I just finished reading the story of Cain and Abel for the thirtieth time and I can’t help but feel for Cain.
Right after the Great Rebellion (Gen. 3) Adam and Eve are feeling pretty crummy (not in the text but I’m probably right). They get a burst of joy by having children. But just as sin bested the first two humans, the second two are about to be it’s next victim.
One will spiritually be destroyed by their sin, the other will be killed because of sin.
Cain and Able offer their sacrifices to the LORD, but only one is excepted. The LORD speaks to Cain saying, “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” Genesis 4:7
Just like their parents, they had the monster of sin waiting to destroy them. Cain has no chance. Immediately after God speaks to him and calls him to, “rule over it,” Cain goes on and kills his brother in cold blood.
The first born ever in the history of humanity is a killer. The 2nd born is murdered. The curse of the fall and the power of sin is devastating and active.
I say that I feel for Cain because Cain doesn’t have Jesus. All of us have “sin crouching around the door,” but the difference for the Christian is, Romans 8:13. “So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
We have power to rule over sin by the Spirit! This is awesome! We don’t have to be a casualty to sin like Cain was! We can rule over it!
The most painful part of this story is one line during Cain’s sentencing of punishment, “From your face I shall be hidden” (Gen. 4:14).
This is the worst effect of the fall and the worst punishment of sin,
You don’t get to see and be with Him…
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