A change of attitude

In examining God’s dialogue with Cain (a dialogue God carried on in spite of foreknowing the outcome), I can’t help but reflect on 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Cain’s story reveals so much of God’s merciful character and love that I too often miss in a cursory reading of this account.

I sense that Cain leaves God with certain emotions, realizing that he is suffering deserved punishment. The emotions were not enough to overcome his pride though, because Cain went “out from the Lord’s presence”. Adam and Eve’s heir produced a family devoid of communion with God—and the lack of divine influence showed in their behaviour. True, the line produced gifted artists and musicians, but it also produced Lamech, a murderer far worse than Cain. (Gen. 4:22-23).

While Adam’s line could have ended with Cain’s family, God gave Adam a child in place of the murdered Abel: Seth. Something changed Eve's attitude between the birth of Cain and Seth. When Cain was born, she had said “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man” (Gen. 4:1)—sort of a “God is my co-pilot” theme. The trauma of sibling rivalry, murder and the loss of two sons—one to death and the other from abandonment—obviously changed her attitude toward herself and God. With Seth’s birth the narrator reveals that her focus had moved from herself to the mercy and grace of God: “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him…. At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord.” (Gen. 4:25b; 26b)

The sparse biblical account hardly reveals the amount of suffering that must have been endured in this sad episode of early human history. What emotions must have seared the souls of Adam and Eve as they watched their two boys grow up with such differing characters! How horrific to be faced with the hatred of your oldest son toward his youngest brother—a hatred so intense that it resulted in murder. It would have been easy to have become bitter against God for allowing the murder, and then for driving their only remaining son far away.

I could wish that the narrator of the story had given us more details. I’d like to know if Adam and Eve ranted about the situation, or if they accepted it as part of their punishment. After all, they had brought sin to the human race. It seems in some way, though, they must still have been relating to God. At least we know that Eve was able to worship God and to see His mercy in the birth of Seth. And we know that people began to call on God’s name, realizing that there was Someone majestic and merciful who could meet their deepest needs.

This is a story about the shedding of innocent blood—a senseless murder. It is a story that strongly points to the mercy of God—a mercy that would culminate in the shedding of another innocent Man’s blood. It is Jesus’ innocent blood that frees us from Cain’s punishment. While Cain was punished by being separated from God, Jesus’ blood brings us into God’s presence. “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death so that we may serve the living God.” (Heb. 9:14) Jesus’ blood shed for us makes it possible for us to worship and adore.