CAIN and ABEL  The Story of Redemption Begins

     Although Adam and Eve, the parents of mankind, were banned from the tree of life and the garden—the camp of God’s refuge, God provided a way back; this way back is the story of redemption. The way back is first introduced in this telling story of Cain and Able.

“Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, 'I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.' And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions." (Genesis 4:1–4a, ESV)


     The weight and meaning of these two offerings to the Lord cannot be over-emphasized. Apparently both brothers desired to please God; however, the two brothers were worlds apart in their efforts. Let us make an attempt to see what the defining difference is between these two efforts, their attitudes and God’s response to each.


"And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard." (Genesis 4:5, ESV)


     While Abel’s offering is “regarded” by God, Cain’s offering is NOT! The Hebrew word for “regard”[1] means to “look upon.” The Lord “looked upon” Abel’s offering and would not even “look upon” Cain’s. WHY?
     Cain offered a curse to God. Remember in chapter 3, verse 17 the Lord said, “. . . cursed is the ground because of you . . . .” Cain offered the fruit of this cursed ground! Not only is the ground cursed, but so is Cain! All of mankind is cursed! “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”” (Genesis 3:19, ESV). Cain offered the fruit of the cursed ground from the fruit of the labors of his cursed life to God as a way to purchase his way back to the garden. Cain believed that he could in some way “work his way” or “earn his way” or “deal his way” back into the garden.
     The Lord has already decreed both Cain and Abel’s death. The only way back, then, would be to accept God’s judgment as both rightful and justified, not to continue asserting that which is cursed. If God provided some way back, that would be the rightful choice—the only wise choice. Did God provide a way back?
     Since God decrees death, then death is demanded and the condition of death must be satisfied as the only way back. What is death? Death is in the most simple of terms a separation from life. In this case death is the separating from the cursed life—the life received from Adam and Eve. Can this condition be met? In the case of Cain death was NOT satisfied; indeed, quite the opposite—the fruit of Cain’s life was uplifted and asserted as worthy of God’s praise. In Abel’s case quite a different story is revealed.
     Abel offered a death to God, “Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions.” Abel offered the life of the firstborn of his flock. Why the firstborn? Adam’s life was the first born life. Adam’s life was the life that separated (Charam) from God’s life and entered into death. By offering a life Abel is admitting his condition and worthiness of death. In the hope that another first-born life would satisfy God’s payment of death, Abel offered a first-born equivalent. Abel is not offering the first-fruit of his labors, but the first-fruit of God’s labors—God created this sheep or goat, not Abel. Abel offered an innocent life in the place of his guilty life.
     Abel met God’s decree of death: Abel gave back to God his life. Abel’s life, the life that was born from Adam’s condemned life, was now considered dead. Was Abel’s life perfect—certainly not! The unfolding story of redemption began.


The truth of Cain’s separated spirit (Charam) was about to be revealed for the entire world to see.


"So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The Lord said to Cain, 'Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.' Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him." (Genesis 4:6–8, ESV)

     Cain rises up and murders Abel. Hidden deep within Cain’s spirit, hidden not from God, resided a murderer. Cain is indeed separated from God’s Spirit/Life. Cain’s spirit is man’s spirit! Born of Adam.  Murder is certainly NOT God’s spirit; murder is the separated spirit from God's. If God is life, then the separated spirit is the destroyer of life! If God is truth, then the separated spirit is lie and deception! If God is love, then the separated spirit is hateful! If God is giving, then the separated spirit is a thief! Do you see the Ten Commandments—THE LAW—unfolding?
     God’s spirit is the LAW! The Law is God’s very nature described in words. The Law is not an arbitrary list of rules—the law describes who God is! If it were not for the law, the nature of man’s spirit would remain hidden from man and not be revealed for what it is—fallen—separated (Charam) from God and His spirit!


God MUST be our “Tree of Life.” We must have God’s spirit restored in us!


REALITY CHECK:The separated, condemned, spirit MUST die!



I raise a question for all of us to ponder at this juncture:


“How many acts of obedience does God expect from us who are in man’s camp to get into God's camp?”


HINT:  Does God expect many different acts of obedience or only ONE?




[1] שָׁעָה shaah (1043a); a prim. root; to gaze:—gaze away(1), had regard(1), had … regard(1), have regard(3), look(3), looked(1), pay … attention(1), turn your eyes(1), turn your gaze(2), turn your gaze away(1)[1]