July 25, 2014

“Gone the Way of Cain…”

Blessings folk!

Jude gives more examples from the Old Testament.
Remember, he is explaining who “those who have crept in” are.

Jude 11a
11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain,...

Many will be familiar with the account of Cain and Able.
Read carefully.

Genesis 4:1-8
1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.
2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3 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.
6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
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.

So, what is the “way of Cain”?
Is it murder? Perhaps.
But, based on the context of the Jude letter, I suspect it has to do with Cain’s refusal to worship the way that God instructed.

The Lord did not have respect for Cain’s offering.
Cain did not come before the Lord in the manner in which the Lord has instructed.

Cain was furious...very wroth.
His countenance fell.
His face reflected anger.

God approached Cain and asked why his countenance had fallen.
It is not that God did not know.
He did.
He wanted Cain to see.
God wanted Cain to understand that if he would do what was right, then God would accept his offering.

Cain refused.
He wanted to worship the way he wanted to.
Cain exalted his desires above the desire of the Lord - idolatry.
Think about that.
So many do the same.
The men who have crept in do so.

Cain goes out and tells this brother about what had occurred.
Then Cain killed Abel.

False worship.
Pride.
Anger.
Refusal to give heed to the Word of the Lord.
Idolatry.
These will lead to death.