Today, you're going to hear a story of two brothers. One whose offering to God was accepted, the other's was rejected. The scorned brother threw a fit, and then the unthinkable occurred. Can you guess their names? Today, on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindahl unpacks the gripping account of Kane and Abel with honesty.
Exposing timeless truths about unbridled anger, jealousy, and the critical choices we all face when sin comes knocking.
So, how do we stave off these dangerous impulses? Let's listen as Chuck tells the story about Cain, the farmer who murdered his brother. One of the grim facts of life is that. Our history is strewn with the litter of murder. It's a chilling thought to think that as we sit in this place today.
As we live our lives, someone is planning someone's murder. When you go into the scriptures and you begin in the beauty of innocence and you find life as it was meant to be. Lived before God. in purity of heart, and an innocence of life, and you see how far we have drifted. It is nothing short of shocking.
Some time ago, I clipped from the newspaper a single column. Entitled The Nation's Deadliest Massacres, and I I hesitate to to read more than just the general facts. which will reflect for many of us the past of our lives. Just listen to a general overview. On September the 6th, 1949, Thirteen people were fatally shot in twelve minutes.
in Camden, New Jersey. By this man who was named, who said later, I would have killed a thousand if I had had enough bullets. July the fourteenth, nineteen sixty six, some of you will remember, I certainly do, eight student nurses were stabbed or strangled in a Chicago dormitory. by Richard Speck, aged twenty four. August the first, nineteen sixty-six, not that many days afterwards.
All of us, or many of us, will remember in Austin, Texas, a Charles Whitman climbed to the top of the campus tower, and before he was killed by the police. He killed 16 people. in an insane act of murder. Easter Sunday, March 30, 1975, 11 people. Which included eight children were killed at a family gathering in Hamilton, Ohio.
The man was found innocent by reason of insanity. It's always seemed astrange, Response to me. September 25th, 1982, 13 people, including five children, were fatally shot. in Jenkins Township, Pennsylvania. The man was convicted on twelve counts of murder and sentenced to death.
February 19, 1983, 13 people were fatally shot in the head during a robbery at a gambling club in Seattle. Palm Sunday, April 15, 1984, 10 people, including eight children, were killed in Brooklyn, New York. in an apartment house. July 18, 1984, 21 people were fatally shot at McDonald's restaurant in San Yosidro. By this man who was later killed by a police sharpshooter.
And then there was the Zodiac killer. And then there was the freeway killer. Then there have been other serial killers. The list goes on and on and on and on. It's frightening.
Tragic account. I've lived in my few years on this earth long enough to. To hear about and read about and even witness on the Television set. The most insane acts and political assassinations and the killing of those who have assassinated or were accused of assassinating a political figure. Amazing.
I found myself somewhat amazed as I thought through the stories of the Bible at how many of them were tragedies. Real tragedies. Not all of them, murders, but so many tragedies strewn through the pages of the Scripture. And for some of them, it may be a stretch for your theology, but God was responsible. The flood, when the entire human race was removed.
because of disobedience in the days of Noah, except for the family of Noah. How about the plagues in Egypt, where the firstborn of the Egyptians all died? just before the Exodus. Or the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, two entire cities. destroyed so severely that they now find their existence beneath the Dead Sea.
As far in Brimstone, leveled the cities and even brought them below. the uh level of the sea. And the dying out of the former generation of Hebrews during the trek in the wilderness on their way to the promised land. How about Job's seven sons and three daughters? in one fell swoop.
of nature. The entire nation of Israel invaded by the Assyrians, the entire nation of Judah invaded by the Babylonians.
Sometimes humans were responsible in the scriptures. Moses murdered an Egyptian and hid him in the sand. You will recall that story. Various kings were murdered in ancient times, according to the history of the Jews. Absalom, David's son, was murdered by Joab, David's commander in the military.
Various tribal people were slaughtered. uh by one another and sometime by the Jews. While held captive, there were plans to exterminate the Jews in the days of Esther. Remember, Haman built the gallows. And had plans, ultimately, to exterminate all of the Jews.
In the days of Moses, when he was born, the Pharaoh gave orders to the midwives who helped at birth to be sure that all the male children were killed and the female Jewish infants would be allowed to live. In Jesus' earliest days, Herod, when he got word from the Magi, gave the order that all of the children, two years old and younger, in and around Bethlehem, were to be murdered. goes on and on. Realizing the rage of the human heart, God inserted in his Ten Commandments that single statement in Exodus 20:13: you shall not Murder.
Now, before I go any further, let me make something very clear. And this is not a tongue twister. Um man is a murderer. Not because he murders. The murders Because he is a murderer at heart.
Let me say it another way. We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners. The problem is in the heart. We do wrong because we are.
Wrong. We are wrong deep within, and from within, down in the root of our lives, where murder. is planned. We carry out the fruit of murder with our hands. It's a heart problem.
It's not a weapon problem. It's not a hand problem or a brain problem. It's a heart problem. Which began way, way back in the days of Adam and Eve.
Now, if you have a copy of the scriptures available, I'd like you to look at Genesis chapter 4. In Genesis 3, we have innocence. In Genesis 4, We have sinfulness. In Genesis 3, we have the beauty of fellowship between Adam and Eve and their Creator. But as the tempter entered, and as they fell into the temptation of the enemy, They Became, let me use the word, spiritually polluted.
They became inwardly corrupt. And as a result, The human race has been Polluted, like the source of a river is polluted, than all of the river. is a polluted thing.
So it is in the human race. And as a result of sin coming, there was a curse that fell upon the man, upon the woman, upon the serpent, and even upon the land. You and I cannot imagine a world free of a curse. We can't imagine of childbirth without pain. We cannot imagine a field without weeds and thorns and thistles.
We cannot imagine a heart that is absolutely innocent because there are no such things in existence. We have lived our entire lives on this sin-cursed earth. And as a result, we think. in that vein. But Adam and Eve lived during the transition.
I wonder at times how they stood. The incredible contrast between what they had in the garden and what they had as a result of their fall. Can't imagine the guilt.
Now, when we pick up the story in chapter 4 of Genesis, we come to the same man and the same original woman, Adam and Eve, as they are intimate together, and as a result, she conceives and gives birth to Cain. That's the firstborn. Kana is the root word from which the name Cain comes. It means to get or to acquire. She says, she's named him this, I have gotten a man-child with the help of the Lord.
So she names him gotten or acquired. She acknowledges God gave them their son, Cain. Uh The next one born is a brother named Abel. His name, interestingly, means breath or vapor. And perhaps it's the idea of being slight or fragile.
Maybe he was a sickly. A trial. I don't know. He apparently was not as strong physically as his brother, and they saw that soon, and he bore the name that reflected that. Often in Scripture, names reflected nature.
And we see that Cain picked up the occupation of his dad. He became a farmer. And Abel was a keeper of the flocks. He became a shepherd. And uh The next thing we read about these brothers is they are now adults and they are bringing their offerings to the Lord.
This is a wonderful story. There's a lot of human interest in it. Um Because it is a brief account of what happened, we don't have all the dialogue that occurred during their childhood years and teenage years and young adult years. I am confident that Adam taught Cain and Abel the importance of an offering. and how you approach God.
The theme all the way through the scriptures is that you approach God with blood. You say, That's a strange thing.
Well, God designed it. That's what God said would forgive sin. Without the shedding of blood, there will be no forgiveness of sins. That's a theme that's woven all through the fabric of Scripture. And I am confident that Adam had taught his boys, and Eve had taught her sons, that you come to God with a blood offering.
Now, this is where the conflict begins. This is where murder finds its way into the first human heart. are the first seeds of murder. This is truly murder one. came about in the course of time Cain brought an offering to the Lord.
From the fruit of the ground. There's no blood. There's no animal. He brought the best from his crops. He deliberately brought another kind of offering to God.
And we read that Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock. and he brought an animal sacrifice, as he had been taught to do. And we read without surprise: the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering, he had no regard. This is a good place to turn. To show individuals who think that God will accept you just so you're sincere.
You've heard that all your life. All you have to do is be sincere. You don't have to worry about the details of the Bible. Just come with a sincere heart. God helps those who help themselves.
Come, feel good about it. Come with an open spirit. Come with a sincere heart, and God will accept you as you come in whatever way you want to come. He sees your sincerity. No, that's not true.
That is not what Scripture teaches. And I'm not being a narrow-minded fundamentalist for saying that. It is found all the way through the Bible. Here's a perfect example: God had regard for Abel and his offering. Why?
Because he brought what God said to bring. But he didn't have regard for Cain and his offering. Why? Because he didn't bring what God required. God is not just a gracious, easygoing, kickback grandfather, sort of like an old man with a beard sitting up in heaven, kind of rocking along, hoping people will be sincere when they come to Him.
That is not the biblical picture of our Heavenly Father. He is a loving, he is a kind, but he is also a just. and a very discriminating Heavenly Father. Who has spelled out in His word how we are to come to Him, and He graciously and compassionately patiently waits for us to come around. But until we come His way, He will not accept our offerings.
And his way is through blood. Cain came his own way. Abel came God's way. I want you to hold your place here and look rather hurriedly at Hebrews chapter 11. Verses 1 to 4, and then 1 John 3:10 to 12.
In these two chapters, Cain and Abel are mentioned. Hebrews 11, 1 to 4. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. for by it the men of old gained approval. By faith, we understand the worlds were prepared by the Word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.
Very first mention of a person is in verse 4 in Hebrews 11. By faith, Abel. offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain. through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous. God testifying about His gifts and through faith, Though he is dead, he still speaks.
Please observe that Abel offered to God a better sacrifice. 1 John chapter 3 verse 10. By this, the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious. Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God. nor the one who does not love his brother.
For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain. who was of the Evil One. and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him?
because his deeds were evil. and his brothers. We're righteous. That's God's appraisal. of the offerings of Cain and Abel.
Abel's offerings Righteous. Cain's offerings. Evil.
Now back to Genesis chapter 4. I'm interested to read in verse 5 as we work our way through this. Ancient story of Cain and Abel. I'm interested to read that. As a result of doing what was wrong and God's responding injustice.
To Cain. Cain got angry. Verse 5. For Cain and his offering, God had no regard.
So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell. That's an interesting response. I mean, he knew what he was supposed to do. And He didn't do it. And because he didn't get the favor of God, He got mad.
Well Still goes on, doesn't it? still happens. In fact, if you'll observe, the Lord comes on the scene. Let me say this word about countenance. It's the word face.
I'll come back to it in a minute. His face fell.
Sometimes when people get angry, you can see it in their faces.
Some play a little better game of poker than others, but most of us, when we have anger, our faces show it. and his face fell. You know, you've seen it a hundred times in your children, that kind of a pouting look or disappointment. It's a veiled anger. and his face fell.
And so the Lord steps on the scene and says to Cain, Why are you angry? Why has your face fallen? What's going on, Kane? What has made you so mad? Why are you ticked off?
Why are you angry? And why is your face fallen? Part of the reason is Cain was jealous, plain and simple. He's the older brother. Yeah.
I have said for years that older brothers owe the entire family one thing: an apology. Usually, older brothers, with being an older brother, there comes a lot of stuff that you look back on when you grow up and you say, Why was I like that? And Cain, the older brother, is jealous of the younger brother. There's already competition, as is often true when there are two boys in a family. And the competition between Cain and Abel is rather severe now because God smiles on the younger brother and he frowns at the older brother.
Jealousy comes in, goes on in families all the time. One child gets one kind of toy, the other one gets a toy that's not quite as nice. And the one with the toy that's not quite as nice is jealous of the one who has a better one. One has a birthday party and he gets to go to Disneyland with his family. The other has a birthday party and they have a little piece of pie for him.
Um after supper.
So he's jealous of the one that got to go to Disneyland. goes on all the time. It happens at the office. One fella gets a little nicer desk, and he gets a desk by not one window, but two. And you're still in a room without windows in the old desk.
One person who hasn't been at the company as long as you have gets a few perks that you don't get. and you're ticked off, and you're jealous of it. And that's another whole story. There's jealousy that goes on in the human race on a regular basis. Cain is jealous of Abel.
And the Lord sees it and he says, Why are you angry? In fact, he even He even gives them a warning. I love the way it reads. If you do well, Verse 7, if you do what's right, Won't your face be lifted up? Look at that if you happen to be a feeling-oriented.
type person or counselor. Where your feelings have to lead the way. This doesn't say when you feel like looking better, it might be nice of you to do so. He says, when you do what is right, your feelings will follow. If you will obey me, Cain, your face will show it.
Your no face will become a yes face. your jealousy will subside. This is extremely important. We are responsible for our own reactions. to God and to others.
No one else is. Remember the name Anna Russell? If you lived in the 60s or if you sang songs in the 60s, you may remember a little song she made popular strumming her guitar and singing it around Berkeley campus and other campuses. The words of the song are sort of. Interesting.
They tell a story, as those ballads often did. I went to my psychiatrist to be psychoanalyzed to find out why I killed a cat and blacked my husband's eyes. He laid me on a downy couch to see what he could find, and this is what he dredged up from my subconscious mind. When I was one, my mommy hid my dolly in a trunk, and so it follows naturally that I'm always drunk. When I was two, I saw my father kiss the maid one day, and that is why I suffer now from kleptominiae.
When I was three I had the feeling of ambivalence toward my brothers, and so it follows naturally I poisoned all my lovers. But I am happy now that I have learned the lesson this has taught: that everything I do that's wrong is someone else's fault. If you do what's wrong, it is your fault. If I do something that's wrong, it is my fault. Cain Straighten up.
To use a good parental line. You've heard that as you were growing up, and you've said that as a mother or a father. Straighten up. Your face, once you do what is right, Cain, your face will follow. One man puts it this way: Cain began badly by presenting a sinful offering before God.
Abel gave God the best. whereas Cain merely brought an offering. When God rejected his offering, Cain complicated the problem by responding wrongly to the rejection. The anger and depression were noted by God, who observed that this was a wrong response. Instead, God says, do right and you will feel right.
Then God warned against failure to repent. and offer the right kind of sacrifice. If you continue to complicate the problem with this sinful response, As one version says, if you misbehave, You will fall into deeper sin. into the clutches of sin, which is like a wild Animal. I really want us to hear this.
We do live in a day when wrong actions are rationalized. and you can find enough people to give you enough counsel, you will be patted on the head and told you are just a tragic victim of life. And as a result, no wonder you want to murder everybody you meet. Rather than my friend, you are responsible for the rest of your life. Yes, painful as it is, difficult as it is, take responsibility for your actions.
Great. This is Insight for Living with Bible teacher Chuck Swindahl. Kane's tragic story demonstrates that sin's deadly potential lurks in every human heart. God warned Cain to master anger before it mastered him. And the same warning applies today.
Jealousy, resentment, and rage don't correct themselves. They must be confronted and confessed. If you're ready to dig deeper into this convicting account, we invite you to check out the variety of helpful resources we have for you at insight.org. Look for the 14-part series called Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives. or call us at 800-772-8888.
Inside for Living has created the perfect toolkit for your journey. Start with the Searching the Scriptures Bible Study Workbook for this series. It's ideal for personal reflection or group discussion. Then you can add Chuck's book from his Great Lives series to have all of his deepest reflections on these overlooked characters. It's also called Fascinating Stories of Forgotten Lives.
Plus, don't miss the complete audio collection to hear Chuck's sermons again and again. They're available on CD, MP3, and the Insight for Living mobile app. You can also hear encouraging soundbites from Chuck Swindahl's sermons on popular social media platforms when you follow us on Facebook, X, or Instagram. In closing, just a reminder that we're looking to strengthen our position in 2026 by inviting new monthly companions to partner with us. In this role, your monthly contributions empower Insight for Living to be heard in multiple languages, not only on the radio and the internet.
In fact, anyone with a cell phone can hear the practical Bible teaching of Chuck. and it's all made possible through the generosity of our monthly companions and anyone who gives a donation. Joining the team at the beginning of the new year makes a lot of sense, and it will help Insight for Living tremendously. To become a monthly companion today, call us at 800-772-8888. Or you can sign up online at insight.org/slash monthly companion.
What happens when anger turns to fury? I'm Bill Meyer. Chuckswindahl describes how to conquer the impulses of rage Thursday on Insight for Living. Bye. The preceding message, Kane, the farmer who murdered his brother, was copyrighted in 1991, 1992, 2001, 2006, 2012, and 2024, and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2024 by Charles R.
Swindahl, Inc. All rights are reserved worldwide. Duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited.
