Series: Questions
Title: Where is Your Brother?
Text: Genesis 4: 8-16
Date: May 10, 2012
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
Genesis 4: 8: And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
This was the very first murder. Cain killed his brother. Abel worshipped God in the way of grace. But Cain’s way is the way of works. The way of Cain is the way of the natural heart. It is the way of the heart filled with enmity against God and his Christ—the carnal heart is enmity against God for it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be. (Ro 8: 7) Likewise we were naturally full of envy, hateful and hating one another (Titus 3:3)
Christ is pictured here in many ways.
1. Cain was the elder brother who slew is younger brother. Christ Jesus is the Elder Brother of his Father’s house—the Firstborn among many brethren—who was willingly slain in place of his brethren that they might be made the righteousness of God in him.
2. Abel was a shepherd; our Lord is the Good Shepherd. Abel as a shepherd presented His offering to God—Christ said, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” (Joh 10:11)
3. Abel was hated by his brother without a cause—Christ said, “But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.” (Joh 15:25)
4. Abel was killed because Cain "envied" him—of Christ we read, Matthew 27: 18: For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.
5. Abel was slain by wicked hands--Ac 2:23: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
6. Abel presented a lamb—Christ is himself the Lamb of God (1 Peter 1: 19)
7. Abel honored and magnified the will of God through his offering—Christ said, Hebrews 10: 7: Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. 8…Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
8. God accepted Abel’s offering, he "obtained witness that He was righteous, God testifying”--God publicly testified His acceptance of Christ’s offering by raising Him from the dead (Ac 2:32)
Genesis 4: 9: And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.
You sitting here in your natural born state may have never thought yourselves a murderer because you have not committed the act. But our Lord said, murder proceeds out of the heart and this is what defiles the man. (Matthew 15: 19-20) Christ said, If we are angry with our brother without a cause we are in danger of the judgment of God (Matthew 5: 21-22) And I pointed all these similarities to you between Christ and Abel because preeminently the one you have been angry at without a cause is Christ Jesus the God-Man, Mediator? Those Christ has sent to declare the gospel to us are his brethren.
Sinner, have you heard the Spirit of God bring this questions home to your heart? “Where is your brother? What hast thou done?” One of the first things God reveals in the heart is that in my rejection of Christ in rejecting his gospel and those he sends to declare his gospel is all the same as murder of Christ Jesus the Firstborn among many Brethren. And why? For the same reason Cain slew Able--1 John 3: 12:…And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. Think of all your sins from the earliest days of your life up until now—Was it your sin for which Christ Jesus died on the cross? Can you look upon him whom thou hast pierced, and mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn? (Zech 12: 10)
Perhaps, your heart is yet as hard as Cain’s was. Genesis 4: 9: And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? Cain did his best to ignore the voice of his brother’s blood. Some of you may be doing the same now. Don’t answer in rebellion against God like Cain. You are your Brother’s keeper—either we keep the words of Christ the Firstborn and abide in him by faith and are used as an instrument of God for blessing to his brethren or we are a guilty rebel murderer.
The only thing that will melt that heart of stone is if God makes you to know that though you have despised his Son, murdered the Prince of Life in your own heart, yet Christ Jesus the Son of God, your Elder Brother, by the cry of his own blood--has kept you.
There is another comparison between Abel and Christ I want to point out to you. We read here in Genesis 4: 9:…the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground. And in Hebrews 12: 24 is says “Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Proposition: We will compare and contrast the blood of Abel with the blood of Christ to see that the blood of Christ speaks better things than the blood of Abel.
I. THE BLOOD SPEAKS BEFORE THE SINNER SPEAKS—v8:…Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. 9: And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother?...10: the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.
The blood of Abel spoke to God long before Cain spoke. So it is with Christ’s blood. Long before God’s elect call on God, God hears the blood of Christ speaking for each of his blood-bought children.
1. Christ’s blood spoke in eternity past--Rev 13: 8:…the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. In old eternity it was…Job 33: 24: Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom
2. Christ’s blood, spoke for all the saints called to faith in him, before as yet he had shed his blood on this earth--Romans 3: 25: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; As Surety Christ blood—spoke in the will and purpose of God for those old testament saints before as yet it was shed. God imputed the righteousness of Christ to Abraham through faith because Christ blood spoke for Abraham from the foundation of the world.
3. Christ’s blood, then as now, speaks not from the ground but in the very presence of God--Hebrews 9: 12:…by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us… 24:…into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
4. The precious blood of Christ speaks constantly. Did you notice that word in the text? “Crieth” not “cried” but “crieth”—the blood of Christ “speaketh” better things than that of Abel.
Application: Sinner come to God seeking mercy. Beg mercy. God delights to show mercy. Confess your sin and worthlessness to God…
1 John 2: 1:…if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins:
But know of a certainty that mercy from God and forgiveness of your sins is not due to the efficacy of our prayers and our tears. It is not the cry of the sinner seeking mercy that is the cause of mercy, it is the cry of the blood of Jesus Christ. God hears the blood of his dear Son. Just as vengeance found Cain before Cain sought it, mercy finds the child of God before we seek it. That mercy is due to God hearing the blood of his dear Son. And Christ’s blood speaks better things than that of Abel.
II. ABELS BLOOD CALLED FOR ONLY JUSTICE AND VENGENCE—A CURSE— Genesis 4: 11: And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand--Genesis 4: 11: And now art thou cursed from the earth. Christ blood speaks for God’s elect—but Christ’s blood speaketh better things--the only reason we are not cursed from the earth is because “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:” (Ga 3:13)
God said to Cain, The earth hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand. The earth opened her mouth to receive Christ's blood and truly it was blood shed because of our hand. It was the sin of all God’s chosen elect children for which Christ was willingly made sin in our room and stead.
John 10: 15:…I lay down my life for the sheep.
2 Corinthians 5: 21: For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Abel’s blood cried so that God brought vengeance upon Cain--Genesis 4: 12: When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. Our unregenerate heart was cursed ground—it yielded us no strength. But through the blood of Christ, through his gospel, the Spirit of God broke up the fallow ground. Christ was formed in us and he becomes the Strength of the regenerated believer—all because of the blood of Christ.
· Abel’s blood cried for justice and vengeance. Christ blood cries for justice and mercy!
· Abel’s blood spoke for punishment. Christ blood speaks for pardon.
· Abel’s blood spoke against his brother. Christ’s blood speaks for his brethren.
· Abel’s blood demanded death. Christ’s blood demands life.
Application: I do pray God will make the blood of Christ speak to you this hour. Christ blood does not plead for those who are without sin. Don’t think your sin keeps you from Christ. He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. His blood pleads for those he has made righteous. Right now your conscious may be crying guilty. But his blood speaks better things in the conscious as well.
III. ABEL’S BLOOD CRIED OUT AGAINST CAIN IN HIS CONSCIENCE--Genesis 4: 13: And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear--BUT CHRIST’S BLOOD SPEAKS FOR US IN OUR CONSCIENCES
The Spirit of God applies this blood and says in our hearts, “You were like a sheep gone astray, You had turned to your own way, and the LORD hath laid on him your iniquity.” When our conscience is sprinkled by the blood of Christ, the Holy Spirit is a witness in our hearts, “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” (Heb 10:17)
Cain cried out…Genesis 4: 14: Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth;--But the blood of Christ sprinkled on the inner man does the talking to the child of grace, saying, instead of driving you out this day, “now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” (Eph 2:13)
Abel’s blood made Cain cry out—Genesis 4: 14:..“and from thy face shall I be hid;” But Christ’s blood speaks better things to the conscience and says,
Isaiah 54: 8: In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. 9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. 10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.
Abel’s blood spoke to Cains’ conscious and made Cain cry out, Genesis 4: 14:…and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; But the blood of Christ speaks better things by the Spirit of God in our conscious saying, because Christ “wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” (Rev 5: 9)
Abel’s blood made Cain cry out from his tormented conscious, Genesis 4: 14:…and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.” But the blood of Christ speaks better things in our heart saying,
John 10: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
Application: Brethren, just as ABELS BLOOD BROUGHT indescribable horror to Cain’s awakened conscience CHRIST’S BLOOD BRINGS INDESCRABLE PEACE IN THE INNER MAN CREATED OF GOD—MORESO—FOR HIS BLOOD SPEAKS BETTER THINGS THAN THAT OF ABEL.
Never wink at sin. It is sin and God hates it. But when your sins cause you to doubt, believer, flee to one of these blessed scriptures and read the word of God to you—your sins and iniquities I remember no more—hear Christ’s blood speak. His blood brings sweet peace. Having this access…“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb 4:16)
IV. ABELS BLOOD CALLED FOR CAIN TO BE RESERVED UNTO GOD’S JUDGMENT--Genesis 4: 15: And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him—I’m not sure all the meaning of that but I do know Christ’s blood speaks better things for us, brethren, CHRIST’S BLOOD HAS SET A MARK ON US TO PRESERVE US NTO ETERNAL LIFE.
It is not a mark that this world recognizes—the robe of Christ’s righteousness, the holiness of Christ our Sanctifier and Sanctification indwelling us by his Spirit, the mark of our Father in our foreheads—the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry IN FAITH, Abba Father. Just as Abel’s blood marked Cain and called for sevenfold vengeance on any who touched Cain—the gospel of Christ is the mark by which we have been given sevenfold Light.
Isaiah 30: 26: Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.
Psalm 89:15: Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.
Proverbs 16:15: In the light of the king’s countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.
Abel’s blood called for eternal separation for Cain--Genesis 4: 16:And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod,[exile, no rest] on the east of Eden [delight]
WHERE IS THY BROTHER? Can you say that Christ is your God and Savior, one that sticks closer than a brother; that he is in the heavens and you are dead and your life is hid in him? WHAT HAST THOU DONE? Sinned but he did the saving. Are you resting in Christ? His blood will call justice if we are not found under his blood—but if we believe on him Christ blood speaketh better things for us—it calls for eternal union with Christ: not out from his presence but in his presence, not into the land of no rest but into eternal rest, not east of Eden but into the arms of his inseparable delight!
Amen!