Justice and Mercy
Happy New Year! Happy New You!
This fall, we saw the trial of 3 men in Georgia who were accused and convicted of the murder of an innocent man, Ahmaud Arbery. More and more, we are aware of the rise of anger and hatred in people, too often resulting in the taking of innocent life for twisted motives. The underlying problem of all hatred, anger, jealousy, murder, etc is sin. God's actions to deal with man’s sin in a way that satisfies justice but also demonstrates His merciful and loving nature is the overarching story of the Bible. In Genesis 4:1-15, we have the story of Cain, who committed the first recorded murder in the Bible. He took the life of his brother Abel. In his now infamous response to God’s question regarding Abel’s whereabouts, Cain responded, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” It is a question whose answer is essential to our mutual existence and fulfillment of God's commandments. I pray that God opens the eyes of each one of us to understand that we are in fact our brother’s keeper and that there are consequences for their mistreatment…but we can turnaround and come back to a merciful God.
Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man.” Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 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. (Gen. 4:1-5) Cain was the first human born of a woman, thus Eve’s exclamation that she brought forth a man with the help of God. As both Cain and Abel brought forth sacrifices to God, Cain’s was rejected. The issue with Cain’s sacrifice was not the form of the sacrifice (grain vs animal). Cain’s sacrifice was rejected because of the condition of Cain’s heart. We receive God’s blessings when we come to Him with a heart of repentance bathed in love.
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? 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. ”Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. (Gen. 4:6-8) We can hide nothing from God. He confronted Cain about the outward manifestation of the underlying condition of his heart. God pinpointed the real cause (sin) of Cain’s displeasure toward Him. God warned Cain that sin desired to have him (rule over him), but he had the power to rule over it. Ruling over sin required Cain to “do what is right”. Cain had a choice to make, follow God or allow sin to become his master and rule his actions. Cain allowed the sins of anger and jealousy to draw him further away from God until he eventually murdered his brother. If we don’t put it in check by turning back to God, sin will draw us in deeper and deeper until it becomes our master and it destroys us.
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know, ” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth. ” (Gen. 4:9-12) Cain’s response to God’s question (where is your brother?) shows how deeply in sin he was. Adam and Eve at least tried to explain why they had gone against His command when God questioned them (see Gen. 3:7-13). Cain was instead confrontational, defensive and showed no reverence or fear of who he was talking to. He was unafraid of God or the consequences of his sin. What a powerful image we have in v10 (“your brother’s blood cries out to me…”). It shows that God takes the shedding of innocent blood very seriously. God’s curse upon Cain takes his curse on Adam a step further. Whereas Adam had to work the land for his living (see Gen. 3:17), God curses Cain so even that is not an option for him. Adam was driven from Eden, but now Cain wouldn’t find rest and peace anywhere on earth. The lack of reverence for the Lord leaves us open to sin and causes us deny the power of repentance.
Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” But the LORD said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over. ” Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. (Gen. 4:9-15) Notice that Cain still showed no remorse for his murder of his brother. His only concern was for the impact that God’s punishment would have on him. Clearly, Cain was still lost in his sin. But, instead of allowing vengeance to be brought against Cain, God showed him mercy. I’m so glad for God’s love and mercy…for while we were still in sin, He sent Christ to a cross to die for us and set us free from the bondage of sin!
This scripture reminds us that we are all “our brother’s keeper” and that God’s justice requires punishment for sin. God expects us to love Him and to love each other. Cain obviously failed to do either. Why? Because of the entrenched and deeply embedded sin that was with us even from the beginning of man’s existence on earth. But God pointed out that we can make it right and don’t have to succumb to the power of sin. We are acceptable to God and receive His favor if we will turn to Him and turn away from sin. For He is faithful to forgive us of our sins. As we enter into a new year and make our resolutions for 2022, let us resolve first and foremost to be obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit. For the Holy Spirit has the power to lead us back from the destruction that sin causes, and into the loving arms of a merciful God.
Blessings,
Rev. Glenn
Listen here to CeCe Winans singing “Mercy said no”
