Genesis 4
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Genesis 4:1:
"And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord." |
Eve understood very clearly where Cain came from, though her sexual relation was with Adam. "Adam knew Eve," to me, suggests an important intimacy. It wasn't just "sex" or a "screw" or any other of the crude descriptives people use....instead, he "knew" her. Eve also looked beyond the baby that had been born to her, and saw a man, exclaiming, "I have gotten a man from the Lord."
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Genesis 4:2:
"And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of the sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground." |
Anyone ever wonder why their "vocations" or callings were different? One was not better than the other, because both had to be done.
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Genesis 4:3:
And in the process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord |
It is not said here that the offering was based on any divine institution. It may have been a spontaneous act of gratitude and recognition of God. The exact origin or reason of the offering is unknown.
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Genesis 4:4:
"And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: |
Abel made a real sacrifice and brought the firstlings and fat...the best of the flock. Cain just brought fruit from the ground. Yes, he tilled and grew it, but was it his best?
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The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering. Moses does not simply state that Abel’s worship was pleasing to God, but he begins with the person of the offered. In this way Moses shows that God will not view with favor any deeds except those performed by someone who is already previously accepted and approved by him. And no wonder, for man sees things that are apparent, but God looks into the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).
Therefore, in the first place we must hold that all deeds done before faith, however righteous they may have appeared to be, were nothing but sins, being defiled from their roots and offensive to the Lord, whom no one can please without inward purity of heart. I wish those who imagine that men, by their own free will, are made fit to receive the grace of God would reflect on this. Certainly no controversy would then remain on the question of whether God justifies men gratuitously—by faith. For this must be received as a settled point—that in the judgment of God, no respect is given to deeds until man is received into favor with God.
Another point appears equally certain: Since the whole human race is hateful to God, there is no other way of reconciliation to divine favor than through faith. Moreover, since faith is a gratuitous gift of God, and a special illumination of the Spirit, it is easy to infer that we are prevented from another path solely by his grace, as if he had raised us from the dead. In this sense Peter says that it is God who purifies our hearts by faith. It can now be seen in what way purity is the effect of faith. It is a vapid and trifling philosophy to adduce as the cause of purity that men are not induced to seek God as their rewarder except by faith. Those who speak in this way entirely bury the grace of God, which his Spirit chiefly commends.
Others also speak coldly who teach that we are purified by faith only on account of the gift of regeneration in order that we may be accepted of God. Not only do they omit half the truth, but they build without a foundation since, on account of the curse on the human race, it became necessary that gratuitous reconciliation should precede. Again, since God never so regenerates his people in this world that they can worship him perfectly, no work of man can possibly be acceptable without expiation (atonement). And to this point the ceremony of legal washing belongs, in order that men may learn that as often as they wish to draw near unto God, purity must be sought elsewhere than themselves.
God will then at length see our obedience when he looks upon us in Christ.
This excerpt was adapted from John Calvin’s commentary on John, part of the Crossway Classic Commentaries series edited by Alister McGrath and J. I. Packer.
Therefore, in the first place we must hold that all deeds done before faith, however righteous they may have appeared to be, were nothing but sins, being defiled from their roots and offensive to the Lord, whom no one can please without inward purity of heart. I wish those who imagine that men, by their own free will, are made fit to receive the grace of God would reflect on this. Certainly no controversy would then remain on the question of whether God justifies men gratuitously—by faith. For this must be received as a settled point—that in the judgment of God, no respect is given to deeds until man is received into favor with God.
Another point appears equally certain: Since the whole human race is hateful to God, there is no other way of reconciliation to divine favor than through faith. Moreover, since faith is a gratuitous gift of God, and a special illumination of the Spirit, it is easy to infer that we are prevented from another path solely by his grace, as if he had raised us from the dead. In this sense Peter says that it is God who purifies our hearts by faith. It can now be seen in what way purity is the effect of faith. It is a vapid and trifling philosophy to adduce as the cause of purity that men are not induced to seek God as their rewarder except by faith. Those who speak in this way entirely bury the grace of God, which his Spirit chiefly commends.
Others also speak coldly who teach that we are purified by faith only on account of the gift of regeneration in order that we may be accepted of God. Not only do they omit half the truth, but they build without a foundation since, on account of the curse on the human race, it became necessary that gratuitous reconciliation should precede. Again, since God never so regenerates his people in this world that they can worship him perfectly, no work of man can possibly be acceptable without expiation (atonement). And to this point the ceremony of legal washing belongs, in order that men may learn that as often as they wish to draw near unto God, purity must be sought elsewhere than themselves.
God will then at length see our obedience when he looks upon us in Christ.
This excerpt was adapted from John Calvin’s commentary on John, part of the Crossway Classic Commentaries series edited by Alister McGrath and J. I. Packer.
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Genesis 4:6:
"And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?" |
The Lord knew, of course, but was giving Cain an opportunity for growth.
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Genesis 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. |
In Genesis Chapter 4 we read about the first murder. Cain had offered an unnacceptable sacrifice and Cain was upset that God insisted that he do the right thing. In other words, Cain was peeved that he could not do his own thing.
Cain decided to kill his brother rather than get right with God. There were no guns available, although there may well have been a knife. Whether it was a knife or a rock, the Bible does not say. The point is, the evil in Cain’s heart was the cause of the murder, not the availability of the murder weapon. Gods response was not to ban rocks of knives, or whatever, but to banish the murderer. Later (see Gen 9:5-6) God instituted capitol punishment, but said not a word about banning weapons. The one thing that so-called “gun-control” laws do not do is control guns. They disarm potential victims. People who do not care about the law can always get guns in a country with 200 million guns and more coming in, both legally and illegally. We cant even stop millions of human beings from coming into this country illegally–and a handgun is a lot smaller than a person. That basic reality is not changed by politicians and media loudmouths who appeal to emotions and symbolism by crying out for more gun laws. You can always pass feelgood laws and ignore their actual consequences. In fact, we have already done that on to many other issues. The biggest hypocrites on gun control are those who live in upscale developments with armed security guards–and who want to keep other people from having guns to defend themselves. Affluent homeowners pay to have private armed security patrols cruising their neighborhoods. Many of them are also for gun control. Of course you dont have to have a gun yourself when you are paying other people to carry guns for you. |
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Genesis 4:17:
And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. |
The first form of human goverment may have been in that "city" built by Cain, for we would have to presume they had some form of leadership and organization. But what it was--tyranny, democracy, or Communism--is pure conjecture.
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