today's meditation (Gn.4:1-24) God Looks at Our Hearts

(Dear Lord Jesus, open my eyes to what You have to say to me today...)

(Genesis 4:1-24)  Now the man had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain, and she said, “I have gotten a manchild with the help of the Lord.” 2 Again, she gave birth to his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground. 4 Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; 5 but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” 8 Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.

9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” 10 He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground. 11 Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.” 13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is too great to bear! 14 Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Your face I will be hidden, and I will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 So the Lord said to him, “Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him.

16 Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

17 Cain had relations with his wife and she conceived, and gave birth to Enoch; and he built a city, and called the name of the city Enoch, after the name of his son. 18 Now to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad became the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael became the father of Methushael, and Methushael became the father of Lamech. 19 Lamech took to himself two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other, Zillah. 20 Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and have livestock. 21 His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all those who play the lyre and pipe. 22 As for Zillah, she also gave birth to Tubal-cain, the forger of all implements of bronze and iron; and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

23 Lamech said to his wives,

“Adah and Zillah,
Listen to my voice,
You wives of Lamech,
Give heed to my speech,
For I have killed a man for wounding me;
And a boy for striking me;
24 If Cain is avenged sevenfold,
Then Lamech seventy-sevenfold.”

TODAY'S THOUGHTS AND MEDITATION:

Right after the Garden of Eden and the "fall of man", we see mankind bringing offerings to the Lord, as a form of worship to honor God, and/or recognizing one's sins and the need for forgiveness.

God did not compare the offerings based on what it was, whether animals or fruit, God looked at the person's heart.  God found Abel's offering acceptable because Abel gave of his "first-fruits" - the very best of his "income", which would have required a humble, grateful heart.

Cain on the other hand, just gave the Lord the leftover fruit picked up off the ground... which was probably already rotting.  Not only that, Cain became indignant that God wasn't grateful to receive his rotting fruit.  But notice how gracious and patient God was towards Cain.

God gave Cain a chance to repent and change the attitude of his heart.  God also gave Cain some wise guidance about not falling into temptation.  If a person dwells on the temptation, the likelihood of acting upon it certainly increases.  So we need to recognize our temptations and bad attitudes - and "master it" - with a change of heart;  because temptations and bad attitudes lead us towards sin.

Even after Cain murdered Abel out of jealousy and anger, when God approached Cain to give him another chance to change his heart and confess his sin, Cain remained indignant, trying to cover up his crime.  Kind of just like their parents had done when they had fallen into temptation and had eaten the forbidden fruit.  It was then that God allowed consequences to fall upon Cain, but still with mercy, as God agreed to protect Cain from being murdered.

Still, Cain chose to leave God's presence.  He was not even going to pretend to follow God.  So it is not surprising that Cain's legacy for his family was a household of anger and violence, and that his descendants did not choose to learn from Cain's mistakes.  Lamech, his great-great-great-grandson, not only decided to disobey God's commandments and have two wives, but he also killed a man and a boy just because they hit him.  And then it was, like, Lamech said to his wives, "Oh well, my great-great-great-grand-daddy was bad, and now just look at how bad I am.  Yeah, I'm cursed, so look out!  Deal with it!"

The takeaway from all of this can be that sin begets sin.  Or, that there will be consequences when we sin.  But the bigger and better takeaway is that no matter how great our sin, God is right there patiently waiting for us to have a change of heart!!!