Cheleb: The Finest

God’s desire is to heal Cain and to help him master sin. He is telling Cain he is sinning—even though no biblical definition of sin exists yet. Cain apparently has an inborn knowledge of sin and even though not worthy, God is wooing him, calling him back into fellowship and relationship. This is a God of compassion.

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 (Gen. 4:8).

We don’t know what Cain told Abel. The Scripture doesn’t give us any insight to the conversation. Cain may have talked about his conversation with God. They may have discussed the weather. Or Cain may have told Abel off. We simply don’t know. Yet here is the great paradox: Abel, whose offering was favored, is dead. It sounds like the age-old question, “Why do the wicked prosper?” “Why has the way of the wicked prospered? Why are all those who deal in treachery at ease?” (Jer 12:1).

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen. 4:9).

Again, God speaks with Cain. You or I might be on our faces, trembling with fear of retribution, but Cain still seems to be totally self-absorbed.

The Most High never asks a question for His benefit. Rather, He tries to get people to think before they answer. The merciful Judge was giving Cain an opportunity to repent. God knew a murder had taken place. He knew that Cain was guilty and deserving of capital punishment, yet our God of compassion was offering him one more chance to change.

In Genesis 4:10-12 God says, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground. Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 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.”

As already mentioned, Cain was deserving of capital punishment, yet this Old Testament God grants Cain unmerited mercy. God had cursed the ground when Adam and Eve were exiled from the Garden of Eden, now that ground curses Cain, the consequences of his sin. Even with mercy come consequences.

Tags: cheleb, finest

Category: Biblical Studies, Spring 2000