man does for God

g) Much religion has degenerated into religion of good works

(1) Rituals – candles – creeds

(2) Preaching is no longer about sin, death, blood of Christ

(3) William Booth said, “I consider that the chief dangers which will confront Christians in the 20^th century will be religion without the Holy Spirit, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without regeneration, morality without God and heaven without hell.”

h) Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

i) Ro 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

B. The Condemnation of Cain's Offering – vs 4-7

4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

1. The Conspicuousness of the Condemnation

a) The respect in regard to offerings in the OT was shown by fire coming down from heaven and consuming the offering

b) Abel's offering was consumed but Cain's offering was not.

c) The respect was therefore evident to both Abel and Cain.

d) There was nothing secretive about the rejection of Cain.

2. The Collectiveness of the Condemnation

a) Both Cain and the offering were rejected.

b) We are identified with the offering.

c) When we receive Christ we are accepted in Him.

d) Cain was not accepted by God.

e) You may be accepted by everyone else, but if God does not accept you, you are under Divine condemnation.

3. The Choler over the Condemnation

a) "Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell"

b) Instead of repenting, Cain went into a rage.

c) Many people do that when confronted about their sin.

d) Instead of repenting, they go into a rage against the preacher.

4. The Counsel about the Condemnation

7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

a) This verse has always been difficult for the scholars to translate.

b) But in all the difficulty, it states one clear message, namely, God in mercy was counselling Cain on how to be acceptable to God.

c) Cain had failed, but God gave him another chance which Cain rejected.

III. THE BRUTALITY OF CAIN – vs 8-10

A. The Predicting of Brutality – vs 8

8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

1. Attitude towards man will be reflected by our attitude towards God.

2. Cain was out of sorts with God so mistreated his fellow man.

3. When men turn to God, the crime problem will improve.

4. Unbelief will attack faith.

B. The Performing of Brutality – vs 8

1. The Speaking in the Performing -- "Talked with Abel."

a) Speaking was before the slaying.

b) Venomous words predict violent acts.

c) The speaking can be deceitful words (fair speeches to trick) or defiling words (slander, false accusations).

2. The Scene in the Performing -- "When they were in the field."

a) The field was away from others so the crime could be concealed.

b) Sin likes darkness.

3. The Slaying in the Performing -- "Slew him."

a) Persecution against the faith can get very bloody as the history of the martyrs of the church testify.

b) The righteous do not always live the longest.

c) It is not living long on the earth that matters but living holy on the earth that matters.

C. The Policing of Brutality – vs 10

9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? 10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

1. God has a way of asking the most disarming questions to expose our sin and guilt.

2. Cain learned quickly that sinners will have to give an account of their sin before God sooner or later

a) Mt 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

b) Ro 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.

c) 1Pe 4:4 Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 5 Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead.

D. The Proclaiming of Brutality – vs 10

10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

1. This is another way of saying, "Be sure your sin will find you out"

2. Sin cannot be silent.

3. It makes a noise that God hears. Sin may be quiet to mankind, but it will shout out loud to God.

IV. THE BURDEN FOR CAIN – vs 11-16

· The heavenly Judge decreed the sentence upon Cain for his crime. It was a heavy sentence which was a great burden to Cain to bear the rest of his life.

A. The Cursing in the Burden – vs 11-12 ß

1. The Placement in the Curse

a) "From the earth" (Genesis 4:11).

b) This means Cain would be moved from the favorable farm land where he the ground would be hard to farm.

2. The Productivity in the Curse

a) "It shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength"

b) The land would be poor land that Cain would farm in the future.

c) This feature of the curse is tied in with the previous one.

3. The Person in the Curse

a) "A fugitive and vagabond shalt thou be in the earth"

b) Cain would have no settled home, but he would always moving.

c) The meaning of the word "fugitive" involves fear.

d) Cain would not enjoy life in the future. Sin produces fear.

B. The Complaining About the Burden – vs 13-14

13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.

1. This is the complaint of criminals everywhere.

2. Cain only sees himself. He does not think of what he has done to Abel.

3. And he blames God for being harsh.

4. But Cain was the harsh one. He slew Abel!

5. One of the major problems in our sick society today is that many folk in high places are playing Cain's song more.

6. So courts are lenient on crime and ignore the suffering of the victims.

7. There is no word of repentance here, sin makes one selfish; and Cain thought only of his own suffering, not of Abel's terrible suffering.

8. Cain's fear of being killed by "every one" indicates his realization that his crime merited death.

9. Sin brings guilt and fear of judgment.

C. The Compassion for the Burden – vs 15

15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

1. If ever the grace of God was exhibited it is here with Cain.

2. God provided protection for Cain.

3. But this act of grace did not take away any of the sentence. Cain would still bear in full the punishment about which he complained.

D. The Country for the Burden – vs 16

16 And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.