YOU RULE!!

Well, after a long period to adjust to the curve ball life just threw at me, I have returned.
We ended our discussion last time with Adam and Eve being driven from the garden that lay in Eden and a cherubim and a flaming sword keeping the way to the Tree of Life.

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. Here we have the first recorded live birth. Adam and Eve were parents and it is of note that Eve knew who had blessed her with a son. Having sinned, she still knew God and His bounty.

And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. I find it also interesting that Cain was a man from the Lord and here Abel is a breath (definition of Abel). Does this mean, as many commentators suggest, that she believed him to be the fulfillment of the promise in chapter 3 verse 15? I can only read that she attributed him to have been given by the Lord. Another special note to make here is that from the beginning we have farmers and shepherds.

And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. Cain knew to whom he owed his livelihood and he brought a tribute.

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: Abel also knew to whom he owed his livelihood and also brought a tribute to the Lord. There was a significant difference between Cain's tribute and Abel's tribute. It was significant to the point that one God accepted or respected and the other He did not. Can you see the difference?

But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. Cain knew also that God did not accept his tribute which made him very angry and it showed.

And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? God knew the heart of Cain.

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. God explains to Cain that if Cain makes God happy (yatab translated 'doest well') he would be accepted. Universal truth being stated here. God accepts those who make Him happy or does that which is right. Second truth: If you don't do right, offence only waits to enter and desires you, but you rule over sin.

Lessons From This Text

1.) Our children come from the Lord. We must always remember who is the beginning of life and the bestower of our blessings.

2.) Our tribute or offering to God should aways be our finest and our first. Abel brought the firstfruits of his flock. Cain simply brought of his field. The difference? Abel's firstfruits were accepted because He gave to God the first of his herd who gave it to him. Abel recognized this truth, Cain did not, thinking that any old fruit would do.

3.) If we do that which pleases God, we shall be accepted by God. If we do not, God will not accept us or respect our offering.

4.) If we do not that which pleases God, sin waits at the entrance. when we open the door, it will enter and consume us. Yet we have the dominion over sin. We can keep the door shut or indeed throw sin out.

Christian