CHAPTER 4
THE SEED OF WRATH
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. 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 HIS OFFERING HE HAD NOT RESPECT. AND CAIN WAS VERY WROTH, AND HIS COUNTENANCE FELL. AND THE LORD SAID UNTO CAIN, WHY ART THOU WROTH? AND WHY IS THY COUNTENEANCE FALLEN? IF THOU DOEST WELL, SHALL THOU NOT BE ACCEPTED? AND IF THOU DOETH NOT WELL, SIN LIETH AT THE DOOR. AND UNTO THEE SHALL BE HIS DESIRE, AND THOU SHALT RULE OVER HIM. 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. Genesis, Chapter 4, Verses 1-8.
Cain and Abel each brought sacrifices to the Lord, but Cain’s sacrifice was not accepted by God. Cain’s sacrifice was NOT a sacrifice of faith, but one of works. You could say Cain’s sacrifice was rooted and grounded in the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It was a work of the flesh.
On the other hand, God was satisfied with Abel’s sacrifice because it was an act of faith representing the sacrifice of Christ at Calvary. “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” God cannot and will not accept any sacrifice which originates from the Forbidden Tree.
A “Blood Sacrifice” was a prophetic representation of Christ on the Cross pouring out His Blood as an offering for sin. The Blood of Christ was, and continues to be, the only acceptable sacrifice for sin God recognizes.
Cain slew Abel in a jealous rage. The fruit the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil produces is devilish and is easily provoked. It was obvious that the nature of the Serpent had found residence in the heart of Cain. His ideas concerning sacrificial justification were feeble minded and not very well thought out. Abel knew what God expected of him. He proved that by offering the only sacrifice God would accept; a sacrifice based on faith. Cain, on the other hand, brought a sacrifice of his own choosing.
Cain thought he was justified in killing his brother. He made up his own rules, and they had been challenged by an outside source displaying Righteousness, his brother Abel. Cain’s sacrifice was of his own choosing and it did not matter to him whether or not it was pleasing to God. Cain was the ruler of his own domain, and whatever he chose to do was right in his own eyes.
Instead of the God like characteristics which Abel possessed, Cain possessed and displayed many of the motives and attitudes of the Serpent, Satan. The seed which produced the characteristics of the Serpent were passed down to Cain through his parents who had eaten the Forbidden Fruit. On the other hand, the characteristics of Christ were passed down to Abel through his parents.
Cain possessed the same prideful characteristics found in Lucifer. Lucifer had been cast out of Heaven for his rebellious behavior toward God. Rage, jealousy, pride, hatred and murder are all part of the Serpent’s ungodly character. Cain had inherited those characteristics from the “Subtle Serpent” who had introduced rebellion to his parents.
In Abel we see the Fruit of Righteousness which represented the Tree of Life. In Cain we see the Fruit of unrighteousness which the Forbidden Tree produces. The sacrifice of Cain was not one of faith, but one of works. The Doctrine of Salvation by works can never wash away sin.
In Cain we can see the Spirit of Jealousy which triggered his hatred for his brother. Cain became very angry (wroth) with Abel, because Abel’s sacrifice was accepted by God. Finally, the hate and anger Cain had toward Abel needed an outlet. Abel had made Cain angry, and he determined death was the penalty for Abel’s offence. Wrath always seeks justification. However, God is our only Justifier and vengeance is His responsibility. When men eat of the Forbidden Fruit, they will always justify themselves by blaming others for their failures and sins.
Cain’s wrath turned into judgment, and judgment into satanically inspired justice, Abel’s death. Instead of allowing the “Peace of God” to rule in his heart, Cain allowed himself to be overcome by Fruit the Forbidden Tree produced. The works of the flesh are powerful tools the enemy uses to ensnare and entrap men and women who have taken their focus off of the Tree of Life.
Cain was different from Adam, his father. When Adam sinned in the Garden he tried to hide his shame. When confronted by God, Adam tried to justify himself by blaming Eve for his sin. Adam knew he had done wrong and knew that judgment was imminent. He knew that someone would have to pay for his sin, but he hoped that Eve would be the one to pay the penalty. After all, it was Eve who had given him the Fruit to eat.
Cain, on the other hand, tried to justify his actions by proclaiming he was not his brother’s keeper. In asking God the question, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain was not just trying to hide his sin, but he was saying he was not responsible for what happened to Abel. To Cain, Abel got what he deserved.
Adam knew he had sinned, and he realized he needed justification for his sin. He started making excuses, and playing the BLAME GAME. Adam needed a way of escape from the judgment he knew would come. He knew he could not be justified unless justification came from another source. That is why he and Eve sewed fig leaves in a feeble attempt to hide their nakedness.
In Cain’s heart his own self-righteousness was the means of justification. In other words, Cain made up his own rules, and to him, nothing else mattered. Rebellion is always a byproduct of self-righteousness and self-centeredness.
The fact that Adam knew that judgment was imminent and tried to hide his shame tells us that he knew the relationship between him and God must somehow be restored. Adam knew that what he had done came with severe consequences, and he was looking to escape retribution. He not only tried to deceive God as to who was to blame for his sin, he was also deceiving himself by thinking he could blame his sin on someone else.
We can see the character of the Serpent being passed down to Adam and then to Cain. Shame (sin) needed a covering; and if Adam and Cain could find a scapegoat, the blame could be passed on to someone else.
Cain’s poor choice of sacrifice was his first mistake. He should have known what God expected him to bring to the altar. Cain and Abel were raised at the same table. In today’s world you could say Cain went to the same Church as Abel and listened to the same sermons as Abel. Yet, there was a vast difference in the two of them. That difference had to do with the Trees from which they ate in their spiritual garden. This principle remains the same today. Children raised in the same household can turn out completely opposite from each other.
If Cain did not know what type of sacrifice God expected of him, it was because he was not listening to the voice of God. God had warned him about his anger problem.
(see Gen. ch. 4, vs. 6-7) Cain was self-serving and self-centered and self-motivated.
REBELLION
Rebellion is fueled by “pride.” Pride is the reason Lucifer was thrown out of Heaven. Cain was not interested in what God wanted or expected of him, but in what HE wanted to give God. He knew God expected a sacrifice, but he, and not God, would choose what sacrifice he would offer.
Cain’s sacrifice was not a sacrifice of his reasonable service, but one of his own choosing. It was not only the sacrifice Cain brought to the altar that God rejected, but the motive behind the sacrifice. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God and need justification. Only true repentance can bring Salvation to the heart of mankind.
Abel’s sacrifice was one of faith. It was prophetic of the sacrifice which Christ would make on Mount Calvary. Christ was the Unblemished Lamb that came to take away the sins of the World. Cain’s sacrifice was one he himself produced by working with his hands. Abel’s was a sacrifice of the heart. His focus was on his Redeemer, Christ, the Tree of Life. Cain’s sacrifice was a byproduct of the works of his own hands inspired by the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Self-righteousness and Pride drink from the same bitter fountain which came forth when Lucifer desired the Throne of God. Satan had removed God from the throne of his heart. He desired the Throne of God, so he could be worshipped as a god.
THE HEAVEN IS MY THRONE, AND THE EARTH (spirit) IS MY FOOTSTOOL: WHERE IS THE HOUSE THAT YE BUILD UNTO ME? AND WHERE IS THE PLACE OF MY REST. Isaiah, Chapter 66, Verse 1. Self-righteousness rules its own kingdom and does not allow the True God a place of rest. Therefore, there is no rest in the hearts of men without the Righteousness of Christ.
On the Seventh Day of Creation God rested FROM all the WORKS OF HIS HANDS. He had created man, and now His Spirit rested in Adam. In Eden that rest was disturbed by the Serpent, and God’s Throne had again been challenged by the sin of Pride. However, this time the Throne of God rested in the heart of His new creation, Adam.
Satan challenges and attacks the Authority of God and His Word whenever and wherever he finds opportunity. His challenge did not work in Heaven. God prevailed--Lucifer was cast down to Earth. Now Satan walks about the Earth like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour.
The Seed of Wrath in Cain searched for its own justification. However, wrath in the heart of man can never be justified. God is the only one qualified to administer Wrath. God’s Wrath is always justified, and His judgments are a result of His Mercy.
Wrath can be defined as “unjustified anger accompanied by a strong desire for vengeance.” Wrath is anger multiplied many times over. According to Scripture, we can be angry and not sin, however, wrath can never be justified in mankind. Vengeance belongs to the Lord. It is God’s responsibility to condemn, judge and/or justify. In reality, we condemn ourselves by our actions. We are justified and/or condemned by our words and actions, and without Christ, man is already condemned.
Wrath is found in the heart of one who has no self- control. Wrath, in natural man, is controlled by the Spirits of Murder and Hatred. Wrath is provoked by the Spirits of Jealousy, Confusion, Strife and Rebellion.
Wrath can control a person when his pride and insecurity are threatened or injured. A wrathful person has a warped sense of justice and always uses very poor judgment. He makes up his own rules and does not adhere to Truth or common sense. Nothing matters to him except his own selfish desires and motives.
Cain was ruled by the nature of the Serpent. His wrath and craving for vengeance was more than any natural man could bear. The only thing that would satisfy Cain was the elimination of his greatest threat, Abel. Cain did not realize his greatest enemy was not Abel, but the Seed Nature of the Serpent which he inherited from his parents.
Eating of the “Forbidden Fruit” tends to cause men to make up their own rules and regulations. Man’s rules and regulations will always be of benefit to themselves rather than others. Men without a shred of conscience can be vindictive and will always deal with others acrimoniously. Wrath can mesmerize and beguile the heart of anyone who desires judgment and condemnation of others rather than mercy.
Anger can be justified at times and replaced with mercy, but wrath in the heart of man can never be justified.