Cain, standing over the dead body of his
brother, Abel
We also know that David took five stones with him when he met Goliath on the
field of battle. Why take five when only one would be necessary? Did David lack
faith in God? Hardly. Goliath had four brothers, all of them giants! Knowing
that he might have to do battle with the entire bunch, David took along some
additional ammo. Young David was both faithful and smart!
Just as David, future king of Israel and forefather of Jesus, utterly defeated the
champion of those who worked to destroy God’s earthly nation, Jesus would
utterly defeat Satan, the champion of those who worked to overthrow and
destroy God’s kingdom. In both instances the manner of defeat was very
unlikely and totally unexpected. In both instances, even though the evil
champion was defeated, the battle was far from over!
Welcome to the modern world, where Jews and Philistines (now called
Palestinians) are still at war and where Christians are still called to do
battle with evil every single day.
God’s earliest promise of a Savior was passed down from generation to
generation by word-of-mouth, because formal writing was not yet perfected.
The promise was also woven into the social fabric of mankind through the
practice of religious sacrifices. In these sacrifices, the flesh and blood of
animals (lambs were often used, because they were docile and easy to
slaughter) would be offered to God as atonement for sin.
This foreshadowed the promised Savior, (Hebrew term: Messiah) the “Lamb of
God”, who would truly, by His sacrificial death, take away the sins of the
world.
The story of Cain and Abel recounts the details of one of these early sacrifices,
as well as the unfortunate outcome. Note three things: 1) the good guy (Abel) is
a shepherd. 2) Cain failed to make an animal sacrifice (maybe he belonged to
PETA?) 3) the last line is the original source verse of a very well known saying:
Genesis 4:2 - 9 And again she brought
forth his brother Abel. And Abel was a
shepherd, and Cain a husbandman. And it
came to pass after many days, that Cain
offered, of the fruits of the earth, gifts to
the Lord. Abel also offered of the firstlings
of his flock, and of their fat: and the Lord
had respect to Abel, and to his offerings.
But to Cain and his offerings he had no
respect: and Cain was exceeding angry,
and his countenance fell. And the Lord said
to him: Why art thou angry? and why is thy
countenance fallen? If thou do well, shalt
thou not receive? but if ill, shall not sin
forthwith be present at the door? but the
lust thereof shall be under thee, and thou
shalt have dominion over it. And Cain said
to Abel his brother: Let us go forth abroad.
And when they were in the field, Cain rose
up against his brother Abel, and slew him.
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