1c Another Sin [Genesis 4:1-16]
The Bible passage: [Genesis 4:1-16]
The Story:
Adam and Eve were intimate and had a son. They named him Cain. They had another son and named him Abel.
Cain became a farmer. Abel became a shepherd.
One day Cain brought some of the produce of his land as an offering to the Lord. Abel also brought an offering, but his offering was the best of his flock.
God was pleased with Abel’s offering, but not with Cain and his offering. God asked Cain, “Why are you so downcast? Won’t you be accepted if you do what is right? But if you don’t do right, don’t you know that sin is waiting at your door and looking to become your master?”
Cain told Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were there, Cain attacked his brother and killed him.”
Later God asked Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
Cain replied, “How should I know? Am I my brother’s guardian?”
God told Cain that his brother’s blood was crying out to Him from the ground. God told him that because he had used the ground to hide his brother’s body, the ground would never again give him a crop and that he would wander the earth until his death.
Cain said that the punishment was too severe and that someone would kill him as he wandered over the earth.
God put a mark on Cain so no one would ever kill him and said that anyone who killed Cain would suffer vengeance seven times over.
The Lessons:
- Cain sinned in a few different ways in this story: he gave God less than his best; he was jealous of his brother; he murdered his brother. God showed mercy to Cain by not taking his life to pay for Abel’s life. God showed grace to Cain by promising to protect him for the rest of his life. Despite being forgiven by God, he still had to live with the punishment of losing his vocation as a farmer.
- An offering is something of value that is given to God. A sacrifice is one kind of offering, but an offering can be anything of value, such as crops or money.
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