Monday, 22 October 2007 10:33  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Cain & Abel

When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground. Genesis 4:2

Abel is a shepherd. He wanders from place to place, travelling wherever there is food for his flocks, never knowing where he will end up next.

Cain has chosen to settle down. Everything he needs is now close at hand and, unlike Abel, he can store up food and accumulate belongings.

How do you think their lifestyles affected their dependence upon God?

Tuesday, 23 October 2007 11:01  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Cain & Abel

When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the Lord. Abel also brought a gift-the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. Genesis 4:3-4

Abel's offering is costly. Offering the first lambs to be born from his flock demonstrates he trusts God to provide the second and third sets of lambs for Abel to live off.

Abel is requiring God to come through for him.

Cain's offering is casual. He only gives God some of his crops.

Cain is just going through the motions.

Wednesday, 24 October 2007 11:03  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Cain & Abel

The Lord accepted Abel and his gift, but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected. Genesis 4:4-5

Cain's gift reflects his character and his relationship with God. God's lack of acceptance of Cain and his gift is meant to initiate a change in Cain's life.

Thursday, 25 October 2007 11:06  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Cain & Abel

Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 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." Genesis 4:6-7

Why are you angry? God is giving Cain a wake-up call. All Cain needed to do was to give himself a spiritual check-up and recognise his need for God's correction.

Why is your face downcast? But like us, he didn't like his character being questioned. He takes it as rejection and begins to wallow in resentment and jealousy towards his brother.

Friday, 26 October 2007 11:08  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Cain & Abel

One day Cain suggested to his brother, "Let's go out into the fields." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him. Genesis 4:8

Sin slowly leads us to the places we don't want to go. It shapes us into people we don't want to be. But we always have a choice. If we choose to entertain sin we and others we care about get hurt. God challenges our sin because he wants to bring life, and not death, into our relationships.

Saturday, 27 October 2007 11:11  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Cain & Abel

"I don't know," Cain responded. "Am I my brother's guardian?" Genesis 4:9

If this had been me I would have gone straight for the "what have you done?" approach. But not God. Even in the midst of great tragedy (the very first murder), God remains the God of the second chance.

Own up. Repent.

There is still a chance for you...

Like we often do, Cain chose to remain in darkness rather than enter the light.

Sunday, 28 October 2007 11:14  |  Written by Steve Hall [a] and posted in Cain & Abel

Cain lay with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. Genesis 4:17

As punishment, Cain is cursed to be a restless wanderer. Cain finds this harsh, but God is aware that Cain's life as a farmer has caused pride and independence to rise up within his character.

A wandering Cain may find God once more.

However, here we find Cain building a city. He has chosen to live independently of God.