The Land of Wandering: ''East of Eden''
Richard Bradley
Genesis 4:9-17
Didn't take the first family long to start killing each other did it? If you don't think we have a natural inclination to sin just read this story. From whom did Cain learn this behavior? No one, because there was no one to learn it from! He and his brother, plus their mother and father, were the only ones. Peer pressure didn't cause it. Logging onto social media didn't cause it. Cain killed his brother because we possess a natural inclination to sin. We're born with it! When we sin we're just doing what comes naturally.
We do need to be reminded that this doesn't absolve us from guilt. There's still the question of ''free will.'' Like Cain, we have to choose to sin and man is there ever a lot of choosing going on today! An inclination to sin only makes sin possible. It's the act of sin that sets us apart from God.
Because of his sin, Cain found himself east of Eden, in the land of wandering. In fact, the word ''Nod'' means ''wandering.''
Genesis 4:9-17
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, ''Where is Abel your brother?'' He said, ''I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?'' 10 And He said, ''What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground. 11 So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.'' 13 And Cain said to the Lord, ''My punishment is greater than I can bear! 14 Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.'' 15 And the Lord said to him, ''Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.'' And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill h ...
Richard Bradley
Genesis 4:9-17
Didn't take the first family long to start killing each other did it? If you don't think we have a natural inclination to sin just read this story. From whom did Cain learn this behavior? No one, because there was no one to learn it from! He and his brother, plus their mother and father, were the only ones. Peer pressure didn't cause it. Logging onto social media didn't cause it. Cain killed his brother because we possess a natural inclination to sin. We're born with it! When we sin we're just doing what comes naturally.
We do need to be reminded that this doesn't absolve us from guilt. There's still the question of ''free will.'' Like Cain, we have to choose to sin and man is there ever a lot of choosing going on today! An inclination to sin only makes sin possible. It's the act of sin that sets us apart from God.
Because of his sin, Cain found himself east of Eden, in the land of wandering. In fact, the word ''Nod'' means ''wandering.''
Genesis 4:9-17
9 Then the Lord said to Cain, ''Where is Abel your brother?'' He said, ''I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?'' 10 And He said, ''What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground. 11 So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.'' 13 And Cain said to the Lord, ''My punishment is greater than I can bear! 14 Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.'' 15 And the Lord said to him, ''Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.'' And the Lord set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill h ...
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