First Murderer and His Victim
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to know God “and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the
truth is not in him.”
1 John 2:4
.
When Cain saw that his offering was rejected, he was angry that
God did not accept man’s substitute in place of the sacrifice divinely
ordained, and angry with his brother for choosing to obey God instead
of joining in rebellion against Him.
God did not leave him to himself, but condescended to reason
with the man who had shown himself so unreasonable. “Why art thou
wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt
thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the
door.” If he would trust to the merits of the promised Saviour and obey
God’s requirements, he would enjoy His favor. But should he persist
in unbelief and transgression, he would have no ground for complaint
because he was rejected by the Lord.
Instead of acknowledging his sin, Cain continued to complain of
the injustice of God and to cherish jealousy and hatred of Abel. In
meekness, yet firmly, Abel defended the justice and goodness of God.
He pointed out Cain’s error and tried to convince him that the wrong
was in himself. He pointed to the compassion of God in sparing the
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life of their parents when He might have punished them with instant
death, and urged that God loved them or He would not have given His
Son, innocent and holy, to suffer the penalty which they had incurred.
All this caused Cain’s anger to burn the hotter. Reason and conscience
told him that Abel was in the right, but he was enraged that he could
gain no sympathy in his rebellion. In fury he slew his brother.
So in all ages the wicked have hated those who were better than
themselves. “Every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh
to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”
John 3:20
.
The murder of Abel was the first example of the enmity between
the serpent and the seed of the woman—between Satan and his subjects
and Christ and His followers. Whenever through faith in the Lamb of
God a soul renounces the service of sin, Satan’s wrath is kindled. The
holy life of Abel testified against Satan’s claim that it is impossible for
man to keep God’s law. When Cain saw that he could not control Abel,
he was so enraged that he destroyed his life. And wherever any stand
in vindication of the law of God, the same spirit will be manifested.
But every martyr of Jesus has died a conqueror. See
Revelation 12:9,
11
.