The Ways of Cain

Before Cain killed his innocent Brother Abel he already sinned in his heart and God warned him clearly of this. We also see that Cain did not heed the instructions that God gave to him and Abel and chose to not come under hearing of God’s instructions.
Genesis 4:2-8 “Now Abel kept the flocks [of sheep and goats], but Cain cultivated the ground. And in the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground. But Abel brought [an offering of] the [finest] firstborn of his flock and the fat portions. And the Lord had respect (regard) for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and his offering He had no respect. So Cain became extremely angry (indignant), and he looked annoyed and hostile. And the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you so angry? And why do you look annoyed? If you do well [believing Me and doing what is acceptable and pleasing to Me], will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well [but ignore My instruction], sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you [to overpower you], but you must master it.” Cain talked with Abel his brother [about what God had said]. And when they were [alone, working] in the field, Cain attacked Abel his brother and killed him.”
Temptation clearly leads to sin if we allow it to fester within our hearts, and it becomes an exponential cycle of sin leading to even more sin. Cain started by rebelling against God’s instructions in regards with offerings, and then he grew jealous of his Brother Abel. This led to anger and the murder of Abel. The final insult of Cain’s sin is him lying to God about murdering his brother Abel.
Genesis 4:9-14 “Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he [lied and] said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” The Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s [innocent] blood is crying out to Me from the ground [for justice]. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s [shed] blood from your hand. When you cultivate the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength [it will resist producing good crops] for you; you shall be a fugitive and a vagabond [roaming aimlessly] on the earth [in perpetual exile without a home, a degraded outcast].” Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, You have driven me out this day from the face of the land; and from Your face (presence) I will be hidden, and I will be a fugitive and an [aimless] vagabond on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
Cain’s response to God in saying, “Am I my Brother’s keeper?” is another instruction that Cain disregarded as we are all our Brother’s and Sister’s keepers when we are one in Messiah. We are called to love one another as we love ourselves and be willing to lay our life down for our Brother’s and Sister’s.
The apostle John warned us and referred back that we should not follow in the ways of Cain because he was unrighteous and did not love his Brother.
1 John 3:11-12 “For this is the message which you [believers] have heard from the beginning [of your relationship with Christ], that we should [unselfishly] love and seek the best for one another; and not be like Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother [Abel]. And why did he murder him? Because Cain’s deeds were evil, and his brother’s were righteous.”
Finally we see the rebellious nature of Cain in full description by Jude as he warns us to avoid them because their end destination is that of despair and isolation with God.
Jude 1:8-13 “Nevertheless in the same way, these dreamers [who are dreaming that God will not punish them] also defile the body, and reject [legitimate] authority, and revile and mock angelic majesties. But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil (Satan), and arguing about the body of Moses, did not dare bring an abusive condemnation against him, but [simply] said, “The Lord rebuke you!” But these men sneer at anything which they do not understand; and whatever they do know by [mere] instinct, like unreasoning and irrational beasts—by these things they are destroyed. Woe to them! For they have gone the [defiant] way of Cain, and for profit they have run headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of [mutinous] Korah. These men are hidden reefs [elements of great danger to others] in your love feasts when they feast together with you without fear, looking after [only] themselves; [they are like] clouds without water, swept along by the winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted and lifeless; wild waves of the sea, flinging up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of deep darkness has been reserved forever.”
Be encouraged that we are called by God to follow His ways and for us to live by His Holy Word. It’s better that we die as righteous men before God like Abel and be saved, than to live in unrighteousness like Cain and be removed from the love, protection and grace from our Heavenly Father.
Endure and Persevere in this hour and be an encouragement for your fellow Brothers and Sisters in Messiah.
Prayers and blessings in Yeshua’s name,
Shalom!    

Courtesy of Philia Contributor Daniel Prinsloo