Cain’s Conflict with God

9 March 2014 AM – Genesis 4:1-15 – Gen 14 – Scott Childs

Introduction: When a friend asks you about your holiday (whether you went overseas or camping or took a trip), you will tell your friend about the highlights. Most of the little details, you will never mention.

The same is true about Genesis chapter four. God gives us the highlights. He talks about the major events, but never mentions many of the details. Verse one begins with the birth of Cain. By verse two he and his brother Able are adult workers. Many years had passed of which we have no details. In verse three, God records for us a highlight or major event in Cain’s life when he had a conflict with God.

Transition: As we examine Cain’s conflict with God, we will see the requirement, the reaction, and the result. As we do, be watching for similarities in your own life.

I.        The Requirement

Setting: Cain and Able giving their offerings to God.

A.     The offering described

God did not describe the offering to us, but the context and God’s character assure us that Cain and Able knew the details.

1.      The offering appears to be a scheduled offering.

a)      The boys brought their offerings to God.

b)      This may have been a monthly sacrifice, a yearly sacrifice, seasonal sacrifice. God does not give us those details about the timing of the offering.

2.      It appears to be a prescribed offering.

a)      They knew they must bring an offering to God.

b)      They also knew what God expected it to be. God made the first blood sacrifice to provide clothing for the first two sinners. Evidently, God told Adam that He expected a scheduled blood sacrifice to cover their sins.

c)      God gave Adam and Eve clear instructions concerning right and wrong in the garden. Throughout the Bible we see God giving the people of Israel clear direction as well as the New Testament saints. I see no reason that we should question whether Cain and Able knew what God expected.

Like Cain, our problem is usually not ignorance, it is that we choose to ignore what God expects or make excuses.

3.      It appears to be an atoning offering. We see this by the blood sacrifice that God accepted. The accepted offering was a firstling (first born) of the flock and the fat of the lamb or kid.

a)      Throughout the Old Testament, God accepted blood sacrifices as a covering for one’s sins. Such sacrifices did not save a person, but their faith in God’s that motivated them to sacrifice did save them. Salvation has always been by faith.

b)      Christ became the ultimate blood sacrifice, the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.

Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

B.     The offerings presented

1.      Cain brought of the fruit of the ground (3).

a)      Because Cain was a horticulturist (gardener), he brought God an offering of his garden produce.

b)      Cain may have brought the very best that he had, but he came to God like a self-righteous person who offers God their morality, their good deeds, their baptism, or their religious activities.

c)      Though it was not the blood sacrifice God prescribed, Cain reasoned that it was good enough.

2.      Able brought of the firstlings of his flock (4). This was the offering that God prescribed, for without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin.

C.     The offerings judged

1.      God judged clearly. God does not tell us how the young men knew whether God accepted or rejected their offering. Here are a couple of possibilities.

a)      They may have known by the blessing or lack of blessing on their lives and occupations. While this is possible, it is rather subjective and unclear.

b)      God may have given peace to the blessed and guilt to the disobedient.

c)      God may have spoken His acceptance and rejection as He later spoke to Cain (6).

d)      God may have sent a lightning bolt from heaven to burn the acceptable sacrifice and nothing for the unacceptable offering. God did this on many other occasions recorded in the Old Testament (Gen 15:17; Lev 9:24; Jdg 6:21; Jdg 13:19-20; 1Ki 18:38; 1Ch 21:26; 2Ch 7:1; Psa 20:3).

2.      God judged individually

a)      The LORD had respect unto Able and his offering. He had faith in God’s promise to cover the sin of the offerer. God credited his faith-led obedience with righteousness.

Hebrews 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

b)      The LORD had not respect unto Cain and his offering. Cain knew clearly that God rejected his self-righteous fruit offering.

c)      One day God will judge every one of us individually. Romans 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. God will evaluate YOUR offering. If your offering is your good deeds, God will reject it. But, if you receive the blood of Christ alone as your offering, God will accept it.

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

II.      The Reaction

A.     Able had peace with God

1.      God tells us that Able was righteous (Heb 11:4).

2.      God gives peace to all who are justified by faith.

Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

B.     Cain got angry (5)

1.      He was very wroth or furious.

2.      His countenance fell. He lost his joy and peace and it showed all over his face.

3.      He rejected God’s counsel (6-7). God told him that if he too did well, his offering would be accepted, otherwise, his sin would remain unforgiven.

III.     The Result

A.     Cain refused to admit his guilt

1.      Anger turned to hatred. Because he was not right with God, he took his anger out on his brother.

This so often happens today. When a person is not right with God, he has no peace, and he lashes out in anger at those around him who are more righteous than he.

2.      Hatred led to murder. He did not confess his anger and it grew. When anger grows it will eventually explode and cause irreparable damage.

Beware! If you have an anger problem, you are playing with dynamite. It will explode. Not only will you get hurt, but you will hurt those closest to you. You must surrender your anger to God.

B.     God judged Cain’s sin

1.      God cursed Cain. God removed His blessing from Cain.

2.      God stopped blessing his gardening

3.      God made Cain a vagabond or homeless wanderer.

Any time that we refuse to obey God, the result will be God’s judgment. The only escape is repentance and confession to God.

Conclusion: Each of us will give account to God. What is your offering? Is it your good deeds or the applied blood of Christ? If you have never asked Christ to apply His blood to your account to save you, you must do that today. Christian friend, how do you react when you sin? Do you repent and confess it to God or hide it and ignore God? Do you get angry and lash out at others because you are not right with God? You will never have peace until you deal with your sin God’s way (Pro 28:13).

Song: I Surrender All – 394