Lesson 4<\/p>\n
Genesis 4<\/p>\n
Pride Versus True Worship<\/p>\n
Me-<\/p>\n
There have been many times in my life when I have attended a worship service with the wrong attitude.\u00a0 All kinds of reasons have diminished the opportunity to meet God.\u00a0 I did a Bible study a number of years ago that I titled Encounters with God.\u00a0 Like so many others I had often left the church with a sense of emptiness because nothing had happened.\u00a0 I decided to look at the people of the Bible to see what occurred in their lives when they were truly confronted by God.\u00a0 Did they walk away from those encounters the same or did God do something in them?\u00a0 I discovered that what is missing when I leave the church without having my expectations met.\u00a0 It happens to all of us because like you I have put my focus on the wrong things.\u00a0 Not that any of the activities that take place in a worship service is wrong, but I sometimes pay too much attention to them and miss out on the fact that anything that distracts me from concentrating on God and worshipping him becomes all about me.\u00a0 I struggle with this.\u00a0 I am not in church for entertainment or to have all my desires met but to come before the Father in all humility and give myself over to worshipping Him.<\/p>\n
We-<\/p>\n
We can get so caught up in those activities and pay more attention to them than the reason we are in church in the first place.\u00a0 We must remember it is not about fellowship per se.\u00a0 It is not about the music or well you name it.\u00a0 Our time together is about genuine, humble giving ourselves over to the pure worship of God.\u00a0 If we let other things distract us we just might miss why God wants us in His house.\u00a0 We have to be very careful that pride in programs, choirs, Bible Study Classes and even the sermon from the Teaching Elder do not somehow leave God out of the equation.\u00a0 When we begin to forget God then we become like Adam, Eve, Cain and Lamech.\u00a0 Each of those individuals thought that they could handle their own lives and move God to the periphery.\u00a0 In the same way that kind of attitude did not work for them in certainly will not work for us.<\/p>\n
Life outside of the garden was certainly different.\u00a0 It was not long before the sinful nature of man manifested itself in terrible way in the lives of Cain and Abel.<\/p>\n
God<\/p>\n
Genesis 4:1-2<\/p>\n
Part of God\u2019s command to Adam came to fruition.\u00a0 The first son of the couple was born.\u00a0 She said of him, \u201cI have gotten a manchild with the help of the Lord.\u201d Therefore he was named Cain which could mean brought forth as in procreation.\u00a0 Some commentators indicate that the name given to the first born might have indicated that Eve thought that he was the fulfillment of the promised seed given in the garden dialog. Nothing else is said about the event. Immediately Moses wrote that a second son was also born and was called Abel, meaning breath.<\/p>\n
Without reference to their childhood the next thing that is learned about each of them was their occupations.\u00a0 Abel is listed first although the second born.\u00a0 He was called \u201ca keeper of the flocks.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Cain was a tiller of the ground which God had told Adam that he would do outside of the garden.<\/p>\n
Genesis 4:3-5<\/p>\n
The writer does not tell how the two men knew to make offerings to God.\u00a0 Evidently, the worship of God was instilled in them by their parents.\u00a0 Adam and Eve would certainly have shared with them all that the Lord had done, including the sacrifice of the animals to make a covering for their bodies.\u00a0 In a very few words Moses wrote about the two different offerings\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0presented before the Lord.\u00a0 Cain brought some of the fruit of the ground to present to the Lord.\u00a0 Abel on the other hand brought the first of his flock as his offering.\u00a0 Cain\u2019s offering was the rejected but the one brought by Abel was accepted.\u00a0 Not only were the offerings different in a physical sense but the quality and attitude with which they were brought caused God to accept one and reject the other.\u00a0 When He rejected Cain\u2019s offering he became angry and his whole demeanor showed it.<\/p>\n
Genesis 4:6-7<\/p>\n
God in His mercy came to Cain to give him an opportunity to address the issue of why his offering was rejected.\u00a0 He dealt first with Cain\u2019s anger issue.\u00a0 The real problem was the sin of pride.\u00a0 By asking him about his anger, God was trying to bring him to the point of confession and repentance.\u00a0 He had not brought the first fruits or the best of the harvest but only a portion of what had been produced.\u00a0 By doing so he did not acknowledge that God was the provider of all good things.<\/p>\n
Once He had brought attention to Cain\u2019s condition God gave him an opportunity to overcome his pride and anger.\u00a0 He once again asked a question that would cause Cain to look at himself and understand that God wanted a relationship with him.\u00a0 It was up to Cain to make the choice to remain as he was or to do well.\u00a0 The reality of the situation was then laid out for him. \u00a0He could\u00a0 master the sin in his life by eliminating the pride that dominated his life.\u00a0 If that was not his choice then sin was waiting at the door of his heart to destroy him.<\/p>\n
Paul wrote in Romans,<\/p>\n
\u201cTherefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.\u00a0 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace.\u201d (Romans 6:12-14)\u00a0<\/p>\n
Genesis 4:8<\/p>\n
It is interesting that this verse begins with the fact that Cain told Abel what had happened.\u00a0 The Scripture is completely devoid of what that conversation entailed.\u00a0 Abel may have repeated God\u2019s words urging Cain to repent.\u00a0 Cain\u2019s answer to God\u2019s offer of grace and mercy was to display his jealously and anger by killing his brother.\u00a0 His answer was a total rejection of God saying no thanks I can handle my life and problems all by myself. The apostle John wrote, \u201cIf someone says, \u201cI love God,\u201d and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.\u201d (1 John 4:20)\u00a0 By his actions Cain showed that there was no place for God in his life.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Genesis 4:9-12<\/p>\n
After the murder of Abel, God once again confronted Cain.\u00a0 As before He asked a question of which He already knew the answer.\u00a0 The question was, \u201cWhere is your brother Abel?\u201d\u00a0 Instead of confessing what he had done, Cain lied and then arrogantly asked God a question.\u00a0 By his question it is obvious that his heart was hardened and his pride would not allow him to humble himself before Almighty God.<\/p>\n
God then answered both his own question and Cain\u2019s with another question which again would have allowed Cain to confess his actions.\u00a0 The question went straight to the heart of the matter.\u00a0 He asked, \u201cWhat have you done?\u201d\u00a0 The next words He spoke let Cain know that He knew what had taken place.\u00a0 Cain could no longer hide behind his lies.\u00a0 With the strongest words possible, God emphasized that \u201cthe voice of your brother\u2019s blood is crying to Me from the ground.\u201d<\/p>\n
God waited no longer but gave to the sentence brought on by his act.\u00a0 He would be:<\/p>\n
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Genesis 4:13-14<\/p>\n
At that point the consequences of his actions became a reality.\u00a0 What a wakeup call he received.\u00a0 No longer was he the prideful individual who could answer back to God in such a derogatory manner.\u00a0 He was now on the receiving end of God\u2019s justice and it was make than he could bear.\u00a0 There is no way to know whether is his response was out of true repentance or self- preservation.\u00a0\u00a0 Whichever it was he was overwhelmed by God\u2019s decision.\u00a0 His only concern was that he might face the same destiny as his brother and someone might kill him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To protect him from others some type of mark was given to him for protection.\u00a0 He also gave a command that vengeance would come on anyone harming Cain. The once promising statement made about him by his mother was now forgotten.\u00a0 He proved that he was not the hope of mankind after all.<\/p>\n
Genesis 4:16<\/p>\n
This is one of those verses that is very disturbing because it presents a finality in the relationship that a man will have with God for the present and for eternity.\u00a0 Yes, Cain was still alive but the Scripture says that he went out from the presence of God.\u00a0 One other time this same idea was conveyed.\u00a0 It was the night of the last supper when Jesus had reached out to Judas in every way possible and had not changed his heart that John wrote, \u201che went out immediately, and it was night.\u201d (John 13:30)\u00a0 Both of these men went out into the darkness away from God\u2019s love and mercy.\u00a0 The place to which Cain went was called Nod which was beyond the garden to the east.\u00a0 The name Nod is appropriate because it means wandering.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Genesis 4:17-18<\/p>\n
In the short description of the descendents is found the same defiant acts that had already been manifested in the life of Cain.\u00a0 Although condemned to be a wanderer Cain once again defied God and built a city which he named Enoch after his first born son.\u00a0 Enoch\u2019s name may mean several meanings.\u00a0 It could be train up, dedicate, introduce and initiate.\u00a0 The meaning that would most fit the actions of Cain would be \u201cDedicate\u201d since he honored his son by naming a city after him.\u00a0 Of the other descendents of Cain the writer only gives their names until he gets to Lamech who is the seventh generation after Adam.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Genesis 4:19-22<\/p>\n
Lamech is the personification of the line of Cain.\u00a0 There are two incidents that reflect the same attitude of Cain in his disobedience and defiance of God.\u00a0 First, in the direct violation of the sacredness of marriage between one man and one woman, he committed bigamy. His wives have interesting names which indicate the worldly perspective of this whole family.\u00a0 Adah means ornament.\u00a0 Zillah the second meant shadow, shade, shrill and tinkle. It might be said that these two women were \u201cpraised for their beauty and sweet voice.\u201d (The New American Commentary- Genesis)<\/p>\n
Lamech\u2019s children by these two women included three sons and a daughter.\u00a0 Each of the sons had a different profession that would advance society.\u00a0 Notice that nothing was said of any relationship with God in the development of their skills.\u00a0 Their achievements were:<\/p>\n
There is nothing else known about Naamah. One commentator mentions that she was possibly listed to provide symmetry to Lamech descendents.<\/p>\n
Genesis 4:23-24<\/p>\n
After these two verses there is no more mention of the genealogy of Lamech.\u00a0 In them is seen the results of Cain\u2019s sin fully manifested in the final act of Lamech.\u00a0 He displayed a complete disregard for the man who had been created in God\u2019s image.\u00a0 He openly bragged that he had killed both an older and younger man out of revenge for harm they had done to him.\u00a0 It is possible that he may have used the implement of metal produced by his son as the weapon with which he carried out his act.\u00a0 Arrogantly he then set himself above his ancestor by announcing that anyone who tried to avenge the death of the two men would have seventy-seven times the vengeance brought against them. This is the last that is heard of this godless family.<\/p>\n
You-<\/p>\n
We-<\/p>\n
We need to understand from the life of Cain how a life begun in promise can end in disaster not only for ourselves but our families.\u00a0 Our praise and worship is to be genuine bringing only our best before Him.\u00a0 Anything short of total sacrifice of giving ourselves to God, as Paul spoke about in Roman 12:1 where he wrote, \u201cTherefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 One last point we know that we all sin.\u00a0 The bringing of a sacrifice not acceptable to God was a sin but the undoing of Cain and any of us is to disregard God\u2019s call to confess and repentance of the sin.\u00a0 Continual rejection of God will eventually lead to the spiritual death.\u00a0 God showed to Cain to us that He truly cares for us and gives us every opportunity to have a relationship.\u00a0 He does not give up on us until we give up on Him.\u00a0 It is our call.<\/p>\n
Additional Notes:<\/p>\n
BL-God\u2019s problem with Cain was not the sacrifice Cain brought Him, but the attitude with which Cain gave it. Cain gave his crop, while Abel brought his best. When God looked with favor on Abel’s sacrifice, Cain responded by pouting.\u00a0 God warned Cain that sin would master him if he did not repent, but His words fell on deaf ears. Cain’s resentment festered until finally, he murdered his brother.\u00a0 Even after killing his brother he still did not repent.\u00a0 While he deserved to die for spilling his brother’s blood, he was not grateful even when God spared him.\u00a0 Instead, he whined that his punishment was too harsh for him to bear.\u00a0 Sadly, this is the same attitude all too many people in today’s world who commit sin.\u00a0 Their initial reaction when caught is to blame God for their problems.\u00a0 Their arrogance and ingratitude often become a way of life that is\u00a0passed down to their children. (Gen. 4:3:15)<\/p>\n
RT-Probably one of the most puzzling question that there is in the Bible is, if Cain and Abel were the two first born children where did he get his wife? (Gen. 4:17)<\/p>\n
BL-We see the impact that Cain\u2019s sin had on his descendents.\u00a0 Lamech justified his murder of two men who wronged him by saying, “If Cain\u00a0avenged himself, then it’s all right for me to do it, too.”\u00a0 (Gen. 4:23)<\/p>\n
UE-It should not astonish us that man could so quickly descend to the depths of depravity that overpowered Cain.\u00a0 In this one man was embodied what pride and rebellion can do.<\/p>\n
DM-Cain had set a pattern of not offering God his best.\u00a0 There came a point when God called him to be accountable.\u00a0 His response was to become angry and despondent.\u00a0 Even after receiving God\u2019s admonition Cain made the decision to take out his anger with God on his brother Abel.\u00a0 Because of anger and jealousy we had the first murder.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because of Cain\u2019s decision he was cast out into the world by God to wander and be fearful of what man would do to him all of his life.<\/p>\n
Sin is waiting at the door of each man\u2019s life to destroy him.\u00a0 Cain chose to give into the temptation and committed one of the worse sins that one man can do to another man.\u00a0 He chose to let sin master him.\u00a0 That was the crucial point for him and his life.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (Gen. 4:3, 5-7, 13-14; Heb. 11:4-5)<\/p>\n
M-Evidently the sacrifices of Cain were self-serving and self-centered.\u00a0 When God would not accept his offering he became angry and jealous which ultimately lead to the murder of his brother, Abel.\u00a0 (Gen. 4:3, 5-8)<\/p>\n
M-Abel\u2019s relationship with God was such that he knew that God deserved the best and the first of his flock long before the Ten Commandments were given to Moses by God.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (Gen. 4:4)<\/p>\n
TM-God was trying to give Cain a lesson in the way to have a proper relationship with Him. \u00a0He also tried to share the types of activities in which he should be involved.\u00a0 To do well lifts one\u2019s spirits and chases away anger. (Gen. 4:6-7)<\/p>\n
DM-After a decision is made an act is just the extension of it.<\/p>\n
GC-Genesis 4 deals with Cain and Abel.\u00a0 It is pointed out that the problem God had with Cain was not the sacrifice Cain brought Him, but the attitude with which Cain gave it. Cain gave his crop, while Abel brought his best. When God looked with favor on Abel’s sacrifice, Cain responded by pouting.\u00a0 God warned Cain that sin would master him if he did not repent, but His words fell on deaf ears. Cain’s resentment festered until finally, he murdered his brother.\u00a0 Even having committed that act there was no repentance but belligerence on his part.\u00a0 While he deserved to die for spilling his brother’s blood, he was not grateful when God spared him.\u00a0 Instead, he whined that his punishment was too harsh for him to bear.\u00a0 This can be likened to many people in today’s world who sin, then blame God for their problems.\u00a0 Their arrogance and ingratitude often become a way of life that is\u00a0passed down to their children.<\/p>\n
WM-Cain did not give God what was due Him.\u00a0 He thought he could get away with bringing an offering not of the first fruits but just part of the harvest.\u00a0 (Gen. 4:3-4)<\/p>\n
WM-Cain had some major character flaws<\/p>\n
M-Once again we see the self-centered attitude of Cain.\u00a0 He was more concerned with his own future than he was about the terrible act he had committed. (Gen. 4:13-14)<\/p>\n
TM-Cain learned too late the results of yielding to the temptation of sin. (Gen. 4:13)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
WM-Cain was only concerned about himself and preserving his own life. (Gen. 4:13-15)<\/p>\n
TM-One of the key elements and possibly the most important in being forgiven is to face the fact that we have sinned.\u00a0 In the case of Cain God was directing him to answer some of the following questions;<\/p>\n
Depending on how he dealt with those questions would lead him to take one of two paths.\u00a0 Either he would;<\/p>\n
How do those same questions maybe worded differently apply to us?\u00a0 How do we respond when confronted with our own sin?\u00a0 Which path do you take? Why?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (Gen. 4:13)<\/p>\n
TM-At what point does God give up on a person who has hardened his heart?\u00a0 Even after the death of Abel what was God trying to do with Cain?\u00a0 How did the following questions set the stage for different responses?\u00a0 When sin prevailed in Cain\u2019s life God again asked:<\/p>\n
Based on Cain\u2019s answers what did it say about the condition of his heart? (Gen. 4:6-10)<\/p>\n
RT-Adam and Eve were given two sons, Cain and Abel.\u00a0 We do not understand how Abel developed an awareness of the correct relationship with God.\u00a0 Somehow he had learned that God deserved the offering he brought.\u00a0 Cain on the other hand displayed the attitude that so plagues mankind today.\u00a0 He offered God only a token half-hearted gift and it was not acceptable to God. (Gen. 4:3-6)<\/p>\n
C-After a period of time tragedy struck this fallen family.\u00a0 Cain who was jealous of his brother became the first murderer, thus changing the relationships in this family forever.\u00a0 To his parents he brought the experience of death and grief.\u00a0 For himself there would now be guilt and separation from not only his family but from God.\u00a0 His fate became that of a wandered and fugitive.\u00a0 His only protection was the sign that God gave to him.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (Gen. 4:8-15)\u00a0<\/p>\n
GC-The offering we bring must be of the first fruits.\u00a0 If we set aside that which is upper most according to worldly standards, we offer the sacrifice, including our very lives, with proper motives. (Gen. 4:3-4; Ex. 34:26; Prov. 21:27; Is. 43:23-24)<\/p>\n
GC-True worship and genuine sacrifice are what God desires from us.\u00a0 God had regard for Abel\u2019s offering but not that which Cain brought. (Gen. 4:5)<\/p>\n
GC-Through Christ a Christian has the ability to be master over sin. Cain was told that sin was after him, but he must master it.\u00a0 He must not let it get a foothold in his life, because once that happens it would become his master. (Gen. 4:7; Rom. 6:12-14)<\/p>\n
GC-The godly man realizes that jealousy leads to anger and anger leads to murder.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (Gen. 4:8; 1 Kings 21:1-13; Prov. 6:34-35; 27:4)<\/p>\n
GC-The end of chapter four shows what happens when a parent has not lived an exemplary life before his children.\u00a0 If we want our children to grow into adults who respect others we must set the example. (Gen. 4:8-24)<\/p>\n
GC-Is it going to take murders, jealousy and arrogance of man to finally cause man to begin to call on the name of the Lord?\u00a0 A Christian knows that in order to avoid such actions as listed above he must constantly communicate with the Father.\u00a0 After Enosh was born there came a time when man finally began to know the Lord. (Gen. 4:26)<\/p>\n
C-Sadly, Cain\u2019s influence filtered down to one of his descendents named Lamech.\u00a0 He used what Cain had done to justify his killing of others for a wrong done to him.\u00a0 A lesson needs to be learned that man never knows how his actions will impact those around him.\u00a0 In this particular we are talking about five generations from Cain. (Gen. 4:19-24)<\/p>\n
WM-Lamech saw Cain had done as justification for killing those who had hurt him.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (Gen. 4:23-24)<\/p>\n
M-Following in the footsteps of his ancestor Cain, Lamech took the revenge which is sadly is one of the characteristics of a godless man. (Gen. 4:23-24)<\/p>\n
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Lesson 4 Genesis 4 Pride Versus True Worship Me- There have been many times in my life when I have attended a worship service with the wrong attitude.\u00a0 All kinds of reasons have diminished the opportunity to meet God.\u00a0 I did a Bible study a number of years ago that I titled Encounters with God.\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-70","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=70"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":71,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70\/revisions\/71"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=70"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=70"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/biblicalmastery.com\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=70"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}