The Raymer enterprise., 1913-01-23
INTERNATIONAL
SUlyDNlSQlOQL
LESSON : :
tBy E. o. SELLERS, Director Of Eve
ming Department The Moody Bibls II,
stitute Of Chicago.)
LESSON FOR JANUARY rs.
CAIN AND ABEL.

LESSON TEXT-Genesis 4:1-l5.
GOLDEN TExT-"Whosoeve hatethi
his brother Is a murderer" / John Sis.
In due process Of time and In
obedience to Gods command (Gen-
1881, Eve bore Adam two sons, each
a very different type Of manhood.
Mothers ought to ponder upon the
words or Eve, II have gotten man
with the help of Jehovah" Parents
should realize that 1t is God who
sends them their children. 9. g.. by his
help, and 1t is to him they must give
account for their nurture and up
bringing. Upon reaching manhood
one. Abel, became shepherd. and
the other, Cain, became q farmer. The
difference in their characters, not their
occupations, is illustrated by the sac
ritices they brought to offer unto God.
Although 1t is not recorded, 1t is
highly probable that God had COM
manded that there should be an offer
ing Of blood. Sin had entered the
world and we are told in Hebrews
9:22 and 1919, 30, that only by
the shedding of blood is there any re-
mission of sin. The blood atonement
may be repugnant to some superficial
thinkers. but it is not in the sight Of
God It is Gods way. 1t can be
traced in the early traditions Of nearly
every religion.
Cain. Offering Z
The fundamental fault was really
in Cain and not In his offering. Had
Gains heart been right he would have
made a proper sacrifice that would
have been acceptable In Gods sight,
I. John 8: IL. We are told that Abel's
offering was OF faith, Heb. 11:4. and
hence 1t was a more excellent saori-
fice than that Of Cain, for without
faith It is impossible to please God"
The firstling of the flock. tho lamb.
was a type Of that true sacrifice Of.
fered before the foundations Of the
world. John 1923. There is another
fundamental difference between these
two offerings. Gains Offering repre-
sented the labor Of his own hands
and was much more pleasing to the
eyes than that Of Abel
Gods disrespect for Gains offering
was due to sin. Wv. 6. "Sin crouch
eth at the door," Here sin is pictur-
ed as wild beast lying at the door
and ready to spring upon him who
first gives entrance. God dealt in
mercy with Cain. even though he did
not accept Of his offering, but Cain
did not conquer the sin crouching at
his door and therefore the terrible
denouement.
From the marginal reading (R. w
Of verse eight and also from the Sep
tuagint we gather that Cain invei-
gled Abel into the country. having de-
llberately planned to wreak his ven
geance upon him, 1t being impossible
to do so in the place where the sac
rice had been offered. Gains anger.
not only against God. but against his
brother whom God had accepted. is
evidenced today by the way the world
hates those whom God accepts, John
1919. Cain slew Abel because his
own works had been evil and those Of
his brother righteous.
The Old, Old Question.
God gave Cain an opportunity to
confess his sin ". 81. See I. John
11:s. AS passion subsided Cain
saw" and heard" even though he
lied while trying to escape q Just
punishment. Gods startling question
has been ringing down through tsese
ages. Where is thy brother?" Broth.
ers are being wronged, oppressed.
cheated. and defrauded. Brothers are
being lost for whom Christ died. In.
dustrial oppression, mans inhumani.
ty to man." and the blood Of right.
eous Abel" shall be, is being, and has
been required Of the nation. the age.
yea the individual. Cain saw his lie
was detected and 30 tried to excuse
himself. Millions have repeated his
weak excuse. Am l my brothers
keeper" And God has thundered back
the reply, yes" We are debtors to
all.
The penitence Of Cain was not over
his guilt, but rather over the degree
Of his punishment, w. 13, IA. Murder
always demands vengeance. Note,
however. the marginal reading. "mina,
iniquity is greater than can be for
given" Thank God we have a media.
tor Of better covenant. Heb. 1924.
Cain made mistake In assuming that
God could be localized In one place
and that he who must become wan.
derer In the land, "the first colonist,"
would OF necessity be separated from
Gods protecting care. There was the
added fear Of himself being slain;
how doth conscience make towards
Of US ALL"
We therefore see in this lessIon. l..
The Sons. Wv. /. Q; H., The Sacrifice,
w. 3, Z; ILL.,. the Slain Brother, w.
$40; w.. The Sentence, w. Ills.
For the younger pupils emphasize
Jealousy and It's DEVELOPMENTS. Tho