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5. Cain & Abel (Qabil and Habil)

Sin entered the world through the decision of Adam and Eve not to listen to God. That sin spread to their own two children, Cain and Abel. Abel brought a sacrifice to God that was pleasing to Him. Cain had jealousy. Cain coveted the attention that Abel received from the Lord. Cain had anger in his heart, and that anger grew into murder. The first murder happened when Cain killed his brother. That sin spread across the earth. The good news is this: the Lord provided another child from Adam and Eve in Seth.   It is through Seth's descendants that they came to know and experience God's love. We need to hear the warning, that simple things like jealousy can turn into serious things like murder. If we have anger, bitterness, and jealousy in our heart, it is serious. Sin is serious.

·      Watch on YouTube - https://youtu.be/lUXi6jg_5hA

·      Read in The Qur’an – 5:27-31

·      Read in The Tanakh and The Bible - Genesis 4:1-26; Hebrews 11:4, 11:13–16; Matthew 5:21-26.

Readings from The Qur’an:

·      The Qur'an 5:27-31 “And (O Muhammad) recite to them (the Jews) the story of the two sons of Adam (Habil and Qabil-Abel and Cain) in truth; when each offered a sacrifice (to Allah}, it was accepted from the one but not from the other. The latter said to the former: "I will surely kill you." The former said: "Verily, Allah accepts only from those who are Al-Muttaqun (the pious - See V .2:2)." 28. " If you do stretch your hand against me to kill me, I shall never stretch my hand against you to kill you: for I fear Allah, the Lord of the 'Alamin (mankind, jinn, and all that exists)." 29. "Verily, I intend to let you draw my sin on yourself as well as yours, then you will be one of the dwellers of the Fire; and that is the recompense of the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers)." 30. So the Nafs (self) of the other (latter one) encouraged him and made fair-seeming to him the murder of his brother; he murdered him and became one of the losers. 31. Then Allah sent a crow who scratched the ground to show him to hide the dead body of his brother. He (the murderer) said: "Woe to me! Am I not even able to be as this crow and to hide the dead body of my brother?" Then he became one of those who regretted.

·      Why is the Qur’an’s account of Cain and Abel (written 2,000 years later) so different than the account in Genesis 4:1-17?

·      Why does Allah not speak in this account, but in the Tanakh and Bible Yahweh (God) speaks?

·      Is the story of the crow in the Tankah and Bible? Why not?

·      What other similarities and differences do you see between the account in the Qur’an and the Tanakh/Bible?

Readings from The Tanakh and The Bible:

·      Genesis 4:1-17 “Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.” [2] And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. [3] In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, [4] and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, [5] but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. [6] The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? [7] If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, and you must rule over it.” [8] Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. [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 the LORD said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. [11] And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. [12] When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” [13] Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. [14] Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” [15] Then the LORD said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. [16] Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. [17] Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. When he built a city, he called the name of the city after the name of his son, Enoch.”

·      How does the Lord warn Cain in Genesis 4:6-7? How does God warn us?

·      Where do you see Cain’s jealousy, covetousness, and pride? Why do those sins lead to anger? How is anger connected to murder?

·      What sort of animal does Abel sacrifice? What does that reveal about his heart? How is that pointing forward to the sacrificial system of the Tanakh (Old Testament)? How does that point forward to the firstborn “lamb of God” that was sent to “take away the sins of the world”? (John 1:29)

·      Hebrews 11:4 “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.”

·      What is “faith”? What does this passage explain about the differences between Cain and Abel’s hearts?

·      Hebrews 11:13–16 “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. [14] For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. [15] If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. [16] But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”

·      How are the promises of God connected to faith?

·      Matthew 5:21–26 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ [22] But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. [23] So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, [24] leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. [25] Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. [26] Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.”

·      How does Jesus’ teaching relate to the story of Cain and Abel? What can we learn from it? How does it apply to our understanding of forgiveness?

See also:

·      “What does the Bible say about Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel?” www.trustworthyword.com/adamevecainabelseth

·      “What does the Bible say about forgiveness?” www.trustworthyword.com/forgiveness