In Genesis 4:9 the Lord said to Cain, where is Abel your brother? He replied, I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper? In spite of Cain’s provocative response, God showed that He is the beginning and the end of all things, Revelation 21:6; 22: 13. God’s reply established certain facts of life which we cannot ignore or overlook but to consider for our righteous path in life.
Nothing changes without God
Cain wanted the conversation to end but his wish did not change it. Cain’s denial of the existence of his duty did not change the facts of truth. A divine duty can only be changed or varied by God who assigned that duty or responsibility unilaterally so until then the status quo remains. We cannot shut God out from any situation or succeed without him. The divine responsibility of care will rest and abide with us till eternity and the earlier we accept this fact the better for us in our preparation for eternity.
Mark 13:31 says heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. Hebrews 13:8 says Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Job 23:13 also says but he (God) is unchangeable and who can turn him? What he desires that he does. We must rather change to fit into God’s scheme of things and not the reverse. Hebrews 6:17 says God has an unchangeable character of his purpose. Let us accept God’s status quo so that we can appropriately work out our salvation within that scheme of things with fear and trembling, Philippians 2:12. Eternal death is real and upon death there will be no more chance of bail out. This is the appointed time, there is no other time. The story of the rich man Dives and poor Lazarus in Hades recorded in Luke 16:19-31 is a lesson for us.
Blood is life
Cain thought by killing Abel all was over and done with the truth buried and sealed. He did not know things of the spirit or the nature of blood. He did not know that blood is the spirit which continues to live after death and so a witness to events which affected him. Blood speaks and testifies before God though to man is foolish talk. However 1 Corinthians 1:20 says has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 1 Corinthians 1:27 says further that but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise.
By the spirit nature of blood, Abel’s blood unbeknown to Cain continued to cry against Cain. God said in Genesis 4:10 with reference to Abel’s blood, the voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. Pouring or shedding blood invokes curses unto the perpetrator. Hebrews 12:24 confirms Jesus is the mediator of the new covenant, and his sprinkled blood speaks more graciously than the blood of Abel. Whose blood have we touched or intend to touch or spill as dirt on our hands? We are not owners of any blood and we must not touch any blood at will. Blood is life and God deals with it as sacred.
God said in Genesis 4:11 now you (Cain) are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. We soil our hands spiritually when we kill or cause to kill directly or indirectly and that sin cannot be washed save by the higher blood of Jesus Christ by grace through an honest remorse and confession. 1 John 1:7 says the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. With a simple confession in the closet of your heart, Jesus will hear us with a pardon and restoration.
Accountability for the blood
God wanted Cain to know and to accept that he was accountable for Abel’s blood which he spilled. It means we must feel the guilt of bloodshed because (a) we have taken lives of which we are not the owners; (b) we have destroyed that which cannot be restored; (c) we have to answer to the voice and complaint made to God by the spilled blood; and (d) we have to account for our stewardship as keepers of life which God has entrusted to us.
Psalms 51:14 says deliver me from guilt of bloodshed, O God, thou God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of thy deliverance. David accepted his accountability and so God pardoned him and restored his joy in the Lord. We must confess with due honesty and humility before God if we need restoration from Jesus Christ, the only one appointed for our redemption.
Forms of bloodshed
Bloodshed is anything or conduct or omission which directly or indirectly terminates the life of another or which tampers with the life of another. Examples include abortion; drugs; euthanasia; suicide; avoidable fatal injury including psychological, emotional, heart or trauma distress; and other crimes or offences that lead to death or capable of resulting in the death of another.
Sometimes it is not only the act, but the thought, Matthew 5:27-28. Psalms 72:14 says blood is precious in God’s sight. Physical harm or death is the most common but other forms of latent death form the majority. We must be careful as we walk a very tight rope. This is why the road to redemption is described as the narrow way, Matthew 7:13-14. Spiritual laws are very different from physical laws.
Consequences of neglect
It is not God’s will that his sheep should not have keepers or not be attended to. Jesus explained in Matthew 18:14 that it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. Mark 9:42 says whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung round his neck and he were thrown into the sea.
A millstone was a grinding stone of two heavy parts, the bed-stone and a runner-stone that rotated on it. In today’s terms it is a crusher-technology for grinding such as grains. The bed-stone was immovable and very heavy. It was also known as a burden. The neck is not made to carry such weight. Tied to the neck and dropped in the sea, we would be perpetually kept at the sea beds forever without extrication.
The phrase suggests permanent torture and unbearable situation. It means an outright outcast with eternal curse. It symbolizes a person who deserves no pardon based on a heinous crime. It is a death sentence. Such is the fate of an irresponsible keeper. This explains why Hebrews 10:31 says it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Are we ready to bear such torture as irresponsible keepers?
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, we have unjustly succumbed to the pleasure of the new world order contrary to your instructions. We have touched and tampered with lives, born or in the womb without knowing God’s purpose for their creation. We are sorry and we ask for forgiveness and pray that their blood be not a curse unto us. Redeem us from the guilt of bloodshed for we have prayed in your name, Amen!!
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