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Cain
CAIN
THE MAN OF UNBELIEF.
As faith and
obedience are synonymous
so are disobedience and unbelief.
Ⅰ. The man of unbelief acts
in his own way. “The way of Cain” (Jude 11) is Cain acting according to his own
thought
which was in direct opposition to the Word of God. “ There is a way
that seemeth right unto man
but the end thereof is death” (Prov.14:12; Isaiah 55:8).
Ⅱ. The man of unbelief is
rejected (Gen.4:5). Jehovah did not regard
the offering of Cain. Abel’s offering was accepted
because fire from heaven
fell upon it
which was a sign of its acceptance on behalf of the offerer
as
may be gathered from Lev.9:1. On the other hand
when
no fire fell
it was an evidence that the offering was not acceptable to God;
hence
the offerer is rejected with his offering.
Ⅲ. The man of unbelief is
angry (Gen.4:5). When man is in the
wrong
he often vents his spite in angry words and actions. The word “ Wroth”
is translated “ kindled” in Job 32:2
3; thus to be angry is to
be consumed as with a fire
or a burning disease. The same term is rendered “
fret” in Psalm 37:1
7
8; Prov.24:19. Beware of anger
especially anger against the Lord
as Jonah (Jonah 4:1
4
9)
when the men of
Nineveh repented; or
as in the case of Cain
when he was angry because his
brother was accepted
and he rejected.
Ⅳ. The man of unbelief is
self-willed (Gen.6:7). When Cain had the
opportunity to bring the offering that was pleasing
he refused to do so. The
more correct rendering
undoubtedly
is not “sin”
but a “sin-offering
croucheth at the door.” The Preacher’s Homiletical Commentary paraphrases the
verse as follows:-- “ A sin-offering is crouching at the door of thy brother’s
fold
though
in order to do well
thou must needs own thyself a sinner
and be
indebted to thy brother for a sin-offering out of his fold; yet this will not
destroy thy rights as firstborn
notwithstanding to thee shall be his desire
and thou shalt rule over him. Let not pride
therefore
deter thee from this
better—this only proper—way. Let therefore
deter thee from this better—this
only proper—way. Let no obstinacy
no groundless fears
keep thee from thus
doing well.”
Ⅴ. The man of unbelief is an
unhappy man. With sullen looks Cain broods over his rejection. “ His
countenance fell
” is the Divine comment
and
in addition
the Divine question
“ Why is thy countenance fallen?” The word “ fell” is translated “rot” in
Numbers 5:21. As a disease will rot
away the vital part of the human body
and will show itself in the face of its
victim; so pride was a cancer that was eating out the love that Cain should
have had for his brother
which showed itself in his unhappy looks.
Ⅵ. The man of unbelief is
hateful (Gen.4:8; 1. John 3:12). The Holy Spirit takes the case of Cain hating and
slaying his brother
as an example of the hatred the world has for the
Christian.
Ⅶ. The man of unbelief is
punished(Gen.4:11-13). As unbelief is the
mother of all sin
so unbelief is the harbinger of coming wrath. They who live
in unbelief are laying up wrath against the day of wrath.
──
F.E. Marsh《Five Hundred Bible Readings》