In the first article we looked at Gen.9:5-6 where God, in making a His covenant with Noah, instituted the death penalty for murder. In this second article we will look at Gen.4, which records for us the first crime after the fall of Adam. That first crime is murder : Cain murdered his brother, Abel. Interestingly, Cain’s arrogant great grandson, Lamech, committed the second murder.

Cain and Abel brought offerings to the LORD (vs.3ff). Cain’s offering was rejected and we are told, “Cain became very angry and his countenance fell.” (vs.5). The literal meaning is, “it burned Cain exceedingly.” Using the same verb, God asked Cain (literally), “Why are you glowing with anger?” Such anger is usually coupled with hate. (cf. 1Jn.3:15). Cain’s murder was rooted in this burning anger and hate. It is clear from Cain’s anger and actions that his murder of Abel was premeditated. 

Secondly, note the verb “crouching” in vs.7. This verb is related to demonic activity. The translation, “sin is a crouching demon at the door” is acceptable. If murder, as God said, is an attack on the image of God in man, or an attempt to destroy the image of God, one can understand why murder is demonic. In vs.7 God said to Cain very emphatically, “you, you must master it”, that is, you must master this crouching demon.  But tragically, Cain failed to do so.  Instead, Cain’s sin mastered him and took control of him. In vs.8 we see three verbs describing Cain’s actions towards Abel : he spoke; he rose up; he killed.

Thirdly, vs.10. God said to Cain, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground.” It is of interest to note that when Abel finally speaks, his shed blood did the speaking, crying out to God for justice. The ground that God cursed when Adam sinned is now polluted by the sin of murder. There are two points here that must be kept in mind : (1) the shed blood of murder pollutes the land; (2) the shed blood of murder cries out to God for justice. 

Fourthly, vss.10-11 – the statement of God’s punishment. “Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. ¹² When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth.” In Gen.3 God cursed the snake and the ground. Here, for the first time in the history of mankind, a human being is cursed. “The result is Cain’s being driven away from the land – loss of community, loss of belonging, and indeed, loss of identity, a fate perhaps worse than death.” (Abraham Kuruvilla – Genesis, p.83). God did not put Cain to death because the death penalty was not yet given.

In vss.13-14, Cain complained about the unfairness of his punishment and the potential threat that he could now be murdered. This is quite ironic coming from one who has just murdered his brother. Today, murderers (and their liberal bleeding heart lovers) follow Cain and complain about the unfairness and harshness (brutality) of the death penalty or life sentences without parole. The murder they committed is not unfair, harsh, brutal, wicked. Like Cain, their murderous acts, in which they acted as prosecutor, jury, and judge, are justifiable and righteous in their own eyes.

You would note in the account that Cain displayed no remorse or repentance. And he never asked for or received forgiveness. He remained arrogant and self-pitying to the very end. If a murderer is truly remorseful and repentant before God for what he has done, then he must follow the Zacchaeus principle (Lk.19:8) and embrace the God-commanded death penalty for what he has done. Until then, all declarations of remorse and repentance are abominable lies with the ulterior motive of receiving sympathy and a soft punishment.