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Through the Bible with Uncle Ricky — Day 4: Genesis 4

Let’s talk about it

Uncle Ricky: Well, here we are — Day 4 of 1,189. Yesterday we left Adam and Eve driven out of the garden, with cherubims and a flaming sword guarding the way back. Today, life goes on outside Eden — the first babies are born, the first offerings are brought, and sadly, the first murder is committed.

Biscuit: The first MURDER? Uncle Ricky, that’s only chapter four! That escalated fast!

Uncle Ricky: It did, Biscuit. But don’t you quit on this chapter when it gets dark, because it ends with people calling on the name of the LORD again. So let’s talk about it first — that way, when we read it, you’ll see how fast sin spreads, and how God keeps making a way anyway.

Uncle Ricky: The chapter opens with joy: “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.” Eve is hopeful. A son! Then comes his brother Abel. Two boys, two jobs — “Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.” Both honest work, friends. Nothing wrong with farming, and nothing wrong with shepherding. The trouble isn’t in their jobs. It’s in their hearts.

Biscuit: So Cain grew the food and Abel kept the sheep. Sounds like a good team to me.

Uncle Ricky: It should have been, Biscuit. In process of time, both boys bring an offering to the LORD. Cain brings “of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.” Abel brings “of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof.” Catch the difference? Abel brought the firstlings — the first and the best, not the leftovers.

Olive: He gave God the FIRST ones? Not the ones left over after he picked his favorites?

Uncle Ricky: Exactly right, Olive. And the Bible says, “And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect.” Now, God wasn’t playing favorites for no reason. Abel gave by faith, gave his best, gave what God wanted. Cain just brought something — whatever was handy from the ground.

Biscuit: So it’s not just WHAT you give — it’s HOW you give it?

Uncle Ricky: That’s it. Friend, God still knows the difference between giving Him our best and giving Him whatever’s left over. Now isn’t that something to think about before we ever open our wallets or our schedules?

Uncle Ricky: Cain’s reaction tells the whole story: “And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.” He got mad — and instead of getting mad at himself and fixing his offering, he got mad because his brother’s was accepted.

Biscuit: Wait — he got mad at ABEL? Abel didn’t do anything wrong! That’s backwards!

Uncle Ricky: Backwards is exactly what jealousy is, Biscuit — and it’s a fast poison. And look at God’s kindness right here. God doesn’t strike him down. God talks to him: “Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.”

Olive: God WARNED him first? Before he did anything bad, God tried to talk him out of it?

Uncle Ricky: He surely did, Olive. God is telling him — Cain, sin is crouching at your door like a wild animal, but you can rule over it. You don’t have to do this. Friend, God still gives that same warning before we fall, if we’ll listen. I’d call that a gift from God — a warning is mercy before judgment.

Uncle Ricky: But Cain won’t listen. “And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.” The first murder in human history — brother killing brother, out in a field, over a wounded pride. One generation out of Eden, and sin has gone from eating a piece of fruit to taking a life. Sin never stays small, friends. It grows if you feed it.

Uncle Ricky: Then comes God’s question: “Where is Abel thy brother?” And Cain’s cold answer is famous for all the wrong reasons: “I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?” Yes, Cain. Yes, you are. We all are. God says, “What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.” Abel couldn’t speak anymore — but his blood could. God hears what nobody else hears.

Olive: We ARE our brother’s keeper. That’s the answer, isn’t it? We’re supposed to look out for each other.

Uncle Ricky: That’s the answer, little lady. Judgment falls: Cain is cursed from the earth, the ground won’t yield its strength to him anymore, and he will be “a fugitive and a vagabond” in the earth. Cain cries, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.” And even then — watch this — God shows mercy inside the judgment. He sets a mark upon Cain so nobody who finds him will kill him.

Biscuit: Even after all that… God still protected him? He didn’t deserve that!

Uncle Ricky: He didn’t, Biscuit — but God gave it anyway. Now isn’t that exciting? Even a murderer couldn’t outrun God’s mercy completely.

Uncle Ricky: Cain goes out from the presence of the LORD and dwells in the land of Nod, east of Eden. He builds a city and names it after his son Enoch. His family line keeps growing: Jabal, father of those who dwell in tents and have cattle; Jubal, father of all who handle the harp and organ — the first musicians mentioned in the Bible; and Tubalcain, who works in brass and iron.

Olive: Wait — the first music in the Bible came from Cain’s family? Even they got to have music?

Uncle Ricky: They did, Olive. Civilization is growing — tents, music, tools — even in a family line walking away from God. People can build a lot of things and still be lost without Him. But violence grows in that line too. Lamech takes two wives and brags to them: “I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.” He even twists God’s protection of Cain into a boast: “If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.” Pride, boasting, violence — getting worse with every generation.

Biscuit: Seven times was bad enough. Seventy-seven times bragging is just… showing off about the wrong thing.

Uncle Ricky: It surely is. And then, just when you think the chapter will end in darkness, God does it again: “And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.” Another seed! God gave Eve Seth in Abel’s place, and through Seth’s line the promise would keep moving forward. And Seth has a son, Enos, and the chapter closes with the best news of all: “then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.”

Olive: People started praying again! After everything sad that happened, they called on the LORD.

Uncle Ricky: People praying again. People worshiping again. Doesn’t that make you feel great? Abel is gone, Cain is gone — but God is not done. Not by a long sight.

A question to think about while you read

When God warns you that sin is lying at your door, will you rule over it like God told Cain he could — or will you open the door and let it in?

Biscuit: Uncle Ricky, will you read the chapter to us?

Uncle Ricky: I sure will, Biscuit. Genesis 4.

Now read the chapter — Genesis 4 (KJV)

1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?
10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.
11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;
12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
16 And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch: and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.
18 And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech.
19 And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle.
21 And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.
22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.
23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.
24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.
26 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.

Cain’s story warns us what jealousy can do — but Seth’s story reminds us God always raises up another seed and keeps His promise moving.

Tomorrow: Genesis 5 — the generations from Adam to Noah, and a man who walked with God. See you there.

— Uncle Ricky

If today’s reading reminds you to give God your first and your best, take a look at the Proverbs 3:5 shirt in the shop — “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart.” A good reminder to wear and share.