When blood cries - The day Cain killed Abel
What is utterly astonishing about this event is that humans hadn’t been around long and here we are in the first few chapters of Genesis with a full on homicide.
Humans gonna God
Live on this planet long enough and you’ll be made aware of a very profound act that humans engage in. In fact, once you enter the world it won’t take you long to discover this act. I don’t know how old I was when I first learned of humans taking human lives, but like everyone else on this planet, I learned when I was a child. And while I can’t remember the exact moment, I’m sure it didn’t really make much sense to me. We could chalk my lack of understanding up to my naivety. Perhaps not just naivety but also my youthful innocence. Why would someone take another person’s life? I’m positive I raised this very question.
The first time you have to teach a child about murder - and they really get it, I mean really get it - their eyes will lock themselves into position like a deer discovering a headlight on a dark highway. At least, that’s how it was in our home when my wife and I explained it to our kids. When speaking of current world events or covering historical events of the Bible, the idea of killing seemed so unfathomable to my children…early on. But that quickly changed.
As we grow, we become hardened to the idea of murder through media such as television shows, music, comic books, movies, the news and video games. Before I knew it, I started hearing my own kids play fighting to the death. And then I wondered, why would they pretend to kill each other? But all one has to do - as I did - is reflect on their own childhood. The many games of cops and robbers I played. The re-enactment of superhero movies where I destroyed all the bad guys. The video games where I had to kill to survive. Little did I know I was being indoctrinated around a single thought; the world is full of villains and I’m the hero. If I had to kill - like everyone else - I convinced myself it was absolutely justified. I mean, nobody wants to think of themselves as a ruthless, homicidal maniac. This way, killing can come easy. It becomes more palatable. A necessary evil but an evil nonetheless. On earth, everyone is the hero in their own story; sights locked on all of the evil doers and villains plaguing the universe.
Unfortunately, while life can be described as a beautiful and miraculous, supernatural, divine act of God, it is so easy for humans to take lives as if they mean nothing. Before you know it, the very mention of murder no longer causes us to raise an eyebrow. We become hardened to it. Unless of course, it happens to someone we know and love. But the truth is, even if we don’t raise an eyebrow God certainly will and He always has.
Blood Cries
The very first account of a human murdering another human is in Genesis 4, the story of Cain killing his brother Abel. What is utterly astonishing about this event is that humans hadn’t been around long and here we are in the first few chapters of Genesis with a full on homicide. Wow does humanity waste no time in villainizing one another. Cain, already declaring himself a hero in his own mind feels the need to wipe out his evil opponent who is standing in his way. There is no account of any wrong doing on Abel’s part towards Cain, however Cain was jealous enough to wake up one morning and choose violence to start his day.
And if this isn’t riveting enough, after Cain murders Abel, he not only lies, he also gets snarky with God. I’m shocked God didn’t require his soul on the spot. Take note of Cain's bold reaction when answering the Lord.
Genesis 4:9
Now, I don’t now about you, but I wouldn’t dare speak to my own parents like this let alone God. But this exposes just how angry and hard-hearted Cain was. And if you blow past this scripture too fast you’ll miss what seems to be Cain mocking his dead brother.
Remember Abel was the keeper of sheep (Genesis 4:2). Cain was using a witty play on words when he responded to God, “…am I my brother’s keeper?”. One could imagine Cain - worker of the cursed ground - was jealous of Abel who had the privilege and responsibility of shepherding sheep.
But the most fascinating thing about this story is the next verse:
Genesis 4:10
After Cain kills Abel, God hears the blood of Abel crying out to him. The original Hebrew text in this context can mean to call out, to shout out or to appeal. What we learn is that the blood indeed carries life and once it is spilled in the act of murder it calls out or appeals to God. For what? For justice!
Each and every act of murder on this planet leads to a crying out of our blood to the creator. There’s a connection that exists between Creator and creation. Any attempt to sever that lifeline sounds a God level alarm that gets the attention of our Creator. Any and all acts of murder are supernaturally exposed by way of our blood’s appeal. There is simply no injustice in the form of murder that will never meet God’s justice. Everything is exposed. In the event that we can’t appeal to our God for our own lives, we are designed in such a way that our blood can and will. In fact, I’d argue our blood appeals to God regardless if we can or can not appeal ourselves.
Not only is all human life sacred and created by God, it is connected to and belongs to God. He is not only the author and finisher of our Faith, but also of our lives.
Let this final thought blow your mind; even in death our flesh can speak to God. So if God can hear us in death, rest assure He is always listening to us in life.