After Adam and Eve were sent out of Eden, the man and woman lay together and had sons. Cain cultivated the earth and Abel became a shepherd. When harvest time came, Cain took a portion of his harvest as a gift for God. Abel also brought an offering, the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The Lord accepted Abel's gift, but not Cain's.
Abel brought the best part of the first of his flock. Cain brought didn't bring the first fruits but merely gathered some of the crop. Abel brought the finest of what he had. Cain gathered whatever his hand fell to. Yes, he made an offering, but he wasn't focused on giving God the BEST.
God continued to walk the earth and speak to them. He did not leave them alone. He still sought them out.
We know this because God speaks to Cain in Genesis 4:6 "Why are you so angry?" the Lord asked Cain.
Cain was upset that the Lord had accepted Abel's offering but not his own. Rather than examine himself and determine why his offering was not acceptable, Cain allowed his base emotions to rule. He refused to master his anger, and he killed his brother. God exiled Cain from his presence.
Man had already been exiled from paradise. Now Cain was exiled from his family and from the presence of God.
In the cool of the evening, God sought Adam and Eve in the garden. He was approachable when men were cast out, He still spoke, but the act of murder, the refusal to master his emotions, caused Cain to be thrown out of the presence of God.
And thus, generations of men walked alone, without God.
For more than 1500 years, man lived on earth. Only Enoch is listed amongst Cains descendants as one who lived in close fellowship with God. (Genesis 5:22)
God no longer sought out man but waited for men to seek him out. And because no one sought him, God remained silent and far away.
Can you sense the awful quiet that has fallen?
2 comments:
Oh, we don't want Adonai's silence. When I feel that He is quiet, I check my spiritual attitude and my prayers. He does not move away from us, we withdraw from Him. It is a relationship well worth nourishing.
Actually, there are two Enochs: 1) The Enoch from the line of Cain (Genesis 4:17), and 2) the Enoch from the line of Seth (Genesis 5:22). It was the Enoch from the line of Seth that walked with God.
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