Genesis - 11
The Beginning of Violence
This is Arthur Howe with you again to continue our journey of discovery through the beginning of things. We have been looking at the opening chapters of the Old Testament book of Genesis. This time we come to Genesis chapter 4 where we see “The Beginning of Violence.”
Can you imagine a news headline that said: “No murders in the past month”, or “No war in the world for the past year”? That would certainly grab your attention! Sadly, headlines like that are not very likely in this sinful world of ours. The wickedness of the human heart finds expression in all manner of violence and cruelty.
But why are we like this? Why do we have angry, vicious thoughts, even if we don’t go on to hurt others or commit murder? And where and when did it all begin? Modern science with its theory of evolution seeks to convince us that we are just animals who are evolving with strife and competitive urges within us. We are told that it is all part of the process of nature and the way higher life forms develop. Higher life forms! At times mankind seems to be more savage than the beasts; and with his intelligence devises the most awful cruelties to inflict on his fellows. It is probably true that man is the only creature on earth who can kill for pleasure.
The book of Genesis in the Bible gives a quite different explanation. The Bible is God’s Word and it does not say that we are evolving from lower life forms with some primitive, violent characteristics remaining in our make-up. Rather, it teaches that mankind has fallen from a state of noble innocence and is not living as God intended from the beginning. Something has entered human nature that has ruined it and is the cause of all the violence that we see around us.
We have already discovered in this series that our first parents, Adam and Eve, lost their state of innocence because of their pride and rebellion against God’s command. We have also discovered that through the disobedience of Adam his sinful nature has been passed on to us all. Soon this nature showed itself in a terrifying way in their first child. In Genesis chapter 4 we read that Eve gave birth to a son, Cain, and after that to another boy, called Abel. It is in the relationship between these two brothers that we see the emergence of hatred and eventually murder.
It happened like this: Cain became a farmer while his brother Abel became a shepherd. It is evident from the account in Genesis that both of these young men has been taught how they should worship God. So we read in chapter 4 verses 3 to 7, “In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favour on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favour. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you…’”
Cain had approached God in the wrong way and his heart was not right. God told him that if he came in the right way he would be accepted, just as Abel had been accepted. We read that Cain became very angry. He sulked and harboured resentment towards his younger brother. This is so often how hatred begins. It starts with some bitterness or jealousy, some unkind or angry thought that eventually rages out of control like a forest fire. So it was with Cain as he rejected God’s gracious word to him that if he came in the right way, and in the right spirit, he and his offering would be accepted.
We read on, in verse 8: “Now Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let’s go out to the field.’ And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.” Now this was an outrage against heaven itself. Human life is deeply significant, for we are all made in the image of God. The gift of life comes ultimately from God Himself and it is to be held as sacred and not taken carelessly.
Now we need to be clear that, although murder is condemned by God, there are guidelines in the Bible concerning what is murder and what is manslaughter, that is the accidental killing of another. There are guidelines on the requirement of justice taking its course against those who commit murder and on the unavoidable prosecution of war that besets this troubled world.
There are various lessons and warnings to be discovered from this account of the beginning of violence in Genesis chapter 4.
So, I want to look more closely at this man Cain who is the first example of one who first hated and then murdered his own brother.
The first lesson has to do with Cain and his situation. It is a fearful thing to realise that Cain was the first child of the human race. What an example he might have been for good. What a joy he might have brought to his parents, but it was not to be. Sadly, his parentage determined his nature, as it does with all our children. They inherit from us not only characteristics and looks, but also a fallen, sinful nature, just as Cain did from Adam. The potential for all kinds of evil and wrongdoing, for violence and even murder is in all of us.
In Proverbs chapter 4 verse 23 the following warning is given: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” The Lord Jesus Christ, in Mark chapter 7 verse 21, warns us that it is: “From within, out of men’s hearts come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these some from inside and make a man unclean.”
Tragically, Cain did not recognise the depths of evil in his own heart. You and I belong to the same fallen, corrupt humanity. The most unlikely people can be violent and even commit murder given the motive and opportunity. That is why God wants to give you a new heart and a right spirit. He wants to deliver you from sin’s power and make you clean.
Now let’s look at Cain and his sin. There was sin in his heart. He became angry because God would not accept his sacrifice. Anger is often the first step to hatred and then to worse. Guard against it.
Then there was sin on his lips. In verse 8 we learn that he talked with Abel his brother, out in the field. Poor Abel suspected nothing because his older brother talked deceitfully with him, before striking him down. People can talk so smoothly yet hide their murderous intent.
Last of all there was sin in his hands as he dealt the death blow. So, you can see how his sin progressed from his heart to his lips and to his hands; from the thought to the action. And so the first murder on earth was committed and Cain was punished by God, being driven out into exile.
You may be wondering whether there might have been a remedy for Cain before it all got out of hand. Indeed, there was, as there is for all of us. God called on Cain to humble himself and turn from his sin and he would be accepted. So God calls on you today, if you are still in your sin, to humble yourself and admit that you are a sinner in his sight and that you need his forgiveness. The Lord Jesus Christ gave his life on the cross so that you can be forgiven. If you will trust Him as your only Saviour you need never fear any condemnation. You will be forgiven and have no dread of judgement hanging over you. This is the right way, the only way, back to God and to deliverance from the power of your fallen, sinful nature. May God enable you to come that way today.