Sermonette: Cain, Messiah?

Sermonette: Cain, Messiah?

Do You Have The Whole Story?
#756s
David C. Grabbe
Given 21-Jan-06; 16 minutes

listen:

description: (hide) David Grabbe, focusing upon the rejection of Cain’s offering, probes into the "rest of the story." Abel followed God’s specific instructions regarding the acceptability of the offering; these instructions were evidently made known to all of Adam’s family. Cain would have received the same instructions (Hebrews 11:4) – requesting a first-born animal sacrifice, symbolizing the need for a savior to atone for our sins. Perhaps Cain, knowing these sacrificial instructions as well as the specific prophesies about Eve’s offspring (Cain was Eve’s firstborn) bruising Satan, may have envisioned himself as the Messiah figure, having no sense of his own sinful nature and the need for a savior. Cain essentially demanded religion on his own terms; we dare not follow in his footsteps.