Have you ever wondered why Cain killed his brother? What could have been the reason that Cain took Abel’s life? One day, in that “field of dreams”, Cain ended the life of his younger brother. To understand this act of violence, we need to look at the events that preceded this tragedy.
After the fall of Eve and Adam and God’s response to their disobedience, we see the first bloodshed. Adam and Eve had become aware of their physical differences. The danger of that reality was that they would become more interested in their carnal desires. God, as a precaution, took the skin of an animal and made a covering for them. (We must remember that the animals were going to be a “help” for Adam, but when God saw that the animals could not be the best “help” for him, he created Eve.) Satan has tried, through the years, to “strip” people naked to expose carnal desires. Pornography has invaded Christian homes and has destroyed many lives. I think it won’t be long before full nudity fills the big and small screens.
Have you ever wondered what God did with the remains of the dead animal? Could God have used this “sacrifice” as an example for future generations to follow? Was the purpose of the “offering” to acknowledge the sinfulness of man? Was it to recognize man’s dependence on God? Was it to submit to God’s rule? The Scriptures are full of examples of sacrifices and offerings, all of which declare the authority of God.
After being kicked out of the Garden, Adam and Eve began a life full of challenges. Eve gave birth to two boys, Cain and Abel. It would seem that children were taught the importance of offering blood sacrifices to God. They would have been taught about what had happened in the Garden of God. Learning the consequences of disobeying God, they would offer an animal sacrifice, acknowledging their sin and God’s Grace in allowing them to live.
When the day of Sacrifice came, Abel brought the “firsts” of his flock to offer to God. Cain brought some “fruit” from the ground. Instead of accepting Abel’s offer, he tried to do his own thing. The Bible says that God had “respect” for Abel’s offering. The blood was the key to the sacrifice. (Jesus would become the “lamb of God” sacrificed for the sins of the world.) When God rejected Cain’s offering, he became very angry, as evidenced by his facial expression. (His countenance of him.) God asked him why he was angry. Cain did not answer. (It seems that Cain’s anger was directed at God, not Abel.) God told him that if he does good, he will be accepted, but if he does not do good, sin will be waiting for him. God told him that he could rule over sin. Ignoring the Word of God, he searched for Abel and after talking to him (I wonder what they talked about?) he killed him. Later, God would ask Cain if he knew where Abel was. Cain simply said that he did not know and then, trying to justify his secret action, he said: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Then God asked him the same question that he had asked Eve: “What have you done?” Receiving no response, God passed sentence on Cain. (Ref. Genesis 2:18-20; 3:3:7-13; 4:2-11)
Lessons learned: 1. Be obedient to the Word of God. 2. Understand the danger of carnal desires. 3. Control your emotions. 4. Seek unity with each other. 5. People can resist sin. 6. Realize the meaning of the blood sacrifice. 7. Take responsibility for your actions. (There are other lessons learned in this section, continue with No. 8, etc. Have a good study.) (For extra credit, why did Cain kill his brother?)
