On Lawn's Journal: Enter Murder

In the beginning, I had said that Genesis would prove challenging for just about any religion. When I said that, Genesis chapter 4 is one of those challenges to how I envision God.

Abel made sacrifice and so did Cain, yet God only accepted Abel's. Is it becuase Cain offered fruit and fruit was a sluff on his part? While in Texas I had a man point out that Cain was a tender of crops, and he was sacrificing of his increase just like Abel. Also, there were fruit sacrifices in the Law of Moses.

I honestly don't think we're rightly told in Genesis why God chose to accept what he did. One would be tempted to cast God off as an arbitrary person who just had it in for Cain. I do not think it is so, God is portrayed as a very loving God throught the chapter even listening to Cain's cry and promising vengence on anyone that killed him.

But what I do grab onto is that is the beginning of the story. One good sacrifice and one bad, aand Cain is obviiously furious and jealous. God is talking to Cain which is interesting. When Adam and Eve were kicked out they only heard the voice of God coming from the garden.

But back to the story, God talks to Cain when he reecognizes his distroughtness.

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 bdoest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

I think this is the only clue that Cain knew he wasn't doing something right. God had said, "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?" I think this shows that Cain kind of knew God was loving also.

But sin lies at his door, and "he" will have his way with him. But then what is the promise that Cain would rule over "him"? This almost directly contradicts the sentance previous. If there's one thing I've gained an appreciation for however is that contradictions like this are meant. They are there specifically for a reason.

But lets look at God's justice. I had said before that it shows mercy and love towards Cain. But what is Cain's mark? How will people know not to kill him? Later Lamech boasts that he killed a man also but then boasts that he should be avenged 10 times worse then Cain?

If the creation sequence has a mystical feel to it, then this chapter definately has an archaic feel to it. Its like their perspective of God was closer, and their understanding greater. These were not contradictions to them, they were the personality of the God that they knew. Since then we've gotten a more simplified version of God, but this is preserved.

So far I think these verses are going opposite Star Trek movies. I don't get the even chapters but I'm pretty confident on my take of the odd number chapters.

When Seth is born, Eve says "For God,...hath appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew." Perhaps that had something to do with Cain's jealousy.

My take

[glh]

I honestly don't think we're rightly told in Genesis why God chose to accept what he did. One would be tempted to cast God off as an arbitrary person who just had it in for Cain. I do not think it is so, God is portrayed as a very loving God throught the chapter even listening to Cain's cry and promising vengence on anyone that killed him.


I think we can know why God chose to accept what he did. Comparing scripture with scripture I think you'll find that "fruits" are a type of works. In God's eyes, man

Re:My take

[On Lawn]

So whats your take on the part where Cain is promised to rule over "him"?

My take on the sacrifice isn't to far from that. I think the fruit sacrifice would have been okay if God had asked for it. Allow me to explain.

Consider where it sais, "God dwells not in temples built by human hands". But we know that he did dwell in the Tabernacle, and Solomon's temple both built by human hands. But God didn't dwell at the alter to the unknown god, or other false temples.

The key difference I think is that God comman

murder

[Shorespirit]

God in the rest of the bible seems to have a preference for younger siblings, so in retrospect it's not surprising that he'd favor Abel. Cain's about the only older brother to prevail against the younger - albeit by reprehensible means.

Re:murder

[On Lawn]

I'll take it that in the Tradition that Cain is older then Abel?

siblings

[Shorespirit]

Gen 4.1-2. Tradition does fill in some more details. for instance, why Cain and Abel were fighting in the first place (Midrash Rabba):

Cain said to his brother Abel, and when they were in the field

what did they argue about?

they decided to divide the world.

one got the real property and one the chattels.

one said "the ground you're standing on is mine"

and one said "what you're wearing is mine".

one demanded "strip" and the other demanded "fly".

so Cain went against his brother Abel and killed him.

th