06.11. "The Blood of Abel" and "The Way of Cain"

"The Blood of Abel" and "The Way of Cain"

We have seen, in our last chapter, why Faith, i.e., believing what is heard from God, is the only ground of acceptance with God, and the only ground of being judicially acquitted in His sight. The blood of Abel yet speaks to us. This is the last of these Divine words written for our learning concerning Abel:

"His blood yet speaketh." This is not the crying of his blood to God. This is the speaking of his faith to us, "By it (i.e., by this faith) though he is dead he continues to speak" (Heb 11:4). The cry of his blood from the ground was for vengeance on Cain (mentioned in Gen 4:10).

This, is a speaking, in the Scriptures, for our learning. His faith speaks to us today. "It" tells us that it is not something else as a substitute for faith: "it" tells us that it is not something in addition to faith.

It is not works. It is not feelings. It is not experiences. It is not repentance. It is not love. But it is faith and faith only.

It is not reasoning, or intellectual assent to something about God. But it is believing what He has told me about myself, not only as a ruined sinner but as a ruined creature; not only about what I have done, but what I am. It is believing what He has told me about Christ, the Savior Whom He has provided, and anointed, and given and sent; and that this Savior is able to save.

Faith has to do with what we hear from God; not with what we feel in ourselves. Our feelings do not connect us with God, but only with ourselves. Whatever they may be, they do not affect our relation with God, or alter our standing before Him.

They are only human at the best. But, Faith is Divine, and has to do with God.

Faith, of course, produces its own feelings, but only as its own precious fruit; but feelings will never produce faith. "Being justified by faith we have peace with God" (Rom 5:1). This "peace" is felt. It is the blessed feeling of "peace with God." But it comes from faith in what God has said; and not from any feeling that originates in ourselves.

Thus, the blood of Abel continues to speak to us, though Abel is dead. But the blood of Christ speaks also. It speaks of "a better thing than that of Abel" (Heb 12:24).

[24] All the Critical Greek Texts and R.V. read the Singular: "thing" instead of the Plural "things."

If Abel’s blood cried for vengeance, Christ’s blood speaks of peace.

If Abel’s blood speaks of non-imputation of sin, Christ’s blood speaks of the imputation of righteousness.

If Abel’s blood speaks of judicial acquittal, Christ’s blood speaks of a Divine justifying.

This, surely, is "a better thing."

Abel had to do only with a good thing—the type, but we have to do with the "better thing"—the antitype; we have that which the type prefigured, even the precious blood of Christ. If the former was able to procure a forensic righteousness, the latter is surely able to procure a righteousness which is Divine.

Thus the faith of Abel continues to speak to us. But Cain also speaks. He spoke to Abel. What he actually said seems to have dropped out of the primitive Hebrew Text. The Hebrew verb in Gen 4:8 is not "talked with" but "said," and ought to be followed by what he said. But the words having dropped out, the rendering "talked with" is only a make-shift due to the accident. Correctly rendered the printed Hebrew Text reads, "Cain said unto Abel his brother, and it came to pass, etc." In the A.V. there is a colon after the word "brother." In some of the MSS there is a break; in others there are asterisks * * * indicating the omission. But the Samaritan Pentateuch, the Jerusalem Targum, the Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate Versions contain the actual words, which originally stood in the primitive Text.

What Cain "said unto Abel" was "Let us go into the field."[25]

[25] The Jewish Commentators, of course, enlarge on this, and tell us a great deal more. Some indeed give us the whole conversation, which, strange to say, is largely imbued with later errors about the future state, and smacks of Babylonish tradition. With all this we have nothing to do: we only note the correction needed, and which is supplied by some of the Documentary evidence.

It was part of Cain’s plot, to get Abel to go alone with him into the field: and when there, together, "he rose up against him, and slew him." His words, and actions, show the deliberateness of his plans. The carnal mind of a ruined creature at once displayed its enmity. "He was very wroth" when he saw that God did not accept his offering by consuming it with fire from heaven.

While Abel’s faith filled Abel with peace, Cain’s unbelief filled Cain with "wrath."

Here we have part of "the way of Cain." Here we have, on the forefront of the Bible, the manifestation of what "religion" really is.

Cain was a religious man. He came to worship Jehovah. He brought his gifts and his offering. He brought it "unto Jehovah." But his works were evil; and he slew his brother (1Jn 3:12). This is the essence of all "religion" from that day to this. This is "the way of Cain:" and all who possess religion instead of Christ (Who is, in His own blessed Person, the essence and center of true Christianity) are treading in that "way" today.

All religions are alike in this. And the "Christian Religion," as such, is no different in its spirit, and manifestations.

Speak of Christ, to anyone who has only "Religion," and at once his countenance will fall, as Cain’s did (Gen 4:5).

But, with Cain, the LORD at once put the matter on its true ground "If thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted?" (Gen 4:7). This is rendered in the Septuagint Translation "if thou offer correctly." This is what it means. "If Cain offered: correctly; i.e., what God had told him, he would have done "well," and his offering would have been accepted.

There was "no difference" between the two men. All the difference lay in their offerings, which proved that the one believed God, and that the other did not.

Abel "did well" because he believed, and hence, obeyed God. Cain did "not well;" because he did not offer correctly, though a sin-offering lay at the door ready to his hand.

He was without excuse.

Oh! how many millions have since trodden "the way of Cain."

They are like Paul himself, who at the very time when he was most religious was all the while "a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious" (1Ti 1:13): at the very time when he was as "touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless" he was "persecuting the Church." If any one ever had a standing in the flesh, and in religion, Paul could say "I more" (Php 3:4-7).

All such are like the Athenians who were "very religious" (Acts 17:22 R.V. margin).

It is not a question of earnestness, or zeal, or even of sincerity. Sincerity will not help us, unless, what we sincerely believe, is what God has spoken.

Man, with all his religious zeal, loves to offer God something. As one once remarked, "It seems so mean" not to do so!

Hence it is that so many strive to present to God, "the labour of their hands;" and, being ignorant of what God has said, or not believing it, their one great effort is not only to improve themselves but to improve the world.

They see that all is not what they would have it to be; but, instead of believing God as to His remedy for it, they seek to substitute their own.

Even where their religion includes a belief that Christ is coming again, they think the world is not yet good enough for that, being ignorant that God has said it is not yet bad enough for His judgment (2Th 2:3).

Hence, man still treads today "the way of Cain," and follows him when he "went out from the presence of the Lord" (Gen 4:16). Man cannot endure that presence. He seeks to get as "far off" from God as he possibly can (Eph 2:13). His one effort is to make that "far country" as delightful, and himself as happy, as possible. Like Cain, he builds his cities, and multiplies his luxuries. The busy labors of "artificers in brass and iron" drown the cries of Abel’s blood (Gen 4:22). The noisy handlers of "the harp and organ" stifle spiritual worship and drown the voice of Abel’s faith (Gen 4:21). So that man, today, is surfeited with music not only while he eats and drinks, but even while he worships!

Such is "the way of Cain." It is the way of persecution, but not of peace. It is "the way of religion" but not of Christ. It is the way of death, and not of life.

Yes, man, like Cain, is "very religious." But notwithstanding all, the earth which Cain sought to beautify was stained with his brother’s blood.

And, as then, so it is today, the world which the Churches are seeking to improve, is stained with the blood of Christ. As the blood of Christ speaks of a better thing than that of Abel for the believer; so it speaks also of a more terrible vengeance for the unbeliever.

It is in the last Epistle in the Canon of the New Testament that we read of "the way of Cain," and it is there associated with "the error of Balaam," and "the gainsaying of Korah" (Jude 1:11). This connection is full of significance. These three downward steps are thus put together for our comparison and contrast: and they speak to us, if we have ears to hear.

Unbelief characterizes all three. The first is unbelief as to the WAY of access which God revealed: "the way of Cain." The second is unbelief as to the WORKS of our lives which God requires: "the error of Balaam." The third is unbelief as to the WORD which God has given: "the contradiction of Korah." The first is necessarily followed by the second, and these are consummated by the third.

"The way of Cain" was not believing God’s Word as to the way in which He would be worshipped (Gen 4:1-26).

"The error of Balaam" was despising God’s Word, and following the counsel which Balaam gave, as to the idolatrous licentiousness of life, and the sin which brought down the plague and judgment of Baal-peor (Numbers 25 and 31:16).

"The gainsaying of Korah" was the contradiction of God’s Word (Num 16:1-50) The Word rendered "gain saying" ἀντιλόγια (antilogia) means contradiction. And though connected with "the way of Cain" in Jude 1:11, it occurs three times in this Epistle to the Hebrews: (viz., in Heb 6:16; Heb 7:7, and Heb 12:3). It is "the contradiction of sinners against Christ." So the third and last of these three stages amounts to the contradiction of the Living and the written Word of God. It is exactly what we see today in the contradictions of the "Higher" Criticism, and in the blasphemies of the "New Theology." The entrance on "the way of Cain" is a deliberate-going. "They have gone" (R.V. they went).

Into "the error of Balaam" they rush (A.V. "they ran." R.V. "they ran riotously"). In "the contradiction of Korah" they perish! This is the end!

Though they pursue their own separate courses, to a certain stage, there is an evolution from one into the other, and they end alike in judgment.

Cain’s was a punishment greater than he could bear (Gen 4:13).

Balaam’s was a plague from the fierce anger of the Lord (Num 25:1-18).

Korah’s was the pit which opened its mouth and shut them up in the blackness of darkness for ever (Jude 1:13).

What a solemn lesson for all who refuse to believe God.

What an end to "the way of Cain."

What a contrast between the two ways. The one is God’s revelation; the other is man’s imagination. The one begins with God; gives peace; and ends in glory. The other begins with man; goes on to persecution; and ends in the pit!