Book of Genesis - Ch. 4, Vs. 1-16 (05/09/2004) | NOTE: Audio malfunctions from minute 44:53 to 48:10

Cain and Abel, the First Family, and the Offering in Faith

For the fourth chapter of the book of Genesis, please now Dennis will you turn to 1st John 3. 1st John 3 and the 12th verse. Yes, we're going to talk about Cain and Abel this morning their birth and the murder of Abel and Adam knew Eve his wife and she conceived and Bear Cain and said I have gotten a man from the Lord and She again bear his brother Abel.

And Abel was the keeper of the sheep. But Cain was a tiller of the ground. So we find that time passes. How much time we don't know? Do not think that just because you can read several verses in a short breath.

That the history follows the same clock. Because it does not Adam and Eve Start their family. Just like any young married couple. I Say young these two could have been anywhere from 35 to 100 years old.

We read later that Adam was 130 when Seth was born. Now we come to a little known fact let's read it again and Adam knew Eve his wife and she conceived and bear Cain and said I have gotten a man from the Lord and she again bear his brother Abel and Abel was the keeper of the sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

Cain and Abel were twins. Cain being the older because he was born first. What better way for God to start the human race. He brought both Seeds into the world from the very same conception. Now time goes on.

We don't know how much time we're not told how much time. But the Bible says and in the process of time. Meaning that it is a long time. That it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground and offering unto the Lord.

Cain and Abel Brought to Adam the priest of the family. Each of them an offering to the Lord for which we have reason to think there had to be a divine appointment Given to Adam. I don't think that these people would have thought of this on their own.

Yes the the process of time Usually means That time has passed. What took place during the time? We don't know there were people born to Adam and Eve these were the first two and being twins God brought the seed both seeds forth and We find that in first John.

Let's Go back and read that again. Not as Cain who was of that wicked one. Now, what does that mean John who was of that wicked one? Dennis tell him who was of that wicked one. Wicked one is Satan and of means that Cain was of Satan a descendant of Satan so we have the the two seeds.

Now they brought to the family priest, which was Adam. The Lord had to establish Adam as the priest. We have to fill in a whole lot here because we're not told. But it's reasonable to assume that man would never have thought of worshiping God in this manner If God had not instituted it and in the fourth verse We have an able also GAM G-A-M also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof and the Lord had Respect and the able and to his offering had respect.

What's that mean Greg? All right. I received it with favor. Showed that he accepted it because it pointed forward to the atoning blood of Christ and Showed faith in what God had revealed concerning him.

But Cain. But Cain but under Cain and to his offering. He did not have respect and Cain was very wroth and his countenance fell. Abel offered in faith. Cain did not. Abel offered with an eye to God's will as his rule and Independence upon the promise of his Redeemer, and I don't think that Abel understood all of this but he was Doing it perhaps not for this specific reason, but it did Do exactly as that has said it pointed to God's rule and to the Redeemer.

But Cain didn't do that. Now. We have to remember Cain is of the devil Russell we find that in several places. I took first John 3 12 to support it. But Cain did not offer in faith and So it was turned into sin for him.

Now How was it sin for him Greg. Yes. Which would have been better for Cain? To not offer anything or to offer it in With the wrong idea. That's better. That's true. It would have been better for Cain Just to go on his way.

But we find him mimicking his brother Abel. We find him Putting up a show a hypocrite. The world's first hypocrite in Romans for 14 to 23 and He that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of faith.

For whatsoever is not of faith is sin. Now Greg can you take that verse and Enlighten us as to what it means Romans 14 23. All right, so it's not talking just about Something you'd eat. All right. Remember that the words had respect to We find the Lord had respect to what Abel brought.

Signified in Hebrew to look at anything with a keen earnest glance. Which has been translated kindled into fire so That the divine approval of Abel's offering was shown and it's being consumed by fire.

Abel brought a Thanksgiving offering and he also Brought the blood offering without mentioning any names. In the Monday night class I asked a person We also bring a Thanksgiving offering and a blood offering.

And I asked the person what was the blood offering that we bring? And They said the cross of Christ. That's exactly right. The blood of Christ is our blood offering. We tend to forget that We shouldn't our offering should be the fruit of our hands Which we're supposed to bring but also the blood offering.

Now that brings up a question can a child of his Christ Not bring a blood offering. I got one. No two no's. Russell how do you vote? It's taken out of our hands. If we are a child of his we have a blood offering.

Now all offerings are not offerings. But from the child of God it is six. And the Lord said unto Cain Why art thou wroth? And why is thy countenance fell? Fallen. Cain was very very angry. Now you take a worldly man and get him angry.

Does he all of a sudden David spout? Spiritualism. And we have to remember Cain Couldn't see the spirit. He could not understand. All he saw was two offerings. All he saw was God had respect unto Abel's and didn't unto his and he couldn't understand why.

He was the firstborn the most powerful of the children. Why would he not accept my offering as he did Abel's? Well, he was very very angry. That displeasure which should have been turned against his own unhumbled heart Was turned against his innocent brother.

Who although not more highly privileged than he made a much better use of. The advantages which he shared in common with his ungodly brother now. Remember Cain isn't thinking spiritual. He cannot think spiritual.

He's thinking material and worldly only. Seven if thou doest well Thou shalt not be and thou. 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.

I Think perhaps a better translation. Shalt thou not have the excellence which is the sense of the word referred to with. You're always going to have the high privilege of the firstborn. God is no respecter of persons.

So that's we come short of acceptance of him. It is because we did not want to. Cain's fault now was His not bringing a sin offering when his brother brought one and his neglect and contempt Caused his other offering to be rejected.

It was all rejected. Unto thee shall be his desire now that is Thou shalt ever have the right of the firstborn and in all things shalt I Brother and be subject unto thee. These words are not spoken of sin as many have understood them but of able submission to Cain.

Remember Cain is thinking worldly not spiritual. Cain is not looking for a sin offering. Cain doesn't understand the sin offering. He could only think worldly. Only as the devil would think is what Cain is thinking.

Not spiritually at all. He wasn't concerned about sin as I said eight and Cain talked with Abel his brother and it came to pass again. It came to pass time passes. When they were in the field that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.

Now Dennis I have a question for you. How long did Cain hate his brother Abel. Yes, he must have hated him because he killed him. How long was that? Russell how long was that? David John Cain hated his brother Abel as long as he was able.

When he wasn't able he didn't hate him. We have in the Jerusalem Targum and the Targum of Jonathan Ben Israel. Some in light on this and I'll give it to you. You can Take it or leave it. Cain said unto his Abel his brother.

Let us go out into the field and it came to pass. When they were in the field Cain answered and said to Abel his brother. I Thought that the world was created in mercy. But it is not governed according to the merit of good works.

Nor is there any judgment nor a judge. Nor shall there be any future state in which good rewards shall be given to the righteous or punishment executed on the wicked and Now there is respect of persons and judgment on that account it on that account.

On what account is it that I sacrifice? Has been accepted and mine wasn't. And Abel answered and said the world was created in mercy. And it was governed according to the fruit of the good earth. And good works.

There is a judge a future future world and a coming judgment. Where a good reward shall be given. They'll be given to the righteous and the ungodly punished for and there is no respect of persons, but because of my.

Because my works were better and more precious Than thine my offering was received with peace of mind. And because of these things they contended on the face of the earth got in a fight and Cain rose up against Abel his brother Struck him with a stone in his forehead and killed him.

It is here supposed that the first murder committed in the world Was a consequence of religious dispute. However However, this may have been millions since have been Sacrificed to prejudice bigotry intolerance.

Here certainly originated the many-headed monster religious persecution. The spirit of the wicked Spirit of the wicked one and his followers impels them to afflict and destroy all those who are partakers of the spirit of God.

Every Persecutor is a legitimate son of that old murderer Satan. This is the first triumph of Satan. It is not merely a death that he has introduced but a violent one. As the first fruits of sin. It is not the death of the ordinary person, but of the most holy man then in that was.

How exceeding sinful does sin appear in its very first? Manifestation. Manifestation we press on. Nine and the Lord said unto Cain Where is Abel thy brother? And he said I know not am I my brother's keeper?

We find that this is the nature of a sinful man. Especially when you criticize them they get angry. Sins have a close connection with the commission of leads to the commission of others. You can't tell one sin.

You have to tell others. He who will commit murder will also tell lies. And he who will lie Will also commit murder. God knew him to be guilty. He wasn't hiding anything from God. Yet he asked him Why?

Dennis, where is your brother? We must accept our sin. Own up to it. Ten and he said what hast thou done? And he didn't give him time time to answer. The voice of thy brother's blood and it should be blood's.

Crieth unto me from the ground. The voice of thy brother's blood Crieth unto me from the ground. Now David How could that be? That's right. Satan will try to fool you. You go around the corner and do it and God won't know it.

Thy brother's blood's. Now Why would it be blood's John? Millions and millions and millions of people That would have come through Abel. Cain hadn't killed just one person. Eleven and now art thou cursed from the earth.

Which has opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood From thy hand and now thou cursed from the earth. He is cursed separated to all evil Laid down under the wrath of God. That is his reveal from heaven.

Against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. He is cursed from the earth. Since the cry came up to God since he cursed Came down to Cain. God could have taken vengeance by an immediate stroke from heaven but he chose not to.

Why Greg? All right. God could have taken an immediate stroke from heaven and wiped Cain out Killed him. But he didn't do that. Why why? All right, that's pretty good. David that's that's the heart of it.

Without Cain there couldn't have been the seed of Satan. So the seed of Satan had to come so Cain had to live. But he's cursed he could have cut him off. That's true. But he's cursed. That part of it which fell to his share and of which he had occupation Was made unfruitful by the blood of Abel.

Besides a fugitive and vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. By this he was here condemned To disgrace reproach To perpetual disquietment and horror in his own mind. His own guilty conscience should haunt him wherever he went.

Now to justify his complaint Observe his children he sees himself excluded by it from the favor of God and. And calculates that being cursed he was bid from God's hid from God's face and That is indeed of the true nature of God's course damned sinners.

Find it so today. To whom it is said depart from me ye cursed. Those are cursed indeed that are the are ever shut the shut out from God's love and he sees himself expelled from the comforts of his life and concludes in Genesis 4 14 Thou has driven me out of this day from thy face.

Better rest in the grave than not rest at all. I don't know for sure if that's true or not from thy face. Shall I be hid shut out of the church? Not admitted to come with the sons of God to present himself before the Lord.

And it shall come to pass that everyone that finds me shall slay me. Cain was more afraid of being killed than repentance for his crime. 12 when thou tillest the ground it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength.

A Fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. What do we find? Among the. I'll say Arabs, but I mean Everybody in that part of the world other than the Jew. What do we find John in their way of life?

Well. Are they? Are they farmers? So the curse is held. He can't reside in any place very long. The Septua to it Septuagint. Thank you. Thou shalt be groaning and trembling upon the earth. The horror of thy crimes shall ever Haunt thee and thou shalt never have any well-grounded Hope that God will remit the punishment That you deserve.

It was forever. We're seeing this now in Israel. The Palestinians are out of place. That they can call their own. And Cain said unto the Lord. My punishment is greater than I can bear. He immediately finds fault with the punishment not with what he did.

What an overwhelming sense of misery Cain must have felt but no sign of repentance. He burdens God as a cruel judge because he punishes him so severely. He's finding fault with the judgment. Well, he's still alive.

But he's finding fault with the judgment and he took a life. Behold thou has driven me out this day from thy face. 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 everyone that findeth me shall slay me. Now then it's what about this word everyone. Where the other people in the world? Well there we We slip. Time has passed. We know 100 130 200 years have gone by.

There could have been and more than likely was a great great number of people and all from Adam and Eve. We were trapped a little bit in that. We do not read about that. But they had to be here. From thy face from the place where God manifested his special presence.

Cain is expelled. People will slay me. He knew that they would think that he deserved to die for killing his brother 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 anyone finding him should kill him.

Lots and lots of discussion about that mark. What was it. It's given rise to a number of frivolous Curious conjectures. I'll give you a few. Some say that he was paralytic. This was seemed to have risen from the Septuagint groaning and trembling shelled he be the Targum of Jonathan been Israel Says the sign from the great and precious name probably one of the letters of the word unknown Jehovah.

The author of the Arabic And the But. But Lillian library says a sword could not pierce him. Fire could not burn him. Water could not drown him. The air could not blast him nor could thunder or Lightning strike him.

How are you struck by thunder the the author of? Bearer sheath. Barbara Rabba a Comment on Genesis says the mark was a circle of the Sun rising upon him. Another one says that it was Abel's dog which was with him forever.

Some of the doctors of the Talmud say that it was the letter Tao marked on his forehead was signified his contrition. Then Another Jew was wiser than the rest. Says it was a long horn growing out of his forehead.

So, we don't know we don't need to know and came went out from the Presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. Those that depart from God cannot find rest anywhere. Cain Went out from the presence of the Lord and he never rested and we'll stop right there.

Cain's Separation from God and the Limits of Spiritual Communication

Yes Yes. So what is your question? That's right. Yes. He had to see and he had to understand. He could not Communicate with him spiritually. Because he was not one of his. Before this we Before this and after Adam and Eve sinned we have communication, but it had to be verbal.

Before sin. It had to be thought because they had the mind of God. Now they do not have that. And this is another step of separation in that Cain went out from the face of the Lord. No longer would he be privileged to?

Communicate with the Lord. Oh. And we are just supposing that it was perfect in the beginning. Which is a good supposition. Yes Yes. That's right, but it was on a earthly basis not spiritual first. These two coats of skin.

I think the Lord slew two animals to get the two Coverings to cover the two sinners Adam and Eve and he had to shed the blood in doing that that was the first blood sacrifice and The Lord instructed Adam in what to do.

Now I have no proof of that. Well to make a coat of an animal. In our way of thinking he'd have to kill the animal. Yes. Russell. Yes Yes. Well in the Bible it is. We're not sure That it was the next it was the first time that that they offered a sacrifice to God and The incident place as it's told to us.

Yes. We'll notice a little further on it says that Adam Begot a sin in his own image. In the image of Adam. Not not of the Lord. I don't know a good theological Question and an outstanding answer was I don't know.

Logically and would have explained to them. This trip through Genesis has raised so many questions. I'm gonna have to teach it again. Now I have a question for you, I don't want anybody to answer. I want you to think about it for a week.

Why is the ocean salty.