LESSON 4Cain and Abel
Teaching Material.—Genesis 4:3-15.
Pupil’s Reading.—Genesis 4:3-15.
Memory Text.—Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not. 1 Corinthians 13:4a.
Job 11:14,15; Romans 6:12,16; Colossians 3:12-14; James 3:14; 5:9.
The narrative ... impressively shows how sin, having once appeared, became hereditary in the human race, and speedily developed into its most revolting form. Its detailsenable us to see how jealousy, when indulged, leads to hatred and murder, and violates not only the ties of humanity but those of family affection; how the sinner casts off all regard for the truth and for his natural obligations; how progress in sin adds to the misery of man’s lot; and “conscience doth make cowards of us all.” The truths taught are, that God looks on the hearts of his worshipers, seeks to restrain the sinner ere he yields to passion, marks the death of the innocent, and graciously mitigates his punishment when his mercy is sought.—The One Volume Commentary,James R. Dummelow.
Those who do not serve God hate him who does because they cannot help wishing that they were like him, yet they have no intention of imitating him, and this makes them jealous and envious. Instead of being angry with themselves, they are angry with him.—Sermons,Thomas P. Newman.
The reason of the rejection of Cain’s offering was that he had not been “doing well.” (“It would be strange if the gods looked to gifts and sacrifices and not to the soul.”—Plato.) Notice that the offering is secondary:Abel and his offering, Cain and his offering; the man and his state of spirit are the important elements.—Commentary on Genesis,Marcus Dods.
To help the child to feel the beauty and strength of the love that envieth not, and to awaken within him a desire to possess it.
Envy is defined as “selfish ill-will toward another because of his superior success, endowments, or possessions.” It is a feeling which is apt to be displayed by children comparatively early because of the greater success of their classmates in school, or of the larger possessions of those whose parents have either more money or less wisdom in spending it than their own. It is so ugly a trait and so insidious in its attacks that it is well to have a lesson like this which shows the sin in its most hideous form. The story of Joseph’s brethren, who hated him because he was more worthy than they, and of Saul, who viewed with murderous jealousy the popularity of the young David, are other instances of the direction in which envy inevitably carries those who yield to it. In preparing the lesson imagine how the two boys probably differed in their boyhood, for “great crimes are committed only by men whose characters have been gradually debased by lesser sins.” Kent points out nine vital truths illustrated by the story of which the preceding quotation is one. Another which Juniors wouldbe able to understand is that God patiently points out to the offender the right way and endeavors to influence him to follow it. Another is guilt unconfessed cuts a person off from his fellows.
I am thinking of a strange picture in which a flaming sword that turns in every direction closes the way into a garden. Back in the distance I can see a place over which the sun is shining with warmth and beauty. Trees and plants and birds and flowers are all glad in the sunshine, and the animals are running and playing for very joy; but there are no people there. What garden is it that I see? Were there ever any people in it? Who were they? What command was given to them there? When they disobeyed that command they could no longer live in that beautiful home, and when they went out from it the flaming sword was placed there to show them that they could never hope to go back to the place where they had been so happy while they were innocent and obedient children of the heavenly Father.
Suppose some one should ask us to tell how people might have a happy home in these days—what would we say? I should say that first of all the people in the home must love and be glad to help each other. (Let the children express their own ideas freely but guide the conversation so that the essentials of obedience, cheerfulness, and kindness will be mentioned.)
I have a story to tell you to-day about two brothers. When the first one was born his mother named him Cain, and as she looked at him she said to herself, “I hope my boy will be strong to fight against evil.” But as he grew older the face of the mother became sad as she watched her boy, for soon she saw that he was yielding to evil tempers instead of fighting against them. After a time another baby boy came to the home, and he was called Abel. Together the two boys grew, the father and mother teaching them and hoping the best things for them. When each was old enough to choose the way in which he would make his living Cain became a farmer and tilled the ground, planting seed and raising fruits and grains. Abel became a shepherd and spent his time raising and caring for his sheep.
It seems from the story that Abel succeeded better than Cain, and Cain became envious and jealous of his brother. The Bible does not tell us so, but we may be quite sure that Abel was a cheery, pleasant, unselfish, helpful son to his father and mother, and that Cain was gloomy, selfish, and cross in the home. Cain saw the difference between his brother and himself, but instead of trying to be like Abel he simply hated him for his goodness.
During their boyhood days Cain and Abel had seen their father bring offerings to the Lord, and as boys they had taken their part with their father and mother in the family worship; but when they were grown men each must do for himself what their father had done for them when they were young. So it came to pass that Cain and Abel brought their offerings to God, Cain bringing some of the fruits that he had raised, and Abel bringing the best of his flock. God was glad to accept the offerings of Abel because the spirit in which Abel brought his gift was one of love and joy. God can read the very thoughts of our hearts, and as he looked at Cain he saw envy and jealousy and hatred choking every good thing in his life, and because he was cherishing such evil thoughts, his offering could not be acceptable to the God of love. When Cain saw that his offering was not accepted he became very angry, he scowled and hung his head. Then the Lord said to Cain: “Why are you angry, and why is your countenance fallen? If you will do what is right, you will please me. If you do wrong, sin is like a wild beast crouching at your door, wishing to destroy you; but you can rule over it if you will.” See how tenderly the heavenly Father showed Cain his wrong, and tried to help him back into the right way. But Cain let sin, that is like a wild beast, stay at his door, and did not try to conquer it. After a while he said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out into the field,” and when they were in the field alone together, Cain in his envy and hatred of his brother rose up against him and killed him. Open your Bibles at the fourth chapter of Genesis and read with me verses 9 and 10. God told Cain that he would be from that day a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth. Cain answered, “My punishment is greater than I can bear, for I shall be driven away from thy face, and anyone who finds me will kill me.” But the Lord appointed a sign for Cain which would show people that they must not kill him, and Cain went away from his father’s house.
Sin had ruined another life. As it had driven Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, so now it drove Cain away from his home, and left his father and mother in the greatest sorrow they had ever known.
How dreadful envy, jealousy, and hatred are, and how much unhappiness they have brought into the world. Is there anything strong enough to conquer this sin which God said is like a wild beast? Yes, love is stronger than anything else in the world. Envy cannot even stay where love is. “God is love,” the Bible says, and he will help us to be loving and kind if we ask him. “Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not.” (Have this text repeated, and if the conditions are such that you can do so, close with a sentence prayer.)
Read to the class the directions given under Thursday’s work for finding 1 Corinthians 13:4a, and let them find the verse without comment or other explanation on your part, in order to make sure that they are able to follow such printed directions. Of course it is important that they should be able to find the verse, as it is the memory text of the lesson.