13 Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. ~ Genesis 4:13 – 15.
Genesis chapter 4 gives us a graphic picture of the devastating effects of sin and its consequences. The sin of Adam and Eve not only affected the two but their seed after them. Their children also began to exhibit all the rudiments of sin – rivalry, strive, dissension, envy, deception, and murder. Indeed the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23).
Cain killed his brother out of envy and the Bible says Abel’s blood required vengeance for the evil that was done. Beloved, trust me sin always has dire consequences. It is a sinker of destiny and a destroyer of families, homes and even nations. Cain was going to pay for his sins – he was going to be sent out of the presence of God, become a restless wanderer on earth, and probably be slain just as he had done to his brother (v12 – 14).
Yet in the mist of all this chaos, something beautiful and unusual happens – Cain pleads that his punishment was too much for him to bear – and almost immediately, God responds by putting a mark on him (v15-16). By this mark, Cain was not going to be killed like he had done to his brother. Then in the next few verses, we find him building a city and even giving it to his son as an inheritance (v17-18).
That’s a shocking turn of events! And scripture is proven true when the Bible says where sin abounds, Grace abounds even some more (Romans 5:20).
Here is the Good News, no matter how sin seem to thrive in this world, if you can admit your sin and turn to Jesus today, the Grace and mercy of God will abound to you in ways that you have never thought of. God’s Grace is much bigger than any ravaging sin in and around you. Receive His grace and enjoy the best of God in this life. The Bible says the blood of Jesus speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
“And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” ~ Hebrews 12:24
May the blood of Jesus speak mercy, favour, and blessings to you today and may you be marked for greatness in Jesus name!
By: Rev. Simon Ampofo
