Readings for today: Genesis 4-7, Psalm 2
Today we read about the growth of humanity on the earth. It’s important to note this is not an exhaustive, anthropological account. God is not giving us the history of the human race as much as giving us the details important to salvation history. The people listed in this narrative chart the genealogy that will eventually bring forth the Messiah. Furthermore, God is also showing us the impact of sin on each and every generation. The downward spiral of humanity is a direct result of the curse all of us are born under. This curse corrupts us to the core and turns us inward towards self rather than upward towards God and the results are frankly terrifying. Violence. Suffering. Pain. Abuse. Tyranny. Murder. Humanity rejecting the call to be our brother or sister’s guardian.
Why is humanity the way that it is? Why is humanity so prone to violence and anger and outrage and hate? Why is humanity so selfish and narcissistic? Why is humanity so greedy and power-hungry and corrupt? Even a brief, cursory look at history provides plenty of evidence to support the theological doctrine of original sin. Though we like to think of ourselves as fundamentally good, though flawed, people; it seems clear to me both on a macro as well as micro level that the opposite is true. We are fundamentally broken, selfish, sinful people who occasionally are capable of great good. This is the impact of the Fall. It is the impact of the choice humanity made in the Garden to define “good” and “evil” for themselves.
The story of Cain is a powerful one that sums up humanity’s biggest and most persistent challenge. Cain presents his offering before the Lord and it is not acceptable. Rather than choose the path of humility and reflect on the deficiencies of his own heart, Cain blames his brother for bringing the better offering and hatches a plan to eliminate the competition. God sees his rage and knows where it will lead so He offers Cain a choice, “If you do what is right, won’t you be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7) Sadly, Cain rejects God and murders his brother in cold blood. This elicits God’s judgment. Interestingly enough, it is couched more in terms of logical consequences than arbitrary punishment. “Then God said, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! So now you are cursed, alienated from the ground that opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood you have shed. If you work the ground, it will never again give you its yield. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.” (Genesis 4:10-12) Like Adam and Eve before him, Cain will now experience alienation. Alienation from his family. Alienation from his community. Alienation from the very land he must till to survive. Alienation leads to shame as the full weight of sin comes crashing down on Cain’s shoulders. It is no longer crouching at the door, it has fully mastered him, enslaving him from this point forward. Listen again to Cain’s despair. “My punishment is too great to bear! Since you are banishing me today from the face of the earth, and I must hide from your presence and become a restless wanderer on the earth, whoever finds me will kill me.” (Genesis 4:13-14)
As a pastor, I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve sat with people and seen this same dynamic play itself out. Sin is always crouching at the door and its desire is always to enslave us. It manifests itself in all sorts of ways. Lust. Pride. Greed. Selfishness. You name it. It is always there. Every day, we are faced with the same choice Cain faced. Will we do what is right? What is good? What is glorifying to God? Or will we go our own way? Serve ourselves? Feed our own sinful desires? When we choose to submit to God, we choose life. When we choose to surrender to our base desires, we choose death. Take some time today and ask the Holy Spirit to show you those areas of your life where you have yet to surrender to God.
Readings for tomorrow: Genesis 8-11, Psalm 3