Cain and Abel

Well I thought we better get an overview, maybe understand a little bit more about biblical history along with stories. I know this is late, but forgive me, college life is crazy.

I thought we could start with Cain and Abel, seeing as most of us are roughly familiar with their parents, but not so much them. Cain and Able were the children of Adam and Eve. The story is found in Genesis Chapter 4.

Genesis 4
Cain and Abel

1 Adam [a] lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. [b] She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth [c] a man." 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
6 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."
8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." [d] And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?"
"I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"
10 The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. 11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."
13 Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."
15 But the LORD said to him, "Not so [e] ; if anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the LORD's presence and lived in the land of Nod, [f] east of Eden.

Sibling rivalry, something many of us can relate to. . . but here in an extreme. Other things brought out in the story are jealousy, anger management, and punishment. Abel brought to God the best of his labors while Cain simply brought "some fruit". God was pleased with Abel for sacrificing his best for him, but not so much with Cain who just kinda gave God some stuff because he was suppose to. The intent, not the quantity, was the problem. God knew their hearts. He didn't plan on punishing Cain for not sacrificing the best of his crop, he just wan't very happy with him. Because of this though Cain gets angry.

This is the ironic part. Cain doesn't do his best but Abel does, so who suffers? Abel. His brother is jealous that God is pleased with him and blames it on his brother, not his lack of effort to please God. So he does his worst, he kills the object that he sees as an obstacle between him and God. To me this says something about conquering our fears, not simply destroying them. Learning to work with the problems in life. The punishment that Cain recieves brings this idea home. He gave him a new challenge. Cain wasn't able to be killed and wasn't able to work the land, and as much as this may seem like a terrible thing the Lord gave him mercy. And protection.

So all in all, an interesting story which has much to tell and teach about. Jealousy, sibling rivalry, and mercy.

God Bless you and yours,
your sister in Christ~Erin