I am very glad that when God wrote the Bible and He included real life stories of men and women. By examining these stories closely, we can mine gems of spiritual truths. These truths are echoed throughout the Bible. Take the story of Adam and his family.
1) Sin creeps in when there are disbelief and disobedience
Despite God’s clear prohibition concerning the tree in the midst of the garden, some words from Satan were enough to cast doubts in Eve’s mind. She rationalized that the tree was good for food and so ate the fruit and gave some to Adam. That act of disobedience opened their eyes to evil. For the first time they knew what it was to be evil, to feel shame and so they hid from God. Do we take God at His word? The last words of Jesus on the cross was “It is finished.”. Do we accept His work on the cross as completed? Or are we still doing things to supplement His work for our salvation?
2) God wants our best
God accepted Abel’s sin offering of the first born of his flock and their fat because it was offered in faith (Hebrews 11:4), which required a shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22). Cain’s offering of fruits from the ground while acceptable in his own eyes was not acceptable to God. Just as Abel made his sacrifice by faith, we accept Jesus’s death and resurrection by faith and are made right with God (Romans 3:22).
3) God offers second chances
God graciously offered Cain a second chance to bring an acceptable sin offering. Genesis 4:7 (NLT) reads, “You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”. The Bible has many examples of people who received second chances: Jonah, Samson, David, Peter and others. God’s kindness is meant to lead one to repentance (Romans 2:4).
4) God offers more grace
Murder most foul! Brother kills brother! The Judge pronounced judgement. Cain because of his pride refused to accept God’s gracious offer and being unable to vent his fury on God turned on Abel and murdered him (Genesis 4:8). But God continued to show more grace: He pronounced judgement on Cain but spared his life. God could have demanded a life for a life, but it seemed that He had other plans for Cain and his descendants (Genesis 4: 16 – 24). That God spared Cain’s life and put a protective mark on Cain before sending him into exile shows that He loves even an unrepentant sinner. We have a God that desires that all be saved (1 Timothy 2:4).
5) Sin has a price
Adam and Eve because of their disobedience were sent out of the Garden of Eden. Before that, God made them garments of animal skin (a blood sacrifice). Cain was separated from the rest of his human family and was under exile. Sin results in separation from God. Today, because of what the Lord Jesus has done on the cross, we no longer have to be separated from God and remain a slave to sin. By accepting His offer of salvation, we have been set free from sin and become slaves of God (Romans 6:22). He will make us a kingdom of priests for God, His father! (Revelation 1:6)
(References: WWBI Old Testament History, gotquestions.org)
Brother Yeo Khirn Siew
