Genesis 4 The Evil of Man and the Goodness of God

In 4:1-8 Cain and his brother Abel make offerings to the Lord. Cain brought his offering from the fruit of the ground. Abel brought the Lord part of his flock.

The Lord liked Abel’s offering but did not have regard for Cain’s offering.

The text does not tell us why the Lord preferred Abel’s offering. Some people argue that the preference arose because Abel’s offering was from the flock. When the Law was later given, great emphasis was placed on sacrificing animals.

Others argue that the preference came about because of the different attitudes of the Cain and Abel rather than on account of the type of offering each brought. Cain envied his brother and had a wrong heart.

The text does not tell us the answer. For that reason, we must not be too dogmatic on the reason. Rather, we should focus on the main ideas presented by the text.

First, it is important to maintain good attitudes and watch our emotions so they do not take us in the wrong direction. When Cain learned that the Lord did not have regard for his offering, he became angry and his countenance fell (Gen 4:5).

Cain’s anger got the better of him and resulted in murder. If we are not careful, one can lead to the other. Sin does not operate in isolation. One sin can progress to another sin and start us on a downward spiral. All of a sudden we find ourselves in a place where we never expected to be.

For this reason the Bible warns us to be careful about anger. We should “Be angry but sin not” (Eph 4:24). We should not remain angry for extended periods of time. In fact, we should not let the sun go down on our anger (Eph 4:24).

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said:

You have heard that it was said by them of old time, You shall not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.

This passage teaches that anger can bring the judgment of God. We should not approve of anger and dismiss it saying that it is not nearly as bad as murder. Both are worthy of judgment.

Second, the passage says, “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door” (4:7).

Anger is not the only sin that can entangle us. A whole range of sins is near. Sin is like a demon waiting at the door to pounce on us at the first opportunity.

We must not allow sin to reign in our lives. We must not treat it lightly. Sin will devour us as a wild animal taking our very life from us. It brings us to ruin.

When the Lord confronted Cain about the murder, he responded by asking the question, “Am I my brother’s keeper.” By asking the question he expects a negative answer “I am not responsible for my brother.”

This attitude is of interest because it is in great contrast to the Lord’s attitude.

The Lord curses Cain telling him that the land will no longer yield a good crop for him. This curse would have been especially great on Cain because he was a tiller of the ground (4:2).

Next, the Lord banishes Cain from the land proclaiming him to be a wanderer of the earth.

Cain cried out to the Lord saying, “My punishment is too great to bear” (4:13). Watch what happens next.

The Lord has compassion on Cain and promised to protect him with a special sign. If anyone saw Cain’s sign, they would know not to kill him.

Cain had asked the question “Am I my brother’s keeper.” He did not see a need to care for his brother. Yet, even after Cain sinned, the Lord was willing to care for him.

The Lord is compassionate and loving. He loves you and me. He wants us to worship Him and obey Him. He is worthy of all our praise.

At the same time, if we fall the Lord is still here waiting for us to turn to Him. He doesn’t immediately give up on us because we sin. His offer of salvation is available as long as we have breath.

Verses 4:16-24 tell us about the descendants of Cain. Notice that Lamach also killed person just as his ancestor, Cain, had done. Anger and violence can be passed on to our children and grandchildren as they watch our behavior and copy us.

Finally, the text takes us back to Adam and his descendants. He gave birth to Seth who in turn gave birth to Enosh.

“Then men began to call upon the name of the Lord” (Gen 4:26).

In one chapter we have seen the depths of the human heart, anger and murder. We have also seen the peak of human endeavor, calling upon the Lord.

In our day, there is a battle between those who wish to call on the name of the Lord and those who wish to rid the Lord for our schools, our government and the public arena.

As this onslaught continues, be careful to continue to worship Him and call upon Him. He loves you. If you have sinned, He is near. If you are angry, He cares for you. Even if you have killed someone, He is ready to forgive.

When we are sinful and angry, the Lord is righteous and kind. When we mistreat others and refuse to care for their needs, the Lord lavishes his grace on us and blesses us immeasurably.

Thousands of years ago, men began to call upon the name of the Lord. Are you and I continuing to call on His name? He wants to hear our prayers and enjoy our worship today.