Genesis 4: Something Is Not Right

Introduction

"Something is not right." Matthew Glock borrows the title of his message from a book by Cornelius Plantinga, subtitled "A Breviary of Sin," a work he finds "very useful and very deep" on the reality of sin today. This message is part of a series of sermons on the book of Genesis, following God's creation and the consequences of sin.

You don't have to look far to see it. The day before, the preacher recalls, was "a dark day": in several places we saw violence, we saw anger, with a lot of things behind it.

Genesis 4 tells the story of the first violence in human history: Cain kills his brother Abel. Matthew Glock follows the text in three movements: paradise lost, Cain's choice, and then the way God acts, with grace and truth.

Outline of the Message

1. Paradise Lost

The first chapters of Genesis describe a harmonious world where everything was as it should be. "That is our dream." This was the situation in Eden before sin broke in.
What was amazing about Eden was the simplicity of life and the closeness between Adam, Eve and God. You can still see it in Genesis 4: it is the LORD who speaks to Cain, the LORD who is present.
Sin shattered this harmonious world. It is first directed against God: doubting who he is, questioning his goodness, thinking we can live without him. And it breaks the relationship with God.
After the fall in Genesis 3, chapter 4 shows how sin turns into violence, takes control of lives and twists them.

2. Cain's Choice: The Question of the Offering

Cain is the central character of the story, and we need to understand his choices. He brings an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel brings the firstborn of his flock and their fat (verses 3 and 4).
The word used generally refers in the Old Testament to a tribute, a gift, an offering. In Leviticus, it is the offering of consecration: it is not a sacrifice for sin, but an expression of one's relationship with God.
This kind of offering could be made of produce from the land or of animals. So the problem was not that one offered fruit from the soil and the other an animal.
The New Testament gives the key, in Hebrews 11:4: "By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain." The issue was not the type of offering, but the attitude of the heart. Abel came to God with faith. Cain lacked that faith.

3. Sin Crouches at the Door

God speaks to Cain to help him understand his situation: "Why are you angry? Why has the expression of your face fallen? If you do well, will it not be lifted up?" (verses 6 and 7). God offers him a way out: the situation can change, you can do better.
But he adds: "If you do not do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it." The image is a powerful one: a lion, or even a cat, in a hunting position, crouching so as not to be seen before it leaps on its prey.
Sin is often hidden at first. When it breaks out into the open, we need to remember that it was born inside us. Eve listened to the serpent, turned her eyes away from God and set her desires on the fruit. Eating was only the result of what had first happened in her heart.
The preacher cites Plantinga's definition: "Sin is that power in man which corrupts human thoughts, words and actions in such a way that they displease God and condemn those who commit them." This power stands "behind our negligence, our omissions and our indifference, but also our violence and our excesses of every kind."
Because of Adam's fault, sin entered the world and our hearts. It is there, crouching at the door, ready to pounce. That is what happened in Cain's heart.

4. From Failure to Anger

Cain experienced failure: he thought he was doing the right thing, and God did not receive his offering favorably. The word translated "angry" goes, in the original, as far as the sense of burning with rage.
"How many times have we chosen to do wrong because of a failure, because of something that made us angry?" It is sin that seizes us and pushes us to do wrong.
Cain's face is downcast. We know this reaction: that of a child being corrected, that of a friend who is told they have hurt us. The face drops, and sadness settles in.
God says: when you are in this situation, sin is very close, but you can rise up. Cain was not able to overcome it. Irritated and angry, he turned to violence.

5. The Way of Cain: Wanting to Get Something From God

The New Testament writers take up Cain's attitude. To offer by faith is to say: "I offer this to God, not because I want something, but because I know that God is good and just." Cain, on the other hand, was trying to get something from God.
In 1 John 3, the apostle reminds us that the message we have heard from the beginning is to love one another. From the relationships between Adam, Eve, brothers and sisters, people knew they were called to love. This was not the case for Cain: "not as Cain, who was of the evil one and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother's righteous."
Behind this lies the great lie of the devil, above all others: "God doesn't want to take care of you. God is not for you, and you have to do it all on your own."
Cain hoped to have an impact on God, to change God's attitude. "And that is always the attitude of religious people." Philip Ryken writes in his commentary on Genesis 1 to 11: in the New Testament, the way of Cain refers to the path of legalistic religious people who teach that you can obtain divine favor by your own efforts alone.
Jealous of his brother, Cain did not turn to God to call for help. He held on to that irritation until it became burning anger, and he killed his brother. This violence repeats itself from generation to generation: seven generations later, Lamech declares that if Cain is avenged seven times, he will be avenged seventy-seven times.

6. Grace and Truth

It is even more important to see how God acts. As in chapter 3, he comes neither with anger nor with force: he asks questions. "Why are you angry?" and then "Where is your brother?"
God knows what happened. He seeks to give the person in front of him the opportunity to tell the truth, to confess, to repent. Cain gives an answer that echoes down through the generations: "I don't know. Am I my brother's keeper?"
God tells the truth: he knows where Abel is, he is dead and his blood has been shed. Cain will be cursed, driven away from the ground that drank his brother's blood, a wanderer and a fugitive on the earth. Instead of being in relationship with his family and with God, he is driven out. God does not let sin go by without justice.
At the same time, God is full of grace and constantly works to restore people and the world. The Old Testament follows the line he establishes: Adam, Seth, Noah, Abraham, David, all the way to Jesus Christ. The promise made to Eve, that her offspring would crush the serpent's head, continues. At the end of the chapter, Adam and Eve have another son, Seth, who takes Abel's place.
"When he rebukes, he does it gently. When he punishes, he does it for our good." Romans 2:4 puts it this way: God's kindness leads us to change our attitude. It was this kindness that was leading Cain to take another path. He did not take it.

7. Looking to Christ, Full of Grace and Truth

Today the call goes out to everyone in the room, but also to the country, which needs to change its attitude. The offer of forgiveness of sins and a new life is there.
It is time to proclaim the Gospel, because God has set a day of judgment. On that day, the attitudes of hearts will be revealed, and no one will be able to tell God that he is not just. "Let us work together to proclaim this truth."
John 1:14-18 presents Jesus as the one who is himself grace and truth: the Word became flesh, full of grace and truth, and "grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ."
To see this grace and truth, all you need to do is look to Christ. He came to pay the price for our sins and restore our relationship with God. God wants to be in a relationship with us.
He gives us the opportunity to say yes to Jesus Christ: sin has taken hold of my heart, I can do nothing by myself, but I look to Christ, who bore all my sins and defeated death and the power of the devil. I can be set free and live for him starting today.

Key Takeaways

Sin is first directed against God: it casts doubt on his goodness and breaks the relationship with him, then it distorts our relationships until it ends in violence.
God was not looking at the type of offering, but at the faith of the heart. Abel offered by faith, while Cain sought to get something from God.
Sin is born hidden, crouching at the door of our heart. A failure or an irritation can open the door to it, but God says: "you are to rule over it."
God comes with questions to lead us to confession. He tells the truth about sin and remains full of grace.
Grace and truth have a face: Jesus Christ, who came to pay the price for our sins and restore our relationship with God.

Personal Application

What recent failure or irritation have you let grow inside you instead of turning to God to call for help?
In your life with God, do you give because you know he is good and just, or to get something from him?
What sin is hiding at the door of your heart today, and how can you begin to rule over it?
If God asked you the question "Where is your brother?", which relationship would come to mind first?
Have you already said yes to Jesus Christ, the one who is full of grace and truth? What does it mean for you this week to look to him?

Verses Cited

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did God accept Abel's offering and not Cain's?

For Matthew Glock, the question is not about the type of offering: in Leviticus, the offering of consecration could be made of produce from the land as well as of animals. Hebrews 11:4 gives the key: Abel offered by faith. Cain, on the other hand, was trying to get something from God. It was the attitude of the heart that made the difference.

What does "sin is crouching at the door" mean in Genesis 4:7?

The expression evokes a lion, or even a cat, crouching in a hunting position, hidden before it leaps on its prey. Sin often begins hidden, inside the heart, before it breaks out into the open. But God also tells Cain: "you are to rule over it."

How does God respond to Abel's murder?

God comes with questions: "Where is your brother?" He is not asking to find out; he is giving Cain the opportunity to confess. He tells the truth and pronounces judgment, but he remains full of grace: he gives Seth to Adam and Eve and continues the line of the promise all the way to Jesus Christ, full of grace and truth.