CAIN REJECTS GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY

Key Verse: 4:7

7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? 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."

Good morning Brethren! Welcome to Sunday Service Message. Through last Sunday’s message
we could learn about the fall of man that comes through the disobedience of the command
given by God not to eat of the forbidden fruit when they accepted the deceit of Satan. We
could see a severed relationship between man and God. Although God gives hope for man,
man’s position in the garden was withdrawn, turmoil and hardship ensured. Sin came into the
world. In Today’s passage we will see an extension of this sin the offspring of Adam and Eve and
call to repentance that was never hided to. I pray that through this passage we will be awaken
to God’s call to return to him from our wicked ways while he still calls on us.

Look at verse 1-2, Adam a lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to
Cain. b She said, "With the help of the Lord I have brought forth c a man." 2 Later she gave birth
to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil.
In these verses we find the fulfillment of Gen 1:28,28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be
fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and
the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground. Adam and Eve had
Cain and Abel as their offspring. Even when man had fallen short on his part God remained
faithful to his promise. Cain and Abel must have been brought up in the way of God
How did Cain and Abel choose to serve God with their offering and what was Gods response to
their offering?
Look at verse 3-5, 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an
offering to the Lord. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The
Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look
with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
Cain and Abel brought offering to God they must have been first fruit offering. Let’s consider
the offering they gave. First Cain bought some of the fruits; probably out of what he had but
not much preparation, thought or consideration can we find in the narrative as opposed to Abel
who brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. Abel’s offering must have been
overflowing with thankfulness and acknowledgment of God’s sustenance.
Heb 11:4, 4 By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was
commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still
speaks, even though he is dead.
Abel went out of his way to please God while Cain must have discharged this as mere duty.
Offerings are usually an acknowledgement to God in thanks, first fruits, tithe, repentance or
free will. They show the disposition of our heart towards God. But more than the offering is the
condition of our heart before God.
1 Sam 15:22, 22 But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices

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as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is
better than the fat of rams.
Ps 51:16-17, 16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in
burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifices of God are c a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O
God, you will not despise.
It is out of such heart that our actions of giving to the Lord are pleasing to him.
God looked with favor on Abel’s sacrifice but not on Cain’s. While our hearts may be hidden
from men, they cannot be hidden from God
Jeremiah17:10 "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person
according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve."
We therefore must prayerful come before God with hearts that acknowledge and revere him.
Then only will our sacrifice and worship to him be acceptable. When Cain did not offer out of
faith and thankful heart his sacrifice was not looked at with favor. He must have though he was
doing God a favor to offer to him so God had to be pleased with whatever he brought. When
we have such attitude we also find ourselves serving God out of habit and it’s so dry and we
wonder why the God seems so far away from us. It is our hearts.
What was the result of God not looking at Cain’s sacrifice with favour? Look at verse 6 Then the
Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry?
Cain became indignant about God’s response. This shows his reluctance to seek God in regard
to why the event turned out otherwise. This was designed as a gracious warning, and a
preventive of the meditated crime. That displeasure which should have been turned against his
own unhumbled heart was turned against his innocent brother, who, though not more highly
privileged than he.
What counsel did God give him? Look at verse 7. This is our Key verse lets read it together.
7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? 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."

God counsels Cain first to reflect on his actions that caused his current state. If you do what is
right. Cain should do what is right before God and in that way guard is heart because sin was
crouching at his door.
2 Cor 13:7, Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see
that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to
have failed.
From the fall of man, the devil is always around us seeking to lure us into sin. We have fallen
nature and at that the inclination of our flesh strong towards sin.
Matt 15:19-20,19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality,
theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what make a man 'unclean'; but eating with
unwashed hands does not make him 'unclean.'"
We should therefore heed God’s word of guidance when its given. What happened when Cain
didn’t heed God’s word of caution?
Look at verse 8, Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let's go out to the field." d And while they
were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Cain was so angry he would not

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be talked out of his sin - even by God. Eve, however, had to be talked into her sin by Satan; but
when Cain didn’t heed God’s counsel he sinned by murdering his brother Abel.
James 1:13-15
13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by
evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is
dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin,
when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

As a result Cain was so adamant even when confronted of the sin he had committed. His
response "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?" Shows his lack of remorse for
what he had done. He only saw his brother as competition and when Jealousy burned in his
heart he couldn’t control it and thus when it was unresolved killed his brother
Although God was offering opportunity for Cain to repent he didn’t cease it let alone take
responsibility for his action before God. Because of his sin God punished him.
11 Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive
your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its
crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth."
This is the result of sin. Although it looks like he could conceal it, nothing can be hidden from
God because he sees all. God punishes all sin. We should repent and believe in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Otherwise, the bible clearly says the “wages of sin is death, “Rom. 6:23, “…but the gift of
God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”.
God was still gracious to Cain when he cried out in v13-16, God protected him by placing mark
on him so he wouldn’t be killed by anyone who found him.
13 Cain said to the Lord, "My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me
from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the
earth, and whoever finds me will kill me." 15 But the Lord said to him, "Not so e; if anyone kills
Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over." Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no
one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the Lord's presence and lived in
the land of Nod, f east of Eden.
Cain lost his relationship with God and also the family of God. Consider the cascading effect of
unresolved sin and the pride in failing to heed God’s instruction. Not only was his life forever
altered but even generations after him. Cain’s descendants lead a godless life and sought
accomplishments in their achievements.
17 Cain lay with his wife, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Enoch. Cain was then
building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was
the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methushael, and Methushael was the
father of Lamech. 19 Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. 20
Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. 21 His
brother's name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute. 22 Zillah also
had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of g bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain's sister
was Naamah. 23 Lamech said to his wives, "Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear
my words. I have killed h a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me. 24 If Cain is
avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times."

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God however raised a remnant in Seth through whom his work and God’s heritage would be
continued.

25 Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, i saying, "God
has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him." 26 Seth also had a son,
and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord.

In conclusion, we have seen what the condition of our hearts should be before God especially
when we come to offer any sacrifice. We should have absolute faith and have thankful heart
towards God. Considering his counsel, we should be willing to deal with unresolved sin,
especially the sin of pride and jealousy, and guard our hearts from all sort of evil inclination by
help of the holy spirit who convicts us by his word. Finally God has called us to live for him and
as such we should guard not only our lives but be mindful of the kind of heritage we leave . May
God help us always acknowledge his sovereignty in our lives that we may always live to please
and honor him with our lives

Let read the Key verse once again.

7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? 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."