The class will focus on Genesis 4 after spending the past few weeks going over a timeline of key events in the Old Testament. Here’s an outline of notes and things to think about as we go approach Genesis 4.

Questions to Consider

1. Compare the sacrifices of Cain and Abel.

2. Have you ever found yourself in the position of Cain in verse 5?

3. In verse 7, how does God tell Cain to be accepted and to overcome his bad attitude?

Notes from the Scripture

4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.

4:2 And she again bare his brother, Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

We can’t say that being a tiller of the ground was a less honorable occupation than being a keeper of sheep, for God instructed Adam to be a tiller of the ground. (Genesis 3:23)

4:3 And in process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering until the Lord.

4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect until Abel and to his offering.

The fruit of the ground was a product of the ground which was cursed in Genesis 3:17, so it could not be offered to remove sin. In Leviticus and Numbers, fruit of the ground was used to tithe and to support the priesthood. But even then, God specifies to bring the BEST or the fat of the crops.

God had used animal sacrifice, the skin of a dead animal, to cover the sin of Adam and Eve. Therefore, an animal sacrifice was necessary for atonement for Cain and Abel.

The Bible doesn’t say that Cain brought of the fat of his offering. It specifically states that Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the “fat” thereof.

4:5 But unto Cain and to his offerings He had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

We don’t know why God was not pleased with Cain’s offering. But I must believe that Cain would have known what made an offering acceptable of not acceptable.

We find Cain “wroth” (charah in Hebrew: blaze up, hot, be incensed, jealous). His countenance fell (long-faced, sullen).

4:6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art though wroth? And why is thy countenance fallen?

The Lord doesn’t ignore Cain’s displeasure but tries to help him see the error of his ways and deal with it.

4:7 If thou doest well, shalt 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.

The root of a bad attitude is sin. Do well, be accepted. Don’t do well; sin lies at the door.

Other translations:
NKJ: …And if you do not well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.
KIV: But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.
NLT: But if you refuse to respond correctly, then watch out! Sin is waiting to attack and destroy you, and you must subdue it.

4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him.

Cain did not deal with his bitterness. He let his bitterness deal with him. Bitterness led to murder.

4:9 And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not; Am I my brother’s keeper?

Again, as with Adam and Eve in the garden, the Lord approaches Cain with a question: Where is Abel, thy brother. God was giving Cain an opportunity to confess.

4:10 And He said, What hast thou done? The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.

Cain still does not confess.

4:11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;

4:12 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.

Now you are cursed and the earth which opened her mouth and received your brother’s blood will no longer yield her strength unto you.

4:13 And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
4:14 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 everyone that findesth me shall slay me.
4:15 And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

We don’t ever read that Cain confessed. He continued to complain and feel sorry for himself. But our merciful Lord protected him anyway.

4:16 And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden.
4:17 And Cain knew his wife; and she conceived and bare Enoch; and he builded a city and called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch.
4:18 And unto Enoch was born Irad; and Irad begat Mehujael; and Mehujael begat Methusael; and Methusael begat Lamech.
4:19 And Lamech took unto him two wives; the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.
4:20 And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents and of such as have cattle.
4:21 And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ.
4:22 And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah.
4:23 And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice, ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt.

Lamech confesses to his wives he has slain a man.
Cain, Enoch, Irad, Mehujael, Methusael, Lamech. Five generations after Cain, Lamech remembers and speaks of Cain have committed murder. He mentions if Cain should be forgiven, then he should be forgiven.

4:24 If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.
4:25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.

God and Adam and Eve started over with a third son, Seth.
Seth had Enos and then men began to call upon the name of the Lord.

4:25 And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos; then men began to call upon the name of the Lord.

Points to Remember

🫴 Give rich offerings to God; not subpar or stingy.

🙏 When you have failed, don’t develop a bad attitude ad let it destroy you. Confess and let God help you.