Sunday Message- Meditations on Cain and Abel

 

This morning I started with the thought, "Each of us is both Cain and Abel in our human forms".  Here are some things to consider along that path.

1- We have a part that is quiet and obedient. We have, unfortunately because of sin, a part that is boisterous, easy to anger, proud and willing to act on it, refusing to take responsibility.  Some of us are more Abel, some more Cain.

2- Even notice how it always seems to be more comfortable to say, Cain and Abel, rather than Abel and Cain.  Our flesh tries to put the Cain part first.

3- Notice this verse:

Gen 4:4  and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering...

"...and of their fat portions..." a long time back, we learned that, according to the Law, the fat was sacred to the Lord and reserved for Him only.  Ignoring this led to the destruction of Eli's evil sons.  But how did Abel know this long before Moses?  Because of his obedience, the Lord shared these things with him.  We have to assume that, like Paul millennia later, God gave special, personal instruction to Abel.  Apparently Cain didn't get the memo.

4- And why would that be? Well, let's look at Cain's attitude towards God's instructions:

Gen 4:6  The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?
Gen 4:7  If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it."

But he didn't. He killed his brother in the very next verse.  Had he obeyed what God taught him, he would have been accepted.  But he ignored it, he "knew better".

5- In the future, Abel's name would be only brought up a couple of times, mostly for being 'righteous'.  And from the mouth of Jesus, that is great renown.  Cain, is brought up as well, but as the "don't be a..." poster child.  And what of Cain?  He was cursed, down through the ages.  Jewish tradition has him old and blind, hiding in a bush when he's accidentally slain by his Great X 3 grandson Lamech or one of his children.  And then Lamech took the curse upon himself:

Gen 4:23  Lamech said to his wives: "Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say: I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me.
Gen 4:24  If Cain's revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech's is seventy-sevenfold." 

6- Which leads to my next thought.  Evil spreads- it spread through Lamech and his sons.  Note this passage:

Gen 4:19  And Lamech took two wives. The name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
Gen 4:20  Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock.
Gen 4:21  His brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe.
Gen 4:22  Zillah also bore Tubal-cain; he was the forger of all instruments of bronze and iron. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

Again to Jewish legend, these skills were taught the boys by the Watchers, the fallen angels referenced in Gen 6:1-4.  But these, according to legend also taught magic, astrology, divination, tattoos, weather forecasting, jewelry and makeup, and a lot of other things that mankind was not so well off to know.

On the other hand, Abel's obedience and righteousness followed one straight path, starting with younger brother Seth and running through Great X 6 grandson Noah.  One straight path of obedience and righteousness.

7- God let Cain LIVE.  He even gave him the chance to confess, to change his ways.  But instead, he lived a miserable life, and according to the Jews, died a miserable death.

8- So we all have Abel and Cain in us.  Up to us, though whether we walk that righteous path or spread evil; there is no middle ground here.