McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1913-01-24

occupations, is illustrated by the sac
riflces they brought to offer unto God.
Although 1t is not recorded. 1t IL
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
1922 and 1918, 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 10 not In the sight OF
God. It is Gods way. It 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 ne would have
made proper sacrifice that would
have been acceptable in Gods sight.
I. John 8: u. We are told that Abel's
offering was of faith, Heb. liza, and
hence It was more excellent sacri-
Ace than that Of Cain, for without
faith It Is impossible to please God"
The firstling OF the flock, the lamb,
was type of that true sacrifice Of
fered before the foundations Of the
world, John 1:29. 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. 50 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. 1t has been suggested
about this phrase that even II Cain
did not do well there was sin offer
ing lying at his door, and on the
ground Of that offering he might find
pardon. God has made 1t possible for
us to rule over sin, Rom. 6:14.
Thanks be unto God who giventh US
| the victory"
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-
liberately 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
1913. Cain slew Abel because his
own works had been evil and those Of
his brother righteous. l. John s: IL.
Every one today who will choose to
live godly In Christ Jesus must ex-
pect persecution, Q Tim. S.12. And the
| elimination of all hatred Is In its
4 essence murder, see the Golden text.
/ also Matt. 5:22, etc. Hate in the heart
i IL classed with murder in the Scrip.
4 lures How those parents viewing
/ that fratricidal strife must have real
lied the sinfulness of sin due primari
ly to their one act OF disobediepce
Gal. CIT
Tho Old, Old Question.
God gave Cain an opportunity to
i confess his sin tv.9) See !. John
11:s. As passion subsidized y Cain
saw" and heard" even though he
lied while trying to escape a Just
punishment. Gods startling question
has been ringing down through these
ages, where II thy brother?" Broth
era are being wronged, oppressed.
i 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 sdw 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, YES" We are debtors to
all, even as Paul expresses It In Rom.
1:14, is.
| The penitence OF Cain was not over
his guilt. but rather over the degree
OF his punishment, W. Is, IA. Murder
i 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. 12:24
/ Cain made a mistake In assuming that
God could be localized In one place
and that he who must become q 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" So We see Gods pitiful
care over even the sinner In the prom
Use of verse is. The mark of Cain
was not so much a mark Of punish
ment as Of protection. 1t was Sign
for CAIN r. ", not necessarily upon
him. In the ancient East man with
out tribal protection might be slain
| with impunity The hair cutting o.
|! certain Arab trihes Of today proclaims
the criminal still to be undsr the pro
tsctib= Of his clan