Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-01-19
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
LESSON ~, FIRST QUARTER, lNTEC-
NATIONAL SER.-5, JAN. 81

3 And in process of time (at the end of
di it came to pass that Cain brought of
the fruit of the ground an Offering unto the
Lord" 1t is probable that somewhere
near the east of the garden of Eden, before
the presence of the Lord, manifest in the
flaming sword between the cherubim, was
the place where they came to worship Je
hovah (EN XIV, 90; 's Xxx, |; Xcix, y. 1t
may he that up to this time Adam had
been in the habit of offering sacrifice on
behalf Of his children, as did job in later
days dob i, - This Offering of Cain may
have been the /, st he had, but it lacked the
essential element of blood, signifying a life
laid down. Compare chapter ill., 81, with
Lev xvii, II; Heb. il, %
4. And Abel, he also brought of the
irstlings of his flock and of the fat there
Of. And the Lord had respect unto Abel
and to his Offering" Here is obedience, for
it is written that by faith he did this (fleb.
ri, A. and inasmuch as faith cometh by
hearing, and hearing by the Word of God
(Rom X, ~ there must have been some
command of God which Abel obeyed in
bringing this sacrifice. 1t is probable that
the Lord accepted Abel's offering by send
ing fire to consume it, for thus He did with
Gideon, Manoah and Elijah, and at the
dedication of the tabernacle and the tern
pie (Judg. vi, 2l; Niii, 49, 20; Kings xviii,
"a, IS. 80; Lev. tx, "a; II Chron. vii, y.
D. But unto Cain and to his Offering He
had not respect Ana Cain was very wroth,
ana ms countenance fell. HIS Offering lay
unconsumed; no fire fell upon it. 1t was
doubtless much more attractive than Abels
bloody sacrifice ana was perhaps the finest
the earth produced, but 1t was OF man and
not OF 6od. There Wasno confession OF sin
and no need OF atonement recognized-just
ike those today who insist that II they do
the best they can God will accept them.
D. ANA the Lord said unto Cain, Why
art thou wroth' And why is thy coun-
tenanct fallenE' Although Cain is will
fully W. ong, yet the Lord condescends to
reason with him, and if possible win him
to the right way. lie is not willing that
any sh ou'd perish and He seeks in every
possible way to lead sinners to accept the
ransom I've has provided I'll Pet iii, 9; job
XxXlll, "a, - ~; lsa. l. Is; Nv, |, ~
T. IF thou doeSt well, shalt thou not he
acceptedY And II thou doest not well sin
neth at the door, ana unto thee shall be his
desire, and thou shalt rule over him." Be
ing the oldest son, the Drthrlght was his
and might continue his If he would only be
obedlent. The word here translated sin"
Is the word in Leviticus and Numbers 50
often translated sin Offering If Cain
would only confess his sin and offer Gods
appointed SIN Offering, all would he well.
God has but one appointed way, and where
that is rejected there is no forgiveness
tActs Nv, II; Cor. iii, III. All religions in
!" the world viii come under that of Cain
or Abel. Cain represents mans way and
Will include all the ways of men. Abel
stands Tor God : way, and 1t is but one and
very simple. Jesus said, Il am the way"
(John xiv, ~.
8. ANA Cam talked with Abel, his
brother and 1t came to pass when they
were III the field that Cain rose up against
Abel, his brother, and slew him." Here
are the two seeds. the seed of the woman
ana the seed OF the serpent, for although
ooth could call Eve mother and Adam
father the one stands for the righteous
ana the other Tor the wicked. All are not
children OF God, for many religious people
VINO profess TO worship God are all the
whlle children OF the devil (John viii, Al
cam was OF the wicked one and slew his
Drother because ms own works were evil
and his brothers righteous.
ANA the LORD sad unto Cain, Where
Is Abel my hrotherY Ana he said: | know
not. Am l my brothers keeper How
SIN hardens ana deadens to all that is good
and true! cam Is proving himself good
enid OF the devil, for he is now both muir
derer and liar (John viii, Al. Is it possible
that any OF US are guilty III respect of our
brethren IN lhula or emma or Japan or
A1rcaY ANA as the question presses upon
us concerning their salvation, do we feel III
clined to ask, Am my brothers keeper"
or try to quiet conscience with the thought
that perhaps the Lord will let Gains offer
ing suffice Tor them.
10 And lie said, What hast thou done?
The voice OF thy brothers blood crieth
unto me from the ground" All sin cries
10 uou ior vengeance. Even II house is
Dulic Dy fraud 1he stone snail cry out of
the wall ana the beam out OF the timber
snail answer IL liiaD. II, ~. How much
more the Dlood OF those who are slain for
Christs sake (hev vi, y, lO)! Another
view or IL, more IN line OF the last verse, is
iouhd IN EzeK: XxXlll y, where the blood OF
the unwarned Is to he required at the
hands OF those who Know, but do not tell.
In Heb XII, ~ we are pointed to the blood
whlch speaketh better things than that OF
Abel Abel blood cries FOR vengeance
ana (nrlSt Tor mercy. or If If refers To