Crouching at the Door

The story continues and Adam and Eve have two sons -- Cain and Abel.  The story tells us that the firstborn son is name Cain (Cayin in the Hebrew).  This name means "I have acquired".  It appears as though, through the name, Eve is acknowledging that she has learned a lesson from her previous experience in the garden.  One could say that in the last story, Eve became obsessed with her own creativity and refused to trust God's greater story -- that He had already created a good creation.  The name of Cain seems to imply that she recognizes that fact that she is not the one who created her son, but instead she has "acquired" him.  She even says in first verse of chapter four, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man."

Tempting to launch into a deep word study of the name Cayin, but for the sake of brevity, let's move on.

It's important to note that, in Hebrew thought, the name of an individual describes their essence.  Your name is who you are.  So, Eve naming her son Cain is more than just a statement about what she has learned.  It is also a statement about who Cain will become.  What will acquiring have to do with Cain's identity and life struggle?  This will be crucial as we continue listening to the story.

The story tells us that Abel is a shepherd and Cain is a farmer -- a typical place for an ancient Sumerian tell about creation to begin.  Two of the most ancient professions of humanity.  We are told that they both bring offerings to God and that God takes a liking to Abel's offering and doesn't particularly care for Cain's. 

That is all we are told.
This is important; as most westerners immediately want to begin speculating as to what was wrong with the sacrifice.  Speculation that's not based in historical context is always dangerous.  The important thing here is that the author doesn't tell us why the sacrifice isn't as acceptable.  There may or may not be hints within the Text as to why, but we need to be careful that we don't miss the details of what IS in the Text.  Apparently, the author does not want us to fixate on the content of the sacrifice, but the motivations of Cain (psst... remember his name?  That isn't just fluffy detail that is insignificant...).

Also, it's very important to note what the author does NOT say.
He does NOT say why the sacrifice is less acceptable.
He does NOT say that God is mad.  Or displeased.  Or even frustrated.
It does NOT say that Cain has sinned.
It simply says that two guys brought two sacrifices and God liked one more than the other.  He does NOT chastise Cain or reprimand him at all; in fact, the story proceeds much differently.

Now, pause in the story and let one problem sink in.  Just like in Genesis 1 and just like in Genesis 2-3, this story has problems -- things that just aren't right.  To use an illustration from Rabbi David Fohrman, what kind of a dad would have two sons and when the two sons brought two pictures to him -- one clearly more desirable than the other -- would make his opinion of the two pictures known?  Wouldn't any father acknowledge the loving motivations of the two sons and treat both pictures evenly, placing them both on the refrigerator door?

What kind of a God are we dealing with here?
Some people would say this is what is wrong with religion.

OR, is the author trying to draw us into that very question?  What kind of God are we dealing with here?

I wonder if Cain's name has anything to do with this?

Now, the story tells us that Cain is concerned about God's liking of his brother's sacrifice and that "his face was downcast".  Again, pause button.  Why is Cain upset?  Is he upset about his sacrifice?  His response will be to kill his brother (spoiler alert), so apparently it has to do with Abel.  Is it that God likes Abel more?  But why does he have to kill the brother?  What about his name -- "I have acquired"?

Does Cain have an innate awareness that his entire livelihood comes at the blessing of God?  As a farmer, does he know how badly he needs the sun and rain, things that he knows he has no control over?  Things that he knows he is at the mercy of God to receive?  In order to ACQUIRE, doesn't he need God's blessing?

You see, his brother Abel is a threat.  If Abel keeps giving good gifts, than he will likely begin to steal God's favor.  At this point, Cain would be in danger of no longer acquiring good things.  Abel must be removed from the equation.

But God comes and insists that the exact opposite is true.  His response to Cain is one of my favorite questions of God in the Text: "Cain, why are you angry?  Why is your face downcast?  If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?"

God tells Cain he is just fine.  He doesn't like Abel more.  He doesn't like Cain less.  His evaluation of their offerings had no effect on their standing before Him.  If Cain simply lets it go and heads into tomorrow, he will be accepted.

He is already accepted.
He has everything that he needs.

Sound familiar?
It's almost like Genesis 1...

Cain is being invited to trust the story.  The same invitation that was issued to his parents is now being issued to him.  Apparently, even our mistakes and our shortcomings (dare I say even our sin), don't keep us from God's love and acceptance.  Cain is being invited to trust in God's love, to enter His rest, and let it go.  Write a new tomorrow.

And did you notice God's next statement right where we left off?  "If you don't do what's right, sin is crouching at your door.  It's desire is for you, but you must master it."  There's that idea of mastering your desires again.  Apparently, Cain is being invited to learn the very lesson his parents needed to learn.  You are not a beast.  You are made in the image of the God who knows when to say enough.  You can master your desires.

Don't be obsessed with your creativity Cain.  You will acquire.  God will take care of you.  Master your desires and your doubts about God's love for you.  Don't murder your brother because of your need to create -- to acquire.

We all know how the story ends, Cain kills his brother, refusing to trust the story and leading the narrative into tragedy.  He receives the consequences of his actions and then passes it down to his children.  Of course, there will be "another son" of Adam -- but now I'm getting into the next blog post...


Yet, the story begs us to make some basic observations.  Sometimes life hands us situations where what we have to offer is just simply not as good as it could be.  Sometimes we mess up.  Sometimes we flat out sin.  Sometimes we feel as though God's just not paying attention to us anymore and we begin to wonder if we're somehow dropping down the list of God's noticeables.

But God continues to insist that acceptance is ours.  He continues to invite us to trust His story and enter His place of rest for our souls.  He looks at our moments of personal frustration (even failures) and His words to Cain echo through the ages to our own ears: "Why are you angry?  Why is your face downcast?  Just do what's right RIGHT NOW.  Acceptance is yours.  Move on."

Trust the story.


**  Again, as will be true of much of my material on the Torah, Rabbi David Fohrman was a major shaper of my thinking and leader to almost all of the questions raised by the Text in Genesis.