cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/62625796

Everyone seems to assume that Cain is some evil murderer that killed his brother out of jealousy and sacrificed to God in vanity rather than gladness. I think that if you read the story without filling the gaps with opinion you get a much different picture.

Let’s look at Cain’s offering to God. It doesn’t say that Cain gave out of spite or anger or anything like that. It just says that Cain gave some of what he had. It doesn’t say he gave the least of what he had or the worst of what he had. Just that he gave what he had. But God favored Abels offering and not Cain’s. And that upset Cain.

Think about that for a moment. If I gave a gift to someone I cared little about and I put little effort into their gift would I be upset that they did not favor my gift? Absolutely not. But if I put a lot of effort into their gift because I cared a lot about them I would be upset if they did not favor my gift because I failed to get them something they would appreciate. I think it’s clear that Cain cared very much about offering a sacrifice that God would appreciate. And God told him in verse 7 of chapter 4 to do better.

I think it’s important to note the difference between Cain’s offering and Abel’s offering. Cain gave the fruit of the ground cause that’s all he had. Abel gave from his flock. You know the difference between an animal and a plant? You can’t really love a plant the same way you love an animal. You wouldn’t count a plant as a member of the family. But an animal you can call a pet. How else can we show our love for God if not by giving up what we love? What did Cain have that he loved? He had a brother.

It’s interesting that the Bible doesn’t call Cain a murderer but instead a killer. You guys assume he’s a murderer but the truth is that we do not know. Because we have no idea what Cain and Abel talked about. It could be that Cain somehow convinced his brother to lay his life down willingly. Or maybe he is a murderer. We don’t know and we shouldn’t assume to know. But I don’t think God would go out of his way to avenge a hateful murderer. God promises to punish the one who murders Cain sevenfold. God clearly cares so much for Cain that he takes any transgression against him very very personally.

God’s not the kind of person who speaks without reason. What’s recorded is what God wants us to know for a reason. Cain’s punishment is to be a wanderer and a fugitive. But we don’t see that happen in the story of Cain. We see Cain settle in the land of nod and he founded a city where his people went on to be pretty successful. But you know who was a wanderer and a fugitive? Moses.

The story of Moses is interesting because of how much foreshadowing is in the story. Such as Exodus 2:14. Or when Moses came down the mountain with the tablets and out of anger broke the tablets which foreshadowed his breaking of the law which kept him from inheriting the promised land.

But what about the second time he came down the mountain and he kept the law and his face shown like the sun. If the first time foreshadowed his failure to inherit the promised land then the second time must be foreshadowing a return of Moses and Moses being successful in inheriting the promised land. The promised land being heaven. I believe Cain is Moses and Moses and his wife to be, are the two witnesses (I can talk more about why the other witness is a woman in another post if you’d like).

I also believe that Jesus and Abel are the same person. Jesus calls himself son of Man and Adam means man. So if Jesus is the son of Adam it makes sense that he would be Abel. Now you might argue that the term son of Man isn’t meant to be taken literally. To which I ask would you say the same about Isaiah 7:14 where it says the Messiah will be called Immanuel which means “God with us”? If Immanuel is the literal title of Jesus then why not “son of Man”?

I think it would make for a very poetic story. Cain goes from claiming that he isn’t his brother’s keeper to being his brother’s keeper.

Another interesting link between Jesus and Abel is the consequence of their deaths. The Jews were cursed to be wanderers and fugitives after crucifying Jesus. While the Christians inherit protection from death because of the sacrifice of Jesus. Just like how Cain was punished to be a wanderer and fugitive for killing his brother. But also protected from death because of the death of his brother. It seems that Cain played both the role of Jew and Christian.

I think the most important thing to know about Cain is that he seemed to care very much about being a father. When creating his city he could have sought honor and glory for himself by naming his city after himself. But instead he named his city after his son.

As I said earlier I don’t believe God speaks pointlessly. Genesis 4:7 God tells Cain he must rule over sin. Like it’s a purpose that belongs solely to him. Could Cain be the restrainer referenced in 2 thessalonians 2:7 who oppresses lawlessness? And it says that the lawless one will not be revealed until the restrainer is taken away. The book of revelation paints a pretty clear picture of the anti Christ not being revealed until the two witnesses are killed and resurrected.

That’s all I have to say about Cain. I should note that these insights come not from me but from God. So what do you think?