Cain Killed His Brother Abel

Most Christians are familiar with the story of Cain and Abel; but most Christians do not fully understand what happened to Cain after he slew his brother Abel.  Most Biblical Scholars attribute the killing of Abel as the second murder in the Bible as the first murder is when Lucifer deceived Eve that caused Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit which then caused death to enter mankind. 

Adam joined Eve because of his love for her that was greater than the love for himself, which is a model pointing to Jesus Christ and His actions on the Cross by taking our place to receive the condemnation of the sins of the world.

Most Christians are taught incorrectly about Cain that:

1. Cain was the first murderer.
2. Cain wondered the earth condemned by God.
3. Cain is not Saved and will not be in Heaven.

Truly, we can know that Cain was acting under his own carnality of hatred, 1 John 3:11, but the scripture also tells us that Cain was acting under the influence of Lucifer (the evil one), 1 John 3:12.  The point of verse 12, was Cain belonged to Lucifer.  Until the point that all of us ask Jesus Christ to be our Savior, then we do not belong to God, Romans 5:10; and there is no middle-ground of owned by either God or Lucifer.  We will discover that God made a way to take Cain away from Lucifer, which is what we want God to do for everyone like us!  Both King David and Moses committed murder.

Grain Offerings Acceptable?

Grain Offerings were established in the Book of Leviticus by the instructions of God, and not before the exodus of Egypt by the nation of Israel.  When the Levitical Priesthood came into existence from the lineage of Aaron during the Exodus, the Priest of the tribe of Levi had a purpose of being the representative of the people to God, and to make atonement (covering) for sins.  The Priest responsibilities were many that did not allow them to have time to be farmers, ranchers, merchants or any other sustaining work or labor for payment.

God instructed Israel to support the Levite Priests by tithes, animal and grain offering that were first part of ordained worship and the covering (not removal) of sins with God.  The tithes, animal and grain offering after the priestly procedures were done, were then payment and a salary to the Levite Priests.

Before the establishment of the Temple in Jerusalem, the Tribes of Israel were ministered to by the Levite Priests at a Tent that contained items such as the Ark of the Covenant.  After the establishment of the Temple, the duties of the Levite Priests transferred to the Temple where there were some additional Godly established procedures were required such as use of the Bronze Basin's use.  

Before the Grain Offering was instituted, the covering for sins were done by animal sacrifice.  This was the process established and inferred in the scriptures before the nation of Israel came into existence.  Three scriptural examples of animal sacrifices were done by:

• God who provides animal skins to cover Adam and Eve's nakedness in Genesis 3:21, which taught us the shedding of blood is required for a payment of sins.
• Noah after leaving the Ark in Genesis 8:20 as a thankful offering.
• Abraham in Genesis 22:13 with the ram caught in the thicket.  This points to Jesus Christ in an amazing way.

This lets us know that God had established a process from the very beginning of the payment for sins required a blood payment that points to Jesus Christ on the Cross's payment for the sins of the world.

Why Cain killed Abel and was Initially Mad at God

Cain was mad at God for not accepting his sacrifice.  Cain committed the murder because he was jealous of Abel, who brought the required sacrifice to God.  Abel brought the first born of his flock of sheep to be offered up to God.  Cain brought "fruits of the field" which was not acceptable as read in Genesis 4:6.  From God's comments to Cain later in this chapter, we know that Cain knew that a blood sacrifice was required.  In verse 8, Cain kills Abel.

Abel was the First Prophet in the Scriptures

Notice that the Scriptures that Abel spoke through his blood.  Our Savior, Jesus Christ's blood, cleanses the sins of the World.

How is Abel like Jesus Christ in a Typological Way?

Cain's Punishment for Murder

In Genesis 4:9-15, we learn that God confronts Cain and gives Cain an opportunity to confess his sin.  This is just as God does with each and every one of us!  Cain denies his guilt and then receives the punishment for the murder.  God does forgive murderers!

Notice the following points about Cain's punishment:

1. God did not take Cain's life then and there.  God has taken peoples lives immediately, as seen many times in the Scriptures.  Since God did not take Cain's life this should point to God giving Cain time for repenting.  Remember that even Moses committed murder.  Our God is a God of Grace and Mercy which means Forgiveness for those who will accept Him through Jesus Christ!
2. God gave Cain a sign, a mark, so that no one would kill Cain.  This mark gave Cain Faith in God so that Cain would be protected.  The key parts, for the reader to notice, is Cain went on to live in the land of Nod with Faith that God would avenge him if he was killed.  We do not know if this mark was either visible, felt or heard about; but, through discernment of the verse, we can see that God was protecting Cain.  Cain had to know he did not receive the righteous punishment of death for murder even though he learned that his farming would not yield in abundance as it once was. 

The Way of Cain in the Book of Jude

In the book of Jude 1:11, Cain is referenced in as a comparison when dealing with the actions of mankind who are greedy and have rebelled.

Some Christians have sited Jude 1:11 to state that Cain was evil, doomed and could not have Salvation.  When keeping verse 11, in context to the whole book of Jude, the message is clearly about the pattern and history of the world which has contained those who live for themselves and entertain the lusts of their flesh for their own selfish desires.  Cain, before the murder and at the time of the murder of Abel:

• Had to have known about the proper offering to God as evidenced by Genesis 4:6 where God is reminding Cain.
• Cain was selfish and jealous of Abel, where Cain killed Abel.
• Cain made up excuses for his actions to God during the point of God approaching Cain to give Cain a chance to confess. 

Continuing in Jude 1:11, there is also the references of Balaam and Korah. 

• Balaam, from the evidence of the scriptures never was acting in the ways that God would have had him to act.  The evidence of Balaam is he is not saved at the time of the scriptural verses, but we do not know if Balaam changed since God was dealing with him.  When God begins a work with someone in the scriptures that does not involve death, then there is always a possibility.  This is also evidenced on how God dealt with the Rebellion of Korah.
• The Rebellion of Korah was an immediate judgment by God where those who were against Moses and Aaron were immediately swallowed by the earth and died.

Consider the scriptures on Solomon, who did many great works for God and wrote Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, several Psalms.  Yet, King Solomon is spoken in not a very flatteringly way by Jesus Christ and we know that King Solomon did evil things.  Is King Solomon saved and in Heaven now?  Most Biblical Scholars would say yes and King Solomon is an example of starting off correctly by serving God and then failing.  Most of us have had periods of errors and selfishness.

Notice that the connotation by Jesus Christ in Matthew 6:30 is King Solomon ended up being a man of little faith.

Is Cain Saved?

There is a popular belief that God hated Cain and that Cain will be going to the Lake of Fire for eternity because of the murder of Abel.  This author has been hearing this since the time of being a little boy in Church in the 1960s.  There is no scripture that says that Cain is condemned.

The Question is Cain saved and will he be in eternity with the Faithful?  The answer from reading the Scriptures, and some Biblical Scholars, appears to be yes for the following reasons: 

1. Cain walked the remainder of his life in faith of God protecting him and also because God did not require Cain's death as punishment.  God does sometimes require immediate death and this was not required of Cain.  When God gives us time after anything sinful that means it is for repenting, just like He did with Adam and Eve.  This does not negate consequences, but it is about us being changed.
2. If Cain had no desire to have God involved in his life, then Cain could have rejected God's mark of protection.  The scripture does not state that Cain rejected the mark. 
   (a) By Cain living his life and remembering the mark on a daily basis, he had to grow in Faith because of God's protection along with being thankful of God for His mercy. 
   (b) The mark of protection by God, is most likely the same when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we become ambassadors for Jesus Christ which is the real point of the third commandment.  Cain took on the protection of God and others when seeing Cain had this understanding that God was protecting Cain otherwise the Mark was irrelevant.
3. When Cain married, his wife had to know that Cain had murdered his brother Abel.  If she didn't think that Cain had changed, then she would not have married him.  Yes, there are women who marry evil men, but Cain's wife had to know about the mark of God on Cain which gave her comfort of a Faith that Cain had in God for his protection.
4. Cain's grandchildren had the name of God "El" embedded in their names: (Mehujael, Methushael - Genesis 4:17-22),   Cain's lineage is mentioned which meant God saw value in the linage or why would it be mentioned.  There is of course the possibility that God spared Cain because there would be 'Believing' offspring.  That does not eliminate other offspring that did not believe in God unto Salvation.
5. Notice in the chart that Methushael's son Lamech had a son through Zillah named "Tubal-Cain'.  If the lineage is with followers of God, then they would not have named a son after a forefather who was not a follower of God and a condemned/evil murderer.
6. While there are many cases of great men and women of God who grew up in godless families, the evidence of Cain offspring with part of the name of God in their names shows that there was most likely a Godly influence in the lineage.  Mercy is what everyone of us wants in our life from God! 
   (a) Remember that both Moses (Exodus 2:11-15) and King David (2 Samuel 11:14-15) committed murder, and Simeon and Levi committed murder on very large scale.  We know that both King David and Moses were forgiven and are 'Saved' because of many scriptural references.  It can also be assumed the Simeon and Levi are also Saved from numerous Genesis scriptures. 
   (b) Additionally, Saul who became the Apostle Paul, participated in the death and imprisonment of Christians, where Stephen was stoned to death (Acts 7:58-8:3).  We know Paul is 'Saved'.
7. In the second part of Genesis 4:26 "... At that time people began to call on the name of the Lord."  Many Biblical Scholars have stated that "began" in the English should be translated to something of the effect of "began to profane" which meant that people were starting to rebel against the Lord along with setting up Idols.  In regards to Cain, this possibly shows additionally that Cain's offspring with the "El" in the name meant a Godly influence.  This was during a time when the antediluvian generations of people were becoming evil, along with Nephilim infiltration, that lead up to the Flood.  (The Targums of Onkelos and Targum of Jonathan both translate the word "began" as "profane".  Kimchi, Rashi, Jerome, Maimonides, et al. attribute the days of Enosh, son of Seth, as the time period and origins of idolatry.)

Click here for information on Lamech kills a boy.  Note there is a different Lamech mentioned in Genesis 5:25-28, who is part of the Royal Blood line of Jesus Christ.