Cain and Abel Tested
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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, moved by the
spirit of the wicked one, saw that he could not control Abel, he was so
enraged that he destroyed his life. And wherever there are any who
will stand in vindication of the righteousness of the law of God, the
same spirit will be manifested against them. It is the spirit that through
all the ages has set up the stake and kindled the burning pile for the
disciples of Christ. But the cruelties heaped upon the follower of Jesus
are instigated by Satan and his hosts because they cannot force him to
submit to their control. It is the rage of a vanquished foe. Every martyr
of Jesus has died a conqueror. Says the prophet, “They overcame him
[“that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan”] by the blood of the
Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their
lives unto the death.”
Revelation 12:11, 9
.
Cain the murderer was soon called to answer for his crime. “The
Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know
not: Am I my brother’s keeper?” Cain had gone so far in sin that he
had lost a sense of the continual presence of God and of His greatness
and omniscience. So he resorted to falsehood to conceal his guilt.
Again the Lord said to Cain, “What hast thou done? The voice of
thy brother’s blood crieth unto Me from the ground.” God had given
Cain an opportunity to confess his sin. He had had time to reflect. He
knew the enormity of the deed he had done, and of the falsehood he
had uttered to conceal it; but he was rebellious still, and sentence was
no longer deferred. The divine voice that had been heard in entreaty
and admonition pronounced the terrible words: “And now art thou
cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy
brother’s blood from thy hand. When thou tillest the ground, it shall
not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond
shalt thou be in the earth.”
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Notwithstanding that Cain had by his crimes merited the sentence
of death, a merciful Creator still spared his life, and granted him
opportunity for repentance. But Cain lived only to harden his heart,
to encourage rebellion against the divine authority, and to become the
head of a line of bold, abandoned sinners. This one apostate, led on
by Satan, became a tempter to others; and his example and influence
exerted their demoralizing power, until the earth became so corrupt
and filled with violence as to call for its destruction.