This chapter tells a story of the first murder. Cain, Adam’s son, killed his brother Abel, over anger and “jealousy” that his offering was not accepted.
There were many theories flying around, why Cain’s offering was not accepted but Abel’s. For example, because Cain offered from the “cursed” ground or Abel sacrificed animal, which is blood, like God did, implied in last chapter. However if we go back to the text in NT, letter to Hebrews, only explained because of faith.
Faith makes all the difference.
So Cain let sin took over him, despite God warned him. He killed Abel and again there’s some dialogue about Cain ran away – it’s hard to understand as it is a metaphor.
The clue is: Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod (means exile, wandering).
If we pause for a moment – how can you logically run away from God, since He is everywhere? Wherever you settle, he is everywhere!
The Pentateuch writer implied that Cain basically broke his relationship with God. There is no more faith in God or trusting that God is good. He ran away and become a lonely wanderer on his own.
And we saw that the situations getting worse, as his descendants did more evil things than him.
On the contrary, Adam on the other side of story, begot Seth (means: Substitute) and then it was mentioned: At that time people began to invoke the name of the Lord.
It’s indeed sobering to read the story how the relationships deteriorated so quickly from the garden of Eden to that state.
Faith makes all the difference. Trusting God that He is good, makes all the differences, whether you want to be a wanderer on earth or a wanderer in His presence.
Add Comment