In the previous study we saw that Cain slew his brother, Abel, for no other reason than Abel was righteous, and Cain was not. I don’t believe this points to their sacrifices. The meal offering, Cain’s sacrifice, was a legitimate offering to the Lord, but it was a fellowship offering or an offering of thanksgiving. It was not, however, a sin offering, which was expected, if one came to God in humble worship. A sin offering was a solemn event, wherein one came to the Lord, confessing his sin and unworthiness in the Lord’s presence. The scene seems to present two brothers of different characters. Abel offered a sacrifice from the firstlings of his flock, the best he had. However, although Cain offered a meal offering out of the fruits of his labor, nothing in the text, itself, hints that his offering was of the best he had.
Moreover, it also seems, from a previous study, that Cain was the favorite son, believed to be the promised Savior (cp. Genesis 3:15), while Abel’s name (Habel – H1891) is spelled the same way as vanity (habel – H1892), and judging simply by the meaning of the words, it is possible that Eve considered her second son: unprofitable, transitory, unsatisfactory, which are the very impressions the Jewish authorities had of Jesus during the first century AD. Their worldview simply couldn’t receive Jesus as their Messiah, and perhaps Eve’s worldview couldn’t see the value of Abel’s life, when compared with her expectations of Cain’s. Nevertheless, the Lord looks upon the heart (Luke 16:15; cp. Psalm 139:1-2; Jeremiah 17:10; 1Corinthians 4:5), and his estimation of Eve’s sons was the exact opposite (Genesis 4:4-5).
In the course of time, perhaps at the next time Cain came to sacrifice before the Lord, the Lord required of him the whereabouts of his brother, Abel (Genesis 4:9). However, Cain denied knowing where Abel was, and asked the Lord, if he were his brother’s keeper (Genesis 4:9); thus, Cain challenged the Lord’s right to insinuate that he should know his brother’s whereabouts at all times. However, the Lord’s inquiry had to do with the responsibility that all men have, namely, to do no harm to their neighbor.[1] Cain’s effort to hide his crime images Adam’s own desire to hide his by seeking to pin his wickedness upon his wife (cp. Job 31:33). Both Adam and Cain seem to have believed that, because God asked a question, which was meant to prick one’s conscience, the Lord didn’t see the evil that was done. No one is able to hide from God, not Adam, not Cain, no one (Psalm 139:7-12).
Therefore, once again, the Lord revealed himself as the Judge of human behavior, saying: “What have you done?” In other words, I know what you’ve done! It cannot be hidden from me. The blood of your brother witnesses to me against you! (Genesis 4:10; cp. 18:20; 2Kings 9:26). Thus, from henceforth Cain’s labor would not be blessed, and the ground that consumed his brother’s blood, would no longer yield its strength to Cain’s efforts (Genesis 4:11). How or why not? It is because he would be a fugitive in the earth, fleeing when no one pursued him (Genesis 4:12, cp. verses 13-14). Moreover, he would be a vagabond, a wanderer, not necessarily a drifter from place to place, but a wanderer from the Presence of God (Genesis 4:12, cp. verse-16), never having a sure foundation in the Lord, his thoughts of him would be more like superstitions, considering what he handed down to his descendants (Genesis 4:24).
Cain responded in agreement with the Lord’s judgment, which, itself, is astonishing. It is as though the Lord prophesied and Cain agreed! The Lord said he’d be a fugitive, and Cain agreed saying: “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Anyone who finds me will slay me!” (Genesis 4:13-14). Also, the Lord prophesied Cain would be a vagabond, a wanderer, and Cain agreed, “Behold, you have driven me from your presence!” (Genesis 4:14), but the Lord did no such thing. In fact, that would be impossible (cp. Psalm 139:7-12). Yet, this is what Cain perceived, so he acted it all out, as though it was forced upon him. It wasn’t. In fact, if he confessed his sin and drew near to the Lord, he would have been forgiven.
In response to Cain’s fears, the Lord told him no one would slay him, because their punishment would be sevenfold, so he set a mark on Cain to keep that from occurring (Genesis 4:15; cp. Ezekiel 9:4, 6). The word for mark is usually translated elsewhere as a miraculous sign. Thus, Cain’s life was made sure through a miracle of God, yet he still didn’t believe, and so lived out the judgment/prophesy of God, for Cain went out from the Presence of God and dwelt in the land of Nod, which was east of Eden (Genesis 4:16).
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[1] See Albert Barnes Notes on the Bible at Genesis 4:9.
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