The separation from God, from one another, and from the
earth grows wider. Both sons bring
offerings, and Cain was the first, but his sacrifice wasn’t regarded by God
while Abel’s was. Abel offered the best
that he had while Cain offered some of the fruit of his labor. His jealousy over Abel finding favor with God
overcame him and he chose to kill his brother, to blame him for his own failure
to find God’s favor. God always looks on
and knows the heart and speaks to Cain about his heart, that sin is crouching
at his door waiting to overtake him yet makes him responsible for his own
actions, you must rule over it, have dominion over sin. We know that Cain makes no effort to do so
and his reaction is similar to his parents, hiding things. His question is ironic, “Am I my brother’s
keeper?” We know of course that he has chosen just that path, he has shifted
blame for things completely to his brother and destroyed him. Cain will simply not accept responsibility,
complaining about his punishment without ever showing contrition for his
sin. Nonetheless the Lord is merciful to
Cain.
John could have been jealous of Jesus but chose to
acknowledge Him as greater. John had an
extraordinary ministry of preparation and apparently enjoyed great success
among the people. The people he prepared
were prepared, however, for Messiah and when Jesus came and was baptized and
John saw the sign of the dove resting upon Jesus (think of the dove in the
story of Noah), John began pointing people away from himself and towards Jesus. It seems that even the first disciples of
Jesus came at the expense of John’s own ministry team, they left John because
of John’s testimony concerning Jesus and began to follow Jesus. John didn’t gather people to himself, he
gathered them and when Jesus came he sent them willingly and gracefully to
Jesus. He was content with his own
portion.
The crucifixion and the murder of Abel have much in
common. Jesus was found acceptable to
the Father and because He was, His brothers, His co-religionists, murdered
Him. The difference, however, is that in
Genesis 4 the Lord said that Cain’s brother’s blood cried out and those cries
were for justice and vengeance and brought forth a further cursing in the form
of more difficulty in raising crops and isolation from God and other
people. In the death of Jesus, His blood
also cries out but it cries out for mercy and grace, “Father, forgive them for
they know not what they do.” We can
offer no sacrifice to God that will cause Him to regard us, Jesus has offered
the only sacrifice acceptable to God and it is the covenant in His blood that
brings us from isolation to community, from separation from God, ourselves, and
one another, into relationship, intimacy and, in the indwelling of the Holy
Spirit, unity with God.
Lift high the cross of
Christ!
Tread where His feet have trod.
As brothers of the Son of Man,
Rise up, O men of God!
Tread where His feet have trod.
As brothers of the Son of Man,
Rise up, O men of God!
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