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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》