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Sermons from the
Book of Genesis |
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I once read that the murder rate in the United States is more than one per hour every day of the year. In all the wars in the nation9s history, 530,000 United States combatants have been killed. But since 1900, there have been more than 800,000 murders.1 One study found that a baby born in one of America's fifty largest cities has almost a 2% chance of being murdered in his lifetime.2
Dr. Arnold Barnett, an instructor in applied mathematics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said that his study showed that a baby born in 1970s was more likely to be murdered than an American soldier in World War II was to die in combat.3
The oldest record of a murder trial dates back nearly 4,000 years. A 2X4 foot tablet found in Iraq in 1950 describes how 3 men killed a man. Brought before the king, the 3 men along with the victim’s wife were tried for murder. The wife was declared innocent, but the 3 men were executed.
The first record of a murder in found in Genesis 4. The first murder in history was a twin murder. The first murder that ever occurred was that of a brother. It has been suggested that Cain and Abel were twins. Notice Genesis 4:1-2, “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground." You have one conception but two births. It seems to suggest to me that Abel and Cain were twins.
The story of Cain and Abel is not only as story of murder, but a story of anger. We read in Vs.5, "Cain was very wroth." The word carries the ideal of "burning." Psychologists tell us that there are several stages and phases of anger.
The word "wroth" describes the last stage. Cain was filled with -rage. We read in 1 John 3:11-12, “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Be cause his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous". John tells us that Cain "slew" his brother. We also read in Genesis 4:8, that "Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him." The word "slew” gives us interesting insight into the murder of Abel by Cain. In both instances the word describes a very violent death. It literally means to butcher, to kill a person by cutting their throat. There was a day when these 2 brothers were in the field. In a state of rage, Cain violently, brutally, murdered his brother, cutting his throat, unmercifully butchering him.
I want us to consider this twin murder and glean some lessons for all of us. First, let's think about:
1. THE CAUSE OF CAIN'S ANGER
What was the seedbed for Cain's anger? What causes anger to develop in our life? One day a man walked into a drug store and said to the druggist, "I came in to get some more pills for my wife's colitis.” His little boy was with him, and he looked up and said, "Dad, who has mom been colliding with now?" Our "colliding" with others is often caused by certain things in our heart and life.
Notice the spirit of Cain and the breeding ground for his anger. First, we see that:
A. His Anger Grew From A Spirit Of Rebellion
Notice Genesis 4:3-5, “And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. 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: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth and his countenance fell.” We see Cain and Abel bringing an offering to God. How did they know they were to bring an offering to God? No doubt mom and dad, and God himself had taught them.
But notice carefully that each brother brought a different kind of offering. Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground. Abel brought an offering of the firstlings of the flock. The offering of Abel was received by God and the offering of Cain was rejected. Why? The offering of Cain was one of the works of his hands. He had plowed the ground, planted the seed, and picked the fruit. The offering of Abel involved the shedding of blood and the giving of an innocent life for a guilty life.
Now I would think that if they had been taught they ought to bring an offering to God they were also taught what kind of offering to bring. Why did Cain bring the kind of offering he did? We read in 1 John 3:12, “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.” All Cain did was out of an evil heart. He possessed a heart of rebellion. To put it very simply, Cain was not right with God. His anger grew from a spirit of rebellion.
Anger grows from a heart that is not right with God. We have often heard it said that if a man is not right with his brother, he is not right with God. May I say, that if we are not right with our brother, it is because we are not right with God. When a man is right with God it greatly alters and affects how we behave. Our behavior is often a mirror of our heart. Oh, we often excuse it by saying that's just the way we are. But the truth is, when a man is right with God he doesn't behave his normal self but behaves in a godly fashion. Is that not a chief component of Christianity that we are enabled to live differently? A man right with God is marked by a spirit of reformation. A spirit of rebellion marks a man not right with God. Cain's anger revealed a heart not right with God.
Notice Genesis 4:5-7, “But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the LORD said unto Cain, 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.” First God gave Cain a word of welcome. He told him that if he would bring the right kind of offering he would be accepted. But then God gave Cain a word of warning. God said that if he didn't bring the right kind of offering, he doeth not well and sin lieth at the door. The word "lieth" is a picture of a lion ready to pounce on its prey. God was warning him of the danger of not being right with Him. Yet we don't read anywhere that Cain ever made it right. His possessed a spirit of rebellion.
We also see that:
B. His Anger Grew From A Spirit Of Resentment
The spirit of resentment is so obvious in Cain's life. He deeply resented the fact that God had accepted his brothers offering and rejected his. It ate at him, gnawed in his gut day after day. The spirit of resentment is a breeding ground for anger. Someone doesn't get their way, doesn't get a certain job or position, and it is resented. I have seen it in Church more than once. Someone doesn't get that class or doesn't get to sing, etc. They felt like they should and they become resentful and it breeds anger, hostility, and bitterness.
The Texas Bar Journal included the account of an interesting case, taken from the trial transcript:
Resentment makes us want to "swat" some heads. It paves the way for behavior that is inappropriate for a Christian.
We also see that:
B. His Anger Grew From A Spirit Of Rejection
Cain's offering was rejected by God. This obviously angered Cain and led to his actions involving his brother. How often we let the actions of others become the breeding ground for anger. What others do often ignites within us feelings of anger, hostility, and rage.
I read about a Judge John Weeks. During court one day he noticed a man sitting in his courtroom that was wearing a hat. Disturbed and angered for this disregard for courtroom decorum, in his anger the judge ordered the man to leave the courtroom. A little later the clerk called for the burglary case of George Rogde, who had been free on bond. Rogde didn't come forward. The prosecuting attorney stood up and said, "Your honor, that is the man you ordered from the courtroom."
What others do and say, often breed anger in our hearts. Cain's anger grew from a spirit of rebellion, resentment, and rejection. Furthermore, notice with me not only the cause of Cain's anger, but also:
2. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF CAIN'S ANGER
Notice Genesis 4:8, “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.” We do not know how much time passed from the incident concerning the offerings. Apparently several days passed, maybe months and years. But the thing ate at the very soul of Cain until one it manifested itself in a tragic way.
Notice:
A. The Violent Explosion Of His Anger
Again notice Genesis 4:8, “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.” He slew his brother. In a moment of rage he brutally murdered his twin brother. Some years back in Los Angeles, a father drown his 4 children and later admitted that he did it in a moment of rage. Cain's anger simmered in his heart day after day until one day it boiled over, and exploded. Anger and rage have a way of making us behave in such contrary ways. It causes us to act in total opposite of the character we wish, need, and ought to display. How often in a moment of rage have we done things and said things that were wrong.
I heard of one man that was standing on a street corner with two other gentlemen waiting on a bus. A car came by and splashed mud on his fresh-cleaned and pressed suit. He was so angry that he turned and said to the two men standing beside him, "Did you fools see what that gentlemen did to me."
When we become extremely angry we loose all common sense and all morals. We think only of our feelings and wants. In Cain’s case, it was not what he was eating, but what was eating him. It ate at him and ate at him until he exploded in rage.
Dr. S.I. McMillian writes: "The man I hate hounds me wherever I go. I can't escape his tyrannical grasp on my mind. When the waiter serves me porterhouse steak with French fires, asparagus, crisp salad, and strawberry shortcake smothered with ice cream, it might as well be stale bread and water. My teeth chew the food and I swallow it, but the man I hate will not permit me to enjoy it."
Is there something someone has done or said that hounds you everyday you live and everywhere you go? That's an awful way to live and furthermore, a dangerous way to live. Sooner or later those feelings will surface. When they surface, they can burst forth in rage
Booker T. Washington once said, "I will not let any man reduce my soul to a level of hatred."
All too often we let what happens reduce our soul to a level of hatred and what happens when we reach that point is often devastating. Secondly, notice:
B. The Vain Excuse Of His Anger
Notice Genesis 4:9, “And the LORD said unto Gain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not. Am I my brother's keeper?” It is like Abel is trying to excuse his personal responsibility and relationship with his brother. He said, "Why are you asking me. I'm not my brothers keeper." Instead of being his brother’s keeper, he was his brother’s murderer. That he couldn't deny or excuse.
We often try to excuse our anger, but I don't care how you look at it, condone it, or explain it, it is inexcusable. There is no excuse for such behavior, no matter what the reason. IT IS SIN! As I said earlier, some say, "But that's just the way I am." Let me say that's the not the way we should be. You say, "But you don't understand what he/she did/said." Yes, I do understand but that still doesn't excuse your behavior. Two wrongs don't make one right.
Lastly notice:
3. THE CONSEQUENCES OF CAIN'S ANGER
We read in Genesis 4:13, “And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.”
Dale Carnegie once gave an account of a trip to Yellowstone Park and a visit to the place where the grizzly bears are fed. He did not have to wait long before a grizzly bear came into a clearing where garbage had been dumped to entice him. The guide told the group that the grizzly bear could whip any animal in the west with the possible exceptions of the buffalo and Kodiak bear. That night as Carnegie sat with other tourists in the bleachers; he noticed that there was only one animal the grizzly would allow to eat with him, a skunk. It was obvious that the bear resented the skunk and he yearned to get even for his brazen impudence. But he didn't. Why? Because he knew that there would be a high cost of getting even.6
Cain's anger and rage was not without a high cost. Notice the consequences. First, we see:
A. The Unrecoverable
Notice Genesis 4:10-11, “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.” He had murdered his brother. He had taken away his brothers life. His brother was gone forever. He had taken away the one thing that Abel had that when lost could not be recovered.
Someone has said, "Speak when you are angry, and you'll deliver the best speech you'll ever regret."7
When we explode in rage what we say and what we do is unrecoverable. We can cry, apologize, but it can't be undone. Many a testimony and reputation that has taken 30 years to build was lost in 30 seconds.
The famous physiologist, John Hunter once said, "The first scoundrel that gets me angry will kill me."8
Cain not only killed his brother but he killed himself in many ways. He became a living dead man.
There was also:
B. The Unenjoyable
Notice the words in Genesis 4:12, “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.” Cain was a tiller of the ground. This was what brought him joy and satisfaction. But God told him that he would be a miserable man the rest of his life. Instead of living a settled and contented life, he would be a fugitive and vagabond. Both words speak of a wandering, someone for which to feel sorry. .
Notice Genesis 4:1-14, “And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall l 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.” Cain would live the balance of his life restless, wandering and haunted constantly with the fear that someone would slay him. Anger robs us of peace and joy. It feels the heart with anxiety and bitterness. It poisons the soul.
Notice Genesis 4:16, “And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.” What is even worse, he was cut off from presence of God. Instead of dwelling in presence of God he dwelt in Nod (wanderer). Anger robs us from enjoying the presence of the Lord.
We all need to ask ourselves if the consequences of our anger and revenge worth it? You may get personal satisfaction for a moment, but you lose far more in the long run.
1. “Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations” by Paul Lee Tan 2. “Ibid.” 3. “Ibid.” 4. “The Chattanooga Times” July 5, 1995 Compiled by Lisa Denton Flippo 5. “None of These Diseases” S.I. McMillen, MD (Spire Books 1976) p.72 6. “How To Stop Worrying and Start Living” by Dale Carnegie (New York, Simon and Schuster, Inc.) 1948), p.101 7. “I001 Humorous Illustrations for Public Speaking” by Michael Hodgin (Zondervan Publishing House 1994) p.23 8. “None of These Diseases, p.69 |