patriarchs and prophets-第13部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Cain　came　before　God　with　murmuring　and　infidelity　in　his　heart　in　regard　to
the　promised　sacrifice　and　the　necessity　of　the　sacrificial　offerings。　His
gift　expressed　no　penitence　for　sin。　He　felt；　as　many　now　feel；　that　it
would　be　an　acknowledgment　of　weakness　to　follow　the　exact　plan　marked　out
by　God；　of　trusting　his　salvation　wholly　to　the　atonement　of　the　promised
Saviour。　He　chose　the　course　of　self…dependence。　He　would　come　in　his　own
merits。　He　would　not　bring　the　lamb；　and　mingle　its　blood　with　his　offering；
but　would　present　his　fruits；　the　products　of　his　labor。　He　presented　his
offering　as　a　favor　done　to　God；　through　which　he　expected　to　secure　the
divine　approval。　Cain　obeyed　in　building　an　altar；　obeyed　in　bringing　a
sacrifice；　but　he　rendered　only　a　partial　obedience。　The　essential　part；　the
recognition　of　the　need　of　a　Redeemer；　was　left　out。

So　far　as　birth　and　religious　instruction　were　concerned；　these　brothers
were　equal。　Both　were　sinners；　and　both　acknowledged　the　claims　of　God　to
reverence　and　worship。　To　outward　appearance　their　religion　was　the　same　up
to　a　certain　point；　but　beyond　this　the　difference　between　the　two　was
great。

〃By　faith　Abel　offered　unto　God　a　more　excellent　sacrifice　than　Cain。〃
Hebrews　11：4。　Abel　grasped　the　great　principles　of　redemption。　He　saw
himself　a　sinner；　and　he　saw　sin　and　its　penalty；　death；　standing　between
his　soul　and　communion　with　God。　He　brought　the　slain　victim；　the　sacrificed
life；　thus　acknowledging　the　claims　of　the　law　that　had　been　transgressed。
Through　the　shed　blood　he　looked　to　the　future　sacrifice；　Christ　dying　on
the　cross　of　Calvary；　and　trusting　in　the　atonement　that　was　there　to　be
made；　he　had　the　witness　that　he　was　righteous；　and　his　offering　accepted。

Cain　had　the　same　opportunity　of　learning　and　accepting　these　truths　as　had
Abel。　He　was　not　the　victim　of　an　arbitrary　purpose。　One　brother　was　not
elected　to　be　accepted　of　God；　and　the　other　to　be　rejected。　Abel　chose
faith　and　obedience；　Cain；　unbelief　and　rebellion。　Here　the　whole　matter
rested。

Cain　and　Abel　represent　two　classes　that　will　exist　in　the　world　till　the
close　of　time。　One　class　avail　themselves　of　the　appointed。　PG　73
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　73

sacrifice　for　sin；　the　other　venture　to　depend　upon　their　own　merits；　theirs
is　a　sacrifice　without　the　virtue　of　divine　mediation；　and　thus　it　is　not
able　to　bring　man　into　favor　with　God。　It　is　only　through　the　merits　of
Jesus　that　our　transgressions　can　be　pardoned。　Those　who　feel　no　need　of　the
blood　of　Christ；　who　feel　that　without　divine　grace　they　can　by　their　own
works　secure　the　approval　of　God；　are　making　the　same　mistake　as　did　Cain。
If　they　do　not　accept　the　cleansing　blood；　they　are　under　condemnation。
There　is　no　other　provision　made　whereby　they　can　be　released　from　the
thralldom　of　sin。

The　class　of　worshipers　who　follow　the　example　of　Cain　includes　by　far　the
greater　portion　of　the　world；　for　nearly　every　false　religion　has　been　based
on　the　same　principlethat　man　can　depend　upon　his　own　efforts　for
salvation。　It　is　claimed　by　some　that　the　human　race　is　in　need；　not　of
redemption；　but　of　developmentthat　it　can　refine；　elevate；　and　regenerate
itself。　As　Cain　thought　to　secure　the　divine　favor　by　an　offering　that
lacked　the　blood　of　a　sacrifice；　so　do　these　expect　to　exalt　humanity　to　the
divine　standard；　independent　of　the　atonement。　The　history　of　Cain　shows
what　must　be　the　results。　It　shows　what　man　will　become　apart　from　Christ。
Humanity　has　no　power　to　regenerate　itself。　It　does　not　tend　upward；　toward
the　divine；　but　downward；　toward　the　satanic。　Christ　is　our　only　hope。
〃There　is　none　other　name　under　heaven　given　among　men；　whereby　we　must　be
saved。〃　〃Neither　is　there　salvation　in　any　other。〃　Acts　4：12。

True　faith；　which　relies　wholly　upon　Christ；　will　be　manifested　by　obedience
to　all　the　requirements　of　God。　From　Adam's　day　to　the　present　time　the
great　controversy　has　been　concerning　obedience　to　God's　law。　In　all　ages
there　have　been　those　who　claimed　a　right　to　the　favor　of　God　even　while
they　were　disregarding　some　of　His　commands。　But　the　Scriptures　declare　that
by　works　is　〃faith　made　perfect；〃　and　that；　without　the　works　of　obedience；
faith　〃is　dead。〃　James　2：22；　17。　He　that　professes　to　know　God；　〃and　keepeth
not　His　commandments；　is　a　liar；　and　the　truth　is　not　in　him。〃　1　John　2：4。

When　Cain　saw　that　his　offering　was　rejected；　he　was　angry　with　the　Lord　and
with　Abel；　he　was　angry　that　God　did　not　accept　man's　substitute　in　place　of
the　sacrifice　divinely　ordained；　and　angry　with　his　brother　for　choosing　to
obey　God

74

instead　of　joining　in　rebellion　against　Him。　Notwithstanding　Cain's
disregard　of　the　divine　command；　God　did　not　leave　him　to　himself；　but　He
condescended　to　reason　with　the　man　who　had　shown　himself　so　unreasonable。
And　the　Lord　said　unto　Cain；　〃Why　art　thou　wroth？　and　why　is　thy　countenance
fallen？〃　Through　an　angel　messenger　the　divine　warning　was　conveyed：　〃If
thou　doest　well；　shalt　thou　not　be　accepted？　And　if　thou　doest　not　well；　sin
lieth　at　the　door。〃　The　choice　lay　with　Cain　himself。　If　he　would　trust　to
the　merits　of　the　promised　Saviour；　and　would　obey　God's　requirements；　he
would　enjoy　His　favor。　But　should　he　persist　in　unbelief　and　transgression；
he　would　have　no　ground　for　complaint　because　he　was　rejected　by　the　Lord。

But　instead　of　acknowledging　his　sin；　Cain　continued　to　complain　of　the
injustice　of　God　and　to　cherish　jealousy　and　hatred　of　Abel。　He　angrily
reproached　his　brother；　and　attempted　to　draw　him　into　controversy
concerning　God's　dealings　with　them。　In　meekness；　yet　fearlessly　and　firmly；
Abel　defended　the　justice　and　goodness　of　God。　He　pointed　out　Cain's　error；
and　tried　to　convince　him　that　the　wrong　was　in　himself。　He　pointed　to　the
compassion　of　God　in　sparing　the　life　of　their　parents　when　He　might　have
punished　them　with　instant　death；　and　urged　that　God　loved　them；　or　He　would
not　have　given　His　Son；　innocent　and　holy；　to　suffer　the　penalty　which　they
had　incurred。　All　this　caused　Cain's　anger　to　burn　the　hotter。　Reason　and
conscience　told　him　that　Abel　was　in　the　right；　but　he　was　enraged　that　one
who　had　been　wont　to　heed　his　counsel　should　now　presume　to　disagree　with
him；　and　that　he　could　gain　no　sympathy　in　his　rebellion。　In　the　fury　of　his
passion　he　slew　his　brother。

Cain　hated　and　killed　his　brother；　not　for　any　wrong　that　Abel　had　done；　but
〃because　his　own　works　were　evil；　and　his　brother's　righteous。〃　1　John　3：12。
So　in　all　ages　the　wicked　have　hated　those　who　were　better　than　themselves。
Abel's　life　of　obedience　and　unswerving　faith　was　to　Cain　a　perpetual
reproof。　〃Everyone　that　doeth　evil　hateth　the　light；　neither　cometh　to　the
light；　lest　his　deeds　should　be　reproved。〃　John　3：20。　The　brighter　the
heavenly　light　that　is　reflected　from　the　character　of　God's　faithful
servants；　the　more　clearly　the　sins　of　the　ungodly　are　revealed；　and　the
more　determined　will　be　their　efforts　to　destroy　those　who　disturb　their
peace。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　77


The　murder　of　Abel　was　the　first　example　of　the　enmity　that　God　had　declared
would　exist　between　the　serpent　and　the　seed　of　the　womanbetween　Satan　and
his　subjects　and　Christ　and　His　followers。　Through　man's　sin；　Satan　had
gained　control　of　the　human　race；　but　Christ　would　enable　them　to　cast　off
his　yoke。　Whenever；　through　faith　in　the　Lamb　of　God；　a　soul　renounces　the
service　of　sin；　Satan's　wrath　is　kindled。　The　holy　life　of　Abel　testified
against　Satan's　claim　that　it　is　impossible　for　man　to　keep　God's　law。　When
Cain；　moved　by　the　spirit　of　the　wicked　one；　saw　that　he　could　not　control
Abel；　he　was　so　enraged　that　he　destroyed　his　life。　And　wherever　there　are
any　who　will　stand　in　vindication　of　the　righteousness　of　the　law　of　God；
the　same　spirit　will　be　manifested　against　them。　It　is　the　spirit　that
through　all　the　ages　has　set　up　the　stake　and　kindled　the　burning　pile　for
the　disciples　of　Christ。　But　the　cruelties　heaped　upon　the　follower　of　Jesus
are　instigated　by　Satan　and　his　hosts　because　they　cannot　force　him　to
submit　to　their　control。　It　is　the　rage　of　a　vanquished　foe。　Every　martyr　of
Jesus　has　died　a　conqueror。　Says　the　prophet；　〃They　overcame　him　＇〃that　old
serpent；　called　the　devil；　and　Satan〃＇　by　the　blood　of　the　Lamb；　and　by　the
word　of　their　testimony；　and　they　loved　not　their　lives　unto　the　death。〃
Revelation　12：11；　9。

Cain　the　murderer　was　soon　called　to　answer　for　his　crime。　〃The　Lord　said
unto　Cain；　Where　is　Abel　thy　brother？　And　he　said；　I　know　not：　Am　I　my
brother's　keeper？〃　Cain　had　gone　so　far　in　sin　that　he　had　lost　a　sense　of
the　continual　presence　of　God　and　of　His　greatness　and　omniscience。　So　he
resorted　to　falsehood　to　conceal　his　guilt。

Again　the　Lord　said　to　Cain；　〃What　hast　thou　done？　The　voice　of　thy
brother's　blood　crieth　unto　Me　from　the　ground。〃　God　had　given　Cain　an
opportunity　to　confess　his　sin。　He　had　had　time　to　reflect。　He　knew　the
enormity　of　the　deed　he　had　done；　and　of　the　falsehood　he　had　uttered　to
conceal　it；　but　he　was　rebellious　still；　and　sentence　was　no　longer
deferred。　The　divine　voice　that　had　been　heard　in　entreaty　and　admonition
pronounced　the　terrible　words：　〃And　now　art　thou　cursed　from　the　earth；
which　hath　opened　her　mouth　to　receive　thy　brother's　blood　from　thy　hand。
When　thou　tillest　the　ground；　it　shall　not　henceforth　yield　unto　thee　her
strength；　a　fugitive　and　a　vagabond　shalt　thou　be　in　the　earth。〃

78


Notwithstanding　that　Cain　had　by　his　crimes　merited　the　sentence　of　death；　a
merciful　Creator　still　spared　his　life；　and　granted　him　opportunity　for
repentance。　But　Cain　lived　only　to　harden　his　heart；　to　encourage　rebellion
against　the　divine　authority；　and　to　become　the　head　of　a　line　of　bold；
abandoned　sinners。　This　one　apostate；　led　on　by　Satan；　became　a　tempter　to
others；　and　his　example　and　influence　exerted　their　demoralizing　power；
until　the　earth　became　so　corrupt　and　filled　with　violence　as　to　call　for
its　destruction。

In　sparing　the　life　of　the　first　murderer