SHARE Magazine January 2016 | Page 8

THE FIRST MURDER a tale of two brothers T The story of Cain and Abel, the offsprings of the first two human beings created by God, is told in Genesis chapter 4, and from as early as this, God tries to teach us a lesson that should never be forgotten throughout all ages. The story is well known. The brothers both gave their offerings to God but while Abel’s was accepted Cain’s was rejected. Abel’s offering was a sacrifice but Cain’s was not and I believe this has great significance. I remember king David, the man after God’s own heart, once saying that he would not give anything to God that did not cost him. Abel “...killed the firstborn lamb from one of his sheep and gave the Lord the best parts of it.” To kill one of your loved animals and prepare it is much more of a sacrifice than picking a 8 | SHARE|MAGAZINE few fruits or uprooting some vegetables. Cain did not take the rejection very well and was very angry. God did not condemn Cain but counselled him as a loving father would. God told him he needed to do what was right, which is an indication that what he did was obviously wrong. God continued to council him and told him that if he did what was right he would be accepted but if he did not, he would have sin issues to battle with and if he left his sin unrepented it would overpower him. You know how the story continued and how Abel’s life ended prematurely at the hands of his vengeful brother. Cain did not take God’s advice and ended up murdering his brother Abel. Sin January - March 2016 entered the world through his parents and now things have gone from bad to worse. We saw where Adam and Eve’s