Escalating Sin

In most animals, the sexual drive is strictly about reproduction.  As a result, the sexual drive is in abeyance for most of the year, mainly becoming a major issue during the breeding season.  Once the mating urge is satisfied, the sexual urge ceases until the following mating season.  In Humans, the sex act has a powerful emotional impact, creating an emotional  bond only a few animals seem to experience.  The sexual desire continues through out the year, maintaining and strengthening the bond.   God intended it to be a way of demonstrating our love for our mate that is never to be shared with anyone else.   Because it is not solely for reproduction, the chances of coitus resulting in pregnancy in humans is much lower than in the animals.

Knowing this, we have no way of knowing how long it was before Eve became pregnant, but inevitably it happened.  Genesis 4:1-2 tells us, “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.  And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.”  As the two boys grew up. Cain became a farmer, constantly digging in the soil to cultivate his crops, while Abel became a sheep herder.  Both were earning their living by the sweat of their brow, as God had specified as a result of man’s sin.  It appears that people had begun to eat meat, even though God would not make eating meat official for at least another fifteen hundred years.  Death was becoming accepted as a part of life. 

God had killed animals to make clothing for Adam and Eve, because as we saw in Hebrews 9:22, “…without shedding of blood is no remission.”  Unfortunately, as Hebrews 10:4 tells us, “…it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”  At best they could only postpone judgment.  As a result, another sacrifice had to be made every year.  Only the death of the guilty party could take away the sin.  With this in mind, Genesis 4:3-4 tells us, “And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.  And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.” 

Like Adam, Cain ignored God’s command, bringing fruit and vegetables instead of the animal sacrigice God had specified.  Abel had brought the sacrifice God commanded, and God accepted it, but he refused what Cain had brought.  Cain became very upset because God did not approve his offering, much like child who deliberately does something besides what his parents asked him to do.  God asked him what right he had to be mad, since he had the same instructions as Abel, in Genesis 4:6-7.  “And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?  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.” 

If he had simply followed instructions, his offering would have been acceptable as well.  In Hebrew, the wording ‘sin lieth at the door’ implies that Abel had provided a lamb so Cain could not even say he didn’t have a proper sacrifice.  He could either offer the proper sacrifice or sin by refusing to obey.  Cain chose to disobey, as Genesis 4:8 tells us.   “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.”  Instead of offering the sacrifice and pleasing God, Cain murdered Abel. 

Cain had waited until he thought no one would see him, but God knew exactly what he had done.  He gave Cain the opportunity to repent, asking where Abel was, in Genesis 4:9-10.  “And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? ...” Cain pretended not to know where he was, insisting he was not responsible for what happened to Abel.

God was not fooled by Cain’s denials.  Genesis 4:10b-12 says, “…And he said, 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.”  As a result of murdering Abel, Cain’s conscience would cause him to live in constant fear, never daring form permanent roots anywhere.  He would end up working harder than others because God would curse his efforts so that it would not produce as well for him. 

There are always consequences for our actions.  Galatians 6:7-8 warns, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.   For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”  It is not possible to fool God.  He will see that we experience the consequences of our actions.  If the actions were geared to this natural body’s pleasure, they will rot along with the body, but if they were done at the Holy Spirit’s direction, they will produce eternal life.