# 30 2022 Dev. Genesis 4:9 My Brother’s Keeper! Read chapter four first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story. How will it affect yours? All passages are taken from the NIV.
Genesis 4:9 “Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel? ‘I don’t know,’ he replied. ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’”
Back ground: We began at the beginning. A lot can be unpacked from the first sentence of Scripture, perhaps a whole book. But we will give only a short introduction: whatever people perceive the Scriptures to be it is first and foremost an account of God’s love in His relationship with people through Christ Jesus. God’s plan included Jesus as our Savior from the very beginning, Gen 3:15.
Ge. 4 From peace and harmony to conflict; jealousy, comparison, rebellion and murder. The human heart now has the capacity for good and evil, but we have the the ability to choose. People today blame social structure, poverty, racism, whatever the affect may be on people it still comes down to choice. In chapter 4 we see two choices being made.
Vs.1-5 Two of Eve’s children are mentioned here, but already in this chapter, seven generations are mentioned, wives, brothers and sisters, indicating a long period of time and many more children here unto not mentioned. Scripture here is concentrating on the results of the fall; good and evil choices, not on a clear genealogy. “Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering…” Worship of God was carried out from the beginning. Some commentators, suggest that Abel’s offering was accepted because blood was shed. I think that it was a matter of the heart, Cain’s heart was not right with God,
V.6 Is the heart of this chapter, God said: ‘if you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.’” As mentioned before, desire and rule basically are the same word. God warned Cain to make the right choice.
Vs.8-16 Cain listens to Satan and choses to kill his brother, he is completely rebellious, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’” A rebellious reply, Yes, Cain you are your brother’s keeper, followers of Jesus would say! God punishes Cain, rightly so. God says: ‘You will be a restless wander on the earth.’” God does not let him of the hook, God’s Word goes out at that time, that no one must kill Cain. Even in punishment Cain is rebellious, later we see he builds a city, a permanent place, and he moves east of Eden, the land of Nod, a land of wandering, apparently, away from God’s presence.
Vs.17-22 Very quickly society develops, herding, music, iron works, and tools. Another aberration is introduced, polygamy, in opposition to God’s plan for man: “that is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”
V.23-24 even though great progress is being made in society, and quality of life is improved, Cain’s offspring is repeating the bad choices of the past. Lamech is a rebellious braggart; he kills a young man; ‘if Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.’” Jesus uses that very statement to highlight the importance and permanence of forgiveness. In Cain’s line there was no forgiveness.
V.25 God gives Adam and Eve another son, Seth, a God fearing man like Abel. Abel’s blood, v.10, continues to cry out from the ground, accusing all who commit violence, (Lk. 11: 50-51, Heb. 11:4, 12:24). The killings in our land and Russia in Ukraine comes to mind.
Adam, Eve, Seth and Enoch, is the God fearing generation, and genealogy. “At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord.” Like Cain, getting away from God’s presence is easily done today, but the people of God continue to call on the name of the Lord and God continues to bless us even in a broken world. Praise be to God!
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Heavenhigh 