Perspective for the teacher:

Historically, man has continually refused to acknowledge God and the seriousness of sin. But our present society has plunged itself into a period of particular decline and degradation. Moral values used to be clearly defined, even among non-Christians. But now values have eroded into a blur of gray areas that seem to allow the sinner to roam freely even into areas of gross sin. The prevailing morality seems to be "If it feels good to me, I'll do it."

But God has not changed. His values are still the same; sin still requires the death penalty. God is eternally holy.

The life of Cain is a stinging example of the horrible results of rebellion against God. Cain refused God's loving call to repentance, turned and killed his brother, and spent the rest of his life on earth and all eternity away from the presence of God.

The story of Cain and Abel is a classic for all times but especially for our times. Many in our society are rushing away from God. In the process, they are hurting, lying against, stealing from, and killing fellow men and women.

Yet when someone is the victim of a crime, or hears of a crime, often the first question asked is, "Why did God let that happen?" This may be the first question, but it is the wrong question.

It is a little like a mother telling her six-year-old son not to hit his baby sister. The six-year-old turns right around and hits his sister anyway. Now, would you ask, "Why did the mother let the boy hit his sister?" No, the question is, "Why didn't the boy obey his mother?"

God had told Cain what was right and was even gracious to tell Cain why He did not accept him when Cain disobeyed. But Cain turned against all that God had told him to do and went out and killed his brother.

This is the problem that we are faced with continually; our news is full of every kind of crime and evil—not because God should have stopped it, but because man should have believed God and obeyed Him.

The spread of sin is horrible. Romans 5:12 says, "...by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned."But men, not God, are responsible for their conduct.

God hates sin. Man is given the choice to believe and obey God. Man is responsible for his choices. Sin is not God's fault. Sin cannot be paid for by man's earthly efforts. Teach these truths clearly; many people today have lost sight of them. God promises that His Word will "prosper in the thing whereto [He] sent it." (Isaiah 55:11).

Visuals

• Chronological Picture No. 8, "Cain and Abel Bring Offerings to God"
• Chronological Picture No. 9, "Cain Kills Abel"
• Bring the branch used in Lessons 7 and 10.
• Chronological Chart

Lesson outline

Review questions from Lesson 12.

A. Introduction

How serious is sin?

What if someone refuses to believe God and chooses to disobey Him?

Could you say, "Well, that's his own business, if he wants to do that"?

Does a man's sin affect other people?

Can a man work out some way to take care of his sins?

Is it true that each man can choose his own way to come to God?

Won't God accept any sincere effort we make?

Let's see what answers God gives us to these questions as we study the story of Adam and Eve's sons, Cain and Abel, and their descendants.

B. God told them what they must do when they came to worship Him.

Theme: Man is a sinner. He needs God and is helpless to save himself.

There was no way that Adam and Eve or Cain and Abel could come to God. They were all sinners, and God hates sin. They were separated from God. The punishment for sin is death. They could not give anything to God to pay for their sins.

Theme: God is supreme and sovereign.

Theme: God is loving, merciful, and gracious.

Theme: Man can come to God only according to God's will and plan.

But God planned a way so they could come to Him. It was not man's way. It was God who decided on this way. No one else could make a way for them. God made a way for them because He loved them.

Theme: God communicates with man.

God must have told Adam and Eve what they must do if they wanted to come to Him.

Adam and Eve probably told Cain and Abel what God said they must do if they wished to come to God.

The Bible gives us good reason to believe that God communicated these things to Adam and Eve and that Abel and Cain knew, too.

Later in this lesson, we plan to talk about this subject in more detail.

Theme: God is holy and righteous. He demands death as the payment for sin.

Here is what God must have told them: When they came to Him, they had to bring a sheep as an offering to Him. They had to kill the animal in such a way that the animal's blood would flow out.

The blood of the animals could not pay for their sin; why then would God tell them to kill a sheep? Because God wanted them to remember that the punishment for sin is death. He wanted them to remember that they would die and go to everlasting punishment unless He saved them.

If they agreed with God that they were sinners and that only He could save them from everlasting punishment, then they were to bring a sheep and kill it, as God had told them to.

Theme: God never changes.

At the beginning of this course, we said that we would be studying the foundational issues and the main themes of the Bible. This is one of the wonderful things about God's Word: these main themes are consistent all the way through the Bible.

The fact that God is holy and righteous and demands death as the payment for sin is one of these foundational themes. And along with this, the Bible clearly states that blood must be shed for sin.

Read Leviticus 17:11.

God promised that if they came by faith, offering to Him the blood of animals, He would accept them and forgive their sins.

Read Hebrews 9:22: "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission."

These are just two examples of this foundational principle that runs throughout the Bible. The blood sacrifice for sin was part of God's gracious plan to deliver man from sin and Satan and death.

C. Both Cain and Abel came to offer sacrifices to God.

Theme: Man can come to God only according to God's will and plan.

Read Genesis 4:3-5.

Both Cain and Abel believed in the existence of God, and both came to offer sacrifices to Him.

Consider: Cain and Abel remind us of two different classes of people who attend church: those who come to worship God according to man's ideas and those who come in the way God has said.

Consider: Just believing in God and even offering to God what we think is very good will not make us acceptable to Him. The Bible says in James 2:19, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble." ("Devils" here refers to demons—those spirit beings that participated with Satan [then called Lucifer] in his rebellion against God and who were cast out of Heaven with Satan.) But believing in God doesn't make Satan's demons acceptable to God. As we go on, we will see what happened to Cain and Abel.

D. Abel's offering was accepted by God.

Theme: Man must have faith in order to please God and be saved.

Theme: Man can come to God only according to God's will and plan.

Read Genesis 4:4.

Abel brought one of his sheep as an offering to God. It was the firstborn lamb of its mother. Abel killed the sheep so its blood ran out, and he offered the sheep, along with the fat, to God.

Why did Abel bring this offering to God? Because he agreed with God that he was a sinner and that only God could save him from everlasting punishment. Because he believed the promises God had given his parents while they were still in the garden of Eden.

God had promised that He would send a great Deliverer. God promised that the Deliverer would destroy Satan and save man from Satan's power.

Was God pleased with Abel's offering? Did God accept Abel? Yes, He did. God was very pleased with his offering, and He accepted Abel.

It is important to understand that the blood of animals could never pay for sin. God did not accept Abel's lamb as the payment for his sin. Sin must be paid for by the sinner being separated from God forever. But God forgave Abel's sin and accepted him because Abel trusted, not in himself, but in God who had promised to send the Deliverer.

E. Cain's offering was rejected by God.

Theme: Man must have faith in order to please God and be saved.

Theme: Man can come to God only according to God's will and plan.

Read Genesis 4:5.

As an offering to God, Cain brought the things which he had grown. But God would not accept Cain or his offering. Why not?

Was it because the things Cain grew and brought to God were not good? Was it because God doesn't like things grown from the ground? No, these are not the reasons.

Did God reject Cain's offering because Cain was a worse sinner than Abel? No, that wasn't the reason why God would not accept him. Both Cain and Abel were born sinners.

It is important that we are clear in our own minds why God rejected Cain and his offering but accepted Abel and his offering.

The book of Hebrews gives us some clear insights. In Hebrews 11, God says that without faith it is impossible to please Him. He also tells us that Abel was a man of faith; Cain was not. Then, in the book of Romans, God tells us that faith is always based on the Word of God. Romans 10:17 says, "...faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." To approach God in any way except the way God has told us is presumption and sin. God will reject the man who tries to come to Him in his own way. Everything which originates with man is unacceptable to God.

On this basis, we can be sure that Abel's faith was dependent on a clear directive given by God. It must have been; otherwise, it would not have been acceptable to God.

Another indication that Abel was following God's command is emphasized through Abel's action in bringing to God the fat of the lamb. Later in Scripture, God commands Israel, that is, the Hebrew people, to bring the fat to Him. To suggest that bringing the fat of animals to God originated with Abel is contrary to the whole emphasis of Scripture. God doesn't accept anything which originates with man.

Suggested Visual: Chronological Picture No. 8,"Cain and Abel bring offerings to God"

God rejected Cain and his offering because:

• Cain didn't come to God admitting he was a sinner.
• He came to God in his own way, according to his own ideas, and not in the way which God had commanded.
• Cain did not believe God.
• He did not trust in the way which God had told them to come.

That is why God rejected him.

Do you remember how God rejected the clothes which Adam and Eve made for themselves? Why did God refuse to accept the clothing they made? Because God wanted to show them that they couldn't make themselves acceptable to God by anything they could do. It had to be done in God's way. The animals had to die, and their blood had to be shed so that Adam and Eve could have clothes that were acceptable to God.

Likewise with Cain and Abel. God would not accept them unless they trusted in Him and came to Him in the way He had said. God would only accept them if they brought a sheep and killed it, shedding its blood. Abel believed God and came God's way, so God accepted him. Cain came trusting in his own way, so God refused him.

God has not changed; He is still the same today. Although He does not command us now to sacrifice sheep, He still does stipulate the only way anyone can come to Him. We too must come God's way; otherwise, He will reject us as He rejected Cain.

Display branch broken off from tree.

Take a look at this branch broken off from a tree. It died after a while because it was separated from the life it received from the tree.What if you tried to join this dead branch back onto the tree so that once again it would be able to receive the life from the tree? If you tied the branch back onto the tree, would it come back to life again? Would the leaves turn green once again and begin to grow? Do you think that you would be able to join the branch back on the tree so it would have life again? No, you cannot join a dead branch back onto the tree so that it will live once again. It was separated from the tree, and you cannot put it back.

It seems like many people spend a good part of their lives trying to find a way to "reattach" themselves to the source of spiritual life. Their efforts might include activities that seem very religious: going to church, giving money to the church, doing all sorts of "good deeds," being a "good person," or any number of things. Can you think of some examples of this type of self-effort to come to God?

Since we are all born sinners, we were all "detached" from our source of life, who is God. But there is absolutely nothing that we can do on our own that will restore us to God. Sin has broken us off from God, just like the limb was broken off from the tree.

That is how it was with Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel. Because Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they were separated from God. Therefore, Cain and Abel were born outside of the garden and were also separated from God. They could not bring themselves back into fellowship with God.

Adam and Eve made themselves clothes to try to make themselves acceptable to God, but He rejected their clothes. Cain came to God in his own way, and God rejected him and his offering.

Only God was able to make a way so they could come back to Him and be His friends once again. We, too, are all the descendants of Adam. We were all born sinners, separated from God because of our father Adam. We cannot make ourselves God's friends. Only God could make a way for us to come back to Him.

F. God reasoned with angry Cain.

Theme: God communicates with man.

Theme: God is loving, merciful, and gracious.

Read Genesis 4:6,7.

Even though Cain refused to believe God and deliberately went his own way, God reasoned with him. Because of God's love and mercy, He talked to Cain and tried to get him to come to God in the right way.

God wanted Cain to know that he, too, would be accepted if he came as his brother came, believing God's Word, offering the blood, and trusting in God and His promise of the Deliverer.

G. Cain refused to listen to God, and he killed Abel.

Theme: Man is a sinner. He needs God and is helpless to save himself.

Read Genesis 4:8.

Cain was very angry. He would not listen to God. He was listening to Satan, just as his mother and father had done in the garden.

Suggested Visual: Chronological picture No. 9. "Cain kills Abel"

Many people today are just like Cain; they refuse to listen to God, and they end up hurting others. Sometimes their rebellion against God leads to violent crimes like Cain's murder of his brother Abel. Sometimes the result is less violent—it may only show in bitter attitudes or selfish actions. But the result is always tragic and hurtful to others.

Theme: Satan fights against God and His will. He is a liar and a deceiver. He hates man.

Who was leading Cain? To whom was Cain listening? Who do you think put it into Cain's mind to kill his brother? Satan!

Remember that we talked about Satan's deceitfulness? He wants us to think that we would never be like Cain; we would never hurt or kill someone. But look how quickly Cain's anger flared! And look at the trail of sin and violence that has followed his rebellion!

One of the things that many people fail to look at is that the way of sin is death, whether it be a violent murder, or a slow process of simply living apart from God, and finally dying and going to an eternity spent away from God's presence in the Lake of Fire. Originally, Satan murdered Cain's mother and father. He said to them, "You won't die. You will be all right. Don't listen to God.

God is only trying to keep back some good fruit from you." But Satan knew that, if Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they would die. He lied to them when he said, "You will not die." Satan wanted Adam and Eve to die, and he wanted Cain to kill Abel. Satan is a murderer. Satan hates all people and will lie and deceive with the purpose of leading all of us to the place of everlasting punishment where he is going.

In John 8:44, the Bible calls Satan a "murderer." Even right now, Satan is still telling people not to believe God; not to believe God's Word, the Bible.

H. God's judgment on Cain.

Theme: God is everywhere all the time; He knows everything.

Theme: God communicates with man.

Read Genesis 4:9.

Although God asked this question, He already knew that Cain had killed Abel. God saw him do it. God is everywhere and knows everything.

Theme: God is supreme and sovereign.

Theme: God is holy and righteous. He demands

Read Genesis 4:10-15.

God is the avenger of all sin. All sin against other people is also sin against God. God is the Creator of all people; therefore He punishes anyone who says or does anything harmful to another person.

Would you stand by and not do anything while someone attacked your wife, your child, or someone you loved?

God is the Creator of all people. He gave Adam life, and He gave life to each one of us. Even though we are all born into this world separated from God, we still belong to Him. God is concerned about what happens to us, even though we are sinners. Just as we have concern for even our wayward family members, so God also has concern for us. And we rightfully belong to Him, because He made us.

What if someone came and stole your stereo equipment; would the stereo be the property of the thief, or would it still be yours? Of course, it would still belong to you. What if the person who stole the stereo ruined it? Still, it would belong to you, even though it had been ruined.

All people rightfully belong to God even though Satan stole Adam and all of us from God.

God will punish those who hurt others because everyone rightfully belongs to Him. An offense is not just against an individual; it is against God, because He is the Giver of life to all people. This doesn't mean that God will immediately avenge all evil, but the payment for all sin must be paid to God.

The wages of sin is death. No other payment is acceptable. Giving money to a charity will not pay for our sins. Giving money to a church will not pay for our sin or satisfy God.

All sin will finally be punished by God, for He is the rightful owner of every person.

Read Genesis 4:16.

Cain still would not listen to God. He went away from God, following Satan's ways. Cain would not repent; He refused to change his attitude toward God and toward his sin.

I. Cain's descendants were materialistically minded.

Theme: Man is a sinner. He needs God and is helpless to save himself.

Cain's descendants followed his example. They lived without thinking about God. Instead, they filled their lives with material and physical things. They built towns, raised cattle, and made tools and musical instruments.

There is nothing wrong with these things in themselves; what was wrong was that they concerned themselves with these things and excluded God. They filled their minds and time doing the things they wanted to do.

They had no interest or time for God and the things He wanted them to know. They were under the control of Satan.

See what a terrible effect disobedience to God had already brought into the world! Because Adam and Eve sinned, all of their descendants were born sinners, separated from God and without oneness of mind with God. Their first son, Cain, murdered their second son, Abel. Cain turned away from God and would not listen to His words. As a result, Cain's children and their children also went their own way instead of God's way. They lived according to their own sinful ways because they didn't know God nor did they seek Him and His truth. They were guided by Satan and his lies.

If parents turn away from God's truth and refuse to listen to God, probably their children will not listen to the Word of God either.We are responsible, not only for ourselves, but for our children, too. We should listen to God's Word and also make sure that our children are exposed to the Word of God.

J. God gave Seth to replace Abel.

Theme: God is faithful; He never changes.

Read Genesis 4:25. Point to Seth on the Chronological chart.

God gave Adam and Eve another child in place of Abel who was killed by Cain.

In the garden, God had promised that He would send a Deliverer who would overcome Satan. This one would have come through the line of Abel who had trusted in God. But Satan guided Cain to kill Abel. Satan tried in every way to hinder God's plan to send the Deliverer.

Consider:

Did this mean the end of God's plan and promise to send the Deliverer? No! God always does what He promises. He doesn't give up or change because of the things Satan does. In place of Abel, God gave Seth to Adam and Eve.

Theme: Man must have faith in order to please God and be saved.

Seth was also born separated from God, but he trusted in God just as Abel did. God planned that the Deliverer would come into the world through the line of Seth.

Questions:

1. Why did God accept Abel and his offering?

Abel believed God:

a. Abel agreed with God that he was a sinner and that only God could save him from punishment.

b. Abel believed God. He was trusting God to send a Deliverer, just as He had promised to Adam and Eve while they were still in the Garden of Eden.

c. Abel brought a sheep, killed it, and let its blood run out, just as God had told them to do.

2. Why did God reject Cain and his offering?

Cain did not believe God:

a. Cain did not agree with God that he was a sinner and that only God could save him from punishment.

b. Cain did not believe God. He did not trust in God's promise to send a Deliverer who would destroy Satan and save man.

c. Cain didn't bring the offering which God said they must bring.

3. Why did God reason with Cain?

Because God loved Cain and wanted him to agree that he was a sinner and that he should bring the correct sacrifice.

4. Did Cain believe and agree with God?

No.

5. What did Cain do?

He was angry, and he killed Abel.

6. How did God know what Cain had done?

God sees and knows everything.

7. Why will God punish people for saying and doing evil things to others?

Because all people rightfully belong to God. When people hurt others, they are also sinning against God.

8. Does God forget about sin against others if the person makes it right with the one whom he wronged?

No, God's punishment for all sin is separation from Him forever in the place of everlasting punishment which He prepared for Satan and the evil spirits who followed him.

9. Did Cain finally change his mind?

No! He went away from God.

10. What was the result?

Cain's descendants followed his example. They all lived and died separated from God.

11. Do you know of anything you can do to make payment for the sins you have committed?

No. There is nothing man can do to make payment for his sins.

12. What were the things for which Cain and his descendants lived?

For money and the material things of life.

13. Why did God give Seth to Adam and Eve?

a. God gave him to replace Abel.

b. God gave him so the Deliverer would be born through his family line.

14. What lessons can we learn from these stories of ancient men? Answers will vary, but some of the key areas are:

a. Men who refuse to believe and obey God often have children and successive generations who refuse to believe and obey God.

b. Men who refuse to believe and obey God involve themselves with worldly things and soon forget God altogether.

c. Men who believe God and obey Him often have children and successive generations who believe and follow God.

d. God severely judges those who refuse to believe Him.

e. God is gracious to those who believe Him.