The Tragic Outcome of Being Overcome By Sin

The story of Cain and Abel has a tragic outcome. Cain was warned by God and given an opportunity to trust Him and be accepted, “If you do well, will you not be accepted?” Genesis 4:7. The word “do well” is the Hebrew word yahtab, and means to be pleasing, to amend, to do good. It was used in the Old Testament to describe worship. Cain’s problem was a worship problem. The same can happen to us if we do not learn from this story.

         After God warned Cain and gave him the opportunity to repent, Cain met with Abel out in the field and killed him. This horrible deed was the first murder on earth.  The sin in Cain’s heart was crouching at the door of his heart and when the opportunity came, it came out with all of its fury and tragic result; death. Cain’s actions reflected his rejection of God’s instructions and instead expressed the very nature of his unbelief; “I will take care of this problem myself.” Pride will not allow for any other solution.

         God’s word came to Cain a second time, “Then the LORD said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your brother?’ He said, ‘I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?’” Genesis 4:9. The word “keeper” is the Hebrew word shamar, which means to guard, to protect, to value, to watch carefully. It is first used in Genesis 2:15 when God placed Adam in the Garden of Eden and instructed him “…to tend it and keep it…” It is also used in Genesis 17:9 when God told Abraham to “…keep my covenant…”

Cain’s contemptuous question for his defense is the source of every evil action of man against man from abortion and sex trafficking, to drunkenness, family violence, and every form of abuse. It refuses to recognize and respect God’s image in the other individual. It views others as objects to be used rather than persons to value and be in relationship with. It expresses a total disregard for God’s word, and instead, elevates personal desires, feelings, and appetites, apart from God’s word, to the level of authority and submits to them.

God answered Cain’s excuse with judgment, “And the LORD said, ‘What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. 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. You shall be a fugitive and wanderer on the earth.’” Genesis 4:10 – 12. Cain blamed God for driving him away and said that others would seek to kill him.

Sin has a way of projecting on to others the problem it has. Cain was a killer so he viewed others in the same way, with fear. Cain was a farmer. Farmers stay in one place preparing the ground, planting in the ground, tending the ground around the crop, and harvesting its yield. Now he would wander the way of shepherd does when he is following sheep. Cain would now be a nomadic shepherd, like his brother was!

God spoke to Cain again, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.’ And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him.” This reveals God’s grace and provision for Cain as he suffered the consequences of his sin. But did Cain believe God could protect him and provide for him? No. The next verses reveal his unbelief as he settled, and built a city. Cities were built for protection, with walls. Once again, Cain expressed the sin of unbelief in his heart refusing to believe that God could do what He said. Cain refused to wander and instead settled and thought he would protect himself with a walled city. Which he did.

The rest of Genesis 4 reveals the tragic outcome of Cain’s sin which he passed on to his descendants; the pride of personal accomplishments without any regard for God or His word. The accomplishments are progress in human development in the areas livestock management, the arts, bronze and iron tools and weapons. But polygamy is also introduced and worst of all the pride of independence from God and contempt for His word. This is expressed in the prideful confession of Lamech, the seventh from Cain, who said, “I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me. If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech’s is seventy-fold.” The form of this statement is prose as in a song. They sang this arrogant confession to remember it. The earth has been groaning under this ever since.

Never underestimate the destructive power of un-confessed sin; of anger left unattended and untouched by God’s word. Listen to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and trust that what God says, He will do. Tomorrow, the lineage of Seth is introduced; redemption through obedience.