The Yale expositor., 1913-01-23

In due process Of time and in
obedience to Gods command (Gen.
1929, Eve bore Adam two sons, each
n very different type Of manhood.
Mothers ought to ponder upon the
words Of Eve, 81 have gotten a man
with the help of Jehovah" Parents
should realize that it is God who
sends them their children, e. g., by his
help, and it is to him they must give
account for their nurture and up
bringing Upon reaching manhood
one, Abel. became a shepherd, and
the other, Cain, became a farmer. The
difference in their characters, not their
occupations, is illustrated by the sac
rifices they brought to offer unto God.
Although it is not recorded, it is
highly probable that God had CON-
manded that there SHOULD be an offer
ing of blood. Sin had entered the
world and we are told in Hebrews
1922 and 1919, 80, 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. 1t is Gods way. 1t can be
traced in the early traditions Of nearly
every religion.
Gains Offering.
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 3: IL. We are told that Abers
Offering was Of faith, Heb. ia, and
hence it was a more excellent sacri-
flee than that OF Cain, for without
faith it is impossible to please God"
The firstling of the flock, the 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-
scented 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 a 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
hts door and therefore the terrible
denouement.
From the marginal reading Or. W
of verse eight and also from the Sep
tuagint we gather that Cain invei-
gled Abel into the country, having de-
liberately planned to wreak his ven
geance upon him, it 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 ". o.. See I. John
11:9. AS passion subsidized Cain
saw" and heard" even though he
lied while trying to escape just
punishment. Gods startling question
has been ringing down through these
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 so tried to excuse
himself. Millions have repeated his
weak excuse, Am my brothers.
keeper" And God has Numbered back
the reply, eyes" We are debtors to
all.
The penitence of Cain was not over
his guilt, but rather over the degree
Of his punishment, Wv. 10, IA. Murder
always demands vengeance. Note,
however, the marginal reading, mine
iniquity is greater than can be for
given" Thank God we have a media
tor of better covenant, Heb. 1924.
Cain made a mistake in assuming that
God could be localized in one place
and that he who must become a wan
derer in the land, "the first colonlst,"
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. 1, 2; H., The Sacrifice,
Wv. 3. Z; III, the Slain Brother. Wv.
$40; W., The Sentence, Wv. 11-15.
For tho younger pupils emphasize
jealousy and its developments. The
fact that we are keepers of our broth
ers as we deal with the sins of the
day. The missionary appeal can well
be emphasized In connection with this
lesson. The development OF habits
A. ~ooI kHA,, chi nAv,,aa IL Ill,