Scriptural Background
The sin committed at the fall of man through the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the garden (Genesis 3:6–7) brought corruption on the human race. Adam and Eve were cursed by God (Genesis 3:16-17) and sent out of the garden (Genesis 3:24). Eve had two sons—Cain and Abel. As they grew, Abel became a keeper of the sheep, but Cain worked the
ground (Genesis 4:1–2). After some time, they each brought an offering to the Lord. Cain brought some of the “fruit of the ground,” and Abel brought “the firstborn of his flock” (Genesis 4:3–4). In Genesis we are simply told that the Lord had regard for Abel’s offering but not for Cain’s (Genesis 4:4–5). But why?
Various Scriptures from the New Testament help to solve this puzzle. The book of Hebrews records that Abel made his offering “by faith” and that he was righteous (Hebrews 11:4). Cain, however, was of the evil one and murdered his brother because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous (1 John 3:11–12). Cain’s actions spoke loudly of the desires of his heart. Because of his jealousy, he killed his brother—who walked by faith in righteousness toward God.
God used this unlikely scenario to display his gracious mercy. God is holy and had to judge Cain’s sin. But instead of requiring a life for a life as the law demanded (Exodus 21:23–24), God spared Cain, making him a fugitive and wanderer on the earth—a fugitive specially marked by God and protected from those seeking revenge for his offense (Genesis 4:14–15).
The effects of the fall came quickly. In the first generation after Adam and Eve, we see jealousy, selfishness, murder, and hatred. And yet, God was already revealing the depths of his mercy—a mercy that has repeatedly been demonstrated as man continues to disobey God in his sinfulness.
Historical/Apologetics Background
Cain’s Wife
Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch (Genesis 4:16–17).
One of the most-asked questions about the book of Genesis is, “Where did Cain get his wife?” This question is often used by skeptics to discredit the historical truth of the book of Genesis because most Christians don’t know how to answer it. If Adam and Eve were the first humans, and if their first two sons were Cain and Abel, then where did Mrs. Cain come from? Some have answered this by saying that God must have created other people or races on earth who did not descend from Adam and Eve.
However, Scripture is very clear that ALL people are descendants of Eve (Genesis 3:20). And since only descendants of Adam and Eve can be saved, believers need to be able to show that Cain’s wife—like all other humans—was a descendant of Adam and Eve.
The answer to this question is, in fact, quite simple: Cain married his sister or perhaps another close relative like a niece. Genesis 5:3–4 states:
“And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth: And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:”
Notice that the Bible tells us that Adam had “other sons and daughters.” Exactly how many, we aren’t told, but given that Adam lived more than 900 years, it could have been a lot! One Jewish tradition states that Adam had 33 sons and 23 daughters.
Many people reject this very clear answer, citing the law against brother-sister marriages. But back then (about 6,000 years ago), close relatives could marry—they had to in order to start their own families. Even Abraham married his half-sister (Genesis 20:12). It was not until much later—2,500 years after Cain married his wife—that God commanded Moses that people were not to marry close relatives (Leviticus 18:6). We know now that this command, directed by the providence of God, protects us from many genetic deformities that could result from the marrying of close relatives. These deformities are one of the results of sin and its consequences. Cain and his wife, living near the beginning of creation, wouldn’t have had as many genetic mutations as we do today, so marrying a close relative was no problem. God’s Word gives us answers. We need to approach all questions with biblical glasses, standing on the authority of the Scripture—knowing that the Bible is our starting point.
Animal Sacrifices
In the account of Cain and Abel, we see that God had regard for the offering of Abel (Genesis 4:4). Abel’s offering was the firstborn of his flock—an animal offering presented with a pure heart. As we look at animal offerings throughout biblical history, we can see the amazing foreshadowing and significance of them.
The very first animal sacrifice was made by God himself to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve after they had disobeyed and introduced sin to the human race (Genesis 3:20–21). Adam and Eve deserved instant death because of their sin, yet we see God displaying his glorious mercy as he killed the animal(s) to make garments as coverings for them. In hindsight, we can see how this is a fore shadowing of the substitutionary death of an animal to pay for sin. The foundational elements of God’s plan of redemption are shown here on the occasion of the first sin in the garden of Eden.
Scripture tells us of more customary animal sacrifices ordained by God. Noah sacrificed animals after the flood (Genesis 8:20), Job sacrificed animals for the sins of his family (Job 1:5), and Abraham sacrificed the ram that God provided as a substitute for Isaac (Genesis 22:13). Clearly, God had revealed the concept of substitutionary sacrifice long before the time of Moses and the law.
However, it was at the time of Moses that God specifically appointed a sacrificial system to cover the sins of his people. Leviticus 17:11 states, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.” In this system, the life of the animal atoned for—or covered—the offenses of the sinner; the animal died as a substitute for the sinner.
We know, of course, that animal sacrifices can never cleanse us from our sin. Scripture states, “. . . in these [Old Testament] sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:3–4). The ultimate purpose of the sacrificial system was to demonstrate that the penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23). It was God’s way of preparing us to believe in the perfect Lamb of God whose blood would finally take away the sins of the world (John 1:29).
Before the universe was created and man was formed, God knew that we (in Adam) would sin. He also had a predetermined plan of salvation from the penalty of our sins through the perfect sacrifice— Jesus Christ.
Studying God’s Word
Introduction
Last week we continued our study of the corruption of the universe at the time Adam sinned. We said that the impact of the fall was universal.
? What are some of the specific impacts of Adam’s sin and the
curse God pronounced in Genesis 3?
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Even though God had cursed his originally perfect creation, he also hope. A Savior would come to take the penalty for Adam’s sin (a penalty that we all bear, being “in Adam”) and for our own sin, and eventually to restore the creation. At the consummation, there will be a new heaven and earth where the effects of the curse no longer have a hold. There will be no more death, disease, and suffering for those who are “in Christ,” but eternal death for those who do not trust him. We have a glorious hope of redemption provided through Jesus and a great opportunity and responsibility to share that hope with those who do not know Christ.
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Two Offerings
Genesis 4:1–15
? What is the historical context of this passage?
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? Which son was born first?
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? What were the occupations of the two sons?
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? What did Cain bring as an offering to the Lord?
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? What did Abel bring as an offering to the Lord?
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? How did God respond to the two offerings?
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? How did Cain respond to God’s disfavor?
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? What caution did God give to Cain?
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? How did Cain respond to God’s warning?
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? How did Cain respond to God’s question about Abel’s location?
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? How did God respond to Cain’s sin?
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? Cain responded by telling God that his punishment was too great—a
form of asking for mercy. What did Cain fear would happen to him?
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? How did God demonstrate mercy to Cain?
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? Was God still communicating to humans after the fall?
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? What parallels do you see in this account and the account of the fall in
Genesis 3?
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? What was Cain’s motive for killing his brother?
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? How would you summarize the main point of the passage?
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Discover the Truth
Although we do not have specific details about how Cain and Abel knew that they were to offer sacrifices to God, or what that process looked like, still they knew it was expected. As the brothers brought their offerings, presumably to the same altar at the same time, Cain’s sacrifice was rejected by God, and he likely became jealous of Abel’s acceptance. As a
result, Cain killed his brother and faced God’s curse.
But God was merciful to Cain by not taking his life as he rightly deserved, and by placing a mark on him so that others would be afraid to take vengeance for Abel’s murder. Cain was openly disobedient, and God judged his disobedience mercifully. This is another example of the intersection of God’s justice and mercy that reminds us of the gospel.
Even though our sin deserves to be punished, Jesus Christ willingly offered himself as the sacrifice to pay for our sin.
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An Acceptable Sacrifice Activity
Connect to the Truth
? What are the differences between the two offerings described in
Genesis 4:1–5?
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Read Leviticus 2:1–2, 2:14, and 4:27–31.
? How do these offerings compare to Cain’s and Abel’s offerings?
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? What information does Hebrews 11:4 give about the two brothers
and their offerings?
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? How is Cain described in 1 John 3:10–12?
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? What do the following passages tell you about God’s attitude toward
sacrifices: 1 Samuel 15:22; Hosea 6:6; Proverbs 15:8, 21:3?
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Where Did Cain Find a Wife?
Another common challenge to the biblical history of man has to do with Cain and what we read in Genesis 4:16–17. People often ask where Cain got his wife if Adam and Eve were the original parents of all of humanity.
Genesis 4:16–17
? When do these events take place?
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? Where does Cain settle?
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? According to the text, where did Cain marry his wife?
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? What two things did Cain do in Nod?
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? Are there any people in the land of Nod?
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? To this point in the Bible, how many people have been identified?
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? If Adam and Eve are the parents of every human, how was Cain related
to his wife?
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Genesis 3:20
? How does Genesis 3:20 confirm this?
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Genesis 5:4
? How does Genesis 5:4 give us more insight into this topic?
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Discover the Truth
Cain is described as the first son of Adam and Eve, but Genesis 5:4 tells us that there were also other children. We are not told the order or names of any of those children except for Seth, but we know they must have been born. It may sound a little funny to our modern ears, but Cain married either a sister or a niece (or some other very close relative).
Rather than going to Nod and finding a wife there, he likely already had a wife and took her with him to Nod. And this is consistent with what the text actually says.
? What are the immediate objections to this idea that come to your mind?
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? Why might it have been acceptable for close relatives to marry in the
beginning?
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Many Christians suggest that there were other people groups already in Nod, groups that God either had created or had allowed to evolve, and that Cain went there and took a wife from among them. Looking at Genesis 4:14, we read that Cain was afraid that “anyone” would kill him if they found him. So, it must have been his family that Cain was afraid of, not some other tribe of people who lived in another area. Why would another group want to kill Cain for killing someone they didn’t even know? It just doesn’t make sense with the text.
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Application
? How do the things that we do to please God (our offerings) relate to the offerings Cain and Abel presented?
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? Hebrews 13:15–16 calls us to “offer up a sacrifice of praise to God”
not neglecting “to do good and to share” as God is pleased with such
sacrifices. How is this apparent in the account of Cain and Abel and in
your life?
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? How does sin’s pattern found in James 1:13–15 compare to what we see
in the account of Cain, and how can that help us understand why we sin
and how to avoid it?
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? Abel offered the firstborn of his flock, and elsewhere we see the idea of
God’s honoring the firstfruits offered to him. How can we apply this idea
to our offerings to God today?
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? How does the mercy shown to Cain relate to the mercy shown to you
through Christ?
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Group Prayer Time
• Praise God for his patience in withholding judgment and for calling
sinners to repentance.
• Ask God that each person would offer his first and best to him each
day and in the strength of the Holy Spirit.
• Thank God for providing a substitute for sinners.
Additional request:
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