I. Repeated phrases:
3:16 To the woman he said,
“I will greatly increase your labor pains;
with pain you will give birth to children.
You will want to control your husband,
but he will dominate you.”
4:7 Is it not true that if you do what is right, you will be fine? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. It desires to dominate you, but you must subdue it.”
2 words were repeated: want to control/desires and dominate/subdue.
"the Hebrew noun “desire” refers to an urge to control or dominate. Here the desire is that which sin has for Cain, a desire to control for the sake of evil, but Cain must have mastery over it (NET)."
In Chapter 3, the power struggle is between husband and wife. Now, the struggle is between the control of sin over man.
II. Comparison
3:9 But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”...“Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” 3:12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave me, she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it.”
4:9 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” And he replied, “I don’t know! Am I my brother’s guardian?”
After Adam sinned and God questioning him Adam admitted that. However, when it came to the 2nd generation, Cain denied what he can done. "Cain lies and then responds with a defiant rhetorical question of his own in which he repudiates any responsibility for his brother (NET)." Note, in v.13 Cain even argued with God that his punishment is too great to endure vs Adam did not dare to reply anything when he received his judgment 3:19. "Just before this the LORD announces the punishment for Cain’s actions, and right after this statement Cain complains of the severity of the punishment. Cain is not portrayed as repenting of his sin (NET)."
Mankind was deteriorating very quickly.
Reflection: We do have the same problem and same struggle as Eve and Cain. We have power struggle at home and we have struggle with sin every day. The sin of anger still presence in our lives. If left unchecked sin will become worse and worse. Mankind as a whole also deteriorates quickly.
III A strange ending v.14-16
Cain's punishment was described as: be a homeless wanderer on the earth v.12,14, driving off the land v.14, hide from your presence v.14, went out from the presence of the LORD v.16, and lived in the land of NOD, east of Eden. That means after being expelled from the garden of Eden Adam and Eve still lives in the presence of God, and in the land of Eden (outside the garden). God still talked to them and their children. (This is an important background to chapter 6).
On the other hands, we see Cain still had face to complain to God that he might got kill v.14. The strangest thing is God even promised him to put a sign to protect him. God is so amazing that He provides the leather clothes for Adam and Eve as their covering 3:21. He is also the One who still protected Cain. "God becomes Cain’s protector. Here is common grace—Cain and his community will live on under God’s care... (NET)."
Reflection: I do not know why God loves us so much that for undeserved sinners, (even He knows that mankind is getting worse and worse), He protects us and gave us the common grace (rain, sunshine, protection). For believers, He forgave our sins and granted us the salvation and position as His children. I thank Him and praise Him!
Audrey
Comments