Cain’s Choice * Genesis 4:1-8

1 Samuel 16:7 informs us that “The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” And in Genesis 4:6-7, God clearly understands the murderous rage in Cain’s heart and gives him a detailed warning about the choice he faces. God knows that Cain is angry and asks him, “Why are you angry?” It is important to note here that Cain has no reason to be angry with Abel, for Abel has done nothing to him! It was God who refused to accept the offering of Cain, not Abel. God sees that Cain’s countenance has fallen and so asks, “Why has your countenance fallen?” Those of us who are parents know well those “looks” our children get when they become angry. God makes it clear that Cain faces a choice: “If you do well, will you not be accepted?” But He also gives a stark warning: “And if you do not do well, sin lies at your door, and its desire is for you!” The image here is startling -- “Sin” appears to be crouching like a lion or tiger about to spring upon Cain and tear him apart. Finally, the Lord God makes it quite clear that Cain has a choice: “But you should rule over it, master it, overcome it.” From this we understand that we always have a choice! In the “Three Great Blessings” God gives to Adam and Eve (and through them to all of us in Gen 1:28), we are to (1) become fruitful (mature physically, capable of bearing fruit), (2) multiply and fill the Earth (with many succeeding generations of humans), and (3) “have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the Earth,” i.e., over the natural world, as Jesus clearly did when he walked on the water, calmed the raging storm, healed all manner of diseases, and cast out demons.

But what happens? Cain does not listen to the voice of God! He does not “hear” Him. He does not pay attention to or heed God’s Word. In the very next verse – verse 8 – Cain kills Abel.

Now the sexual sin of Eve and Adam in Genesis 3 has been compounded by violence in Genesis 4, and these twin sins of sexual immorality (in myriad forms!) and violence (in myriad forms – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual) have infested humanity ever since.

Eve sinned twice – first with the Serpent, the Dragon, the Deceiver of the whole world, known as the Devil and Satan (Revelation 12:7-9). Then her eyes were opened, she knew the difference between Good and Evil. She knew that Lucifer (the fallen Archangel) was not supposed to be her partner in an intimate relationship. She knew clearly for the first time that Adam was supposed to be her partner, so she runs to Adam, and offers herself to him. Adam does not appear to hesitate even for a moment and, according to the Bible, makes a clear choice of the Woman over the Word of the Lord; for knowing God’s one command (Genesis 2:17) – “Of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, you shall not eat; for in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die” – Adam chooses Eve in disobedience to God, as is made explicit in 1 Timothy 2:14 – “Adam was not deceived; but the woman, being deceived, fell into transgression.”

We must also understand absolutely that “the fruit” was not a literal fruit like an apple or peach or mango or fig, but symbolic. In many languages and cultures, fruits are symbolic of human sexuality. Consider a banana or a serpent raising its head. Consider slicing a ripe papaya (“pawpaw”). Think of the thumb between the first and second fingers of a fist as a sign of the fig. Jesus tells us clearly in Mark 7:15 that “There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.” Furthermore, in 7:18-23, “Whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach and is eliminated. .. What comes out of a man defiles a man; for from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.” Similarly, in Matthew 7:17-18, Jesus says, “Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.” In short, The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil is a symbol for Eve; and the “fruit” is Eve’s love. If Eve’s love first goes to Lucifer, the Tempter, the Devil, her love bears bad fruit; and when she offers this “fruit” to Adam and he partakes without God’s prior permission, sexual sin has entered the world.