Why Big Cities Stink ;The Story of Cain and Abel

Nov. 1

Read: Genesis 4:16-24

The Story of Cain and Abel;

Why Big Cities Stink

“Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.” (v.16)

Cain never repented. He never turned back to the Lord and sought his face and presence. He truly is the picture of a hard hearted sinner who is unwilling to repent despite God giving him every humanly possible chance to do so. The Lord preserved his life and allowed him to live out his human days. Cain moved away from his family and ignored the Lord. How was he going to grow food and survive now? What honest and God-given work could he do to survive now and to provide for his family? God had cursed the ground for Cain and it would no longer yield any food for him. (cf. Gen. 4:12) I truly believe that if he would have turned to the Lord and repented that the Lord would have “opened the ground” back up to him so he could work the way he was designed to. But Cain just stubbornly dives deeper into rebellion and his allegiance with the evil one. The rest of Cain’s story is actually pretty sad.

Instead of honest, God-given labor working the ground for food - Cain decided to build a city. Instead of repenting and leaning into the mercy and forgiveness of the Lord, he decided to set up his own way of living. This is such a poignant picture of sin - “doing what is right in your own eyes” and seeking to make your own way despite the Lord. Cain had to form a city… which is the sort of place where a person can take advantage of another person and seek to make his living / survive off of the efforts of others. The city here with Cain is a place set up OPPOSITE of God’s presence in Eden (cf. “east of Eden”) and away from those who were seeking to serve the Lord. The city of Cain is in contrast to the Garden of God (Eden) and the fields of his family who served the Lord. It represents him seeking to make his own way without God instead of turning to the Lord for forgiveness. This first city would become a source of great trouble and wickedness. The trajectory of humanity through the line of Cain eventually leads to the flood. The influence of the “evil one” on Cain can be seen in technologies that develop from Cain’s offspring. For example, his children develop raising animals for butchering and eating which was against God’s rules for humanity at the time. This was an attempt to feed themselves apart from God’s methods of growing food from the ground. His offspring also became blacksmiths forging iron and bronze. It is a romantic idea to think of this as simply blacksmithing… what was being made? Tools to work the ground ? I don’t think so! It is most likely the case that weapons were being made… think of how often new technologies are utilized and applied by the military first. The point is, this city is in opposition to the Lord. It is not a good place. When they excavate the ancient cities of Mesopotamia, they find temples to the pagan gods… they were worshipping the evil ones and these demonic entities… NOT God Most High.

Cain taught his children how to rebel. The deep-seated rejection of God despite his being near by and willing to forgive was passed down to his Cain’s children, and his children’s children. IN just a few generations we have Lamech. He is our first example of a polygamist and he takes murder to a new level by doubling the number of Cain’s murders! (cf. 23,24) Not only is Lamech a womanizer and murderer, he is also brazen, arrogant, and PROUD; he sings a song about his wickedness and celebrates it! Cain is indeed a picture and prototype of sin. Look at what James says about fleshly desire and sin: “…desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:14,15) Cain has indeed brought death and destruction in so many ways.

If you are living in rebellion to the Lord, be quick to repent and turn to him. He is willing to forgive and restore. (cf. Gen. 4:7) For those who are followers of God Most High, embrace the honest and God-given work he has called you to. Do not seek to make your living off of taking advantage of others… be willing to till the proverbial earth you have been given! Remember, there is no life in “doing what is right in your own eyes” and rejecting the Lord… in fact it will simply breed more sin, destruction, and death eventually. God is patient, kind, and always near by…willing to forgive, you need only turn to him. There truly are two competing cities in this world (conceptually speaking)… which will you live in? : The city of Cain in opposition and rebellion to the Lord or the encampment of the people of God … the fields of the Lord with those who follow God like Adam and Eve. Love you guys. - JDP