“Mark up, Boys!”; The Story of Cain and Abel

Oct. 30

Read: Genesis 4:8-16

The Story of Cain and Abel;

Mark up, Boys!

“I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?” (Gen. 4:9)

Cain responded to the Lord’s call to repentance and transformation with even more anger and rebellion. What the Apostle John said about Cain is so true, he is indeed of the evil one. Cain is the prototype for a “sinner”. Cain was actively rebelling against God and rejecting the opportunities to turn and repent that the Lord was giving to him. His actions not only paint a picture of rebellious sin, but they also teach us something about the evil one - the Devil:

If Genesis 3 taught us that the Devil is a deceiver and manipulator, then Genesis 4 teaches us that he divides humanity and breeds violence and bloodshed. Cain demonstrates this in the murder of his own brother Abel. He lures him out into the field and kills him there. The field would have been Cain’s workplace… where his labor would take place. Instead of honest labor, Cain chooses to work jealously, anger, and bitterness against his brother Abel. These are normal trademarks of those who serve the evil one. The violence and bloodshed around us is no different. Those who carry it our serve the evil one as much as Cain did.

Notice what God does for Cain when he approaches him. In a very famous passage, God asks Cain where his brother is. (v.9) Why did God do that? It is not as if God didn’t know what happened. God was giving Cain yet another opportunity to repent! He was giving Cain a chance to own his actions and seek forgiveness. How does Cain respond to the Lord? With UN-repentance and lying. Cain digs his heels in and goes deeper into his rebellion. In verse 10 the Lord lets Cain know that HE knows where Abel is: “The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.” The gig is up for Cain.

Living in sin always has an expiration date. God simply will not allow it to go on forever. Cain’s continued rebellion and rejection of God’s multiple opportunities to turn and repent have culminated in the ground having a curse for him. This is as much a tool to motivate Cain to turn to the Lord as it is a “punishment” for him. Remember what the ground is for Cain and Abel. At this point in the story, the ground is where human’a food comes from. Cain’s sin and unrepentant heart have led to a place where he can no longer work and grow food from the ground without first repenting and turning to the The Lord. He is cut off from doing what he was built to do. He cannot be obedient to the Lord’s instructions to work the ground and fruitfully multiply and fill the earth. The ONLY fruitful work for him at that moment was confession to the Lord and asking for forgiveness.

It is crazy that God did not strike Cain down right then and there. Have you ever thought of that? Later on in the scriptures, the Lord will say “a life for a life” in the law… but for Cain- in this moment- look at what he does!? (cf. Lev. 24:17,Ex. 21:23-25) God allows Cain to live… in fact, he INSURES that no one take his life. God is giving Cain the entirety of his human life so that he has the opportunity to repent and turn to him. What does this tell you about the heart of the Lord and his patience? Does it change how you view the Lord’s compassion, patience, kindness, and love? How is it that after the fall… and with a murderous sinner who serves the evil one no less … that God can and will still extend opportunity to repent and turn to him? It is truly mind boggling. One final note -

My son (Bear) used to have a Scottish soccer coach. Whenever there was a throw in, his coach would yell from the sidelines, “mark up boys, mark up!” To mark someone was to guard them, to draw near to them, to follow them wherever they went on the field. It meant keeping an eye on them. In Genesis 4:15 it says that God marked Cain. This is the spirit of that phrase… God was telling Cain that he would have his eye in him… be close by… keeping watch… and I think it also meant he was right there if Cain would turn towards him, repent. God was not “branding” Cain, but rather Cain was “marked up” by the Lord. God was going to be keeping an eye on him!(Furthermore, it makes sense since God said he was going to keep other humans from killing him.)

If Cain is the prototype of a sinner, then this is a prototypical picture of how God treats sinners: God calls sinners to repentance and gives them many chances. He keeps an eye on them. He does not seek to immediately destroy them. He graciously grants them life and in doing so gives them every opportunity to turn to Him. This is God’s patient and loving character. In the face of one of the most heinous crimes - murder of a family member - God is still working towards repentance and restoration. How much more is he patient and kind towards those who are ACTIVELY REPENTANT and seeking to honor him!? Be encouraged today. Learn from the error of Cain. Know God’s heart towards his creation. What will Cain do next? We will find out… Love you guys. - JDP