Cain's mark
I wrote yesterday about the Cain and Able story, explaining what I believe the events were meant to be a visually illustration for; However the story continues with Cain and I would like to write on it also. This one is a bit more complicated to explain and I apologize if it is a bit lengthy or confusing.
After Cain kills Able in Genesis 4 a conversation takes place between God and Cain. The Lord confronts Cain with his sin. God gives Cain both a curse and a blessing. He curses him by saying: “You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” This is a common theme in Scripture. Sin separates us from God. This happened to Adam and Eve in Gen.3 they sinned and were removed from God’s presence and out of the land that was given to them. This happened also with the Israelites when they were taken into captivity in Egypt and when they were taken into captivity in Babylon.
The curse God is giving is that He will be a wanderer in a land that is not his own. He would be an alien, a foreigner, a sojourner, a vagabond.
Cain reacts to the curse with what I believe is remorse. He says: “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
But the Lord makes him a promise (or gives him a blessing).
“Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him.”
Some people speculate that since Cain is said to have been wicked (but so are all of us Rom3:23) that this may be the mark of the beast, but I do not believe this is the case. In Revelation 14:9 it says that all who receive the mark of the beast will be destroyed. Here God is promising that he will not be destroyed. The mark of the beast is Satan’s cheap imitation of the mark that The Lord gives to his people.
In Ezekiel and in Revelation it foretells of the sign (the mark or the seal) that will be given to God’s people.
[Parenthesis added for emphases]
EZK9:4.ESV And the Lord said to him, “Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and [put a mark on the foreheads] of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.” And to the others he said in my hearing, “Pass through the city after him, and strike. Your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity. Kill old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women, [but touch no one on whom is the mark]. And begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the house.
REV7:2.ESV Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, [with the seal of the living God], and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, [until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”]
We find out in Ephesians that this mark or seal is the Holy Spirit.
EPH1:13.ESV In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, [were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit], who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
So God gives Cain a curse because of his sin, telling him that he will be a wanderer of a land he does not belong to, but he also gives him a mark to protect him. After the resurrection of Christ this curse is turned on its head.
In the book of John when Jesus is praying for his people he says;
JHN17:14.ESV I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because [they are not of the world], just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. [They are not of the world], just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so [I have sent them into the world.]
Before we were cast from God’s presence; Now Jesus (God in the flesh) has come into our presence and says the same thing that he said to Cain. He sends us into a land that we do not belong to (for we now belong in God’s Kingdom with him) and he gives us the mark or the sign of the Holy Spirit to seal our election so we will not face destruction and to protect us from the enemy.
After Cain kills Able in Genesis 4 a conversation takes place between God and Cain. The Lord confronts Cain with his sin. God gives Cain both a curse and a blessing. He curses him by saying: “You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.” This is a common theme in Scripture. Sin separates us from God. This happened to Adam and Eve in Gen.3 they sinned and were removed from God’s presence and out of the land that was given to them. This happened also with the Israelites when they were taken into captivity in Egypt and when they were taken into captivity in Babylon.
The curse God is giving is that He will be a wanderer in a land that is not his own. He would be an alien, a foreigner, a sojourner, a vagabond.
Cain reacts to the curse with what I believe is remorse. He says: “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
But the Lord makes him a promise (or gives him a blessing).
“Then the Lord said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him.”
Some people speculate that since Cain is said to have been wicked (but so are all of us Rom3:23) that this may be the mark of the beast, but I do not believe this is the case. In Revelation 14:9 it says that all who receive the mark of the beast will be destroyed. Here God is promising that he will not be destroyed. The mark of the beast is Satan’s cheap imitation of the mark that The Lord gives to his people.
In Ezekiel and in Revelation it foretells of the sign (the mark or the seal) that will be given to God’s people.
[Parenthesis added for emphases]
EZK9:4.ESV And the Lord said to him, “Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and [put a mark on the foreheads] of the men who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.” And to the others he said in my hearing, “Pass through the city after him, and strike. Your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity. Kill old men outright, young men and maidens, little children and women, [but touch no one on whom is the mark]. And begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the elders who were before the house.
REV7:2.ESV Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, [with the seal of the living God], and he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm earth and sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, [until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”]
We find out in Ephesians that this mark or seal is the Holy Spirit.
EPH1:13.ESV In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, [were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit], who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
So God gives Cain a curse because of his sin, telling him that he will be a wanderer of a land he does not belong to, but he also gives him a mark to protect him. After the resurrection of Christ this curse is turned on its head.
In the book of John when Jesus is praying for his people he says;
JHN17:14.ESV I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because [they are not of the world], just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. [They are not of the world], just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so [I have sent them into the world.]
Before we were cast from God’s presence; Now Jesus (God in the flesh) has come into our presence and says the same thing that he said to Cain. He sends us into a land that we do not belong to (for we now belong in God’s Kingdom with him) and he gives us the mark or the sign of the Holy Spirit to seal our election so we will not face destruction and to protect us from the enemy.