Cain And Abel

by McCormick, F. | Category: Types And Shadows In Genesis | Feb 1955

We are in no doubt as to the historical accuracy of the story of Cain and Abel as found in Genesis 4. The greatest, and most reliable of all witnesses, the Lord Himself, bears testimony to "Abel the righteous" in Matthew 23.35, as also does the Holy Spirit in the epistles, Hebrews ii. 4 and 12.24; 1 John 3.11. 12; Jude 11. We accept implicitly the Genesis account of the fall of man and the entrance of sin (Romans 5.). It was of sinful parents, outside of Eden, that Cain and Abel were born. When Cain was born Eve said, "I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD." Cain means "acquisition," and it may have been her fond hope that she was now possessed of the promise of Genesis 3.15, but alas, alas, in bitterness and sorrow her hopes were crushed in what followed. Again she bare Abel, his brother. Abel means "a breath," "a vapour," and the truth of Genesis 3.19 seems here implied. Mortality is the result of sin. In parentage, environment, instruction and opportunity, both Cain and Abel shared alike.

The story of the entrance of sin, and the need for sacrifice, would be, no doubt, conveyed to them by their parents. God judges men by the measure of light given, whether in creation or revelation, through the law or the gospel.

In process of time, as they reached maturity, Cain and Abel appear before God at the altar. The truth of sacrifice as revealed in Genesis 3.21 should have been to them a guide, for there can be no satisfactory covering before God, except on the ground of blood-shedding.

"Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground." The products of nature, however skilfully displayed by human ingenuity, are insufficient; the fig leaf aprons gave place to the skins of animals slain, for God's way of covering the sinner is through sacrificial death.

Cain, in spite of this knowledge, brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD, the result of self-choice, and in self-will. Abel, by faith, took the way of divine revelation, but Cain refused that and took the devil's way. - Free-will is man's God-given prerogative, but men will be accountable for their choice according to the light they have. Abel's offering involved the shedding of blood. In these two brothers we see that which is characteristic of two streams of humanity all down the line of time.

In Cain we see a type of the religious man of the world, prepared to pay homage to the Deity by the works of his hands, and according to his own devisings, while still refusing God's way of salvation. He was an unbeliever.

He saw no need for bloodshedding in sacrifice, for he had no regard for God, or His claims. He believed the serpent's lie and, like many of his seed, if he comes to God at all, it is patronisingly, to present his gifts, the fruits of a cursed earth. Those in the "way of Cain "today are likewise often seen presenting to God the best of a condemned human nature in religious garb and ceremonies, while despising God's way of salvation through the blood of Christ.

In Abel there is the type of the believer, the humble possessor of salvation based upon the substitutionary character of the victim of the altar, dying in his stead. Cain was of the evil one, but Abel, the righteous, was justified by faith. Strange as it may seem, the great divide of the human race began at the altar. It is so still, the cross of Christ divides between the believer and the unbeliever, the true possessor and the empty professor; the children of God and the children of the evil one; the true worshippers, and the false worshippers.

"By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain " (Hebrews 11. 4). It was more excellent because it answered the divine requirements of the will of God, and was offered in faith. It was, in fact, a type of Christ, the Lamb of God, who was to be the altar-victim bearing the sin of the world, the "one sacrifice for sins for ever" (Hebrews 10.12). Abel accounted himself a sinner doomed to death, God accounted him righteous by virtue of his faith in the death of the sacrifice, to which God had respect. " The firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof" found acceptance with God, and pointed on to the giving of God's best, and those inherent excellencies of Christ which were of infinite delight to the heart of God.

"God bearing witness in respect of his gifts; and through it he being dead yet speaketh"(Hebrews 11.4).

God approved and accepted Abel's offering, and Abel stands at the head of a long line of men of faith, and faithful martyrs. Through his sacrifice, offered in faith, Abel still speaks. Faith in Christ is a prerequisite to a life of faith; we must start at the altar, where the flesh is condemned and judged, and know that through the cross or our Lord Jesus Christ, "the world hath been crucified unto us, and we unto the world" (Galatians 6.14). The example of Abel teaches how the man of faith should live and die, in stedfast loyalty to the principles of righteousness. Cain made a fatal mistake in disbelieving divine revelation, and challenging God's way of salvation. In self-will he maintained his view point in spite of every entreaty. "Unto Cain and to his offering He (God) had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell" (Genesis 4. 5): Cain apparently maintaining that his own way and means of offering were right, constituted himself a judge of his Maker; such is the arrogance of those that are after the flesh. "Because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be: and they that are in the flesh cannot please God" (Romans 8.7, 8).

In w6ndrous grace God intreats Cain, "If thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted?" God's acceptation of men is based upon men's acceptation of His way of salvation, but Cain was not prepared to admit his sinnership, or his need of a sin-offering, consequently he flouted God's word. "If thou doest not well sin coucheth at the door." The word " sin may mean either the" or " itself; here it would seem to indicate that sin would overtake him in judgement. The greatest of all sins in the rejection of the Sin Offering of Calvary; from that sin there can be no escape (John 3 18 36) Cain, the rejector of God 5 salvation realizes that he is rejected by God, and hatred burns in his bosom toward his brother who is accepted of God. With independent pride like his father the devil, the first born of the human race became the murderer of his brother Abel "And wherefore slew he him? Because his works were evil and his brother's righteous (1 John 3.12). Marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you" (1 John 3.13).

Doth not nature itself teach you? A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit, neither could Cain, who was of the evil one. He stands at the head of a long line of persecutors of the godly; for the lives of the righteous in all generations have been a witness against the wicked, and the fires of hatred have burned fiercely throughout the centuries against God's saints Countless thousands have been martyred for their testimony and faithfulness to God and this will continue to the coming of the Son of Man. Political and religious persecution will vet claim unnumbered martyrs (Revelation 20.4, and 17.6). Nevertheless God will avenge the blood of His servants as surely as He will avenge the blood of Abel (Revelation 19. 2).

The small trickle of the stream of human blood shed by Cain is seen like a mighty torrent at the end. Cain added to his already full cup by telling lies "Where is Abel thy brother? " "I know not am I my brother's keeper? " The seed of the devil are like their father. "He was a murderer from the beginning ...he is a liar, and the father thereof" (John 8. 44) Lies and murder are the stock in-trade of the evil one It was this foul brood a generation and offspring of vipers, the religious hypocrites with lies and murder in their hearts, who by the hands of lawless men crucified " the Prince of life." From this generation will be required the blood of the righteous, from the blood of Abel onward. How true of them are the words, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do" (John 8.44; Luke 11.45, 52).

We may briefly note the fallacy of the doctrine of "the brotherhood of man," propagated by both political and religious organisations. There has never been such a thing from the beginning, i.e , in the sense that all men are alike in their relationship, outlook, and destiny Am I my brother's keeper? "are the words of the first man born into this world, and this cleavage in the race of men typified in Cain and Abel, has divided it into two classes If there is a brotherhood of man of the world, it is dominated by "the prince of the power of the air (the devil), of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 2. 2) But in the light of Titus 3. 3 the term brotherhood is a misnomer "Living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another," and this is characteristic of the world to day

The scriptural designation "the brotherhood (1 Peter 2 17), refers only to those who are born again and are dwelling together in unity according to the will of God (See Psalm 133)

Cain went out from the LORD'S presence unrepentant, a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, under the judgement which God reserved in His own hands. Without God, Cain went forth to get the best out of this world by human effort. "And he builded a city." "Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names" (Psalm 49.11). Cain named his city Enoch after his son.

The man of faith looks for "the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God." "We have not here an abiding city, but we seek after the city which is to come " (Hebrews 11. 10; 13.14). The eye of faith penetrates to things not seen as yet, and is prepared patiently to endure in stedfast obedience. The descendants of Cain manifested characteristics in life which remain to this day. Contrary to divine decree (Genesis 2.24), "Lamech took unto him two wives" (Genesis 4.19). The floods of tears and sorrow which have flowed as a consequence of disregarding God's word in marital relationship are beyond telling. The words of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 19.5,6 are authoritative, and for believers today should be considered in the light of Romans 7.1, 2, and 1 Corinthians 7.39.

Moreover Lamech boasts in his defiance of the laws of God, and sheds human blood without cause, he says, "I have slain a man for wounding me, and a young man for bruising me" (Genesis 4.23). Little wonder that very soon, "all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth," "and the earth was filled with violence" (Genesis 6.11, 12). Do not these same characteristics exist in the world today? If restraint was removed, such would be manifest in all their heiniousness. Lawlessness, corruption and violence are largely under cover, and will be unleashed in all their horror when occasion arises.

Tubal Cain was "the forger of every cutting instrument of brass and iron," and man has used this art in the development of fearful weapons of destruction designed to destroy each other all down the line of time.

The climax of this fearful tendency may be seen in "the man of sin," "the lawless one" (2 Thessalonians 2.), the beast, of whom it is said. "Who is like unto the beast? and who is able to war with him? " (Revelation 13. 4). This military genius will also be the slayer of countless thousands of the faithful who will be "beheaded for the testimony of Jesus, and for the word of God" (Revelation 20.4). Thus those in the way of Cain run their course, finally to be brought under the judgement of God (Revelation 19.19-21).

And what of Jubal? "He was the father of all such as handle the harp and pipe" (Genesis 4.21). Here is the origin of music in a world without God. How well the great strategist, Satan, has succeeded in lulling to sleep a godless world. The blare of so-called "music" for the worldling, listened to daily over the radio, or the captivating appeal of the pipe organ in so-called sacred music in church or cathedral, for the emotional and religious minded, are alike, instruments in the devil's hand to satisfy the minds of men without the knowledge of the cleansing and sanctifying power of the blood of Christ.

Alas! that children of God should be captivated by either, in this day of divine revelation of His desire for "a spiritual house ... to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2.5)

The example of Abel shews us the man of faith, who lived and died in faith. May it be ours to emulate his godly life in faithfulness to God. May our righteous lives, like his, speak, not only while we live, but also (if the Lord should not come) as those whose faith is in .Christ Jesus our hope after we leave this scene of testimony. So that it may be true of us also "He being dead yet speaketh."

McCormick, F. | Feb 1955
Types And Shadows In Genesis