Genesis 4:8 contains the account of Cain murdering his brother Abel. This is the first death in Scripture and reveals something significant about death and violence.
If you have been listening to my podcast for the past year, you may recall that as we were working our way through Genesis 3, I kept mentioning the six foundational and revolutionary truths from Genesis 2, 3, and 4. We looked at the first 5 of these, and then I haven’t really mentioned too much more about them. So maybe you were thinking, “Hey! What about the sixth?”
Well, that is what we are finally getting to today. Genesis 4:8 contains the sixth and final revolutionary and foundational truth. Understanding this will help you understand the Bible, God, yourself, your relationships, politics, economics, history, and pretty much everything else that goes on in the world.
The Text of Genesis 4:8
Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
In this discussion of Genesis 4:8 we look at:
- The murder of Abel by Cain
- Why the first death in Scripture is a fratricide
- The sixth foundational and revolutionary truth from Genesis 2–4
- What Genesis 4:8 teaches us about God, ourselves, Scripture, history, politics, economics, and pretty much everything else in life.
Resources:
- Become a Member of RedeemingGod.com
- Myers, The Atonement of God
- Subscribe and Leave a Review on iTunes
Downloadable Podcast Resources
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Nunc says
Thank you, Jeremy!
In hearing this episode, It just struck me what it means when Jesus says: “I am the way, the truth and the life”. The way He lived is the way. This is the life. And this is the truth. This is who God is.
Also, a passage like Matthew 5 becomes now clear(er).
To live now on The Way might (will) eventually lead to bearing one’s cross and being killed, the same way it happened to Jesus.
This is the freedom in Gal 5:1, that we are free to rule over sin, and not sin over us.
I believe there are even more passages in the Bible that shine in a new light now… This is really liberating. Thank God and thank you again!