Cain and Abel

This study session is on Navigating Family Conflict.  We will be looking at biblical examples illustrating family responsibility, family rights, family favorites, family rivalry, family jealousy, and family reconciliation.   Today we go back to where it all started. Adam and Eve's family as we look at Cain and Abel and see that God expects us to look after our family members.

Have you ever known a family where every family member was different in some way from the others?  Have you ever known a family that wasn't that way?

Life would be quite boring if we were all the same. God has given us all different personalities, skills, and interests.  These make us different, but does not necessarily make us better than one another. As different as we may be from others in the family, we still have a responsibility to help and support them as we shall see in Genesis 4:1-12.

After Adam and Eve sinned, the Lord expelled them from the garden. After their expulsion, Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel.   They were born AFTER humanity acquired their sin nature from Adam and Eve.  While Abel was able to remain close to God in his walk through life, Cain choose to allow his sin nature to guide him through life, and today we see the results. 

Genesis 4:1-2

1 The man was intimate with his wife Eve, ands he conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have had a male child with the Lord’s help.” 2 She also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground.

How typically parental!  For the first born its "LOOK, I have a BOY!"  With the second its "oh look. I had another kid." 

So Adam and Eve had been evicted from the Garden of Eden, or "the enclosure of pleasure and delight" as the words literally mean.  At sometime afterward, while Adam "fights" with the now-cursed ground, and Eve's "desire for her husband" has grown, they have kids.  As they raise their sons each took on different interests and skills.  Cain “worked the ground.” He was a skilled man who led an agricultural enterprise that fed human life.  Abel was the shepherd of a flock. A shepherd would guide his flock and protect them from the dangers of straying and from animals of prey. The flock would have, at the very least, provided them with textiles and milk. Both brothers provided sustenance for themselves and their extended family. But, as seems to be human nature, a relationship of cooperation became infected by comparison.  

Now the interesting thing is that the word Cain means acquisition – to get or to acquire. Cain's character was one of acquiring, of getting.  Like so many in the world Cain wanted to get things. 

The word Abel on the other hand means breath, the same meaning as the word spirit. In Cain and Abel you can see two types of humans:  getters who want what THEY want and spirituals who want to draw closer to God.  Most are a mixture of both. 

While their differences provided mutual benefits for the family such as food, milk and clothing, it also became the source of conflict.  God had given Adam and Eve the "enclosure of pleasure and delight" (Garden of Eden) but they both chose to be getters as they sought to pursue what it was that THEY wanted and not what it was that God had directed them towards.  They chose themselves over fellowship with God.  They got what they chose and were expelled from the "enclosure of pleasure and delight" and instead inherited a world that was harmed by not heeding God's direction.  They indeed reproduced and produced one getter and one spiritual person. Cain was a farmer, and a murderer, who later  became a restless wanderer. The New Testament associates the way of Cain with the way of evil. When one seeks to get at any cost, harm (evil) easily follows.  Satan sought to get the same glory that God had and as a result sin easily followed into the world.

The Lord helped Adam and Eve produce a child. Eve’s comment on Cain’s birth reflects her dependence on the Lord. This first recorded birth in the Scripture attributes conception and life to God’s work and evidence of His blessing.  So even though they were expelled from paradise because they chose to go it alone, God was still at work in their lives...just as he is in ours today,

While Cain’s birth was celebrated, Abel’s seems to be dismissed (the "curse" of all of us middle kids). While  Cain is celebrated as a gift of the Lord and an embodiment of vitality. In the New Testament their positions reversed. Abel is recognized as a man of faith, while Cain is rejected as an example of evil doing.  Abel, a shepherd, most closely mirrors the original intent of God's mission for man – manage (lead) the animals.  

Cain’s occupation in contrast to Abel’s, was the same as Adam's. Work began with Adam’s tending the garden of Eden. Remember that Adam was set to "work the ground" and that the ground would "fight him" to yield its produce.  So Cain followed in Adam's footsteps and struggled with the Earth to produce his living.  Abel, however, managed and minded the animals in the spirit of caring for them, nurturing them.  

It may be that Cain was seen to be more "manly" as he worked the ground as his father, the "man" Adam did, while Abel may have been seen as "less manly" because he tended to the living as the woman Eve (whose name means living) did.  JUST A SPECULATION.

Next we see that each of these brought part of their "blood, sweat, and tears" as an offering to God.  Let's see what happens.

Genesis 4:3-7

3 In the course of time Cain presented some oft the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but he did not have regard for Cain and his offering. Cain was furious, and he looked despondent. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent? 7 If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

So Cain brought the "vegetables" and Abel brought the "meat" to offer to God.  In some way God had "regard" for Abel's sacrifice more so than Cain’s.  To have "regard" for something literally was to be "attracted to it."  So God found Abel's offering attractive, but merely "kindly accepted" Cain's.  One can almost imagine a "thank you for your gift" response for Cain while a "Wow, what a wonderful and thoughtful gift" was given to Abel.  

Many wonder why the offerings were accepted and rejected, but notice that the FOCUS of the passage is on each of the brothers.  "Cain presented an offering... and Abel...presented an offering."  The focus is on the brothers, not the offering.  Cain, the getter, presented his offering and God took notice (thank you). Abel the spiritual one was noticed by God (thank you VERY much), while the physically-getting-one was not found to be attractive to God.  Cain’s offering is not identified as the best of his produce, yet in contrast Abel brought some of the firstborn animals as well as their fat portions—the best of the flock.  The offering of fat, the tastiest part of the animal, symbolized the worshiper’s desire to offer God the best. 

Abel’s offering was acceptable because Abel was acceptable. The difference in the two men’s hearts made the difference in the acceptability of their offerings. The difference in the Lord’s response to Cain’s and Abel’s offerings lies in the integrity of the giver. Hebrews 11:4 noted that the Lord accepted Abel’s offering because he offered it in faith. As a result of his spiritual nature.  Cain’s anger on the other hand displayed his true attitude. His downcast face indicated his saddened disposition. Cain was unwilling to accept God's attraction to Abel while he was not found attractive to God. Unfortunately, Cain’s unrepentant fury against God for not regarding him or his offering caused him to take it out on his brother.  Cain WANTED TO GET NOTICED, but God was "ignoring" him, so Cain in his fury did what it took to GET NOTICED.  This is the same world in which we are living today.

God's response to Cain compared sin with an animal lurking at the door, a reference to the animal’s resting place or den. Like such an animal, sin is ready to stir if incited. Thus the picture is that of sin, temporarily at bay and subject to its master, but ready to pounce on Cain if he opens the door of opportunity.  God tells Cain that as long as you are upright and do good you are acceptable, isn't that enough for you? But watch out!  You are getting angry and out of control.  The sin nature lives nearby you and it seeks you!  You must master yourself so that sin won't attack and consume you!  

So here we learn that in whatever we do, we are to give our best to God as an act of worship. We also learn that NOT mastering our emotions and desires opens the door to sin devouring us like a wild animal.  But Cain wanted what Cain wanted and allowed his anger to fester to the point where his desire overcame his ability to "do good."

Genesis 4:8-12

8 Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s guardian?” 10 Then he said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! 11 So now you are cursed, alienated from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed. 12 If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”

Because he refused to deal rightly with his anger, Cain allowed it to fester into sin, eventually allowing it to becoming murder – REALLY missing the mark that God had set for humanity!  Cain’s core was filled with anger toward his brother because he was angry with God. That hatred could not find rest within him, and he could not let go of it (forgive it), so he vented his rage on his brother. It was premeditated murder fueled by the fury of his hatred.  Cain could not master his sinful attitude and it DID consume him.

Our anger never remains only in our hearts. Unless we deal with it, we pack it down until it explodes. When we explode it is usually on our loved ones.  Jesus said we should resist harboring anger: “You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment”.

After Cain murdered his brother, the LORD gave him another opportunity to confess and repent by asking him, “Where is your brother Abel?” But instead of confession, Cain lied and offered a snide remark: “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s guardian?”  One can almost feel the attitude of I don't know, YOU are attracted to him, you tell ME where he is.  The omniscient, all-knowing Lord knew Cain had murdered his brother. In asking this question, the Lord sought to elicit not information, but confession from Cain. The Lord’s question echoes His previous question to Adam after Adam and Eve had eaten the forbidden fruit: “Where are you?”. It is a call to become SELF aware. 

Cain murdered his brother prior to the giving of the Ten Commandments with their prohibition against murder, yet Cain apparently knew his act was wrong. Cain took the life that was not HIS to take.  In the Scripture blood represents life. To remove the blood is to end physical life. Like his parents had done in the garden, Cain tried to avoid admitting guilt. This question echoes the one God asked Eve. Again, the Lord sought to elicit confession from Cain.  Again, a call to self awareness ... THINK about your actions and their impact.  This account of Cain and Abel points out that we cannot separate relationships with fellow human beings from our relationship with God.

The Hebrew text more literally reads: “The voice (sound) of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.” In Genesis 3:8 Adam and Eve had heard the “sound” (same word) of the Lord walking in Eden. In both cases this sound or voice represented a call to accountability for their actions. 

This curse upon Cain reveals the gravity of his sin against God. Recall that Cain’s vocation was that of a tiller of the soil. The Lord predicted the course (curse) that Cain’s choice would have on his life.  Sin alienates. Cain was separated from the ground because he had polluted it with Abel’s innocent blood. This judgment calls to mind Adam and Eve’s separation from the garden of Eden because of their disobedience. Thus the farmer Cain no longer could enjoy the fruit of the ground. The ground from which human beings had been taken and over which they were to rule was affected by their sins. For a farmer to be alienated from the ground posed a major threat to his continuing existence.  Because Cain would experience difficulty making a living from the ground, he would become a nomad having to find his sustenance wherever it might be found. Cain migrated to the land of Nod, located “east of Eden”. Nod means “wandering.” The emphasis falls on the “lostness” of the wanderer. Nevertheless, God tempered His judgment with mercy as God continued to care for Cain.

Cain was a "getter".  Abel was a "spiritual person".  Cain wanted glory for himself.  Abel wanted to honor and bring glory to God.  Cain was unable to manage his anger and allowed it to turn into actions that were "not good" and resulted in the murder of Abel.  This story of Adam's family and Adam's offspring highlight the nature of the world around us today and the damage that can escalate in unresolved family conflicts. 

Family members can think and act differently, yet it need not lead to conflict and strife. If conflict exists in a family, the first place to look for the solution is inwardly at our own attitudes and actions.  Turn your attention to the glory of God and contemplate God's desires for humanity.  Allow the Holy Spirit to be your counselor in these matters and being the process of identifying your anger and forgiving (forgetting the offense) those who have hurt you.

God expects us to look after our family members.