Session 3: Week 5
Genesis 4:1-22
Adam was intimate with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain. She said, “I have had a male child with the Lord’s help.”2 Then she also gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel became a shepherd of flocks, but Cain worked the ground.
יָדַע Yada = was intimate (to know)
Now hopefully you’ll think twice before using the phrase “yada, yada, yada.” 😉
The first two sons of Chava and Adam were Cain and Abel. Abel was a shepherd while Cain, the eldest worked the ground. They had very different life experiences.
What do you think would be the major differences between being a shepherd and being a farmer?
3 In the course of time Cain presented some of the land’s produce as an offering to the Lord.4 And Abel also presented an offering—some of the firstborn of his flock and their fat portions. The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,5 but He did not have regard for Cain and his offering.
God gave the example in Genesis 3 regarding his standards for offerings when He covered Adam and Chavah with garments made out of skins. This was an object lesson teaching that there needed to be blood shed for an offering to be acceptable in His sight.
In what ways can you use this truth to share the Gospel with people in your life today?
Cain was furious, and he looked despondent.6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you furious? And why do you look despondent? 7 If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”8
This is a beautiful picture that even though Adam’s family was cast out of the garden of Eden God still had personal relationship with them. He talked to Cain. He gave Cain instruction and keys to walking in victory. God was never going to leave or forsake them. It’s the same today. God is with people even when they’re unaware of His Presence. The true beauty in our relationship with God is when we can hear and obey His instructions and then avoid pitfalls that He sees before us.
How have you ever seen this played out in your own life?
Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”
It seems like Cain was premeditating Abel’s murder. Then the unthinkable happened. He did kill his own brother. What a sad day for humanity. The sin of murder entered into the family line bringing generational curses that are passed down even to this day. God was watching though and Cain’s sarcastic comment to God about his own brother reveal something to us about Cain’s character. What do you see from the comment “Am I my brother’s guardian, or keeper?”
10 Then He said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground! 11 So now you are cursed, alienated, from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed. 12 If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”
Cain would never again be able to work the land and see the yield of food for his family. This surely was great punishment.
13 But Cain answered the Lord, “My punishment is too great to bear! 14 Since You are banishing me today from the soil, and I must hide myself from Your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 Then the Lord replied to him, “In that case, whoever kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” And He placed a mark on Cain so that whoever found him would not kill him. 16 Then Cain went out from the Lord’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
As a result of killing his own brother more shame entered Cain’s life, forcing him to hide from God’s presence and be a restless wanderer on the earth. It seems like this would cause people who ran into him to desire to kill him.
This shows us that there were more people on the earth at this time and that people had their allotted land to live on. Wanderers were probably thought of as thieves and threats, and therefore dangerous.
It’s interesting that God was vowing to protect Cain. Why do you think God did that?
What do you think the mark was that God put on Cain to protect him?
The Line of Cain
17 Cain was intimate with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain became the builder of a city, and he named the city Enoch after his son. 18 Irad was born to Enoch, Irad fathered Mehujael, Mehujael fathered Methushael, and Methushael fathered Lamech. 19 Lamech took two wives for himself, one named Adah and the other named Zillah. 20 Adah bore Jabal; he was the father of the nomadic herdsmen. 21 His brother was named Jubal; he was the father of all who play the lyre and the flute. 22 Zillah bore Tubal-cain, who made all kinds of bronze and iron tools. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah.
Cain – possession
Enoch – dedicated/disciplined
Irad – wild ass; heap of empire; dragon
Mehujael – who proclaims God
Methushael – who demands his death
Lamech – poor; made low
Jabal – which glides away
Tubal-cain – the earth; the world; confusion – possession
Naamah – air; pleasant
This very first listing of the descendants of Cain gives us an interesting picture through the meaning of their names. One could look at these names and see a hint towards God’s plans for Messiah in that we could read them like this:
“Even though mankind became like a wild ass, possessed and dedicated to the dragon, all of creation (even the dragon) would one day proclaim God and demand His death because He was poor and made low. Messiah would glide away from the world and leave it in confusion. But ultimately the earth and the world is God’s possession and one day He would bring restoration to the confusion and make the air pleasant again.”
