Genesis 4

Again to Genesis 4.

If you are at Swansea, we are continuing our series.

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If you weren't in Swansea, go ask someone in Swansea what they learnt.

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Genesis 4.

A man named McAllister Hull.

He was one of the American physicists who helped develop the atomic bomb

that was eventually dropped over the Japanese city of Nagasaki in 1945.

And when the bomb dropped and detonated, it killed around 40,000 people in an instant.

And McAllister Hull, he was interviewed years later in 1995.

And he was asked, what was it like for you as soon as the bomb dropped?

What are your reflections on that moment as soon as the bomb dropped?

And he said this in the interview.

He said, immediately, both of us who knew the score began to think,

okay, what have we done?

What have we done?

And it's that same thought, that same question,

that is lingering in the air after Genesis 3.

Adam has just eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

He severed mankind's relationship with God.

He's brought sin and death into this world.

God has cursed this world and humanity,

thrown Adam and Eve out of the garden,

out of his presence, east of Eden, and shut the door.

And now the question lingers in the air.

What have we done?

What is the world like now?

What is humanity like now?

What's going to be the fallout of this bomb that Adam's detonated?

And Genesis 4 to 11, it's here to answer that question.

What have we done?

What is the world like now?

As Adam and Eve are thrown out of the garden to the east of Eden,

Genesis 4 onwards, it's here to show us what life is like east of Eden.

What the world, what humanity is now like.

And that is deeply relevant for us now.

Because we are still east of Eden.

And so these chapters are an insight into what we are now east of Eden.

What sin is like, what the world is like.

And so if Adam detonated a sin bomb,

then it's like this whole world has become radioactive.

And Genesis 4 to 11, it's like a guide showing you

how to dodge the radiation of this world.

And so as we go through these chapters over the next few weeks,

I want you to be like a detective.

And I want you to get your magnifying glass out.

And I want you to spot what these chapters have to say about sin.

But that's not the only thing that we should look out for.

Radiation isn't the only thing we should expect after the fall.

Because chapter 3, it ends with a promise.

Look back to Genesis 3.15.

Just Genesis 3.15.

God, he promises something to the serpent, to Satan.

He says, I will put enmity between you and the woman,

between your offspring and her offspring.

He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel.

This is God's promise to Satan and to us

that this world won't be completely consumed by sin.

Radiation won't completely wipe out this world.

Humanity is not going to be completely abandoned by God.

Yes, as we leave this garden and as we head east,

yes, we go ahead into this world, into our lives with sin,

but we also go with God's promise.

A promise that God will put enmity between Satan and the woman.

A promise that they won't be friends.

Instead, she's going to be friends with God.

And also, do you see, God promises that there'll be two families in this world.

The offspring, the children of Satan,

and the offspring, the children of Eve.

Two families.

And God promises that these two families are going to be at war.

Do you see?

I will put enmity between your offspring and her offspring.

Now, the offspring of Satan,

this isn't talking about little demons running around this world.

No, this is talking about humans who will follow Satan.

It's talking about unbelievers.

That's what Jesus calls those who reject him.

He says, you are of your father, the devil.

And Paul says this in Ephesians.

Do you remember when we were in Ephesians?

Before conversion, we are following the world, the flesh, and the devil.

And here in Genesis 3.15,

God promises that there will be a family,

a group of people in this world,

who in their unbelief will belong to Satan.

Which shouldn't be a surprise after the fall.

But what is a surprise,

is that God promises another family.

The offspring of the woman.

And that family, that group of people,

will have enmity, opposition,

against Satan's family.

This is a promise that there will be believers in this world.

People who are friends with God.

And that family is going to be at war with Satan's family.

Two families at war in this world.

That this is the promise that God will build his church.

And on top of that,

God promises, did you see,

that through Eve, through this believing family,

there will come one offspring.

One child, one man, a son.

And he will come to bruise Satan's head.

To crush him.

A son to end evil in this world.

He shall bruise your head, Satan.

This is God's promise to have a people.

And from that people, there will be a son.

And that son will save the world.

And so we leave Genesis 3 on a cliffhanger.

Who is this son going to be?

And when is he coming?

And so, yes, we enter Genesis 4.

We head into the east of Eden,

and asking, what have we done?

But we also go out asking,

but what is God about to do?

And so the story we're in now in Genesis,

it's the story of sin and a son.

We are to enter these chapters and head east

with our magnifying glass out,

looking for two things,

sin and a son.

What have we done?

What is sin like?

And what is God about to do?

Where is this son?

So if you want to understand what this world is,

who we are,

what God is doing here in history,

then listen closely to Genesis.

And so let's leave the gates of the Garden of Eden,

head east,

with our magnifying glasses out,

looking out for those two things,

and let's see what we find.

And the first thing we come across

is that God is doing just as he promised.

God is creating two families.

That's my first point today.

God is creating two families.

So we're expecting sin and a son.

And how does Genesis 4 begin?

It's a promising start.

There's a son, verse 1.

Now Adam knew Eve, his wife,

and she conceived and bore Cain.

And Eve knows that this is no ordinary birth.

She says,

I've produced a man with the help of the Lord.

She has this promise in her mind

that this is a woman clinging to God's promise.

And as she holds her son,

she knows God is keeping his promise.

But there's also another son, verse 2,

Abel.

Two sons, Cain and Abel.

So if we have our magnifying glasses,

and we're looking for a son,

then this is a promising start east of Eden.

Maybe, maybe the serpent crusher is here.

But we see

these brothers aren't alike.

There's a deep difference between them.

And that difference,

it shows up in worship.

So Cain,

he's a fruit and vegetable farmer.

And Abel,

he's a shepherd.

He's got sheep.

And we see,

even from the beginning,

humanity is worshipping God.

These two sons bring offering sacrifices to the Lord.

Cain brings his fruits,

and Abel brings the best of his sheep.

But the Lord isn't happy with one of them,

verse 4.

And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering.

But for Cain and his offering,

he had no regard.

The Lord delights in Abel,

but Cain he isn't happy with.

Now, we aren't told why here explicitly,

but the New Testament,

it gives us an insight.

The book of Hebrews says this,

about Cain and Abel.

It says,

by faith,

Abel offered to God

a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain.

The difference is not that one brother

is more impressive than the other.

Abel isn't more likable than Cain in God's eyes.

Abel hasn't earned God's favour in some way.

No.

The difference,

the key,

is faith.

One son trusts in the Lord,

knows that God is worthy,

knows that the Lord is to be feared and served,

and the other son doesn't.

And you can even see that in their offerings.

Did you notice,

Abel,

he offers his firstborn sheep,

the most precious of his animals,

the best of his meat,

the fattest bits.

But look what it says Cain brings.

It just says,

an offering of the fruit of the ground.

It's not the best he has.

There's no mention of anything special here.

It's like Cain kind of rummages around in his stock,

around just trying to find something.

Oh yeah,

here you go God,

that there's something I've got.

Yeah,

there's a bit of fruit.

And the Lord isn't happy.

And not because God is happy with a leg of lamb,

rather than with apples.

No,

it's because one son worships with faith,

and the other doesn't.

One loves the Lord,

and thinks he's worthy of everything,

and trusts in his God,

and the other doesn't.

And the difference in their offerings,

it just reflects that faith.

And so,

five verses in,

and we see,

God's promise is already coming true.

We see,

God is creating two types of people here,

two families,

a family of faith,

and a family of unbelief.

And this is how the world is divided east of Eden.

There are those who know God is worthy,

who know it is a good thing to serve him,

who know God is so great,

he demands my soul,

my life,

my all.

Abel knew that.

And there are those who think,

how they live before God,

how they approach him,

what they give to him,

they think it doesn't matter.

That God should be happy,

with whatever we do,

and however we live.

Even if we just give him the scraps of our life,

that's Cain.

And that's the unbelief of this world.

People are existing before God,

and thinking,

God should be happy with them,

just the way they are.

They don't think about him,

or love him,

or give him the time of day,

but they give him scraps.

And God isn't happy.

Because God doesn't want your scraps.

He wants your heart.

He wants you to have faith in him.

God delights when you have faith in him.

And so it should make us think,

am I giving God the best of my life?

Or am I giving him my scraps?

And how does Cain react to all this?

Verse 5.

He's fuming.

He hates it.

He hates that God isn't happy with him.

He hates that he can't approach God how he wants.

He hates that God deserves so much.

He hates that Abel's right with God,

but he isn't.

And he's fuming.

He's filled with anger and jealousy.

And God asks him a piercing question.

Why?

Why are you so angry, Cain?

Why are you so angry with me

and with your believing brother?

Come on, if you just trusted me,

you'll always be accepted.

Why are you so angry?

It's a probing question to unbelief.

It's a bit like, have you heard this?

You know when an unbeliever gets so angry

about the idea they're going to hell,

even though they don't believe in it.

It's like that.

Why are you so angry?

What's going on in your heart there?

Well, God provides the answer to that.

He tells Cain what's really going on inside of him.

Verse 7.

Sin is crouching at the door.

Its desire is for you,

but you must rule over it.

Why is Cain so angry,

so angry with God?

It's sin.

And do you see the picture God gives?

Sin is like a beast.

Sin is like a monster.

A crouching monster ready to pounce.

Ready to devour and tear apart.

And it's crouching just by your front door.

So if your life in your heart is like a home,

the monster of sin,

it's crouching just at the door,

ready to sneak in and devour you.

And it's desire,

it's appetite,

is for you.

And so in this world,

east of Eden,

this is what life is like now.

That there is a powerful force.

That there's a monster at play in this world.

But it's not out there.

It's not a talking serpent out there anymore.

No, it's in here.

Sin is crouching at the door

of each and every heart here.

When Bethany and I lived in America,

we went on holiday to the mountains

in North Carolina.

And the one thing that we were told

to watch out for is bears.

If you're going hiking,

watch out for bears.

The one thing you do not mess with

is a bear.

Well, this is like,

God is telling us,

as we head out of the garden,

as we live east of Eden,

this is the one thing

you need to watch out for.

Sin is crouching at your door.

And so God says,

you must rule over sin.

Otherwise, it will rule over you.

Because when you let it in,

look at Cain.

It becomes anger

and jealousy

and bitterness

and it devours you.

And we can see that in our lives.

We saw it this morning with Naomi.

You start grumbling.

You open the door

to a little bit of that grumbling

and sin pounces in,

devours you,

and before you know it,

your whole life

becomes a life of complaining

and bitterness

and anger towards God.

You let one lustful thought in.

You entertain that.

You welcome that through the door.

And it takes over your mind

and it's all you can think about

all day.

And so as we head east,

what have we done?

This is what we've done.

This is the human heart now.

And so pick up your magnifying glass.

We find a son,

two sons.

It's a promising start.

But we also find a monster,

sin.

And that monster

has devoured

one of the sons.

God has created two families,

a family of faith

and a family of unbelief.

And as we go on,

we find east of Eden,

not only do these two families exist,

but these two families

are at war.

That's my second point today.

These two families

are at war.

So remember,

God promises conflicts

between these two families.

And this is what we see

because what happens next,

verse 8,

Cain meets Abel in a field,

rises up against Abel

and kills him.

Sin really does devour, doesn't it?

It began with an angry thought

and it ends with blood

spilled in a field.

If you, kids,

if you went to Holiday Bible Club,

do you remember one of the lessons?

Wrong thoughts

lead to wrong words

and wrong actions.

This is exactly

what happened with Cain.

From an angry thought

to the first murder

in human history.

And so,

this is a stark warning

to us.

If you are angry

with someone right now,

if you are jealous,

if a thought like that

is lingering in your head,

if sin is crouching,

don't let it rule you.

Confess that anger

to the Lord right now.

Put that anger to death.

Because we can't think

we're better than Cain.

No.

We all have the capacity

to be like Cain.

This is why people

get shot on campuses.

This is why we have

blood splatter analysis.

This is life

east of Eden now.

And so God asks Cain,

he asks him,

where is Abel,

your brother?

And does this question

remind you of something?

It's like God asking Adam,

where are you?

after he ate the fruit.

Sin always has a way

of repeating itself.

And how does Cain respond?

Don't ask me.

My brother's nothing

to do with me.

Just like Adam,

he tries to cover his tracks.

But God knows

our secret sins.

Cain can't hide this body.

And so God asks the question,

still lingering in the air,

Cain,

what have you done?

Cain,

what have you done

that the voice

of your brother's blood

is crying to me

from the ground?

It's like the wrongness,

the injustice,

the horror

of Abel's murder.

It's such an affront

to God's creation,

so heinous

to the God of life.

It's like Abel's blood

has seeped into the soil

and you can put your ear

to the soil

and you can still hear

the screams.

Creation,

it's like it's vibrating

with injustice.

And so God

is very clear

about how he feels

about murder.

God hates murder.

God cannot

forget

or ignore

the blood

spilled

this side of Eden.

The blood

on that Utah campus

cries out

to God.

The blood

on the streets

of London

cries out

to God.

The blood

of the unborn

cries out

to God.

And it cries,

not just generally,

it cries

to God.

And this,

this is actually

a great comfort

for every family member

of someone

who's been murdered.

God hears

those cries

and it matters

to him

and he will

answer those cries

on judgment day.

But remember,

remember who

this feud

is between.

God has created

two families

and God promises

these two families

will be at war.

God's family

and Satan's family.

And here is

the war.

And so

this is not only

the murder

of one human

by another.

No,

this is

an attack

on God's people.

that this is

an act

of persecution

against the church.

This is

spiritual warfare

in action.

But why?

Why does there

have to be

a conflict

like this?

Why does

Satan's family

have to be

against the family

of faith?

Well,

remember,

who is coming

from this family

of faith?

The serpent

crusher.

So,

if you were

Satan

and you knew

the saviour

is coming

from God's

family,

what would

you want

to do?

You want

to end

that family.

Kill it.

End any hope

of the serpent

crusher coming.

And that's

what Satan

is orchestrating

here.

He's out

to stop

the son.

He's out

to end

the church.

So,

not just

blood,

but the

blood of

martyrs

particularly

cries out

to God.

God has

promised that

from the

beginning.

He's

promised

that God's

people

won't be

welcome here

east of Eden.

We won't

be at home.

The church,

it's going

to be at

war with

the world.

Godliness

is going

to be

opposed

by evil.

And it

began here

with Abel.

It continues

with Abraham.

We saw

it in

Holiday

Bible

Club

with

Joseph,

brother

against

brother.

You see

it with

Israel

and Babylon.

And you

see it

with Christ

on the

cross.

The serpent

crusher

finally came

and Satan's

family had

to kill him.

And in fact,

you see it

before the

cross.

Think,

who tried

to kill

Jesus

as a

baby?

Herod,

a fellow

Jew,

his own

brother.

History

is the

story of

these two

families at

war.

So get

your magnifying

glass out.

East of

Eden,

there is

sin and

there is

a son.

But sin

wants to

destroy that

son.

And this

is why

the church

faces such

opposition

today.

This is

why being

a Christian

and actually

standing up

for godliness

at work

or at

school,

even within

your own

family,

this is

why it

exists.

Satan

can't

stop the

serpent

crusher

anymore.

And so

he goes

for the

people.

And he

tries to

scare us

away from

following

this son.

And so

realize,

realize what's

going on

in your

life and

at school

and at

work.

It really,

it's a

spiritual

warfare out

there.

But we

can take

comfort that

this isn't

something new.

This isn't

a surprise.

Back in the

garden,

God promised

you will

belong to

this family.

family.

And you

will be

at war.

We might

ask why.

Why is

God creating

his own

family and

then putting

us through

this?

Well, I

want to see

that this

war is

actually a

good thing.

To feel

persecution,

it's actually

a good sign

because it

means we

aren't in

Satan's

family.

God has

set you

apart and

brought you

into his

family.

And so,

to feel

uncomfortable

in this

world,

to be

hated

even by

your own

brother,

it means

you belong

to something

special.

Blessed are

those who

are persecuted

for righteousness

sake,

for theirs

is the

kingdom of

heaven.

Abel died

in a

field,

but he

will rise

again in

a kingdom.

And

brothers and

sisters,

so will

we.

But the

drama isn't

over.

God spares

Cain's

life.

God is

merciful even

to murderers.

But Cain,

he isn't the

promised son.

This isn't the

promised family.

In fact,

it looks like

there's no

family at all

anymore.

Like the

promise has

been killed.

It's died

with Abel.

Like Satan,

he's won

here in

chapter 4.

Like sin

is too

fierce a

monster this

side of

Eden.

It often

feels like

that in

persecution.

It feels

like that in

life.

And so

how will

God's

promise win?

Well,

keep your

magnifying

glass out

and keep

looking for

sin and

a son.

Because next,

the final

thing,

the monster

is big.

God is

bigger.

It's the

final point.

The monster

is big,

but God

is bigger.

After Abel's

murder,

it looks like

sin is one.

And then to

pour salt in

the wound,

if you keep

going,

it looks like

the problem,

it's actually

only got worse.

We follow

Cain's family

line.

And by the

way,

Adam and

Eve had

other daughters,

and so if you're

wondering who did

Cain marry,

there you go.

And so we

follow the

family tree,

and we end

up at

Lamech.

And Lamech

seems to be

even worse

than Cain.

And in

verse 23,

this is actually

a song.

He sings a

song about

something he's

done.

What does he

sing?

I have

killed a

man for

wounding me,

a young

man for

striking me.

murder runs

in the

family.

But this

time, look

who he's

killed, a

young man.

Well, the

word, it

actually means

young boy.

And he

boasts about

it at the

end of the

song.

Cain got

away with

it, but

I'm really

going to get

away with

it.

So he

not only

murders,

he murders

a boy,

and then he

boasts about

it, and

then sings

a song about

it.

It's like

the monster

of sin.

It's

grown even

more just

a few

verses on.

Adam hid

when he

sinned, but

now Lamech is

singing about

it.

This side

of Eden,

we make

ourselves feel

better about

sin by

boasting

about it.

It's no

coincidence

pride is

called

pride.

And sin

really has

become a

giant monster.

It started

with a bite

of fruit in

the garden,

and now

it's

already

become

this.

This is

what we've

done.

And so

it looks

like this

world is

hopeless,

like the

promise has

ended.

That's how

we can

feel.

Like the

monster is

too big in

this world

to do

anything.

Or the

monster,

it's just

too big in

my life.

How can

I rule

over it?

But look

how this

chapter ends,

verse 25.

And Adam

knew his

wife again,

and she

bore a

son,

and called

his name

Seth.

For she

said,

God has

appointed for

me another

offspring instead

of Abel,

for Cain

killed him.

Another

son,

Seth.

And what

family does

he belong

to?

Verse 26.

At that

time,

people began

to call upon

the name of

the Lord.

it's a

believing

family.

The church

continues with

Seth.

The gates

of hell

did not

prevail.

And so,

east of

Eden is

dark.

It's

bloody.

Sin is a

big monster.

But listen

to this,

God is

bigger.

His grace

is brighter.

And even

through the

blood and

sin of

this world,

look what

he does.

He brings

a son.

He brings

a family.

And this

is what he

can do

with you.

However

hopeless

life feels

for you,

however

messy the

family that

you've come

from,

however big

the monster

inside of

you may

seem,

you need

to know

God is

bigger.

And he

can bring

light into

your darkness.

There is

hope east

of Eden.

And it's

found in

a son.

It's

found in

his only

begotten

son.

Because God

promises,

if you have

faith in the

Lord Jesus

Christ,

sin will

not,

cannot rule

over you.

Christ is

the son to

break the

power of that

monster inside

of you.

The monster

of this

world.

And so

Satan and

sin,

it seems

like he's

winning this

side of

Eden.

God's

God's

family.

Satan can

never win

in your

life.

Satan

tries to

suffocate,

to kill,

to extinguish

the church,

but God

is preserving

his family.

The family

of his

son,

the church.

For those

in Christ,

he is

preserving you

right now.

So let

me ask,

which

family do

you belong

to?

Because at

the end of

the age,

only one

family will

see victory

in this

war.

So this

side of

Eden,

yes,

there is

sin,

but there

is a

son,

and it's

only in

him that

we have

victory.

Let's

pray.