Read Genesis 4:3-8. What is the process that led Cain to kill his brother? See also 1 John 3:12.

Cain’s reaction is twofold: “Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell” (Genesis 4:5, NKJV). Cain’s anger was directed, it appears, at God and at Abel. Cain was angry with God because he thought that he was the victim of an injustice and angry with Abel because he was jealous of his brother. Jealous of what? Just the offering? Certainly, more was going on behind the scenes than what is revealed in these few texts. Whatever the issues, Cain was depressed because his offering had not been accepted.

Cain slays Abel

God’s two questions in Genesis 4:6 are related to Cain’s two conditions. Note that God does not accuse Cain. As with Adam, God asks questions, not because He doesn’t know the answers, but because He wants Cain to look at himself and then understand the reason for his own condition. As always, the Lord seeks to redeem His fallen people, even when they openly fail Him. Then, after asking these questions, God counsels Cain.

First, God urges Cain to “do well,” to behave the right way. It is a call for repentance and to change his attitude. God promises Cain that he will be “accepted” and forgiven. In a sense He is saying that Cain can have acceptance with God, but it must be done on God’s terms, not Cain’s.

On the other hand, “if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it” (Genesis 4:7, NKJV). God’s counsel has revealed the root of sin, and it is found in Cain himself. Here, again, God is counseling Cain, seeking to guide him in the way he should go.

God’s second word of counsel concerns the attitude to take toward this sin, which lies at the door and whose “desire is for you.” God recommends self-control: “You should rule over it.” The same principle resonates in James, when he explains that “each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed” (James 1:14, NKJV). The gospel offers us the promise of not only the forgiveness of sin but victory over it as well. (See 1 Corinthians 10:13.) In the end, Cain had no one to blame for his sin but himself. Isn’t it generally that way with all of us as well?

<–Monday Wednesday–>

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Key Thought: After the fall, we see the birth of Cain, the firstborn son, which Eve saw as a fulfillment of the Messiah of hope. But the next events of the crime of Cain, shortened life, and increasing evil fulfilled the curse in Genesis 3.
April 16, 2022

1. Have a volunteer read Genesis 4:1-5 ; Hebrews 11:4.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
2. What do we learn from these passages about the birth of the two sons?
3. Personal Application: What things are truly vapor that we treat as if they mattered much more than they do? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states, “Why did Adam and Eve misunderstand what God had promised them? Are we susceptible to misunderstand God’s word and promises in our lives? Why isn’t God more specific in His word so that we don’t misunderstand or misapply it?” How would you respond to your relative?

2. Have a volunteer read Genesis Genesis 4:3-8 ; I John 3:12.

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What is the process that led Cain to kill his brother?
3. Personal Application: What does this story tell us about free will and how God does not force the will and make people do things against their will? Share your thoughts
4. Case Study: One of your friends states, “Didn’t God harden the heart of Pharoah? Didn’t He lead Judas toi betray Christ? Doesn’t God make people do things to fulfill His purposes?” How would you respond to your friend?

3. Have a volunteer read Genesis 4:9-16.

1. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
2. Why does God ask Cain the question, “Where is your brother?” How did Cain’s sin cause him to be a fugitive and vagabond on the earth?
3. Personal Application: What is the only way that we, as sinners, can keep from being “hidden” from His face? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: One of your relatives states: “Why did Cain say, I shall be hidden from your face? Wasn’t salvation and forgiveness available to Cain as well as all who have gone astray and did wrong things? Was Cain lost because he was judged by a different standard in the Old Testament than we are in the New?” How would you respond to your relative?

4. Have a volunteer read Genesis 4:17-24..

1. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
2. What was Cain’s legacy and how did his crime open the way for the wickedness of mankind?
3. Personal Application: How can we learn to put sin from our lives through God’s power? Share your thoughts.
4. Case Study: Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.

(Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).

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The book of Genesis offers us so many and vast topics from which to choose a theme hymn. As we are starting at the very beginning, I would like to give praise to our Creator of heaven and earth in singing
Hymn 320 – Lord of Creation and
Hymn 2 – All Creatures of Our God and King.
The stories that follow creation will lean back towards our amazing God and what He has done for each of us in creation.

This week we are reminded once again that
Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise – Hymn 21 is what the human race continues to forget all too quickly. The closing statement on Sabbath afternoon’s study brings us to sing
Hymn 522 – My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less.

Ellen G White in The Desire of Ages p.31 unfolds the wishes of Adam and Eve that they will give birth to the child who will be the Deliverer from the sin when they welcomes their first-born son. We desire this Strong Deliverer to return and take us home in
Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah – Hymn 538 (verse 2). The Messiah came to earth, and it won’t be too long and we will see Him come and shout
Lo! He Comes – Hymn 211.

Tuesday ends with the encouragement that not only do have “forgiveness of sin but also victory over it” –
Hymn 608 – Faith Is the Victory.

As “Enoch walked with God” (Genesis 5:22, 24) so we request this in
Hymn 554 – O Let Me Walk with Thee (Friday – Ellen G White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 86)

God’s abundant blessings as we study through the first book of the Bible which our gracious God has given. May we be faithful and all say “Come, Lord Jesus, come – very soon” so we are able to go to our new home in Heaven, as
We Have This Hope – Hymn 214.

To learn unknown hymns, you will find the accompaniment music for each one at: https://sdahymnals.com/Hymnal/

Another great resource is for when there is a hymn you wish to sing, but can’t find it in your hymnal. Go to https://www.sdahymnal.org and in the search bar type a special word in that is in the hymn. I am sure you will be amazed at the help you will be given.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

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The contrast between Cain and Abel, as reflected in their names, did not just concern their personalities; it was also manifested in their respective occupations. While Cain was “a tiller of the ground” (Genesis 4:2, NKJV), a profession requiring physical hard work, Abel was “a keeper of sheep” (Genesis 4:2, NKJV), a profession implying sensitivity and compassion.

Cain was the producer of the fruit of the ground. Abel the keeper of the sheep. These two occupations not only explain the nature of the two offerings (fruit of the ground from Cain and a sheep from Abel) — they also account for the two different psychological attitudes and mentalities associated with the two offerings: Cain was working to “acquire” the fruit he would produce, while Abel was careful to “keep” the sheep he had received.

Read Genesis 4:1-5 and Hebrews 11:4. Why did God accept Abel’s offering and reject Cain’s offering? How are we to understand what happened here?

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“Without the shedding of blood there could be no remission of sin; and they [Cain and Abel] were to show their faith in the blood of Christ as the promised atonement by offering the firstlings of the flock in sacrifice. Besides this, the first fruits of the earth were to be presented before the Lord as a thank offering.” — Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 71.

While Abel complied with God’s instructions and offered the vegetable offering in addition to the animal burnt offering, Cain neglected to do so. He didn’t bring an animal to be sacrificed, but only an offering of “the fruit of the ground.” It was an act of open disobedience, in contrast to the attitude of his brother. This story has often been viewed as a classic case of salvation by faith (Abel and his blood offering) in contrast to an attempt to earn salvation by works (Cain and his fruit of the ground).

Although these offerings must have had spiritual significance, they did not have any magic value in themselves. They were always merely symbols, images, pointing to the God who provided the sinner not only sustenance but also redemption.

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

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Read Genesis 4:1-2. What do we learn from these passages about the births of the two males?

The first event recorded by the biblical author immediately after Adam’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden is a birth. In the Hebrew phrase in Genesis 4:1, the words “the LORD” (YHWH) are directly linked to the words “a man,” as the following literal translation indicates: “I have acquired a man, indeed the LORD Himself.” It is rendered by the International Standard Version as: “I have given birth to a male child — the LORD.”

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This literal translation suggests that Eve remembers the Messianic prophecy of Genesis 3:15 and believes that she has given birth to her Savior, the LORD. “The Saviour’s coming was foretold in Eden. When Adam and Eve first heard the promise, they looked for its speedy fulfillment. They joyfully welcomed their first-born son, hoping that he might be the Deliverer.” — Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 31.

In fact, Cain occupies most of the story. He is not only the firstborn, a son that the parents almost “worshiped”; in the chapter, he is the only brother who, in the Genesis text, speaks. While Eve excitedly comments on Cain’s birth, she says nothing at Abel’s, at least nothing that is recorded in the text, in contrast to the birth of Cain. The narrator simply reports that she “bore again” (Genesis 4:2, NKJV).

The name Cain itself is derived from the Hebrew verb qanah, which means “to acquire” and denotes the acquisition, the possession of something precious and powerful. On the other hand, the Hebrew name Hebel, in English Abel, means “vapor” (Psalm 62:9, NKJV), or “breath” (Psalm 144:4, NKJV) and denotes elusiveness, emptiness, lack of substance; the same word, hebel (Abel), is used over and over in Ecclesiastes for “vanity.” Though we don’t want to read more into these short texts than is there, perhaps the idea is that Adam’s and Eve’s hope rested, they believed, only in Cain, because they believed he, not his brother, was the promised Messiah.

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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