I hope to finish up our study of Cain and Abel with this post. There really is a wealth of information that can be gleaned from this passage of scripture. I have the sinking suspension that, even though I have studied, I am just uncovering the tip of the iceberg.
Genesis 4:3-5,
"And in process of time it came to pass, that 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. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell."
As we have seen in previous studies, Cain was a saved individual. The issue at hand was about bringing the proper offering, an offering of the best. Cain failed to bring the proper offering because he failed to act "by faith". The only way an individual can act "by faith" is to hear a commandment from God and then obey it (Romans 10:17). God must have expressed to man the proper "gifts" to bring to Him, even though it isn't recorded for us until Leviticus.
Hebrews 10:38-11:4,
"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."
Abel's offering was accepted and he was witnessed by God to be righteous (Greek dikaios - "in a wide sense, upright, righteous, virtuous, keeping the commandments of God) because he offered by faith. His work was directed by his faith. It is the same situation found with Abraham offering Isaac, as in the words written by James in James 2:21-24 state:
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect (complete, mature)? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only."
It is impossible to say that Abraham wasn't a believer before he offered his son on Mt. Moriah. In the same way, Cain and Abel were both saved and bringing an offering or gift to God. Abel and Abraham both brought to God their very best, their most dear. Cain did not.
This lead to God not respecting Cain's offering/gift. Cain becomes very angry (Ephesians 4:26-27), and allows his countenance to fall. God then intervenes and gives to Cain counsel to turn from the path that he is traveling down.
Genesis 4:6-7
"And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If you 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."
Cain ignores God's warnings. How many believers do the same? Cain then continues down his path of self destruction.
Genesis 4:8,
"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."
Sin pounced on Cain, and in turn, Cain pounced on his brother and slaughtered him. When Christians fail to heed God's warning in his word, when they fail to be renewed in their minds, when they fail to look up rather than down, the end result is the same. We go down the path of error and apostasy. We begin to attack those who stay on the path that God lays out. When we follow God's path, we are His disciples (or pupils), when we follow Satan's path we become his disciples (or pupils) even though we are saved.
In the Greek of the New Testament the world "children" is sometimes translated "teknon." A "teknon" G5043 - child metaphorically: 'in the New Testament, pupils or disciples are called children of their teachers, because the latter by their instruction nourish the minds of their pupils and mould their characters). Christians who allow their minds to be nourished and moulded by Satan can be called the "children of Satan" (Again, check out previous studies on how Peter was similarly characterized).
1 John3:10-12,
"In this the children (teknon) of God are manifest, and the children (teknon) of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. (that sounds familiar) For 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. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and this brother's righteous."
If the voice we listen to is that of Satan, our end will be the same as Cain's end. If the voice we listen to is God's voice, then we can enjoy the recognition and acceptance of Abel. But, let's not miss the point that Abel paid a price for being righteous. He lost his life, being slaughtered by his own brother. There will be other Christians who will do the very same thing to us.
The word "slew" in the passage is "sphazo" G4969 - to butcher (especially an animal, for food or in sacrifice) or (generally) to slaughter, or (specially) to maim (violently). Don't be surprised when this happens, God has warned us beforehand that it will occur.
2Timothy3:12-17,
"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
To further the point that it isn't an issue of being eternally saved where Cain is involved, notice the last part of 1John3:12,
"And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous."
It is a matter of work, both Cain's work and Abel's work, not faith toward eternal salvation. The word for work here is ergon -G2041 - toil (as an effort or occupation); by implication, an act. Cain went from not giving his best to God, to the point of actually working against God's plans and purposes. He apostatized.
Jude speaks in very similar terms about apostates in his epistle. Jude originally wanted to speak on the subject of spirit salvation (eternal salvation), but the Holy Spirit wouldn't allow it. He directed Jude to warn Christians to contend for "the faith" the religious beliefs of Christians against apostates that had crept in without being noticed.
Jude 3-5, 8, 10-11a, 13,
"Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness (unbridled lust, excess), and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain,...
Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever."
There are many parallels here with Cain. God approaches Cain a second time after he kills his brother. Consider what He says,
Genesis 4:9-12,
"And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And He said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto Me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall unto henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth."
God, it seems, gave to Cain one last shot to come clean. Maybe if he had been repentant and thrown himself down on God's mercy, things could have been different. Instead he lies, and on top of that denies that his brother is his responsibility (keeper - H8104 - shamar - to hedge about, guard, to protect, attend to.) Think of this in light of James 5:19-20 and Hebrews 10:19-25, Cain should have been the more mature one (he was older). He should have been instructing his younger brother on how to serve the Lord.
God says that Cain will be a fugitive and a vagabond. Fugitive in this passage is "nuwa" - H5128 - to waver. Vagabond is "nuwd" - H5110 - to nod, to wander, flee, disappear. Ultimately, because Cain had turned his back on God's correction and slew his righteous brother, he was destined to waver and wander without guidance. Christians who apostatize do the same. They waver from one opinion to another on spiritual matters because they ignore God's leading and correction. They are left to wander in the world without purpose, because they have denied the true purpose of their calling. Notice how this parallels the description in Jude 13,
"Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame;" The sea is unstable. It wavers back and forth. James 1:5-6 and Hebrews 10:23.
"wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever (aion G165 -age)" The wandering stars are Christians who have no direction. They are Christians who will ultimately end up in Outer Darkness (See the last study: What is Outer Darkness?). The duration of their stay is for an age, the Kingdom Age. The Kingdom Age is that time when Christ will set up His rulership up on this Earth and will reign for 1000 years. Faithful Christians will enjoy this joyful time and participate in His government. Unfaithful Christians, those who followed in the way of Cain, will not. Consider the following warning passages to Christians:
1 Corinthians 6:9-11,
"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."
Galatians 5:16, 19-21,
"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
Ephesians 5:1-6,
"Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to god for a sweet smelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience."
Revelation 22:12-16a,
"And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. I Jesus have sent Mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches.
It is amazing. When you look to the final dwelling place of Cain, where he built his own city, you can see the full implications for Christians who follow in his ways. Nod is the word "nowd" - vagrancy. Homeless. Truly Cain was homeless. Through his own sin he had robbed himself of his true home. Christians who are unfaithful will do the same. And for an age, they will become vagrants from the Kingdom and be consigned to Outer Darkness.
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