Biblical Foundations In The Way of Cain – Part 2

1. Biblical FoundationsIn The Way of Cain – Part 2 Bible Reading Genesis 4:1-15 Jude 11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain Outline Review: Were the offerings required by God or voluntary? (probably the latter) Why didn’t the Lord respect Cain’s offering? Various thoughts such as: not a blood sacrifice, not good quality, etc. But 4:4-5 makes it clear that it is the person that is accepted by God first. Thus Abel was accepted and Cain was not before the offering. What was Cain’s problem with God? What does verse 7 mean? “If thou doest well…” Why did Cain murder Abel? How did God deal with Cain? How does He deal with us? The way of Cain Summary www.sharongospelchapel.org - Lesson 15 -February 19, 2012

2. Jude 4-11:What Was Cain’s Problem? 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. 5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. 6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

3. Jude 12-19:What Was Cain’s Problem? Jude 12-19 12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. 14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. 17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. 19 These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

4. 4. Meaning of Gen 4:7 Gen 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. MacDonald (4 possibilities) If you do well (repent) you will look up again in freedom from anger and guilt. If you do not do well (continue to hate Abel), sin crouching at your door is ready to destroy you. Abel’s will acknowledge your leadership and you will rule over him if you do well. RSV says if you do well, will you not be accepted? Sin is crouching at the door with desire for you and you must master it. If you offer well (Septuagint), will you not be accepted? Abel hid behind an acceptable offering, Cain’s after-conduct was a result of false worship. Numerical Bible says “If you do not well, a sin-offering croucheth or lieth at the door”. In other words there was provision if Cain wanted. www.sharongospelchapel.org - Lesson 15 -February 19, 2012

5. 4. Meaning of Gen 4:7 Gen 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. John Gill’ Commentary (preached in Spurgeon’s church but 100 yr before) “if thou doest thy works well;'' for it is not merely doing a good work, but doing the good work well, which is acceptable to God; hence that saying, “that not nouns but adverbs make good works:”… [adjective/noun would be ‘good works’, adverb/verb would be ‘doest good works well’] if thou doest thine offering well, or rightly offereth, …. materially good and proper… but in a right way, in obedience to the divine will, from love to God, and with true devotion to him, in the faith of the promised seed, and with a view to his sacrifice for atonement and acceptance; then thine offering would be well pleasing and acceptable. if thou dost not do good works, nor offer an offering as it should be offered, sin lies at the door of conscience; and as soon as that is awakened and opened, it will enter in and make sad work there, as it afterwards did, www.sharongospelchapel.org - Lesson 15 -February 19, 2012

6. Genesis 4:8 Why Did Cain Kill Abel? Gen 4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. This is not surprising – Cain rebelled against God which is the first step towards this terrible act. 1 John 3:11-12 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12 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. 13 Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. Then, if there is hatred towards God, there is hatred of righteousness 1 John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. John 15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. www.sharongospelchapel.org - Lesson 15 -February 19, 2012

7. Gen 4:9 The Lord’s Dealing With Cain Gen 4:9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy bother? Other examples of God dealing with sin Gen 4:6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? Gen 3:8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. 9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? Note that in all cases God knew what the problem was. But he asked Cain and He asked Adam. Why? The reason is that He wants us to face our sin, to acknowledge our sin, and to ask forgiveness for our sin. Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; www.sharongospelchapel.org - Lesson 15 -February 19, 2012

8. Gen 4:9 Am I My Bother’s Keeper? Gen 4:9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy bother? And he said, I know not: Am I my bother’s keeper? Brother OT:251 'ach (awkh); – used 629 times in the OT as brother, blood relative, tribe, companion/colleague, ally (Vine) Keeper OT:8104 shamar (shaw-mar') Strong’s - to hedge about, guard; generally, to protect, attend to Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon - to keep, to guard, to observe, to give heed Vine’s - to keep in the sense of "tending" and taking care of, to keep in the sense of "watching over" or giving attention to, to keep" in the sense of saving or "retaining.” Probably Cain meant it in sense of ‘brother’ and ‘guardian’ www.sharongospelchapel.org - Lesson 15 -February 19, 2012

9. Gen 4:9 Am I My Bother’s Keeper? The Biblical Illustrator (Archbishop Thomson) The gospel of selfishness: -- "Am I my brother's keeper?" This is the very gospel of selfishness, and a murderer is its first preacher. The gospel of selfishness is, that a man must take care of his own interests; and out of that universal self-seeking, provided it be wise and restrained, will come the well-being of all. This is an age of rights rather than of duties. It is very notable that there is almost nothing about rights in the teaching of Christ. The Lord seeks to train the spirit of His followers into doing and suffering a right. By preaching love and duty, the gospel has been the lawgiver of nations, the friend of man, the champion of his rights. Its teaching has been of God, of duty, and of love; and wherever these ideas have come, freedom and earthly happiness and cultivation have followed silently behind. www.sharongospelchapel.org - Lesson 15 -February 19, 2012

10. Gen 4:9 Am I My Bother’s Keeper? Who is my brother? Gen 4:9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy bother? And he said, I know not: Am I my bother’s keeper? Matt 12:47-50 47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. www.sharongospelchapel.org - Lesson 15 -February 19, 2012

11. Gen 4:9 Am I My Bother’s Keeper? How do I ‘keep’ my brother? - Finances Rom 12:13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Rom 15:26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. Acts 11:29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea: 30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. 1 Cor 16:1-3 1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. 2 Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. 3 And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. www.sharongospelchapel.org - Lesson 15 -February 19, 2012

12. Gen 4:9 Am I My Bother’s Keeper? How do I ‘keep’ my brother? 2 Cor 8:14 But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality: 15 As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack. 2 Cor 9:1 For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:…. 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. www.sharongospelchapel.org - Lesson 15 -February 19, 2012

13. Gen 4:9 Am I My Bother’s Keeper? How do I ‘keep’ my brother? – Prayer 2 Thess 1:11 Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: 1 Tim 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; How do I ‘keep’ my brother? – Witnessing/rebuking/exhorting James 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; 20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. 2 Tim 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. Heb 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. www.sharongospelchapel.org - Lesson 15 -February 19, 2012

14. Genesis 4:9 Am I My Bother’s Keeper? Spurgeon One thing more upon this calling to account. The more needy, the more destitute people are, the greater is their claim upon us; for according to the account book -- need I turn to the chapter? I think you recollect it -- they are the persons for whom we shall have mainly to give an account: "I was an hungered, and ye gave Me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave Me no drink; I was sick and in prison, and ye visited Me not; naked, and ye clothed Me not.” [Matt 25:42-43] And again, there is to my mind an utter ignoring of the whole plan of salvation in that man who says, "I am not going to have any responsibility about others," because the whole plan of salvation is based on substitution, on the care of another for us, on the sacrifice of another for us; and the whole spirit of it is self-sacrifice and love to others. If you say, "I will not love" --well, the whole system goes together, and you renounce it all. If you will not love, you cannot have love's benediction. Last of all, it may turn out -- it may turn out -- that if we are not our brother's keeper, we may be our brother's murderer. Have any of us been so already?

15. Gen 4:10 Blood Crieth From The Ground Gen 4:10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. Luke 11:50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. www.sharongospelchapel.org - Lesson 15 -February 19, 2012

16. Gen 4:10 Why Does Christ’s Blood Speak “Better Things Than That of Abel”? (Spurgeon) www.sharongospelchapel.org - Lesson 15 -February 19, 2012

17. Gen 4:10 Why Does Christ’s Blood Speak “Better Things Than That of Abel”? (Spurgeon) Blood of Abel It seemed to say, "If it were not for love of Thee, this blood had not been shed!" …. for we are told that God heard, and when He heard it He came to reckoning with Cain, and He said, "What hast thou done? The voice of thy brother's blood crieth to Me from the ground Blood of Christ Can you stand at Calvary now and view the flowing of the Saviour's blood from hands, and feet, and side? ….That blood crieth with a loud voice to God, and what doth it say? ….. O God, wilt Thou despise the cries and the tears, the groans, the moans, the blood of Thine own Son? Most tender Father, in whose bosom Jesus lay from before the foundations of the earth, He dies, and wilt Thou not regard Him? Shall His blood fall to the ground in vain?“ www.sharongospelchapel.org - Lesson 15 -February 19, 2012

18. Gen 4:10 Why Does Christ’s Blood Speak “Better Things Than That of Abel”? (Spurgeon) Jesus' Blood Speaks Better Things To Us In Our Own Hearts Than The Blood Of Abel www.sharongospelchapel.org - Lesson 15 -February 19, 2012

19. Gen 4:10 Why Does Christ’s Blood Speak “Better Things Than That of Abel”? (Spurgeon) Did you notice the first text? God said unto Cain, "What hast thou done?" Now, that is what Christ's blood says to you: "What hast thou done?" My dear hearer, dost thou not know that thy sins slew the Saviour?...... For the blood of Jesus is of little value to us until it is sprinkled upon us. Faith dips the hyssop in the atoning blood and sprinkles it upon the soul, and the soul is clean. There is another matter in the text with which I conclude. The apostle says, "We are come to the blood of sprinkling." …… Now, from the blood of Abel every reasonable man would flee away, He that has murdered his fellow desires to put a wide distance between himself and the accusing corpse. But we come to the blood of Jesus. www.sharongospelchapel.org - Lesson 15 -February 19, 2012

20. Summary Cain, was a ‘servant’ of the ground not of the Lord There is a question as to whether the offerings were voluntary (a present to the Lord) or God had required them. They were most likely they were voluntary The Lord not accept Cain’s offering because the condition of Cain’s heart was not right. If it had been he would have known he needed a sin offering and he would have brought the best. Cain was very angry because God did not accept what he wanted to give God. He had no concern for what God wanted. The way of Cain refers to Cain speaking evil of/to God and doing evil works. God’s response to Cain’s anger was the same He has for us when we sin. He tries to get us to the place where we admit the sin and repent. Cain murdered Abel because Abel was righteous and Cain, being unrighteous, hated righteousness and hence his brother. www.sharongospelchapel.org - Lesson 15 -February 19, 2012