THE EFFECTS OF SIN UPON ADAM & HIS CHILDREN GENESIS CHAPTER FOUR Verse Key For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother s righteous. -I John 3:11, 12 1) In Genesis chapter one, we saw the creation. In chapter two, we learned of God s specific dealings with man. In Genesis chapter three we observed the fall of man. And now in chapter four of the book of Genesis we see the effects of sin upon the family of Adam. 2) In chapters number one and two of the book of Genesis, we find a perfect creation without sin, in chapter three, sin enters the world through disobedience to God s word. (Ro 5:12, Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: ) Now here in chapter four, we find that the Biblical truth about sin bringing forth death is an absolute truth. (Jas 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. ) 3) In Genesis chapter one, we find a righteous God. In Chapter two we see a righteous man. In chapter three we see a holy God and unrighteous man. Now in chapter four there is a contrast between God s way & man s way to righteousness, which is self- 1
righteousness produced by works, verses God s way, which is imputed righteousness through a sacrifice by blood. This is the same approach that has been practiced by humanity since the time of Adam & Eve (Remember Adam s & Eve s fig leaves): Man desires to approach God in his own way by his own works (selfrighteousness) but God s way, as it always has been and always shall be, is by faith through a blood sacrifice. I. Cain & Abel (vs. 1-5) A. The Offspring: (vs. 1, 2) NOTE: This is the first instance of Children being born. That which should have been a source of great joy, because of sin, with become a great source of grief. 1. Cain-The firstborn son of Adam 2. Abel-The second son of Adam B. Their Occupations (vs. 2) 1. Cain was a farmer- tiller of the ground 2. Abel was a shepherd- a keeper of the sheep Work is an Honorable 1. God gave Adam a job: Genesis 3:23 2. Cain was a farmer: Genesis 4:2 3. Abel was a shepherd: Genesis 4:2 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Ephes. 4:28 In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury. Prov. 14:23 2
C. Their Offerings (vs. 3, 4) 1. Cain s Offering (v.3) the fruit of the ground a. His offering ignored what God said in Genesis 3:17- cursed is the ground. His offering was a cursed offering. b. His offering consisted of the fruit of his own work. This was the product of his own labor and the works of his own hands. (Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8,9) 1) His offering represented man s labor, and even though it was his BEST, it was still only self righteousness. Sincerity alone is not acceptable to God. Romans 10:2, 3 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.3 For they being ignorant of God s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 2) God always honors faith over works (Romans 4:1-5) c. His offering was a bloodless one. (Hebrews 9:22; Leviticus 17:11) 2. Abel s Offering (v. 4) the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof a. His offering was more excellent than Cain s (Hebrews 11:4) NOTICE: It does not say that Abel was more excellent than Cain, but his offering was more excellent! 3
b. His offering was a blood sacrifice offered by faith! Heb 11:4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, c. His offering pictured the supreme sacrifice of God s son who would become the Lamb of God that would himself for the sins of the world. (John 1:29; Hebrews 9:22-28) INTERESTING NOTE ABOUT ABEL S OFFERING: It seems by this wording in verse 4 and of the fat thereof that Abel s offering was likened to the offering listed in Leviticus. Le 3:9 And he shall offer of the sacrifice of the peace offering an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat thereof, and the whole rump, it shall he take off hard by the backbone; and the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, Le 3:14 And he shall offer thereof his offering, even an offering made by fire unto the LORD; the fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, Le 4:31 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat is taken away from off the sacrifice of peace offerings; and the priest shall burn it upon the altar for a sweet savour unto the LORD; and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and it shall be forgiven him. Le 4:35 And he shall take away all the fat thereof, as the fat of the lamb is taken away from the sacrifice of the 4
peace offerings; and the priest shall burn them upon the altar, according to the offerings made by fire unto the LORD: and the priest shall make an atonement for his sin that he hath committed, and it shall be forgiven him. Le 7:3 And he shall offer of it all the fat thereof; the rump, and the fat that covereth the inwards, 1. There was a time for offering - in process of time. Worship was to be regularly rendered. It was to be a habitual part of their lives. Just as they had a time to worship and bring their offering, so does every believer. God has a set time in the church age for God s people to come together and worship. (1 Corinthians 16:2; Acts 20:7) 2. There was a place for offering - BROUGHT unto the Lord. Both Cain and able brought their offerings to a prescribed place not of their choosing. We do not exactly know where their prescribed place of worship was, but we know where our place of worship is today. (Hebrews 10:22-27; 1 Timothy 3:14,15) 3. There was a sacrifice that had to be offered Both Cain and Able brought an offering a. Giving is a required part of Worship b. The children of Adam and Eve had been taught by their parents to worship. c. All worship and giving is to be an act of faith. (Hebrews 11:4; Romans 10:17) d. Man is never more truly a man than when he is worshipping God. This is one of our primary purposes for being created. 4. There was a type of offering - The Lord had respect unto Abel and his offering. Question: Where did Cain and Abel learn of these things? I believe that they learned this from the pattern set up by God himself in Genesis 3:20,21 5
II. The Lord & Cain (vs. 5-15) A. Cain s Offering (vs. 5-7) 1. Cain s Wrath (v. 5) - his true heart condition was manifested in his response to God s rejection - ANGER! 2. Cain Warned (vs. 6-7) - Although God rejected the offering, Cain was given opportunity If thou doest well... for repentance and a right offering. B. Cain s Sin (v. 8) 1. There was no human witness to Cain s sin, but God saw it. (Vs 9) (Galatians 6:7; Numbers 32:23; Luke 12:2) a. The sinful nature of man thinks he can hide from God b. The sinful nature of man thinks that he can lie to God (v. 9 I know not ) 2. There is no sorrow in Cain s heart; there was no repentance of sin. Instead, he tried to deny it. NOTE: The blood of Abel is a picture of Christ s blood (v.10) a. It was innocent blood (Matthew 27:24) b. It was shed by wicked hands (Acts 2:23) c. His blood speaks (Hebrews 12:24) C. Cain s Punishment (vs. 11-15) 1. Cain s occupation was taken from him (vs. 11-12). 2. Cain would be a fugitive and a vagabond for the rest of his life (v. 12). a. fugitive - resorting to flight, fleeing. b. vagabond - wanderer, irresponsible or lazy person without the means of honest livelihood. 6
3. The consequence of sin is real and terrible (vs. 13-14). 4. Cain receives a mark from God (v. 15). What was this Mark? No one knows! Cain said that his punishment is greater than he could bear. (v13) This pictures the awful future of the unsaved. 5. Even in Cain s punishment the mercy of God can be seen. (v.15) God pronounces a sevenfold judgment upon anyone who would kill Cain. III. Cain s Dwelling Place & Descendents (Vs. 16-24) A. Cain s Dwelling Place 1. Cain s sin caused him to leave the presence of the Lord (v.16) 2. Cain s dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden (v. 16) Possible located in modern day Iran Nod means wandering. The name of this city describes the judgment placed upon him by the Lord. He had to leave the Land of Eden. Remember, Eden was a region while the Garden of Eden was the original place the God put man. So because of his sin, he had to leave his homeland and go to Nod. B. Cain s Prominent Descendents: (vs. 17-24) 1. Enoch- Cain s firstborn son whom he named the first city ever built. (vs. 17-18) NOTE: This Enoch is not the Enoch who walked with God. (Genesis 5:24) 2. Lamech 7
a. The first polygamist of the Bible (v.19) b. He followed his fathers example and took a life (v.24) c. He justified this action (v. 24) 3. Lamech s Children a. Jabal- Dwelt in Tents and was an herdsman (v. 20) b. Jubal- Inventor of the harp and the organ (v. 21) c. Tubal-cain-A master metal worker (v. 22) IV. Seth & Enos (vs. 25, 26) A. Seth was born of Adam & Eve. B. This is the line by which Noah would come. C. Seth s had many sons and daughter (Genesis 5) but it seems his firstborn son was named Enos. NOTE: 1. It seems that after the birth of Enos men began to return to the Lord happened. (v. 26) 2. Salvation in the Old Testament is the same as salvation in the New Testament: men began to call upon the name of the Lord. 8