Actions Beyond Eden – Part 1

We last saw humanity exiled from Eden, the Garden of God. So what will life look like outside? That’s what we’re taking a look into next. In like fashion, we’ll touch key points here, then work in separate posts on some details (or rabbit trails) found in this section of story.

The next scene in the story involves baby-making! God told humanity to multiply and that’s what we find—Adam and Eve have their sons Cain and Abel. And hey, Eve even acknowledges God’s help in being able to give birth!

Sibling Rivalry or Self-Interest

So time skips ahead and we’re immediately given what the sons do for work and then a scene in which offerings are made by them to God (we aren’t told that this was demanded either, but something on on humanity’s part perhaps?). Anyway, God acknowledges Abel’s offering but not Cain’s and so he becomes despondent. I mean, wouldn’t you?

But God does tell Cain that if things were all good between them, wouldn’t he get a favorable response? Beyond that, God can sense something lurking in the shadows of Cain’s thoughts and warns him that sin (portrayed as a predator animal), this selfish de-creation urge, wants to dominate his life and that he has a choice in responding to it. He can either harbor and nurture such dark, aggressive thoughts and emotions or listen to God’s voice in the matter. But…Cain doesn’t listen.

Cain gets his brother out in the field, attacks and kills him! That’s legit gutter. And we know this, because God (who isn’t around again when this happens…wink, wink) approaches Cain, asks him about Abel’s whereabouts and Cain just defiantly lies in response.

God lets him know that he was giving him a chance to confess, because he essentially says “Look! Abel’s blood is staining the ground, bruh!” So since Cain works with the ground, that ability will be cut off from him as his consequence.

Though we’re not told how Cain comes to his fearful conclusion concerning the consequence, he does grasp knowing good and evil, because his focus turns to how he’s afraid that the same thing will happen to himself.

And again, God shows mercy by covering Cain to protect him from others (whoever they are) who may also be tempted to commit murder as well. And then Cain’s exiled to the east of Eden, just like his parents…sigh.