A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

One of the unfortunate results of Adam’s sin was that it changed the nature of man, and that changed
nature was evident in his first child. Sin became not only a part of human experience; it also became a
governing factor in human nature. Due in part to the different physical conditions governing the pre-Flood
world, men lived long lives, each person living almost a thousand years. But they were long evil years for
the most part. The first man born into this world rejected God, murdered his brother, and established an evil
society. Ultimately the world became so wicked that God destroyed all but a single family by means of a
Flood.
If history revolves around the lives of men and their influence, this early era of world history
revolved around the influence of Cain. Remembered primarily as a man of great sin, he became the father of
a civilization which is also today remembered chiefly for its wickedness. Many years later some of the final
books of the New Testament described a sinful society and “the way of Cain” (Jude 11) and “Cain who was
of the wicked one” (1 John 3:12).
THE WAY OF CAIN (Gen. 4:1-7)
The life of Cain is in many senses an irony. Here is a man who could have been remembered as a
great man of God, but chose rather to follow his own selfish way. In this sense, he is an example of the truth
of the proverb: “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Prov. 14:12;
16:25). His name means “acquisition” and he was so named by his mother because of her belief that she had
received the promised seed, “a man even Jehovah” (Gen. 4:1, literal translation). Some commentators
believe that Eve’s later naming of Abel (the name could mean “breath” or “vanity”) suggests a sense of
disappointment on her part because Cain as a child was not living up to her expectations as “the God-Man.”
In the early life of Cain there were a number of positive “firsts” by which he would probably have
been remembered had it not been for the murder of Abel. The first recorded offering to the Lord was by
Cain (v. 3). Further, though God probably provided a sacrifice for sin in the Garden for Adam, the first
recorded example of a sacrifice for sin was God’s command to Cain (v. 7). Most Christians do not realize that
the Scriptures record the Lord speaking more with Cain than with any other man in the pre-Flood world. Yet
none of these positive influences were of any benefit to Cain who was committed to being his own selfish
authority in life.
The tragedy of Cain is the tragedy of a man who lives his own life his own way. He brought an
offering to God, but he did it his way (Jude 11). His brother Abel also brought an offering, but he did it by faith
(Heb. 11:4). Cain’s offering was “an offering of the fruit of the ground” (Gen. 4:3) whereas “Abel also brought
of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat” (v. 4). Abel’s offering was accepted; Cain’s was not.
Several reasons have been suggested as to why Cain’s offering was rejected. It is widely believed that
the difference between these offerings is a difference of blood. Those who hold this view, point out Abel
offered a blood sacrifice and it is the shedding of blood that is a propitiation to reconcile man to God. While
this may be the case, others note that God made allowances for a non-blood offering in the grain offering (Lev.
2:1-16) and suggest the difference between Cain and Abel was one of attitude. That the Scriptures describe
Abel as choosing the first and finest in his flock may imply Cain did not. Cain’s attitude may have been,
“Anything will do for God.” This conclusion is contrary to the biblical prohibition of offering to God defective
sacrifices. A third view argues the difference was in the object of worship. While all agree Abel was a worshiper
of Jehovah, some interpreters believe Cain’s offering and later murder of Abel was a part of the worship
of pagan deity; in which case Cain’s example may have been the precedent on which other human-sacrifice
cults later developed.
The result of Cain’s unacceptable sacrifice was evidenced in his reaction when God rejected him.
Rather than repenting of his self-centeredness and responding positively to God, Cain got angry to the extent
that it soon became evident in his physical appearance. Even though Cain was mad at God, God did not