THEN-THE-LORD-PUT-A-MARK-ON-CAIN
THE LORD PUT A MARK ON CAIN “Then the Lord put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him” (Gen. 4:15)
The “sign” or “mark” God placed on Cain has been the subject of debate for centuries. In the absence of a specific word from the Lord we cannot be dogmatic about exactly what this “mark” was. Perhaps Cain asked some of the same questions that we do. This is not the solution, it is the problem.
When God gives a command it is not necessary for Him to explain why. Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit asking questions. Those who fully trust in God obey Him without asking questions. We may Safely say that no scientific explanation is required when God commands something.
m Joshua conquered Jericho by obeying God (Josh. 6:1-27). No military victory has ever been achieved in this way before or since.
m Naaman was healed of leprosy by dipping 7 times in the Jordan River (2 Ki. 5:9-15). There is no medical or scientific explanation of why.
m= Aman born blind was healed by washing mud off of his eyes in the Pool of Siloam (Jn. 9:1-12). Again, there is no medical explanation as to why. The blind man merely obeyed Jesus.
m These examples could easily be multiplied. The point is, those who trust in God obey God!
m It is not necessary for God to explain to us “how” His promises will come true!
m@ Cain didn’t need to understand “how” God was going to protect him, but he did to obey God just the same.
m The same principle, of course applies to us!
Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes unto the Father except through Him (Jn. 14:6). To illustrate this truth Jesus said: “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life” (Jn. 3:15). The story of the serpent to which Jesus referred in found in Numbers 21. When the people grumbled against God He sent venomous snakes among them and many Israelites died. When the people repented and came to Moses: “The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live”” (Nu. 21:8). What if you were there on that occasion? What would you do? Would you demand a scientific explanation as to “why” merely looking at the snake would save you? If you were young and healthy there would be a great temptation to trust in yourself. Such a decision would have been fatal. THE ONLY WAY TO BE SAVED WAS BY LOOKING ON THAT SERPENT WHICH MOSES LIFTED UP IN THE WILDERNESS!
While we do not know exactly what Cain was thinking when he built the first city (Gen. 4:17), it is obvious that he did not obey God. God had condemned him to be a “restless wanderer”. When Cain feared that whoever found him would kill him, God promised to supernaturally protect him with the “mark”. Unfortunately, Cain decided not to trust in God but to build a city a trust in himself.
Immediately after telling us that Cain built a city, the Scriptures record his genealogy for 7 generations. His 7” descendant was Lamech who was the first man on earth with two wives. He killed a young man for wounding him and even composed a song to commemorate the murder. In that song he displayed his rebellion against God by singing “If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times” (Gen. 4:24) Lamech was evidently the most wicked man on earth.
Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son named Seth to take the place of righteous Abel whom Cain had killed. The descendants of Seth were known for calling on the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:25,26). While the 7" descendant of Cain was the most wicked man on earth, the 7" descendant of Seth was the most righteous man on earth. His name was Enoch. He walked with God for 300 years and was so holy that God took him to heaven before he died (Gen. 5:24; Heb. 11:5).
“This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother”s were righteous” (1 Jn. 3:11, 12).
DON’T BE LIKE CAIN — IF GOD PROMISES TO PROTECT YOU — HE WILL!