Introduction: I’ve noticed a shift in culture as I’ve grown older.
When I was growing up in rural Christian America, people were either
Christians or rebels, and the rebels generally acknowledged it. The
rebels did not claim to be good, they were what they were. These
days all sorts of people claim to be “spiritual.” People, who in
the old days were simply rebels, now claim that they have a personal
moral code that is superior to that set out in the Bible. Our lesson
this week is about claiming a spirituality outside that sanctioned
by God. Since we find this starting in Genesis, perhaps the “shift
in culture” I previously mentioned, is merely a shift in my
understanding. Let’s jump into our study of the Bible and learn
more!
- The Parents’ Regret
- Read Genesis 4:1. Imagine the joy and wonder at the first
birth in the history of humanity! To whom did Eve give
credit? (God.) - You know the story of the fall of humans into sin
(Genesis 3), how do you think Adam and Eve explained
that to Cain? - Do you think they were still blaming someone
else for the fall? (See Genesis 3:12-13.) - If you were Adam or Eve, what would you emphasize in
Cain’s religious education? (Obedience to God?) - What do you think Adam and Eve told Cain was the
worst effect of their sin? (Not living in the
presence of God?) - Two Sons, Two Sacrifices
- Read Genesis 4:2-5. If I am correct that Cain was raised
with the notion that he should obey, how do you explain
his sacrifice? If you were Cain, how would you justify
your choice of offering? (Diversity! Everyone has
different talents, gifts and abilities. I will give God
what is meaningful to me – what reflects my talents and
labors. There are many roads to sacrifice, and I will
take the road that is consistent with who I am.) - Read Leviticus 17:11. What about the blood sacrifice
makes it the only adequate sacrifice? (We do not see
a clear instruction to Adam and Eve and their
children about how to sacrifice. However, the
report of being naked as a result of sin (Genesis
3:6-7) and God’s provision of leather clothes (the
death of the animal to cover the sin of the humans –
Genesis 3:21) reveal God’s plan. No doubt God gave
instructions, it was just not recorded in the
Bible.) - Let’s revisit Genesis 4:5. If Cain is not obeying God,
why is he upset? (He must have some reason for believing
he is right. That suggests that he truly believed the
“diversity of gifts” was an appropriate response to God’s
specific (and contrary) instructions.) - Read Genesis 4:6-7. What does this tell us about the
nature of God’s instructions about worship to Cain?
(God’s statements reveal that Cain knew better. He knew
what to do. God says the matter is simple: obey! No doubt
this sounded just like his parents.) - What is the alternative to obedience for Cain? (Cain
will be mastered by sin.) - Why does God describe sin as if it is a living
creature? A predator of some type? (The prior
chapter describes Satan as an animal seeking to
deceive Eve. Genesis 3:1-5. Sin is not passive, it
is a predator.) - The provision of leather clothing and the Leviticus
17:11 explanation of blood atonement show us that
righteousness by faith, and not personal works, is
already in place as God’s plan. If that is true, why
is God so particular about Cain’s sacrifice?
(Salvation is not a “multiple path” plan. Either
you offer a blood sacrifice, or you have no
acceptable sacrifice.) - Look again at Genesis 4:7. How is this consistent with
grace – righteousness by faith? How can God tell humans
to “master” sin? (Grace is a choice. We can either live a
life in which we accept God’s word and attempt to live in
accord with it, or we can make up our own rules that
conform to our own sense of right and wrong, and ignore
God’s rules. Grace involves a choice.) - The Results of The Wrong Sacrifice
- Read Genesis 4:8-9. How do you explain this? How did
Cain logically get from God’s reproof to premeditated
murder? (This gives us a clear vision of those who accept
righteousness by faith and those who do not. If Cain had
simply said, “Okay God, I sinned, I’ll follow your
direction” he would have been fine. Instead, he not only
continued to rebel against God, he was angry with his
brother who did obey. The obedience of Abel was a rebuke
to Cain. (And you wonder why the national media is
hostile to those who seek to obey the Bible!) The two
attitudes represented by the two sons are radically
different.) - Read Genesis 4:10-12. What do you think about the
judgment imposed by God? - Would you have been more severe?
- What, exactly, is Cain’s punishment? (He can no
longer be a farmer. He will be a “hunter-gatherer”
who roams around.) - Does this accord with any punishment imposed by
God in these days? (We see humans who, as the
result of the disgrace of sin, are driven from
careers that they love.) - Read Genesis 4:13-14. Has Cain repented? (He never says
that he is sorry for the murder. He argues that his
punishment is excessive. He worries that someone other
than God will execute judgment on him.) - Notice his other complaint: that he will be outside
the presence of God. Does this show he is genuinely
repentant? (I believe that Adam and Eve’s greatest
regret was their separation from God. No doubt they
shared this regret with Cain when he was growing up.
Suddenly, Cain remembers this, and it dawns on him
that he has fallen into the same hole – only
deeper.) - Read Genesis 4:15-16. How do you explain God’s justice?
Should He not have killed Cain right then? (This shows
God’s love and grace even to someone who does not seem to
repent.) - Read Genesis 4:14 and Genesis 4:17. Those who resist
worshiping God as the Creator point to these two verses
to indicate that the Bible does not contain a literal
account of creation. Where did we get all of these other
people? They say, “Adam and Eve are just symbolic of many
other people God created (or let evolve).” How would you
explain this? (Read Genesis 4:2-3. Notice “later she gave
birth” (which allows for the birth of daughters before
Abel) and “in the course of time,” which informs us that
an unstated period of time passed with no description of
the events taking place. There is no reason why this
period of time could not have been 200 years – enough for
a population to arise.) - After reading this story, how would you describe God’s
view on the diverse paths to salvation? (We are shown a
loving and merciful God, but a God who has rules and who
enforces them.) - Abraham
- Read Genesis 12:1-3. Would you leave if you were Abram?
(These are some wonderful incentives to move!) - Why do you think God wanted Abram to relocate? (This
introduces the idea of separation. Those who worship
God need to have some space from those who are
hostile to the worship of God.) - Read Matthew 9:10-13. How do we reconcile these two
pictures? (God calls us to evangelize the world, not
attack it. But, He desires for us to have some
separation from the world.) - Read Genesis 22:1-2 and Leviticus 20:1-3. What argument
would you make against obedience if you were Abraham?
(God promised me many descendants! God asked me to be
separate, yet this is exactly the kind of thing done by
the world.) - Read Genesis 22:3-5. Is Abraham lying to his servants
about Isaac returning? - Read Genesis 22:6-8. Is Abraham lying to Isaac?
- Read Genesis 22:9-14. Did God provide the sacrifice as
Abraham promised Isaac? (Yes!) - How does this story have any parallel to the Cain story?
(Both involve obedience. Cain was called to obey over his
personal preferences. Abraham was called to obey even
when it made no theological sense.) - What do we learn from Abraham? (Abraham did not
believe God would have him kill his son. Yet he
continued to walk in obedience.) - As you consider the gospel story, what other lesson do we
find in the Abraham and Isaac story? (God gave up His
Son. Our God has two attributes, incredible love for us,
and the expectation of our obedience.) - Friend, are you tempted to ignore one of God’s rules
because it is out of step with the current culture or the
practical aspects of your life? Will you today ask the
Holy Spirit to give you the attitude of Abraham, that you
will obey God regardless of whether it is popular or
convenient? - Next week: Worship and the Exodus: Understanding Who God Is.
