Genesis 4 Bloody Rivalry
The first murder evolved from the first sibling rivalry reported. The bloody rivalry sprang from disappointment over their sacrifices. Abel’s sacrifice was acceptable; Cain’s wasn’t.
Anyone who is from a family with at least two children understands the condition called “sibling rivalry.” People who are the “only child” in a family still have rivalries but they are from outside the home when they involve people of the same age. It is possible for an only child or even families with more than one child to have a rivalry between parents and children. This is called a “dysfunctional” home.
Today, our rivalry involves the first two brothers recorded after creation. There are apparently other people on the earth because, after God deals with Cain, he takes a wife. Where she came from, we aren’t told. Suffice it to say, she existed and God allowed Cain to create a family with her.
But that’s not the main focus of our story today. We are going to watch as Cain and Abel enact their struggle. Before we get started, I want to point out the similarities between these two brothers and two other brothers. Cain and Jacob were the tillers of the ground. Abel and Esau tended (or hunted) animals. We are never told that God rejected Jacob’s offerings. I’m assuming that Jacob brought offerings to God from his own labor; produce. And God accepted them. There MUST be a difference in what was brought and/or how it was presented to God. That is a question that will have to wait until I am face-to-face with God. On to our story.
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Adam was excited when Eve bore him a son. He praised God for this gift and lavished his love on him. Not too much longer, Eve bore him another son. Again, Adam was an adoring father. Both boys received his love as well as his teachings. Adam taught his boys to fear the Lord. He taught them about bringing offerings to the Lord as well.
The two brothers grew in stature, strength, and wisdom. They also grew in competition for their parents’ and even God’s recognition. Abel was the quiet one. The one who was always ready to try and keep the peace. The first to say “I’m sorry” and the first to offer a helping hand whenever a need arose.
Cain had a stubborn streak in his personality. When he didn’t receive the recognition he craved, he would lash out at Abel. Often Cain’s lashing out was little more than a shove in passing. But that hurt feeling from slights never left Cain’s heart. He packed them in like nuts in a squirl’s cheeks. One day there would be too many to hold.
The end of the season was here. All the produce had been gathered and the new lambs counted. It was time to thank God for His provision. A time of celebration and joy. A time to spend with God, the Creator of the universe.
Abel goes to his flock and searches for the one lamb that he has already decided to give to the Lord. It was one of the first lambs born this season. It was also perfect in every way. Not a blemish anywhere. “This one is perfect for the Lord”, thought Abel as he looped a rope around the animal’s neck.
While Abel was picking his sacrifice, Cain was picking his too. The harvest had been plentiful this year. The grapes alone were the most delicious that Cain had ever cultivated. He took special care of them as they ripened. These he was saving for himself. The corn had ears the length of Cain’s forearm. These he would present to his mother. She could do wonders with them. The wheat took up half the storehouse! It was such strong wheat that Cain decided he would keep a good portion of it for next year’s planting. Cain continued around the storehouse looking at each crop that represented his hard work. Each item was assessed, dedicated to a specific purpose, and then catalogued. When he was finished with his inspection, Cain gathered pieces for his offering. What Cain gathered wasn’t spoiled. It wasn’t even unwanted. But neither was it the best. “This will do”, thought Cain as he wraps up a bundle of produce to bring to the alter.
The family had been bringing their offerings to the Lord all their lives. While some grew closer to Him each year, others grew more distant. Cain was that increasing distant one. He loved God but he did NOT love giving up his BEST produce to the Lord. He worked hard for what he had and he should get to enjoy it himself.
By the time Cain shows up to the place where they made their offerings, Abel is already hard at work preparing the lamb. The corner of Cain’s mouth turns up in disgust at the sight of his brother. “What a mess! He better wash before even coming NEAR me” thinks Cain. Cain turns so that he can’t see Abel and his sacrifice and begins arranging his own on the altar. It takes him little time to get it set up to his specifications.
After arranging his sacrifice on the altar, Cain prays to the Lord. “Thank You Creator of ALL the universe for blessing my works. Thank You for providing the sun and the rain for my crops. Through the sweat of my brow, I have brought You an offering of thanks giving. Please accept from my hand this gift.” Silence reigns supreme at this moment while Cain waits for an answer from the Lord. He has never failed to recognize an offering before.
While Cain is waiting on an answer from Heaven, Abel has finished preparing and arranging his sacrifice on the altar. It’s Abel’s turn to pray. “Lord God, Creator of ALL the universe, thank You for Your provision. Thank You for the promise of redemption You spoke to my mother and father. Thank You for the life of this animal that was surrendered to cover my sins as You covered theirs that day in the garden. Thank You for providing me with strength and understanding in order to care for the animals You entrusted to me. Thank You for the health that You have given them. Thank You for protecting both them and me from harm. I humbly ask that You accept this gift from my hands as a testament to all You have done for me this year.”
As Cain continues to wait, a sound erupts and he turns his head to see Abel’s offering engulfed in flames. The Lord has accepted Abel’s offering. Cain’s face falls and his heart burns with anger towards his brother and God. “Of course God answers Mr. Goody Two Shoes. Why does he always make me look like a fool? Just once I would like to see him get his due!”
Abel begins singing praises to the Lord for His wonders. Fed up with the injustice of it all, Cain snatches back his offering and stomps out of the clearing. Cain is angry and getting angrier with each step. He feels the weight of his offering in his arms. When he is far enough away that no one can see him, he flings his offering to the ground and begins stomping on it. “If God won’t take it, NO ONE will have it!” He continues to stomp and grind the produce into the ground until it is completely destroyed.
God finally speaks to Cain. “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 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 contrary to you, but you must rule over it” (verses 6-7).
God’s response at this point in time only fuels Cain’s anger. “NOW He speaks” thinks Cain. “Too little, too late. We will see about that ‘sin’ crouching.”
Both brothers meet up again at the mid-day meal. The entire time since having his offering rejected, Cain has been thinking about how to ‘even the score’ with Abel. When he sees Abel, he decides that ‘getting even’ isn’t enough. As long as Abel is around, Cain will NEVER be first in his father’s eyes; or God’s for that matter. “Abel HAS to go!”
This has to be done with stealth. Cain knows that he can’t simply run up to Abel and strike him down. His parents would never forgive him and he would be an outcast for the rest of his life; if his father didn’t outright kill him for taking away the ‘golden boy’.
Abel is unaware of his brothers burning anger. His heart is light from his time with the Lord. Abel greets Cain at the table with a smile. “How has your day been brother?”
Cain LONGS to snap at him in response. “How do you think it went, dear brother, since God refused to accept my offering”, Cain whispers under his breath. To Abel he replies. “All is good.” After a minute he adds; “I almost forgot. Can you come with me out into the field today. There is something I want to show you.”
“What is it” Abel asks with natural curiosity.
“You’ll see. I can’t tell you about it. I need to show it to you.”
“Ok. My tasks are done for the day so I can go with you as soon as we finish here.”
“Excellent” replies Cain.
The two eat their meal in companiable silence. Clean up is swift and then the two brothers start out walking. Abel had initially tried plying Cain with questions but the only answer he received was, “Wait and see.”
Cain leads Abel into the field with the tall corn stalks. He knows that the stalks will obscure them both from view of anyone looking. Cain draws Abel to the center of the field and points out one of the stalks. “Take a look at this and tell me what you see” instructs Cain.
“I see corn stalks” replies Abel.
“Look closer. There is something on the stalks that I want your opinion on.”
Abel draws closer but is still unable to find anything out of the ordinary. As Abel is examining the stalk, Cain quickly and quietly bends down and grabs a sizable rock from the ground. Quickly he strikes Abel, who is still examining the corn, in the back of the head. Abel falls to the ground. Cain crouches down over him and brings the rock down on his brother’s head several more times. He doesn’t stop until he sees blood and bone fragments protruding from an open wound on Abel’s head.
Breathing hard, Cain sits back on his heels and sneers at his brother’s lifeless body. “Let’s see who is the favorite now dear brother.” Cain wipes his hands on his brother’s garments to remove the evidence of his deed. He then walks out of the corn field, with a smile on his face, as though nothing has happened.
As Cain is walking along, a voice stops him in his tracks.
“Where is Abel, your brother?” (verse 9b).
Cain tries to pretend he is not disturbed by God’s words. “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” (verse 9c), Cain responds flippantly.
“What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground…” (verse 10).
At these words, all color leaves Cain’s face. “He KNOWS!” thinks Cain. He cringes because he knows too that there is more to come. Payment for his sin.
“…And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength…” (verses 11-12a).
This has ALWAYS been Cain’s identity; that he could bring wonders from the ground. All strength leaves Cain and he falls to his knees; waiting to hear what more God has to say. His spirit KNOWS that God is not finished.
“…You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth” (verse 12b).
Broken, Cain cries out to God. “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, You have driven me today away from the ground, and from Your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me” (verses13-14).
“Not so!”, shouts God. “If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold” (verse 15a).
As God finished saying these words, a large darkened spot appeared on Cain’s hands. Cain held up his hands and examined them. His heart was shattered. Not only had he lost his ability to coax the ground to yield wonderful produce to him, he had also lost the presence of God. The place God had given his parents after being driven from the garden was no longer his home. The ONLY place he knew of where God spoke to man was forbidden for him to enter. He would live, but he would never be whole again.
Cain didn’t even have the heart to say ‘good-by’ to his parents. He knew that God would tell them of his sin. A broken Cain made his way to the land of Nod, where he would settle and raise a family. He would tell his children of his sin and pray to a God, who no longer answered him, that they wouldn’t repeat his mistakes.
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Even that prayer would go unanswered. Five generations later, Cain’s descendent, Lamech would kill a man. He would kill him for striking and wounding him. And he would swear by HIMSELF revenge ten times worse that that declared by the Lord for anyone who would kill Cain.
Adam and Eve would have a son to replace Abel. This son would be the one who would be traced to Jesus. The new son of promise.
Father God, thank You for continuing Your promise, even when man got in the way. Thank You also that I am NEVER beyond Your sight. Cain wandered from Your presence but You STILL included him in Your story. I wonder what You would have done if he repented on the spot. Would You have made a way back for him too?
