Genesis 4
It’s shocking that murder takes place so early in the beginning of mankind. Complicated feelings like jealously and insecurity rear their ugly heads within the very first family. You see that God, yet again, shows mercy when one of his children disappoints him.
Summary
Adam and Eve have two sons, first Cain and then Abel. Cain was a farmer, and Abel was a shepherd. Cain brought the Lord fruit from the ground, and Abel brought Him the firstborn of his flock. God accepted Abel’s gift but not Cain’s gift. Cain became very angry and unhappy. God asked, “Cain, why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, I will accept you. If you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door. But you must master it.” Cain invited his brother out to the field and killed him. God later asked Cain, “Where is your brother?” Cain responded, “I don’t know. I’m not my brother’s keeper.” The Lord knew what he did and subjected Cain to a life where good crops would no longer grow for him, and he would be forced to wander the earth. Cain was afraid that anyone would be able to kill him, so God put a mark on Cain that warned anyone who met him not to kill him or their punishment would be sevenfold (seven times worse). Cain went on to have a family with two wives. His descendants were responsible for living in tents, raising cattle, playing the harp and flute, and making tools out of bronze and iron. One of Cain’s sons Lamech killed a young man, then declared to his wives, “If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.” Adam and Eve had another son named Seth. Seth had a child, Enosh. At that time, people began to pray to God.
Sidebar
Well, it is no wonder why people began to pray to God after this mess. It seemed God showed mercy on Cain by putting a mark of protection on him, even after the ultimate sin of murdering his brother. Cain’s son did not seem to appreciate God’s mercy on his father, because he arrogantly assumed he would be awarded the same protection after murdering a man. Or he simply implied he will exact revenge on anyone who harmed him. Was Lamech delusional and entitled or vengeful and defiant? Either scenario is not a good look. [Side note: I’m wondering if it was normal practice for people to refer to themselves in the third person back then]. Cain and Lamech both lost the battle with sin. Negative emotions like hurt, anger, and envy got the better of them. We all struggle with negative emotions from time to time. In fact, there is a vast awareness around mental health now more than ever to help us deal with negative emotions. Stress, family problems, financial issues, deep rooted insecurity, childhood trauma are just some of the factors that can lead to poor mental health. God warned Cain to get a hold of his unhappiness because it could lead to sin. This warning was like God co-signing the importance of mental health awareness and getting control over your unhappiness.
Intention
When angry or jealous, practice relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, stretching, listening to calming music, or repeating a calming phrase. Try breathing techniques and focus on gratitude for what is positive in your life. Talk to a friend or professional if it’s too much to handle on your own. Pray to God.
Beautiful interpretation. I appreciate how you go through the entire story, then provide your analysis and subsequently bring it forward to how someone can deal with negative thoughts and emotions in our modern era. Very tastefully done, I look forward to the next one.