Below are some preliminary questions to assist in the study of this passage. For a comprehensive study of the passage, download the Study Guide (PDF download).
1. What hope and what disappointment did Adam and Eve have with the birth of their first son? Recall God’s promise recorded in Genesis 3:15 (printed below) and note Eve’s exclamation at the birth of her son in Genesis 4:1 (printed below)
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall crush your head, and you shall bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15)
And the man lay with his wife Eve, and she conceived, and gave birth to Cain. Then she said, I have gotten a man with the help of Jehovah. (Genesis 4:1)
Adam and Eve believed God’s promise recorded in Genesis 3:15, and with the birth of their first born son they had high expectations that he was the fulfillment of that promise. This is evident from Eve’s exclamation, “I have gotten a man with the help of Jehovah” (vs.1). But rather than being the expected Savior, their firstborn son would prove to “belong to the evil one” (note 1 John 3:12). Far from being the Savior of God’s covenant people, Cain became the murderer of his righteous brother, Abel.
2. Compare and contrast the offering Cain and Abel each respectively brought to the Lord. What was the Lord’s reaction to each of them? Why do you suppose He reacted as He did? See Genesis 4:3-5a (printed below)
Now in the course of time Cain brought an offering to Jehovah consisting of the fruit of the ground. (4) And Abel also brought an offering, consisting of the firstborn of his flock together with their fat portions. And Jehovah looked with favor upon Abel and his offering; (5) but he did not look with favor upon Cain and his offering. (Genesis 4:3-5a)
In the offering that Cain presented to the Lord there was the appearance of righteousness: “Cain brought…an offering to Jehovah” (verse 3). But the true nature of his heart was exposed when his brother presented his offering: “Abel also brought an offering, consisting of the firstborn of his flock together with their fat portions” (verse 4). Abel’s offering was in keeping with the Great Commandment recorded in Matthew 22:37-38 (“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. (38) This is the first and greatest commandment.”) Abel’s offering convicted Cain by exposing the true nature of his heart.
3. How does Cain respond to this rejection of his offering (see Genesis 4:5b,8?) Why was this his response? Note 1 John 3:12 printed below.
So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast… Then Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And while they were in the field, Cain attacked Abel his brother, and killed him. (Genesis 4:5b,8)
Cain belonged to the evil one, and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because his own works were evil. (1 John 3:12)
Cain murdered Abel precisely because his own works were evil, and his brother’s works were righteous. As mentioned in the previous question and answer, in the offering that Cain presented to the Lord there was the appearance of righteousness, but the true nature of his heart was exposed when his brother presented his offering: “Abel also brought an offering, consisting of the firstborn of his flock together with their fat portions” (verse 4). Because he belonged to the evil one, Cain’s response was not to repent of his works, but rather to remove the righteous man by murdering him (note John 3:19-20, “And this is the reason for the condemnation: the Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness rather than the light, because their works were evil. (20) Everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light, so that his works will not be exposed.)
4. Contrast the biographical sketch of Cain’s life with that of Lamech’s life. See Genesis 4:12-17 and Genesis 4:19-24 (printed below)
Jehovah said to Cain: From now on, when you till the ground it shall not yield its produce for you; you shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth. (13) Then Cain said to Jehovah, My punishment is greater than I can bear. (14) Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth. Now whoever shall find me will kill me. (15) So Jehovah said to him, Whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on that man sevenfold. And Jehovah placed a mark upon Cain, so that no one who met him would kill him. (16) Then Cain went out from the presence of Jehovah, and settled in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. (17) And Cain lay with his wife and she conceived, and gave birth to Enoch. And Cain built a city, and named the city after his son, Enoch. (Genesis 4:12-17)
Lamech took for himself two wives; the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other was Zillah. (20) And Adah gave birth to Jabal; Jabal became the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. (21) And his brother’s name was Jubal; Jubal became the father of all those who play the harp and the flute. (22) And Zillah also gave birth to a son named Tubal-cain, he became the forger of all kinds of tools made of bronze and iron. Tubal-cain’s sister was Naamah. (23) Then Lamech said to his wives, Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to my speech. I will kill a man if he wounds me, even a young man if he so much as bruises me. (24) If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, certainly Lamech shall avenge himself seventy sevenfold. (Genesis 4:19-24)
Lamech took two wives, a violation and total disregard for God’s original creation ordinance (cp. Genesis 2:24). Even Cain respected God’s creation ordinance, according to Genesis 4:17, “Cain lay with his wife” (singular). Lamech, in his song, reveals the exceeding sinfulness of sin. There is no sense of dependence on God; rather, there is complete self-reliance. Cain confessed that he needed God’s protection (verse 14b). Lamech, perhaps wielding a sword forged by his son, Tubal-Cain (verse 22), declares that his might and his weapons will defend him: “I will kill a man if he wounds me.”
5. What does the Lord do for Adam and Eve to insure that His original promise (see Genesis 3:15 printed above under question # 1) will be fulfilled? See Genesis 4:25-26 (printed below)
And Adam lay with his wife again; and she gave birth to a son. She named him Seth, Because, she explained, God has given me another child in the place of Abel; since Cain killed him. (26) And Seth also had a son; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call upon the name of Jehovah. (Genesis 4:25-26)
In time the Lord caused Eve to bear another son. Eve recognizes the distinctiveness of this son: he was appointed by God to replace Abel, she refers to him as “another child” (or, “another offspring”) recalling the words of the promise recorded in Genesis 3:15. The Lord must have made it clear to Adam and Eve that this son, Seth, was the one who would carry on the special covenant line that would eventually give birth to the promised Savior. Just when it appeared that the covenant line had been extinguished with the murder of Abel, the Lord faithfully provides another son to insure that the divine promises will be fulfilled. Then, instead of suffering the same fate as Abel, Seth gives birth to the next generation in the covenant line.
