GENESIS 4
Satan is a serpent that deceives and a lion that devours (1 Pet. 5:8–9). He used Eve to tempt Adam and Cain to destroy Abel. The two “seeds” of
The marks of God’s children are faith, hope, and love (1 Cor. 13:13;
Unbelief (1–7). When God killed animals and clothed Adam and Eve (
Hatred (8). Cain’s anger slowly became envy and hatred, and then it led to murder (
Despair (9–24). God’s question to Adam and Eve was, “Where are you?” His question to Cain was, “Where is Abel your brother?” Do we know where our brothers and sisters are? Do we care? Or are we making excuses, as Cain did?
Now God curses a man! But Cain was not convicted about his sin; he was concerned only about his punishment. Cain’s unbelief, hatred, and deceit destroyed every relationship in his life: his relationship with his brother, God, himself, and the world around him. All of us are pilgrims on this earth, but Cain became a fugitive, a wanderer. “Thou hast made us for Thyself,” said St. Augustine, “and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.”
Hope (25–26). Cain tried to compensate for his despair by building a “civilization” in the land of Nod (“wandering”). Since Adam and Eve had many children, Cain must have married a relative. He had many fine things in his city, but God rejected the whole thing and gave Adam another son, Seth (“appointed”), to carry on the godly line.
Controlling Anger
We may have righteous anger against sin (Mark 3:5;