Year One, January 10

Love Is from God1

Genesis 4:1-15

1Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.” (She probably hoped that this was the Messiah. Oh, how often parents’ hopes are not realized. It was not a man after the heart of God to whom Eve gave birth, but a man of sin, a child of the wicked one.)

2And again, she bore his brother Abel.  (Abel means “Vain” or “Unsatisfactory.” Evidently, Eve did not value him much, but he was precious in the sight of the Lord. What mistakes we make about our children.) Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 3In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, 5but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. (Cain had no faith and no concern for the blood of atonement. Abel had both. These should be the main concerns of our Christian activities.) So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. (Cain was not angry with himself, as he should have been, but with his brother and with God.)

6The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” (It is sin that stands in the way of our fellowship with God.)

8Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. 9Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?” (We will either be our brother’s keeper or our brother’s murderer. If we do not work to save others, we will be guilty of their blood.) 10And the LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. 11And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”

13Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.” (Cain does not confess his sin. He only complains about his punishment. We know many who think the same way. They object to hell and stubbornly continue in sin.) 14“Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15Then the LORD said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him.

This ancient story of the first murder is used by the apostle John as a picture of the life of unbelievers in all ages. Love marks the children of God, but hate is the sure sign of those who will inherit the wrath of God. The beloved apostle writes:

  

1 John 3:10-15

10By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

11For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 12We should not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. 13Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you. 14We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 15Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

Oh for grace to remove from our hearts all anger, envy, desire for revenge, and bitterness of every kind. Oh for grace to be like Jesus who is full of love and gentleness.

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¹ I John 4:7