Week 2 - Cain & Abel, Noah and Flood

Adam and Eve's experience of sin, consequence, and grace continues in each new generation. We repeat that pattern over and over. Today we focus on Cain & Abel and Noah's versions of that experience. 

Read Genesis 4:1-15 Cain and Abel

Well that escalated fast! From eating a forbidden apple to murder in 2 generations! 

What was Cain unable to tolerate that led to his crime - was it really being bested by Abel?

Read Genesis 6:5-8, 13-14; Genesis 8:20-9:17 The Flood's Cause and Effect

Three times now Genesis establishes that the consequence of sin is death: Adam and Eve sin and lose access to the fruit of immortality; Cain's sin causes Abel's death; Human wickedness on a large scale ends in the judgment of death for every guilty party. Hard truth: "The wages of sin is death." (Romans 6:23). That is THE human problem in need of solving. 

How does God respond to sin in these stories?

Let's talk justice! 

God finds a way to give both Abel and Cain justice, introducing some ethical principles by which God's people will be taught to live, and which sets them apart. 

1) There has to be accountability for sin. Grace for the victim.

2) There has to be hope for restored life for the sinner. Grace for the sinner. Two wrongs don't equal a right. Inflicting sin upon a sinner does not solve anything - "vengeance is mine", not yours, says the Lord. What if we actually use God's grace for Cain and Abel as a model for justice?

Let's talk covenant! 

God realizes the nature of people is that we're never going to act fully like God. We're not God. God promises from that point forward to be fully committed to supporting the life present in all of creation. What's really unusual about this very first covenant is that God makes it not only with humanity, but with all creatures and with the earth. When we harm any part of non-human creation - we are in violation of God's covenant with us. 

God requires a reckoning for every life taken - human and animal. God gives people animals to eat at this point - but not without respect for that life, not without counting the cost, and not with its lifeblood present.

Do you think our relationship with the earth and its other living things is a barometer for how we're respecting human life? To what extent do you believe our sins against creation offend God? Do we need to take more seriously the messages here in the beginning of Genesis that all of life is co-dependent? Can we interpret the Great Flood as a warning for what is to come if we live in breach of this covenant?

God promised never to flood the earth again - but covenant requires our cooperation. For covenant promises to be delivered, we have to uphold our end of the bargain!

Wrap up:

This covers the 'primeval history' in Genesis - the pre-history. These stories establish the foundations for who God is, who we are, what our problems are, and how God is going to work with us to address them. 

What one point did you hoped we'd cover today that we didn't? Here's your chance!