Cain, Abel and Sin Lusting After Us

Adam and Eve are out of the garden trying to eke out a living with thorns and thistles.  In Genesis 4, the infamous kids are discussed.   First we get to play with the names of the boys, Cain and Abel.  I am truly enjoying the discovery of the meaning of names.  I've heard in English that a specific name means such and such but in Hebrew, I can see why a name means such and such.

First, let's take look at Cain.

So Adam knew Eve, his wife and she conceived and she bore Cain, and she said, "I have aquired a man from the LORD."

Okay, if you look at different versions,what Eve says is translated differently:

With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man. (NIV)
I have gotten a man from the Lord. (KJV)
I have gotten a manchild with the help of the Lord. (NASB)
With the Lord’s help, I have produced a man!(NLT)

The first thing I noticed is that in my translation Eve says she acquired a man from the Lord.  The only translation listed above that says basically the same thing is the King James Version (KJV).  The rest say that Eve did the work but had the Lord's help.  Let's take a look see:

This shows the exact word for word translation.  The second word (reading from the left) is not translated.    This shows that Eve felt she got her son from the Lord.   Now, check out the word translated into "I have acquired".   Compare that to

Cain

 which is the word pronounced "Cain". Can't quite see it?  Well look a this...

which is the word for Acquire.  If you look, they are all quite similar.  The top two words start with a root which is the third word, "acquire".  That is the root word for the other two.  Eve named Cain with that name because it means acquired.

Hevel (Abel)

It's interesting because Abel is also the word for breath, vapor or vanity.  Names in the Bible had meaning so I found this interesting.  Based on the story, I would think that in Abel's case, it would relate to breath or vapor since his life was cut short.
Now, let's take a look at the difference between these men.  In verse 2 it says:

Abel was a shepherd of the flocks while Cain was a worker of the land.

Two excellent careers but something went wrong when they took their offerings to the Lord.  I've heard a lot of different theories as to why Cain's offering was rejected.  Here is the NIV version of verses 3-5:

In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

meketz

What I found interesting is that the word meketz translates to end of days.  The first two words of verse 3 are vayhe meketz which translates to And it came to pass at the end of days.

Vayhe meketz

Now, here's my take on this situation.  If you look at the quote above you will see Abel brought his offering from the firstborn of his flock while Cain brought his offering at the end of days which tells me he did it after all the other work was done.  He put God last in his life.  Perhaps this is why God didn't look on his offering with favor.  There may be another reason but throughout scripture we are told that people (including ourselves) are to bring the firstfruits to God.  Those who couldn't afford a lamb or something like that were allowed a grain offering.  That means that, as far as God is concerned, a grain offering is okay.   That tells me that the reason God didn't look with favor on Cain's offering is not what it was but when it was.  Consider that when you are praying and seeking God on what you are to do with your earnings.

Another important verse in this story is verse 7 God tells Cain:

But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.

Tshookto

This word, translated in the NIV above as "is crouching" is also the word for the way a man longs for a woman.  Sin isn't waiting for us to trip across it.  It's hungry for us and is wanting to get us.  It says in I Peter 5:8 that

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Basically, God was telling Cain the same thing.  God is telling us the same thing.  We need to rule over sin.  We need to be alert and on guard for sin.  It's stalking us, lusting after us.  If we aren't careful we will wind up in a predicament like Cain did.  No, we might not kill someone but what do we do that is not part of God's will?  Gossip? Lie? Drunkeness? Sex outside of marriage?  Cheat on taxes?  Next time that urge strikes, remember that sin is lusting after you.  Don't let it get hold.

Eve... mother.... the most important job.

Did you ever wonder what Genesis 3:20 means?

Now the man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all the living.

Eve huh?  Well in the Hebrew, it reads:

וַיִּקְרָא הָאָדָם שֵׁם אִשְׁתּוֹ, חַוָּה: כִּי הִוא הָיְתָה, אֵם כָּל-חָי.

The word in red is pronounced Chavah  where the ch is kind of a clearing your throat sound.  This word is very similar to the verb for "to live'.  I often wondered how the word Eve relate to being the mother of all living.

In Hebrew the word mother is pronounced em so the idea that the word Eve means mother doesn't quite fit.  What does fit though it the part about all the living.  Chava = Eve.

If you think about it, being the mother is a pretty important job.  Up until the last few decades, the primary job for a woman was to take care of the home but also to raise and train the next generation.  It's interesting because just this last Tuesday in our women's group, our leader Janet Caldon taught on John 6 but most importantly on John 6:8-13

Then Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up.
“There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”
“Tell everyone to sit down,” Jesus said. So they all sat down on the grassy slopes. (The men alone numbered about 5,000.)  Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted.  After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.”  So they picked up the pieces and filled twelve baskets with scraps left by the people who had eaten from the five barley loaves.

We of course have always thought about the amazing miracle of the loaves and fishes but Janet taught on the "Power of One" and what one person can do to make a difference.  In this case, consider who packed that little boy's lunch and who was likely standing nearby when Andrew spoke of the lunch that they used.  The boy's mother.  She had an important role in this.  First she packed the lunch then took the boy to see the amazing Rabbi that everyone was talking about.

Later, in our groups we were discussing who each of us were as the "One" in someone else's life.  One women mentioned that she felt so inadequate so many times.  This made me consider how often we, as women feel like we fall short of the mark. He also tries to get stay at home mothers to feel like they are less important than those who are career women.

Stay at home moms.. your job is more important than being a CEO for a fortune 500 company.    You are guiding and shaping the lives of the next generation.  God has given you the most important job in the world.  Don't ever let the enemy tell you differently.  He is trying to make you feel that way because he knows you have such an important job.