Genesis 4
Genesis Chapter 4:1-26
· Abel’s Worthy Offering
· Cain’s Unworthy Offering
· The Danger in Anger
Chapter Account
Adam and Eve had their first son Cain, saying; they received him from the Lord. Then, they had his brother Abel, a shepherd, but Cain was a farmer. At a certain time, Cain brought some of his harvested fruit as an offering to the Lord, and Abel brought an offering; the best of his flock to the Lord. The Lord honoured Abel and his gift, but God neither honoured Cain nor his gift, which made Cain angry and dejected. God asked Cain why he was upset and sad. God said that if Cain had made a right choice, would he not have been received? And that if he acted wrongly, sin is squatting at his door and wishing to have him, but that he must overcome it. Thereafter, Cain invited his brother Abel to the field and killed him. When God asked him of his brother Abel, he said he did not know where he was, and that he is not his brother’s custodian. God questioned Cain’s action, and told him that Abel’s blood was crying to Him (God) from the ground. Consequently, Cain was cursed from the ground that had accepted his brother’s blood from his hand; the earth to not favour him nor his cultivation anymore, and that he shall be a wanderer on earth. Cain lamented to God about his heavy penalty of being banished from the earth surface, hidden from God’s face, and as an absconder and a wanderer that may be found and killed by anyone. God, however, placed a curse on anyone who would kill him; to be punished seven-fold. So, God placed a mark on Cain, so that he is not killed by anyone. Then, Cain departed from God’s presence to live in Nod - the east of Eden. He married and had a son Enoch, and he name the city he founded after his son. Enoch’s fourth generation birthed Lamech, whose first son Jabal fathered the generation that resided in tents and were herders, while Jubal, the second son fathered harpers and organists, and his third Tubalcain, a brass and iron artificer. His sister was Naamah. Lamech later confessed to his wives to have murdered a man for upsetting him, and that if Cain was revenged seven times, his (Lamech’s) punishment would be seventy-seven times. Adam and Eve had another son and named him Seth in place of Abel who was murdered by Cain. And Seth had a son called Enos; a time that men started calling on the Lord’s name.
Prayer:
1. Cain seemed to forget his Source (God). My Father, help me to always realize that all that I have and all that I am is by Your grace, in Jesus name.
2. Cain could not appreciate His Maker and Keeper with a worthy offering, which would be just a part of the plenty that God had given him. Father, help me to always be appreciate You with valuable offerings, in Jesus name.
3. Cain dishonoured God (His Maker) with an unworthy offering and God dishonoured him and his gift. Oh God, let me not offer You an unworthy offering that will turn Your face away from me and demote, in Jesus name.
4. Abel recognized God as his Maker and ultimate Source by giving Him the firstling (best part) of his flock, and God honoured him in return. My Father, like Abel, help me to always identify You as my only Source and be always willing to give You my best in return, in Jesus name.
5. Oh Lord, please help me, let not my offering hinder or diminish Your great reward for my life, in Jesus name.
6. Oh God, help me to be willing to offer that sacrificial offering that will expressly usher me that place of honour that You have purposed for me in life, in Jesus name.
7. Oh Lord, make me a sacrificial giver in life, in Jesus name.
8. My Father, take stinginess and lack of contentment away from me, in Jesus name.
9. Apparently, Cain inherited the seed of rebellion form his parents who disobeyed God in the garden, coated with resentment, which ruined his purposeful destiny. Oh God, destroy every inherited evil seed in me that is set or is working to ruin Your ordained plan for my life, in Jesus name.
10. By Your grace and help oh Lord, I refuse to give room to any evil seed to germinate in my life. Therefore, I declare permanent death to evils seeds of wickedness in my life now, in Jesus name.
11. My father, help me not to become a cast-away like Cain from Your presence as a result of wicked choices in life, in Jesus name.
12. By Your grace oh Lord, my actions and life will not attract curses from You but will always attract abundant blessings, in Jesus name.
13. The evil seed of rebellion passed to Cain from Adam, was multiplied (accompanied with anger and murder), and passed to Lamech, Cain’s son, with seventy times seven times punishment. By Your grace and help oh Lord, my children/descendants will not inherit evil seeds from me that will lead them into wickedness and destruction in life, in Jesus name.
14. By Your grace oh Lord, I will be remembered for good like Abel and Seth all the days of my life, in Jesus name.
15. By Your grace oh Lord, I will pass down goodness to my descendants, in Jesus name.
16. Like Seth, my appearance and presence will always usher in the divine presence of the High God, in Jesus name.
17. Like Seth’s life, men will come to know and serve the Almighty God through my life, in Jesus name.
18. By Your grace and help oh Lord, I will live well, I will end well, and I will be remembered for good, in Jesus name.
19. Thank You Lord, in Jesus name. Amen.