Title Genesis 4:1-12
We see here that Cain was already unworthy in the sight of God when he offered the sacrifice. We can confirm Cain's human side through his series of words and deeds after that.
Verse 5 says, “Because Cain and his offering were not accepted, Cain was very angry and his countenance changed.” By “very angry,” it refers to an extremely agitated emotion and often refers to a state of mind that is predisposed to murder.
Many translations of the Bible translate the phrase "the complexion changed" as "the face trembled." This is a translation that can be well connected with God's question in verse 7, "If you do good, how can you not be accepted?" Why did Cain change his complexion? Perhaps his complexion changed because God knew that he had sacrificed without faith. Because of the fact that his heart was revealed, his complexion had changed and he must have been unable to raise his face before God.
In verses 6-7 of the text, God asked such Cain: "What is your wrath, and what is your complexion? In verse 7, God's question, "If you do good, will you not be accepted?" It can be said that the question of God was a rebuke to Cain's unbelievable sacrifice and his anger at the fact that the sacrifice was not accepted. The words could be translated as: "Why can't you lift up your face? Is it not because you know well that you didn't offer uprightly?"
Some translations move this part to "If you do what is right, it will not be accepted." This indicates that Cain's offering was also a problem, but his reaction to God's refusal to accept it was also a problem. Instead of thinking that Cain was completely cut off from God because of that Abel, without changing his complexion or raising his face in anger with Cain’s great anger, remind him and exhort him that it will be acceptable to God if he realizes and acknowledges his mistake and acts right from now on. It can be understood as the gracious word of God. However, Cain has no acknowledgment or confession of his mistakes. We do not find in him the will of repentance and changed works.
"If you do not do good, sin is at the door. Sin desires you, but you must rule it." This is a warning against not only the preceding unbelief attitude but also the criminal acts that may follow. If you don't do it right, there's always the risk of falling into sin. In the phrase "sin lies at the door", to "keep down" means to bow down and "squat down" so that whenever an opportunity comes, you can attack it at once. In the words, "Sin wants you, but you must rule it", "Sin wants you" means that they are trying to attack you in an instant. Therefore, this verse was a warning to rule well so as not to give opportunity, as sin always seeks an opportunity.
However, Cain did not listen to God's warning and did the opposite. He went out into the fields to kill his brother, without heeding God's word, leaving his "very angry" mental state. As God had feared, sin fell upon him in an instant, and he fell upon his brother without hesitation.
Cain's criminality does not end there. His abomination is revealed even more in his conversation with God. God said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" You asked. It wasn't because God didn't know what happened to Abel. He gave Cain an opportunity to confess his sins. But what was Cain's answer? "I do not know, am I my brother's keeper?" First of all, the answer "I do not know" is a blatant lie. Then, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” is, on the one hand, an act of refusing to answer God’s question and avoiding it. And on the other hand, it is a more blatant complaint against God and against the will of God.
In Leviticus 25:47-49, it is given: "If a stranger or a resident with you will become rich, and your brother with him will become poor, so he is a descendant of the alien or resident with you or of the family of the alien with you. If he is sold to / after he has been sold, he has the right to a ransom; and one of his brothers shall redeem him, or his uncle or his uncle's son shall redeem him, or he shall redeem him from the flesh of his household; and when he becomes rich, he himself Redeem it." That is, when someone is in trouble, the responsibility to rescue him from that trouble rests first with him and his cousin, then on his uncle, then on his cousin, then on the other relatives. . However, Cain is naturally ignoring the primary responsibility he has in God's will.
Cain's brother Abel's occupation was to keep sheep. Therefore, the phrase “Am I my brother’s keeper?” can be changed a little to mean “Am I the keeper of the sheep-keeper?” Behind those words, there seems to be a hidden complaint: "Aren't those who are good at protecting themselves supposed to protect themselves well?" This may sound like a sarcastic voice towards God. Furthermore, it is believed that at the bottom of those words, there is a protest saying, "God, who only loves sheep-keepers' sacrifices, personally keeps the sacrifices, but why does he ask me to keep the sacrifices that he did not accept?"
What does the story of today's text show us? First, it is the result of Adam and Eve's sin against God. Their transgression not only resulted in them being expelled from the Garden of Eden, sweating, laboring, giving birth, and finally experiencing death to the dust, but also the dreadful result of jealousy and murder among men and even among their own brothers and sisters. that gave birth to In other words, the destruction of the right relationship with God leads to the destruction of the right relationship between humans.
The second is the fact that, once started, man's sin against God continued and increased. Adam and Eve did not deny their sins when God reminded them of what they had done. But Cain did not admit his sin, lied, and even rebelled against God.
Third, it is the image of God that appears in the face of Cain's unbelief, criminal acts, and disrespect. Although God expelled Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, he did not cut off their relationship with humans. God accepted their offering. And God went to them and spoke to them. When Cain was dismembered, he visited and comforted him, taught him the acceptable way to God, and warned him to be careful not to commit another sin. When Cain killed his brother, he went to him and said to him. Just as he reminded Cain of their sins by visiting Adam and Eve who ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden, he asked them. Just as he made leather garments for Adam and Eve who sinned, He gave Cain a mark so that he would not be killed and opened the way for him to live (Genesis 4:14-15).
What does this mean? We should find the center of the story of today's text not in Cain's crime, but in God's unchanging interest, love, and grace for sinful humans. What does verse 1 say? “Adam slept with his wife Eve, and Eve became pregnant and gave birth to Cain, and said, “I have a son by the Lord.” We should not view this as a mere record that Adam and Eve gave birth to Cain. We must see here the surprising fact that although they sinned against God and were cast out of God's garden, God allowed them to have children. We must see the fact of grace that God did not take from them the words that He had said when He created Adam and Eve, that is, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28).
God accepted Abel's offering. This tells us that although sinful human beings, God placed them in a religious relationship with God. In addition, God showed that He wanted people to keep the right relationship of faith toward God by accepting only Abel's offering, which was offered rightly in heart and faith.
In this way, today's text clearly reveals man's constant transgression before God and, nevertheless, God's unchanging love. We must respond to this love of God with faith. Like Abel, we must offer the sacrifice of faith. Our worship, which is the center of our life of faith, should also be a worship offered with all our heart and sincerity. Our bodies are sitting in the chapel, but our hearts are full of evil thoughts, so we must not become the sacrifices of Cain. Worship and all of our lives that come from worship should be done from a sincere heart in true faith.