1 00:00:00,800 --> 00:00:04,040 Speaker 1: Let us pray, and the sweat of thy face. Shalt 2 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:08,160 Speaker 1: thou eat bread until you return into the ground. For 3 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:11,760 Speaker 1: out of it wast thou taken. For dust, thou art, 4 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:18,960 Speaker 1: and unto dust, shalt thou return Genesis three, nineteen. Dear Father, 5 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 1: because of Adam's disobedience, I was born into this sinful 6 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: inheritance until you sent your son Jesus, who made a 7 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:31,600 Speaker 1: way through his obedience unto death that broke the curse. 8 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:36,919 Speaker 1: I am now adopted into your eternal family. By accepting 9 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 1: his atonement for my sins. You fashioned Adam's physical body 10 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:44,880 Speaker 1: out of the dust of the earth and breathed your 11 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,600 Speaker 1: life into him, and he became a living being with 12 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:53,920 Speaker 1: an eternal soul. When he sinned, he broke that eternal 13 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:57,240 Speaker 1: connection and returned to the dust of the earth in 14 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: which you took him from. I am doomed to provide 15 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: for my family and myself through the work of my hands. 16 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:09,199 Speaker 1: The stress of my labor wears out this human body, 17 00:01:10,160 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: but my eternal soul has been restored through forgiveness of 18 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:17,640 Speaker 1: my sins and faith in the work of Christ on 19 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 1: the Cross. My human condition will perish, and my body 20 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:27,919 Speaker 1: will return to the earth but my soul shall rise 21 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 1: to be with you forever in heaven. Thank you, Heavenly Father, 22 00:01:33,560 --> 00:01:37,759 Speaker 1: for restoring my soul and redeeming me from Adam's sin. 23 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: Nothing I sacrifice for you will ever repay the life 24 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 1: you sacrificed for me. Nothing is impossible for you, and 25 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 1: you outsmarted the one who thought he defeated you when 26 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:56,200 Speaker 1: he crucified you on the cross. Glory to the risen 27 00:01:56,280 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 1: Lord in Jesus name. Amen. Listening to these daily prayers 28 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 1: strengthens your relationship with God. Continue hearing from the Lord 29 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 1: by listening to today's Bible in a Year, brought to 30 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:25,960 Speaker 1: you by Bible in a Year dot com, Cain and Abel. 31 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 2: Before this story, we learned about the fall of mankind. 32 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:34,600 Speaker 2: Adam and Eve lived with God, shameless and without sin, 33 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 2: but because of their pride and desire to be their 34 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:41,560 Speaker 2: own gods, they were deceived and turned away from Him. 35 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:45,640 Speaker 2: Now they live in exile, still with God, but no 36 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:49,639 Speaker 2: longer in an intimate relationship with him. Now we will 37 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 2: learn about how Adam and Eve start their family outside 38 00:02:53,160 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 2: of Paradise. They have their own children, but the sinful 39 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 2: nature of Adam and Eve has now been given to 40 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:03,240 Speaker 2: their chiund and what comes next is a tragedy that 41 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 2: has been repeated for all of human history. Inspired by 42 00:03:07,560 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 2: the Book of Genesis. 43 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:13,360 Speaker 3: Hello, I'm pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the 44 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 3: Bible in a Year podcast. Today we pick up with 45 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 3: Adam and Eve outside the garden. This is life after 46 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 3: the curse. If yesterday's story was about doubt and pride, 47 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 3: today's theme is insincere worship of God, anger, bitterness, and 48 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 3: the passing down of sin nature to all future generations. 49 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 3: After Adam, Adam and Eve start a family. They have 50 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:44,040 Speaker 3: two sons, Cain and Abel, names that have become infamous 51 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 3: for the devastating effects of sibling rivalry. Cain and his 52 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 3: brother Abel grew up knowing God. They were taught the 53 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 3: importance of sacrifices. Abel chose the best to offer to God, 54 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 3: while Cain brought offerings from a sense of obligation rather 55 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 3: than great attitude and praise. So God accepts one and 56 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:09,200 Speaker 3: rejects the other. Cain was angry, bitter, and sin took 57 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 3: hold of his heart. The tragedy that ensued once again 58 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:17,479 Speaker 3: created an irreparable rift in the family. The first human 59 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 3: blood that was shed on God's once perfect Earth came 60 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:25,479 Speaker 3: from the hands of one brother upon another. Sin was 61 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 3: now spreading through generations, and the cost was high, murder, banishment, 62 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 3: another curse. And yet in the midst of it all, 63 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 3: God's grace and mercy once again shining through. Let's listen 64 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 3: now to the telling of this story from Genesis four, 65 00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 3: the story of Cain and Abel. 66 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:49,440 Speaker 2: Adam and Eve had been banished from Eden, and their 67 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 2: sin had made life hard, but the steadfast love of 68 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 2: God had not left them. Adam and Eve knew each 69 00:04:56,800 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 2: other intimately and became pregnant. Came Cain. Afterward came Abel. 70 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:06,719 Speaker 2: Cain labored in the fields growing food for the family. 71 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:10,760 Speaker 2: Abel tended to the live stock as a shepherd. Cain 72 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:13,040 Speaker 2: and Abel are the first of us to grow up 73 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:17,679 Speaker 2: in a world riddled with imperfection, sin, and distance from God. 74 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 2: Both children grew up in the new world, and it 75 00:05:21,720 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 2: was time for Cain and Able to bring sacrifices to God. 76 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 2: Cain brought some of the fruits of his labor, grains, vegetables, 77 00:05:29,960 --> 00:05:34,040 Speaker 2: and other vegetation. Abel brought the first born of his flock, 78 00:05:34,560 --> 00:05:37,919 Speaker 2: a lamb Abel brought the best of what he had. 79 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 2: Not only this, but Abel had to raise this little 80 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 2: sheep and kill it before God. This means that it 81 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:49,240 Speaker 2: was not just a sacrifice of materials, but a sacrifice 82 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:54,039 Speaker 2: of the heart. Because of this, God accepted Abel's offering. 83 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:58,880 Speaker 2: God also rejected Cain's offering, knowing that it did not 84 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:03,720 Speaker 2: come from any room love at all. Jealousy gripped Cain's heart, 85 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:09,039 Speaker 2: Contempt towards God boiled up inside him. This is mankind's 86 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 2: first rumblings of true hatred. Cain's face gave away his 87 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:18,279 Speaker 2: true feelings. God noticed this and asked, why are you 88 00:06:18,400 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 2: so angry, knowing full well what the issue was. If 89 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 2: you do well, will you not be accepted? God asked, 90 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 2: if you don't do well, you give more room for 91 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 2: hatred and sin to rule in your heart. Do not 92 00:06:33,200 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 2: let hate rule over you. You can overcome it. But 93 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:41,600 Speaker 2: Cain didn't listen. His anger had already won him over. 94 00:06:42,200 --> 00:06:45,039 Speaker 2: There would be no stopping the sin he was about 95 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,799 Speaker 2: to commit. Cain lured his brother into the fields. 96 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:53,600 Speaker 4: Then at that moment, all the hatred, jealousy, and contempt 97 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:58,840 Speaker 4: of Cain unleashed unto his brother. Flow after flow, Kin 98 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 4: unleashed his and spited God by murdering his brother. 99 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:11,120 Speaker 2: His hands stained red, dripping with the blood of his brother. God, 100 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:15,720 Speaker 2: already knowing what Cain had done, asked him, Cain, where 101 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 2: is your brother? Cain replied, I do not know, am 102 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:24,880 Speaker 2: I my brother's keeper. God is the creator of life, 103 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:29,840 Speaker 2: and Cain had taken an innocent one. This enraged God. 104 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:34,120 Speaker 2: He cursed Cain, saying, what have you done. The voice 105 00:07:34,160 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 2: of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground, 106 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:40,120 Speaker 2: and now you are cursed from the ground, which has 107 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 2: opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 108 00:07:44,400 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 2: When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield 109 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 2: to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and 110 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:56,000 Speaker 2: a wanderer on the earth. This punishment was fitting because 111 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:59,160 Speaker 2: Cain had taken a life. God wanted his life to 112 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 2: be burdensome. It was more than Cain could bear. Fortunately 113 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:09,960 Speaker 2: for him, God's mercy is still present. In punishment. God said, 114 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 2: if anyone kills you, vengeance shall be taken on them sevenfold, 115 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 2: and he put a mark on Cain to keep anyone 116 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:20,920 Speaker 2: from doing to him what he did to his brother. 117 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 2: Cain had shed innocent blood, and this was a pattern 118 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 2: mankind would continue in for a thousand generations. After yet 119 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:34,760 Speaker 2: God continues to show mercy, waiting to bless them and 120 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 2: safe them from their evil. 121 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:42,600 Speaker 3: When jealousy and anger take root, they fester and grow. 122 00:08:43,600 --> 00:08:47,240 Speaker 3: That's what we see happening in today's story. Abel, who 123 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:50,520 Speaker 3: really only plays a brief role, is lifted up as 124 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 3: the example of God honoring sacrifices and offerings. He gave 125 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 3: God the first of the best, and God accepted that sacrifice. Cain, 126 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:01,760 Speaker 3: who's he art was not in the right place, full 127 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 3: of faith to begin with, brought God vegetables and grains, 128 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:08,720 Speaker 3: but not his first fruits, not his best, and not 129 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:12,440 Speaker 3: in faith. His motives were wrong, and he became angry 130 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:16,800 Speaker 3: when his offering was rejected. Sin started to creep in 131 00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:20,599 Speaker 3: through resentment and anger, so God warned him of the 132 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:23,880 Speaker 3: danger of letting sin in. He speaks to Cain in 133 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:27,960 Speaker 3: Genesis four, verses seven and eight, saying, if you do well, 134 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 3: will your faith not be cheerful? And if you do 135 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:35,559 Speaker 3: not do well, sin is lurking at the door, and 136 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:39,040 Speaker 3: its desire is for you, but you must master it. 137 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:44,080 Speaker 3: I appreciate this passage providing a warning that's applicable to 138 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 3: you and me today. Sin is now loose in the world. 139 00:09:47,840 --> 00:09:51,960 Speaker 3: It lurks at our door. It desires us. In other words, 140 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 3: it wants to get in our heads and in our hearts, 141 00:09:54,640 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 3: into our lives. When sin is allowed to rule over us, 142 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 3: the outcome is never good and ultimately tragic. That's what 143 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:06,839 Speaker 3: happened to Caine. Sin took hold of him and he 144 00:10:07,559 --> 00:10:10,800 Speaker 3: directed his jealousy and anger at the one whose offering 145 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,920 Speaker 3: was accepted, to his own brother, whom he killed in 146 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:18,559 Speaker 3: cold blood. Once again, we're reminded that sin always comes 147 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 3: with a price, as he did with Adam and Eve. 148 00:10:21,679 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 3: God questions Cain and his guilt is revealed. Cain is 149 00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:31,480 Speaker 3: cursed to wander in the earth. Sin separation is always, always, 150 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:36,319 Speaker 3: always the same when we sin. There is always separation 151 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:40,359 Speaker 3: that happens from God, which is the worst of all separations, 152 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:44,080 Speaker 3: and then from others. But again, God, in his mercy, 153 00:10:44,120 --> 00:10:47,559 Speaker 3: does not abandon Cain or leave him without protection. God 154 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:50,200 Speaker 3: marks him not as a sign of the curse, but 155 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 3: as a sign of God's hand of protection. God, thank 156 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:57,079 Speaker 3: you for this story that shows us how sin can 157 00:10:57,120 --> 00:11:00,319 Speaker 3: take hold and rule our thoughts, leading us to commit 158 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 3: unthinkable acts. Help us, through your spirit to master the 159 00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:07,480 Speaker 3: sin that lurks at our doors, and thank you Lord 160 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:11,200 Speaker 3: that even when we sin, even through the consequences of 161 00:11:11,240 --> 00:11:16,880 Speaker 3: our sin, your mercy and grace remain in Christ's name. Amen, 162 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. 163 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:25,440 Speaker 3: I'm pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download Theprey dot 164 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 3: com app and make prayer a priority in your life. 165 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:31,840 Speaker 3: If you enjoyed this podcast, share it with someone you love. 166 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:34,680 Speaker 3: By sharing this podcast, you can make a difference in 167 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:38,160 Speaker 3: someone's life. And if you want more resources on how 168 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 3: to tap into God's power for successful Christian living, be 169 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:46,200 Speaker 3: sure to visit Jack Graham dot org. God bless. 170 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 1: This episode is sponsored by Meta Share, an innovative healthcare 171 00:11:54,920 --> 00:12:00,080 Speaker 1: solution for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality. 172 00:12:00,440 --> 00:12:02,839 Speaker 5: Welcome to the Pray News podcast, where hope is our 173 00:12:02,840 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 5: only bias. Each day we will unpack the most prominent 174 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 5: stories happening in the news and offer a Christian perspective. 175 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:13,040 Speaker 5: We won't shy away from the hard topics, and we 176 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 5: won't dilute the hopeful message of Christ. This is more 177 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 5: than a daily brief on the news. It's a way 178 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:23,560 Speaker 5: to be informed and transformed. Listen to Prey News on 179 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:27,840 Speaker 5: the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.