CURSE

I just noticed something in Genesis. When Adam sinned, God cursed the GROUND. When Cain sinned, God cursed HIM. (Below Genesis 3:17 and 4:11) What do you suppose the reason was for that? One thing that occurs to me is that even both had sinned against God, Cain had the added offense of sinning against another person. He murdered his brother.

Even though a sin against God is much more serious than one against another human, there is no “personal” harm done. Adam had offended God’s person, but he could not actually "injure” Him. But Cain had taken the life of another bearer of God’s image.

That seems to be a theme in Scripture. The offender is responsible for making restitution. The penalty was “eye for eye, tooth for tooth.” One who steals paid back three or four times what he took. But for personal injuries that were life altering, such as murder and adultery the only equivalent price would be death. The life or innocence cannot be recouped by any payment. So it boiled down to “life for life.”

Even in this we see God’s mercy and grace. An offense against God’s holiness is far more egregious than that against a person, even if it results in death. But God graciously will forgive one who offends His Person. But even God cannot forgive an offense against another person. That person was the offended party and is ultimately the only one who can absolve the offender.

Since the victim is dead, he cannot offer this absolution. Likewise, adultery “murders” a marriage and no amount of restitution can resurrect it. It can be overcome, as with the story of Hosea, but the damage is lifelong and indelibly marks both lives. (Or even all three: husband, wife, offender.)

We think back to Paul’s comments in Romans 6. Since sin leads to a display of grace, Paul asks if we should sin more to multiply grace. His answer is very subdued and reserved. NOT! M`e genoito! That has been variously translated as:  "By no means!" Or, as it is literally in the Greek, "May it never be!" Absolutely not. King James Version sounds horrified: "God forbid!" Phillips seems to catch this same note of horror: "What a ghastly thought!

Even if we can observe God’s grace, we are admonished not to do so in not uncertain terms. Cain was not physically executed, but his “family” died. He was estranged from his parents, family, and ultimately God. The cost of sin is high, and sometimes I, and I suspect, we, need to be reminded how expensive it is.

God graciously delineated the 10 commandments to guide us in our relationships with Him and our fellow man. “Love the Lord your God and your neighbor as yourself.” That is a good way to avoid the “curse.”






3:17 Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; 
Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it All the days of your life.

4:11 Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.