Saturday, September 7, 2024
“And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:9 KJV).
Let us learn the import of Cain’s reply….
Abel was a prophet, a messenger of the LORD God (Luke 11:50,51). Doubtless, he preached to his brother Cain how Cain’s “good works” were not enough to please the LORD. Of course, self-righteous Cain hated to hear that, for he had absolutely no interest in obeying God or believing anything He said. Cain therefore silenced Abel—just as Zacharias, Jesus, and members of the Little Flock throughout Matthew through John and Acts (namely, Stephen) all died at the hands of their works-religionist brethren.
By preaching the Word of God, Abel was looking out for his brother Cain. Cain’s spiritual wellbeing was at stake, and while he had no concern, his brother did. When God asked Cain regarding Abel’s whereabouts (today’s Scripture), Cain lied by stating he did not know—but not only that. Cain was actually callous enough to ask God a question: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” This was nothing more than a mockery of what family is supposed to be about. Essentially, Cain argued he was not his brother’s guardian or protector. “How am I responsible for knowing my brother’s location? I am not his babysitter!”
In the ages to come, we recognize how false religion will divide families and cause unbelievers to persecute the saints—even turning these their believing brethren over to the Antichrist’s government to face execution! Matthew chapter 10: “[21] And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. [22] And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. [23] But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another…. [35] For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. [36] And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.” See also John 15:17-25, James 2:14-26, 1 John 2:9-11, and 1 John 3:10-17.
We can gather even more data….
333 Words of Grace 