Lesson
2
From
the Fall to the Flood
The
Time of Conscience
I. From the Fall
to the Flood
A. Adam and Eve
Outside the Garden
In their new state of
consciousness of good and evil, Adam and Eve began their life outside of the
Garden of Eden. Existence was quite different from before. Previously, in the
peace of the garden, the first man and woman had been charged with dressing and
keeping a true paradise. Now Adam was hewing out a living by the sweat of his
brow, battling unendingly against weeds and briars.
Eve discovered the
truth of God's Word. He had said, "I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy
conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children" (Genesis 3:16). The
first child that Eve brought into the world was a son named Cain. She said,
"I have gotten a man from the Lord" (Genesis 4:1). But then, Eve gave
birth to another son, Abel.
B. The Differences
Between Two Brothers
As often happens with
brothers in the same family, these two were quite different. Abel was a keeper
of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. Notice that Genesis 4:3-7 points
out that these were not the only differences between these two men.
C. Worship Taught
Adam and Eve had
obviously taught their sons about God's existence, and about the need to
worship Him, and to offer sacrifices to Him. As time passed by, Cain brought of
the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. Abel also brought an
offering of the firstlings of his flock.
D. Sacrifice
Accepted and Rejected
The Lord accepted
Abel's offering, but not that of Cain. This disturbed Cain, and he became
angry. The Lord said to him, "Why art thou wroth? and why is thy
countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shall 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." In His mercy and willingness to
forgive Cain's error, the Lord appealed to him. He told Cain that his offering
could be accepted as well as that of Abel if he, too, would do the right thing.
The only thing that would prevent Cain from doing right would be sin.
Once a man was asked
this question in a kind way, "What is your trouble?" He answered
right away, "No trouble, sir, but myself." The
deepest and most dangerous troubles do not come from without, but from within.
The enemy had entered through a gate that had been opened from within. Cain's
problem was not Abel but himself.
E. Blood Sacrifice,
a Requirement
What was wrong with
Cain's offering? One difference is that while Abel had brought a blood
sacrifice, Cain had brought an offering of fruit of the ground. From the very
first. God's plan called for a blood sacrifice. In the Garden of Eden, God had
slain animals in order to provide skins to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve.
(See Genesis 3:21.) In other words, for man's sins to be covered, blood had to
be shed. Jesus Christ is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (See
Revelation 13:8.) The reason God chose a blood sacrifice is that the wages of
sin is death. (See Romans 6:23.) Without the shedding of blood, sins cannot be
remitted. (See Hebrews 9:22.) Adam must have related this knowledge to his sons,
or Abel would not have known what to bring. We do know that Cain brought an
improper sacrifice.
Early in scripture
notice that sincerity alone will not put a person in right standing with God.
The only thing God will honor is obedience. It is not enough to do what you
think is right, or the best you know how. You must do as God commands.
Abel obeyed God out of
faith. Hebrews 11:4 says, "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent
sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God
testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh."
F. The Punishment
of Disobedience
Sadly, Cain did not
accept God's offer to try again, but instead murdered his brother, Abel. The
Lord, who sees and knows all things, asked, "Where is Abel thy
brother?" Cain lied, "I know not; am I my brother's
keeper?"
Then God pronounced
the penalty on Cain's sin: "What hast thou done? the voice of thy
brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from
the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy
hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her
strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth."
Cain replied, "My
punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day
from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a
fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one
that findeth me shall slay me." (See Genesis 4:13-14).
The Lord answered,
"Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on
sevenfold." (See Genesis 4:15.) Then, the Lord set a mark on Cain, to
prevent anyone who found him from killing him.
As a result of his
sins of murder and refusal to obey God, Cain left the Lord's presence, and went
to live in the lonely land of Nod on the east of Eden.
G. Men Walked With
God.
1. Seth
Adam and Eve had more
children, but it was not until she gave birth to a son whom they named Seth
that Eve said, "For God hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel,
whom Cain slew" (Genesis 4:25). It was in the days of Seth, who was
evidently a godly man, with a desire to serve God as Abel had, that men began
to call upon the name of the Lord. (See Genesis 4:26.)
2. Enoch
One of the most
interesting men to live in the Book of Genesis was the great, great, great
grandson of Adam. His name was Enoch, and he loved God and was obedient to Him.
The Bible says, "And Enoch walked with God; and he was not; for God took
him" (Genesis 5:24). Hebrews 11:5 offers further information on this
unusual event: "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see
death; and was not found because God had translated him: for before
his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God." Early
in the dawn of history, there were men who pleased God by their obedience to
Him and their faith in Him. However, all men did not share that faith and
obedience.
3. Noah
In the days of Enoch's
great grandson, Noah, God saw that the wickedness of man was great on the
earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil
continually. Mankind, was so wicked and lawless, that God grieved that He had
ever made man. He said, "I will destroy man whom I have created from the
face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls
of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them" (Genesis 6:7).
There was one man,
however, who found grace in the eyes of the Lord: Noah. While others thought
continually about evil things, and practiced all kinds of wickedness, Noah
believed in God and obeyed Him. Hebrews 11:7 puts it this way: "By faith
Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared
an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and
became heir of the righteousness which is by faith."
What did Abel, Seth, Enoch, and Noah have in common?
Faith. They believed God, and obeyed Him. From the beginning of mankind faith
has been God's requirement. As Hebrews 11:6 points out, "Without faith it
is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."