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Cain’s offering was not rejected because it was the wrong offering. It was rejected because of the condition of Cain’s heart. God warns Cain that he has let sin into his heart and his house. God instructs Cain that he is to rule over sin not to allow the sin to rule over him, but the sin in Cain’s heart was too pleasurable to him.
Other texts: Heb. 11:4; 1 John 3:12; Jude 10–11; Lev. 26:41
We don’t know the exact nature of the sin that God was warning Cain against but we know that Cain did have a spirit of anger in him at this point.
After this confrontation with God, we next read that Cain spoke with his brother Abel. We don’t know how many days or months between Cain’s conversation with God and this conversation with Abel occurred. We also don’t know how much time had passed between Cain’s conversation with Abel and when Cain killed him. In the English translation of this text, it seems to imply that these event occurred within hours or days of each other but in the Hebrew, that is not the case.
By this time, we can see that there were certain customary times for people to meet with God and bring sacrifices to Him. At the next appointed time, God notices Abel’s absence.
Abel is called “the righteous” for a reason. His heart was right with God, but Cain, at this point, was in a state of unrighteousness before God.
God has appointments for us — Shabbat, New Moon, etc. — are these appointments. When we make excuses not to honor these appointments, God makes note of that. If we don’t make God for time, why should He make time for us?
The New Testament elaborates on Cain’s motive in killing Abel (1 John 3:11–12; Heb. 11:4; 12:24; Jude 10–11). Cain’s works were not righteous and Abel’s quiet righteousness were a rebuke to Cain’s sinful lifestyle.
In Gen. 4:9, God asks Cain, “Why is Abel not here?” Cain gave God a rude response, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Cain’s story is more relevant for our lives than the story of Abel. We have all sort of excuses about why we don’t obey God. We have all sorts of justifications as to why we don’t want to keep our appointments with Him, but God doesn’t acknowledge those excuses.
God didn’t acknowledge Cain’s excuse for Abel’s absence, either. God rebukes Cain,
“What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground.”
The Torah tells us that life in the blood. What do you think Abel’s blood said to God? Sin overpowered righteousness. Cain, the sinner, killed Abel the righteous. Abel is still in the grave.
God does not give anyone an excuse to sin. He didn’t accept Cain’s excuse, and He won’t accept ours, either.
Abel was not killed near the appointed place, he was killed out in the field. God tells Cain that since the field opened up to receive Abel’s blood, which he spilled, Cain will no longer be able to receive anything of value from the earth again because Cain put Abel’s blood in the earth.
God also told Cain that he would not be able to stay put in any one place and run for his life for the rest of his life.
Cain responds to God in Gen. 4:13:
“My punishment is too great to bear! Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Your face I will be hidden, and I will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
The word translated as punishment in English is עָוֹן ’avon (Strong’s H5771), which literally means iniquity, guilt. He was telling God that his iniquity and sin were too great to bear.
The word ’avon is also used in Lev. 26:14 in the context of the Day of Atonement when God says,
“I also was acting with hostility against them, to bring them into the land of their enemies ― or if their uncircumcised heart becomes humbled so that they then make amends for their iniquity …”
When there is iniquity in our hearts, God will not look upon us. That should terrify anyone who believes in God.
Cain never apologizes for killing Abel, his apology was very self-serving, but oftentimes, are apologies are equally self-serving. We are more sorry for getting caught than sorry for our actions.
God puts a mark on Cain to prevent anyone from punishing him for Abel’s death and Cain was sent into exile further to the east than where Adam and Eve had settled. He went to a land called נוֹד Nod (H5113), which means wander, vagabond.
When Cain laments that someone will kill Him, God basically tells him that he is to run for his life and that God will take revenge on his killer personally.
God is hiding Himself from Cain. He was telling Cain that He never wanted to see Cain at the appointed times and appointed place ever again.
Why do we know so little about Abel’s life? Why is so much recorded about Cain? Cain’s story is a story to teach us for our counsel.
God did the same the same thing to the House of Israel and the House of Judah at one point: He sent them away. What happened in the beginning happens in the end too.
We are told that after this, we read about some of the generations that followed Cain. The son is called חֲנוֹךְ Khanokh (H2585, Enoch), which includes the root for חֲנֻכָּה Chanukah. The grandson is called עִירָד Irad (H5897), which means fugitive. Irad was a fugitive just like his father.
The great-grandson is called מְחוּיָאֵל Mehujael (H4232), which means smitten of God. Mehujael’s son was מְתוּשָׁאֵל Methushael, which means man of God. Methushael may have been the first one of Cain’s line who came back to God and worship Him.
Then we learn about Lemech, Methushael’s son. We know a little more him. We learn that he had two wives. The wives were עָדָה Adah (H5711, dusk) and צִלָּה Zillah (H6741, sunrise).
Adah had two sons: יָבָל Jabal (H2989, to bring) and יוּבַל Jubal (H3106, a stream or river).
Zillah had one son: תּוּבַל קַיִן Tubal-cain, who was just like his forefather Cain.
Lamech’s daughter, from Zillah, is recorded by name too: נַעֲמָה Na’amah (H5729), which means pleasantness.
The names of Cain’s line give us an idea of those future generations before the Flood saw their relationship with God and with each other. It’s worthwhile to study the names of the patriarchs and matriarchs.
Speaker: Richard Agee. Summary: Tammy.
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