Godly fathers-ungodly sons-3

Fathering a son is easy, but being a good father to a son is very difficult. I don’t say that easily, but the Bible have very few examples that contradict this fact. This truth is extremely evident from the very beginning of time.

Genesis 4:1  Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, "I have gotten a manchild with the help of the LORD."  4:2  Again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 

4:3  So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground. 

4:4  Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering; 4:5  but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. 

Adam and Eve were exiled from the garden and now must live with the consequences of their sins. But, did they really understand how much their sin would cost them and the world?

4:6  Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 4:7  "If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it." 

Many renowned pastors declare that there was no Law before Sinai. But, that is not true. Here we find both Cain and Abel bringing their offerings to God. It would seem that Cain knew exactly what would be acceptable to God, but rebelled and basically declared that God needed to accept his offering. This was the very beginning of religion that opposed God’s clear instructions and commandments.

Also, God warned Cain about sin being ready to take Cain where he should not go. But, what is sin? Clearly God expected Cain to know this.

1 John 3:4  Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.

There can be no sin without the law!

4:8  Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him. 

So it seems that Cain told Abel about his talk with God, but then killed him. Sin did overwhelm him as did his prideful reliance on what he thought was right. Knowing better than God never leads to a favorable outcome.

4:9  Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?" And he said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?" 4:10  He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to Me from the ground. 4:11  "Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.  4:12  "When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth." 

Murder should be punishable with death, but God was merciful to him even as he was not merciful to Abe.

4:13  Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is too great to bear! 

So little concern for Abel. Neither Adam or Eve seems to be important in this grave matter.

4:14  "Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Your face I will be hidden, and I will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me." 4:15  So the LORD said to him, "Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold." And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. 4:16  Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Adam lived a long time. It seemed that he wanted to do the right thing after his grave sin. But, his first son became a murderer.

Now both Adam and Eve would understand the true consequences of their sin. God spoke directly to Cain and he still murdered Abel. Adam’s ‘righteous’ son was murdered by his ‘ungodly’ son. This first example of a father and his sons points to the difficulty of raising godly sons.

I will be traveling next week as maybe most of you will be as well. I will return to this blog on Saturday, December 7th.