Genesis 4-7

The story of Cain and Abel is one of those stories that leaves you with many questions.  Of course, we all want to know what was wrong with Cain's offering.  Why did God look on Abel's offering with favor and not Cain's?  Also, after Cain killed Abel, who was Cain afraid of?  And then there's the classic question of Cain's wife.  Who was she and where did she come from?

While these are interesting questions and fun to discuss, sometimes we christians can get caught reading between the lines instead of actually reading the lines.  When we approach scripture, sometimes we have to accept what's not there in order to avoid missing what is there. 

The text seems much more interested on Cain's reaction to God's disapproval of his sacrifice than what the sacrifice actually was.  The anger that stirs within Cain against God and his brother is striking.  The fact that this anger leads to Cain murdering his own brother is almost jaw-dropping.  Clearly, Cain's heart has gone bad.  Perhaps this clues us in on why God did not look at his offering with favor.

But this story is not primarily about Cain and Abel.  This is a story about God.  Did you learn anything about God in this account?  Certainly God was angry with Cain for killing Abel and Cain received punishment.  But did you see God's forgiveness and grace?  Even though Cain did the unthinkable, God still chose to protect Cain, preserve his family line, and allow his family to develop a city with great technology.  Did Cain deserve that kind of protection and blessing?  No.  But aren't you glad we have the same God as Cain who forgives, preserves, and blesses even thought we don't deserve?

(Incidentally, the answers to the initial questions I believe come when we realize that Adam and Eve had "other sons and daughters" during their 930 years of existence and that God did not forbid the marrying of close relatives until the time of Moses - who else was there to marry!  There easily could have been multiple generations of families at the time of Abel's death who probably would have been quite upset with Cain.)