The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-01-17
SABBATH SCHOOL.
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR
JANUARY 81.
Lesson Text: ssCain and AbeI,' Gen.
esis iv., Golden
Text: Hebrews xi.
4-Comme ntary.

8. "And in process of time Cat the END OF
days) 1t 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 Jehovah (EN.
XIV. %: Ps. Xxx, 1 xcix.. y. 1t may bs
that up to this time Adam had been In the
habit Of Offering sacrifice on behalf OF ms
children, as did Job In later days Dob l.. 81.
This offering of Cain may have been the bes!
he had, but 1t lacked the essential element OF
blood, signifying life laid down. Compare
chapter ill.,, 21, with Lew, xviii, IL; Heb.
tx, %
4. "And Abel, he also brought Of the first
lings OF his flock and OF the fat thereof. And
the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his
Offering" Here Is obedience, for 1t is writ
ten that by faith he did this (Heb. H., 4), and
inasmuch as faith cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the Word Of God (Rom. (, 17l
theremust have been some command OF God
which Abel obeyed TN bringing this sacrifice.
1t Is probable that the Lord accepted Abefs
offering by sending fire to consume It, Tor
thus He did with Gideon, Manoah and Eli
,jah. and at the dedication of the tabernacle
and the temple (Judg. w., q; dn., 19. 70 !
Kings xviii, "a, So, 80; Lev. tx, "a II
.Chron. viii y.
s. "But unto Cain and to his Offering He
had not respect And Cain WAS very wroth,
and his countensnce FELL His Offering lay
uncopsumed; no fire fell upon 1t. It was
doubtless much more attractive than Abers
bloody sacrifice and was perhaps the finest
the earth produced, but it was OF man and
not Of God. There was no confession Of sin
nf az
like those to-day who insist that If they do
the best they can God will accept them.
G "And the Lord said unto Gain, Why art
thou wroth? And why is thy countenance
fallen?" Although Cain Is wlllfully wrong,
yet the Lord condescends to reason with
him, and If possible win him to the right
way. He is not willing that any should
perish, and He seeks In every possible way
10 lead sinners to accept the ransom He has
provided II Pet. ILL.,, 9; Job x11iii., "a, 20,
30; lisa. l., 18 w.. l, q.
Z. ''If thou doest well. shalt thou not be
accepted2 And if thou doest not we'll sin
!ieth at the door, and unto thee shall be his
desire, and thou shalt rule over him" Being
the oldest son, the birthright was his and
might continue his If he would only be
obedient. The word here translated ''sin"
IS the word In Lev;ticus and Numbers so
often translated 'sin Offering" II Cain
would only confess his sin and offer Gods
appointed sin offering, all would be we'll.
God has but one appointed way, and where
:hat Is rejected there Is no forgiveness
(Acts w., II I Co. ILL.,, III. All religions In
the world will come under that OF Cain or
Abel. Cain represents mans way and will
include all the ways Of men. Abel stands
for Gods way, and 1t is but one and very
simple. Jesus said, 81 am the way (John
xiv g.
s. s.And cain talked with Abel, his
brother, and 1t came to pass when they were
in the field that Cain rose up against Abel.
his brother, and slew him." Here are the
two seeds, the seed of the woman and the
seed OF the serpent, for although both could
call Eve mother and Adam father the one
stands for the righteous and the other for
the wicked. All are not children OF God, tor
many religious people who profess to worship
God are all the while children Of the devil
(John riii.. AZ. Cain was OF the wicked one
and slew his brother because his own works
were evil and his brothers righteous.
9. Sand the Lord said unto Cain, Who're Is
Abel, thy brother? And he said know
not. Am my brothers keeperw How sin
hardens and deadens to all that is good and
true! Cain Is proving himself good child
OF the devil, for he is now both murderer
and liar John will, ~. Is it possible that
QQy OF Us are Sullty III EcSpcSl VI Jul oAcso
rem In India or China or Japan or Africaf
And as the question presses upon US concern.
ing their salvation, do we feel inclined to
ask, sam my brothers keeper?' or try to
quiet conscience with the thought that per.
haps the Lord will let Gains offering suffice
for them.
10. ssAnd Il, said, What hast thou done?
The voice of thy brothers blood crieth unto
me from the ground" All sin cries to God
for vengeance Even II 3 house Is built by
fraud, the stone shall cry out OF the wall
and the beam out OF the timber shall answer
it (Hab. H., 1D. How much more the blood
Of those who are slain for Christ's sake (hev.
w., 9, 10). Another view OF it, more In line
of the last verse, is found in Eek. xx1ni. . g.,
where the blood ofthe unwarned Is TO be re-
uuired at the hands OF those who know, but
do not tell. In Heb. xii, "a, we are pointed
to the blood which speaketh better things
than that OF Abel. Abels blood cries for
vengeance and Christ's for mercy or II re-
fers to the blood OF Abers sacrifice that was
type of Christ.
II. ''And now art thou cursed from the
earth, which hath opened her mouth to re.
ceive thy brothers blood from thy hand.
This is the first direct curse on mum. The
first curse was pronounced upon the serpent
and the next on the ground (chapter ill.,, IA,
17. It Is suggestive that the last word ID
the Old Testament is "curse." We fly Ia
Him who pleaded in vain with Cain and re-
joice that Christ hath redeemed US from the
curse Of the law, being made curse for us.
and we look for the time when even on this
earth there shall be no more curse (Gal. ILL.,, +,
13; Rev. xii, 81.
IL. "When thou tillest the ground, 1t shall
not henceforth yield unto thee her strength.
A fugitive and vagabond shalt thou be In
the earth" Adam was told that the earth
would bring forth thorns and thistles. and
that in the sweat OF his face he should eat
his bread (chapter ill.,, 1S, 19), but this Is
much worse, for it looks as IL the earth
would henceforth give this man little II any
return. Some one has said that Adams sin
brought on the ground fruitfulness In evil.
while Gains sin brought barrenness ID goou,
perhaps helping to drive them to the me-
chanical arts and the building OF cities. AS
to fugitive and vagabond," both words sig.
Nifty fleeing. removing, wandering up ana
down, and the word for vagabond Is 'nood:
which Is very suggestive OF Nod, Wnere cam
arterward dwelt (verse 16).
1S. And Cain said unto the LORD, NY
punishment Is greater than I can bear" Or
perhaps. as in the margin, milne intquity is
greater than that 1t may be forgiven There
is forgiveness for all who accept the Son Oh
God as their sin offering, but apart from Him
there is no forgiveness. See Math. Kill,
81 John v, 16 Lesson Helper.
Removing the Worlds Fair Exhibits.
The work OF removing the Worlds Fair
exhibits from Jackson Park, Chicago, goes
on very slowly, Two-thirds OF them still