Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday evening, June 29, 2003, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia.

CAIN AND ABLE AND THE JEWS AND JESUS

By Michael D. O’Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia

Scripture Reading: Genesis 4:1-10

Text: Genesis 4:10

Genesis 4:10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.

Introduction: From the first to the last of the Bible, the word of God bears testimony to the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said

John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

The Lord Jesus Christ held a Bible study with two of His disciples who were filled with doubt,

Luke 24:27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Here in Genesis 4 we have another testimony to the Lord Jesus Christ in the person of Abel. The man was a real person, but God recorded certain events and characteristics of Abel that point the sincere student of the scriptures to the Lord Jesus. Cain has characteristics that are similar of the devil, the antichrist, the Jews, and the world in general, but mostly of the Jews. However, we will focus most of our attention on Abel as a type of Christ. Let’s see if we cannot find another place, here, in the writings of Moses, things concerning our Savior.

I. THE ERROR OF THE MOTHER

Genesis 4:1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.

1 John 3:12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

A. About the father

B. About the future

II. THE EMPLOYMENT OF THE MEN

Genesis 4:2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

A. One worked with the soil

Cain was a tiller of the ground.

The ground was cursed in Genesis 3.

B. One worked with the sheep

Abel is the first shepherd of the Bible and a type or prophetic picture of the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep,through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

III. THE EXAMINATION OF THEIR FAITH

Genesis 4:3-5 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. 4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

A. Two resources

B. Two results

C. Two religions

Christians sing, “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”

Lost religionists sing, “My hope is in the works I do; God knows that I’m as good as you!”

IV. THE EXECUTION OF THE INNOCENT

Genesis 4:8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

A. Cain was envious

Of Pilate the Bible says, Matthew 27:18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

B. Cain was enraged

C. Cain was evil

V. THE ELOQUENCE OF ABEL’S BLOOD

Genesis 4:10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.

A. It spoke of the guilt of Cain

Matthew 27:25 Then answered all the people, and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.

B. It spoke of the guiltlessness of Abel

C. It spoke of the goodness of the sacrifice of Abel

Jesus’ blood speaks of a BETTER sacrifice than that of Abel:

Hebrews 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

VI. THE EXILE OF CAIN

Genesis 4:13-14 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.

A. God placed a curse on him

Genesis 4:11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;

B. God put him out

In 70 A.D. Titus invaded with his army and removed Israel out of her homeland. She did not regain her national status until May, 1948.

C. God protected and preserved him

VII. THE EXTENSION OF ABEL

Genesis 4:25 And Adam knew his wife again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.

A. Seth provided himself as a replacement

See 2 Corinthians 5:19-21

B. Seth produced a “raptured” saint

Seth – Enos – Cainan – Mahalaleel – Jared – ENOCH