THE WORSHIP OF CAIN THE MARK OF MAN
When we look into the worship of Cain we must first get a full picture, examine the various factors, and put things into the perspective that they need to be in, before we can even begin to piece together all the facets of Cain’s dilemma.
First thing to put into place is the answer to whether or not there was a law given by God that would cover sins way back then. Yes. It is clearly implied in the act of God killing two animals and providing the covering of their nakedness. As we get into this it will be clear. Remember, God is good. He isn’t going to keep His loved ones in the dark. He told them the way to get back into communion with Him.
Many people will tell you that there was no law for sacrifice in the days of Cain and Abel and I believe that it is clear that there most certainly was. I am going to lay this all out but it is a process, stay with me for it all.
Now, after the fall of man there were many things that changed, really- very many things changed. Adam and Eve “died” and realized that they were naked. (this could turn out to be an enormous teaching so I will not go too much into this right now.) Suffice it to say that they spiritually died and were no longer covered by the essence of YHVH which enlivened their tripartite being. Sin comes between God and mankind. It is a being of darkness and interferes with our relationship with our Creator.
They felt it! They knew it—they were outside of the communion with YaHoVaH. Genesis 3:7 (KJV) 7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. They tried to make a remedy. They were very intelligent and they really did love YHVH.
Now, back to this study on the worship of Cain. . .
17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
20 And Adam called his wife’s name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
OKAY! Here in verse 21 is where YaHoVaH communicated to them the new protocol for communion with Him. He showed them that they were in a fallen state, they would now need to cover their sins in order to come before Him and remain in communion with Him. This new requirement started the offerings and sacrificial atonements YHVH our Elohim instituted in order to keep the communion with mankind.
This is another oral law or an Oracle of YaHoVaH. (Romans 3:2 says, and from Romans 3:1-3 (KJV)
1 What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?
2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
The reason the word ORACLES is used here instead of the word LAWS is because YaHoVaH wants us to understand that things go back far beyond Moses. He was communicating to mankind from day SIX of the Creation! (I really may change my Hebraic Roots section to Divine Oracles section here on the site!) It simply means the Oral Laws of YHVH. We trace the lineage of Messiah Y’shua back to the garden (Seth) so we know that the people that He was in communion with goes on down into the Israelite lines. Many teachers today erroneously say that the oral laws are found in the Talmud or Mishna and given by ancient Rabbis.
The ways of YHVH our Elohim are the same from the beginning. We see how He created mankind, He created them male and female and blessed them. Then he took one man of creation and made him special. He breathed into him and set him in the special garden…
Genesis 4:1-5 (KJV)
1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. 2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. 4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
Right here is where we must acknowledge that if God is good then He wouldn’t let them guess what sacrifice was an acceptable one and what wasn’t. The fact that Cain gets angry and God says he has no right to be because it will not go well for him…we need to realize that the acceptable sacrifice for covering sin was known.
In verse four we see that the words, brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof is the terms of an acceptable sacrifice unto the LORD, YaHoVaH. Here is a real clincher for my case in point; those words are exactly the same words used to describe the acceptable sacrifice in the Levitical sacrificial offerings for covering sin. Leviticus uses the exact verbiage to describe an acceptable sin offering.
In order to understand the tragedy of Cain we need to examine carefully some major aspects involved regarding the worship required by YaH and the worship offered by the brothers. Although I will speak to some of these, this is only an overview.
Regarding YaH, we must understand some points: Revelation 13:8 reveals that He slayed a lamb before the foundation of the world, which I am reiterating because of how important I believe it is. In order to cover mankind in their sins as imperfect creations, our Elohim wanted a communion with them as a Perfect and HOLY God. Mankind in his flesh will have things that could be offensive to a perfect, HOLY, omniscient, omnipotent, eternal Spirit which is love, even though their imperfections may be unknown to them.
We already spoke of the fall of mankind so NOW that they had disobeyed His Commandment, a new protocol for having communion was established as YHVH Himself killed animals and provided them both spiritual coverings and physical coverings as they now needed both forms of protection. He established these protocols very clearly to the man and his family. We must remember that communion with YHVH provides protection as well as the way, the truth and the life. Repentance for right standing with God is the Salvation plan or the Gospel that Y’shua preached when He first began His ministry and throughout His time on the Earth.
How do we know that these directions were clearly given? Well, to reiterate; the words to describe Abel’s sacrifice –“the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof” are the exact words given to the Levitical Priests to provide the sacrifice to enable communion with YaH. This is because the Words of YHVH our Elohim are forever and constant in His Commands and Instructions…they are Spirit and Truth, living and active! Another defining point: Hebrews 4:12 (KJV) 12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Another group of verses that gives us an inkling of how accurate Abel was in his walk with the Creator is spoken by Y’shua. He was rebuking the leaders and cited Abel as a prophet! Let’s read it: Luke 11:46-52 (KJV) 46 And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. 47 Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchers of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48 Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. 49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:
50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. 52 Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.
We clearly see from this that Abel was considered the first prophet by the LORD. He honored God as his LORD as well as his head. He did things according to the set requirements for communion.
Regarding Cain, we need to examine some points also because Cain knew the protocol required to have communion with the Living God, YaH, but at some point decided to do things his way.
Cain knew the love of his Creator and wanted to please Him. I believe that these two things—knowing the love of His Creator and wanting to please Him—caused him to want to work things to prove his love and devotion. (I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt here because nowhere in Scripture does it say these things, however the fact that YaH was kind to him and even spoke to him when his offering was not accepted shows that Cain was in communion with the Creator. AND, the fact that Cain got so angry when the LORD didn’t accept his offering shows that he felt unaccepted personally, when it was more about his offering not being done according to YaH’s specifications and not about the person of Cain, who YaH loved.)
We see this all the time in the present age. It is the traditions of man that have put the birthday of Y’shua HaMaschiach in the midst of a pagan holiday season. Actually at the crown of paganism! The activities surrounding these pagan festivals are full of fornication, drunkenness, child abuse and there is definitely a little g god getting the glory for our participation.
The requirements for serving most of the little g gods is the first born or a child sacrifice. Hence, the rise in the abortion rates all over the globe. (Please forgive me for pointing this out if you have had one. Forgive yourself too.)
This offering of Cain brings about the need to examine headship. Abel, because of his obedience to the directions of YaH, was keeping himself under the headship of the Creator. Cain, on the other hand, was disobedient to the instructions YaH gave and so doing things HIS OWN WAY made himself the head of his offering. He used the ALTAR OF YaH to make an offering as his own HEAD. Does he have the authority to do this? The answer: Obviously not in the eyes of YHVH our Elohim.
It really doesn’t matter if or that he had “good intentions” for his offering. Maybe he justified his actions because he worked hard at bringing forth the land’s yield of fruits and vegetables but it was not what the LORD asked of him. The LORD consumed Abel’s sacrifice and left Cain’s on his defiled altar. If Cain had repented and offered the correct sacrifice he would have been returned to communion with the LORD.
SO, when he takes that authority to worship his way and not the described way of YHVH our Elohim in disobedience what are the results?
First, his altar is defiled and YHVH is no longer his Lord/head. His sacrifice is not acceptable to YHVH our Elohim. He doesn’t repent but becomes angry with YaH and also his brother Abel whose offering has been received. Additionally, because he feels his offering was worth more regardless of His Creator’s wishes, he puts more value on his own wishes. This attitude causes him to be consumed with rage, and disregarding the LORD’s warning to repent and do good, his rage manifests into murder of his brother, the prophet.
Genesis 4:6-7 (KJV)
6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
The LORD shows us clearly that there was a right and wrong way to do things. If thou doest well… So, if we treat it lightly to do things our own way and ignore the way YaH commands we are not doing well.
Even in his disjointed commune with YaH, the LORD speaks to him and Cain ignores the warning and directions He gave him in mercy. YHVH our Elohim gave him these instructions to be returned to right standing with HIM. He warned that sin waits at the door and desired him or he could rule over sin through repentance. Cain plods on in his unrepentant, rebellious and hateful condition, takes the life of his brother and is hateful to YaH when He inquires about the location of Abel.
Genesis 4:8 (KJV)
8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
Genesis 4:9-12 (KJV)
9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?
10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me from the ground.
11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;
12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.
Abel the prophet has not completed his calling and was unable to release the words that he was designed to speak for YHVH our Elohim. The life is in the blood and his was crying out from the ground!
Cain is banished to become a fugitive and vagabond and the ground was against his hand to produce little for him when he toiled. As his own head and Lord, he goes out from the protection of YHVH our Elohim.
Genesis 4:13-18 (KJV)
13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear.
14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me.
15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
16 And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.
Now that the Creator was no longer protecting Cain he needed a mark on him so that people would not harm him for his standing with YaH. This is the mark of man. Man who rebels and takes it upon himself to dictate how the LORD will be worshipped rather than how the LORD WANTS to be worshipped.
He has a mark on his head.
We must understand the dynamics of this MAN’S WAY WORSHIP if we are to avoid the WORSHIP OF THE BEAST IN THIS HOUR !!! Making his desired worship more important than God’s specified one, he has now given himself authority to be his own Head /Lord…could this be taking the mark of man (beast) on his head?
[I want to interject what I believe is an important thing here. I believe that this type of sin will lead people to ignore the dangers of ingesting GMOs and the consequences will be horrendous as people slowly mutate. Afterall, the head holds ideas and the devil gave mankind the idea to malign God’s creation. He produced his “new life forms” which he insisted be globally patented, with the work of his hands.]
Additionally, those who receive the mark in their hands it is from accepting this man’s way of worship over God’s way…OR it could be from taking action against a true worshipper as Cain did to Abel. Remember, we only have to hate in the New Covenant to be murderous. There is a higher standard because of the indwelling of the Ruach Kodesh. Many facets to this as we look into it!
YaHoVaH communicated to Adam and Eve and their family the new protocol for communion with Him. He showed them that they were in a fallen state, they would now need to cover their sins in order to come before Him and remain in communion with Him. Does anyone believe that Cain did not know this mandate?
The thing here is that man cannot come unto YaHoVaH in his own way. He must go unto Him as HE asks us to. He asked us to come to Him on the 7th day and to honor Him in the Feasts He set forth so that we would be pleasing to Him. These things are still in place.
HOWEVER, there is now no need for animal sacrifices because He provided His own Son to become the one sacrifice for all to appropriate to their lives and have the ability to commune with Him in the most profound way of all: the INDWELLING of the Ruach Kodesh! We now have the most intimate way of knowing Him. We are now given the promise spoken of in Hebrews 11! The Promise that the Prophets of old wrote about but had not experienced! We are now in the Melchizedek Priesthood and the Levitical Priest’s offerings are not required any longer. The entire book of Hebrews explains this clearly.
CAIN WAS JEALOUS OF THE REAL RELATIONSHIP HE SAW ABEL HAVE WITH YaHoVaH ! I submit that the tares which are sown in among us have the same jealousy.
He came out from the protection and communion with YHVH our Elohim and a mark was placed on his head…the mark of Man.
The spirit of jealousy had attacked again only this time it was the jealousy of relationship. The Genuine worshippers will always illicit this response from the ones who have relationship without obedience.
