Genesis 4:6, 7 - There Is A Right And A Wrong.
Genesis 4:6, 7 - There Is A Right And A Wrong.
Genesis 4:6, 7 (NIV) Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you
angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you
not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is
crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
Genesis 4:6, 7 (CWR) So God said to Cain, "Why are you so angry?
And why is your face so distorted? 7 If you had done what you had
been told, wouldn't your offering have been accepted? If you insist
on doing things your way, you open the door for sin to control you.
With my help you could master this."
CONTEXT AND OVERVIEW
Satan is a serpent that deceives and a lion that devours (1
Pet. 5:8-9). He used Eve to tempt Adam and Cain to destroy Abel. The
two "seeds" of Genesis 3:15 came into conflict, for Cain was a child
of the devil (1 John 3:10-12), while Abel was a child of God (Matt.
28:35). Like his father, the devil, Cain was a liar and a murderer (John
8:44).
The marks of God's children are faith, hope, and love (1 Cot
13:13; 1 Thess, 1:3-4). The marks of the devil's seed are unbelief,
despair, and hatred, and they are evident in Cain.
Unbelief (1-7). When God killed animals and clothed Adam and
Eve (3:21), He taught the significance of blood sacrifice (Heb.
9:22). Cain brought the wrong sacrifice in his hands and had the wrong
attitude in his heart. His was not a sacrifice of faith, and God rejected
It. God also warned Cain that sin was lying at his door, waiting to
pounce on him.
Hatred (8). Cain's anger slowly became envy and hatred, and
then it led to murder (Matt. 5:21-26). When you start to play with
temptation, you will soon be caught (James 1:13-16). Cain was guilty of
every sin that God hates (Prov. 6:16-19).
Despair (9-24). God's question to Adam and Eve was, "Where
are you?" His question to Cain was, "Where is Abel your brother?" Do
we know where our brothers and sisters are? Do we care? Or are we
making excuses, as Cain did? [Chapter by Chapter Bible Commentary by
Warren Wiersbe]
COMMENTARY APPLICATION
He was the firstborn child. Ever. His mom and dad had a taste
of Paradise, and they had even walked with God. But at harvest,
when Cain offered gifts to the Lord, they were rejected. And Cain
became very angry. What made it even more irritating for Cain was that
God readily accepted a gift from his little brother, Abel. The Bible
doesn't say specifically why Cain's gift wasn't worthy. But we get a
hint when we read that Abel's gift was top-notch--the "best of the
firstborn lambs from his flock" (Genesis 4:4). Maybe Cain skimped and did
not give his best to God. Maybe his heart just wasn't in the right
place.
Whatever the case, God spoke directly to Cain and gave some
pretty clear instruction to him and to the billions of people to come.
When God talked about doing "what is right," he was telling us a few
things worth remembering: There is right and wrong. We can know it. We
have a choice. We need to choose what is right. And there are
consequences if we don't! What's more, Genesis 4:7 also tells us that
although sin is waiting to pounce, God has provided a way to face sin and
"subdue it," or be victorious over it.
We know what happened. Cain ignored the instruction,
committed the first murder, lost the ability to grow good crops, and was
banished to wander the earth without God's immediate presence. Cain can't
say he wasn't warned. Neither can we.
Cain, the oldest son of Adam and Eve and brother of Abel,
founded the city of Enoch, east of Eden. Cain's story is told in Genesis
4. [The One Year Bible Live Verse Devotional]
In bringing the offering he did, Cain denied that he was a
sinful creature under the sentence of divine condemnation. He insisted
on approaching God on the ground of personal worthiness. Instead of
accepting God's way, he offered to God the fruits of the ground which God
had cursed. He presented the product of his own toil, the work of
his own hands, and God refused to receive it (Arthur W. Pink,
Gleanings in Genesis). [AMP footnote]
Cain proposed to justify himself by his own works, to earn
salvation by his own merits. Refusing to recognize himself a sinner in
need of a savior, he offered a gift that expressed no penitence for
sin--a bloodless offering. And "without shedding of blood is no
remission," for "it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul"
(Heb. 9:22; Lev. 17:11; PP 71, 72).... God wished Cain to understand
that if he would mend his ways and live according to the divine
precepts, there would be no more reason for God to show His displeasure
and no more reason for Cain to show a disappointed and angry face.
However, if Cain would not change, but would continue in the pathway of
evil, sin would overwhelm him. The phrase "sin lieth at the door"
(like a wild beast) is probably a proverbial one (see 1 Peter 5:8).
[SDA Bible Commentary]
Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock, and of the fat
as God had commanded; and in full faith of the Messiah to come, and
with humble reverence, he presented the offering. God had respect
unto his offering. A light flashes from Heaven and consumes the
offering of Abel. Cain sees no manifestation that his is accepted. He is
angry with the Lord, and with his brother. God condescends to send an
angel to Cain to converse with him.
The angel inquires of him the reason of his anger, and
informs him that if he does well, and follows the directions God has
given, he will accept him and respect his offering. But if he will not
humbly submit to God's arrangements, and believe and obey him, he
cannot accept his offering. The angel tells Cain that it was no
injustice on the part of God, or partiality shown to Abel; but that it was
on account of his own sin, and disobedience of God's express
command, why he could not respect his offering--and if he would do well
he would be accepted of God, and his brother should listen to him,
and he should take the lead, because he was the eldest. But even
after being thus faithfully instructed, Cain did not repent. Instead
of censuring and abhorring himself to his unbelief, he still
complains of the injustice and partiality of God. And in his jealousy and
hatred he contends with Abel and reproaches him. Abel meekly points out
his brother's error, and shows him that the wrong is in himself. But
Cain hates his brother from the moment that God manifests to him the
tokens of his acceptance. His brother Abel seeks to appease his wrath
by contending for the compassion of God in saving the lives of
their parents, when he might have brought upon them immediate death.
He tells Cain that God loved them, or he would not have given his
Son, innocent and holy, to suffer the wrath which man by his
disobedience deserved to suffer. While Abel justifies the plan of God, Cain
becomes enraged and his anger increases and burns against Abel, until in
his rage he slays him. 3SG48-50
When temptation enters our hearts and minds, we either deal
with it and gain mastery over it, or it eventually leads us to sinful
actions. The time between the initial temptation and the chosen response
is critical. Much hangs in the balance.
Cain knew that God was displeased with him but pleased with
Abel. Feelings of jealous anger crept into Cain's heart, and thoughts
of murder pervaded his mind. As Cain considered what to do, God's
word came to him. God warned him that sin was waiting at the door of
his life, looking for an opportunity to enter. Now was not the time
to treat temptation lightly, not the time to assume sin would never
cause any harm. Now was the time to master the sin and renounce it
before it overcame him. Tragically, Cain did not master his sin;
instead, sin overtook him and destroyed his life.
Temptations come at unexpected moments. Sinful thoughts may
cross your mind. Selfish feelings may begin to invade your heart. The
promptings of the Holy Spirit will warn you that God is not pleased with
the direction your thoughts and feelings are taking you. At that
moment of conviction, you must master the sin that crouches at the door
of your life. Sin destroys. Sin brings death. Sin is not something
to toy with or take lightly. God's word to you is the same warning
He gave to Cain: Master the sin at the door of your life before it
brings its inevitable and disastrous consequences. Heed His caution,
and you will avoid unnecessary hardship for yourself and others.
[Experiencing God Day by Day by Henry and Richard Blackaby re Gen. 6:7]
After Cain's sacrifice was rejected, God gave him the chance to
right his wrong and try again. God even encouraged him to do this! But
Cain refused, and the rest of his life is a startling example of what
happens to those who refuse to admit their mistakes. The next time
someone suggests you are wrong, take an honest look at yourself and
choose God's way instead of Cain's... For Cain to master the sin lurking
at the entrance to his desires, he would have to give up his
jealous anger so that sin would not find a foothold in his life. Sin is
still crouching at our doors today. Like Cain, we will be victims of
sin if we do not master it. But we cannot master sin in our own
strength. Instead, we must turn to God to receive faith for ourselves and
faith and strength from other believers. The Holy Spirit will help us
master sin. This will be a lifelong battle that will not be over until
we are face to face with Christ. [Life Application SB]
Where is your pressure point today? Once you have identified it,
count on two things to be true: (1) Satan knows your weak point, and
will trip you up if you let him; (2) God knows your weak point, and
will fortify you against Satan's attacks .... if you will let him.
[Daily Walk Bible]
The only way we can "master" temptation is to "do what is
right," that is, pray for God's will and then, in his power, follow it.
[Life Recovery Devotional SB]
I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the
lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16 (NKJV)
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
Colossians 3:2 (NKJV)
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT:
Grace Notes:
http://www.e-gracenotes.org/index.php
A Better Way to Live:
http://www.itiswritten.com/betterway/
Excellent Spiritual Resource Site:
http://www.christianlifemediacenter.com/
More Spiritual Resources:
http://www.aBible.com
GREAT SITE FOR CHRIST CENTERED BIBLE STUDIES:
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies: http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
GREAT SITE FOR BIBLE MEMORIZATION RESOURCES:
The FAST Program: http://www.fast.st/fast/index.php
