Regarding God’s expected end for the Gentiles: God the Father, not being willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9), gave his only begotten Son to prove his love to the world (John 3:16). Jesus Christ, God’s Son, gave his life on Calvary by the shedding of his blood — what Isaiah calls the pouring out of his soul (Isaiah 53:12) — that men might know the forgiveness of their sin and fellowship with the Father. Jesus died for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2).

God’s expectation was to receive the ends of the world. Indeed, he calls out: Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is none else (Isaiah 45:22). From ancient time, only the Lord, who is a just God and a Saviour, has declared his great salvation (Isaiah 45:21). But the ends of the world have not received him. Consider Cain.

After Adam sinned, God made an offering and, by that sacrifice, provided a covering for Adam and for Eve (Genesis 3:21; Revelation 13:8). As time progresses, we discover that Adam had a separate place to offer that same sacrifice, probably once a year, as with the Passover. Abel, Adam’s second son, brings a firstling of his flock, as he had seen his father Adam offer. Cain brings an offering of the fruit of the ground. God has respect for Abel’s sacrifice, for it was the correct offering for the covering of their sin. Unto Cain and his offering, the Lord had no respect (Genesis 4:1-5).

God, who so loved the world, loved Cain. He speaks to Cain. He gives Cain direction. God offers Cain the opportunity to do as Abel and Adam had done. The Lord is tender toward Cain: If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin liveth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him (Genesis 4:7).

From Genesis 4:7, we learn that there was a doorway into the area where this sacrifice was offered, as with the Tabernacle (Leviticus 17:1-5). Since Abel brought a sacrifice of the flock, we know that the expression sin liveth at the door refers to a lamb. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The Bible tells us that God made Christ, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might me made the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

God tells us that the sacrifice for sin has a desire unto Cain. The Lord is no longer speaking of the animal in question. He is revealing a wondrous truth regarding Christ, who goes to Calvary out of love for man.

We learn something else most remarkable from Genesis 4:7 — through Christ’s desire is to save us, God, in his Sovereignty, has declared that man shall rule over sin’s sacrifice! To quote the word of God: Unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him (Genesis 4:7). Cain ruled. He never offered that lamb.

Cain’s resentment and pride drives him to slay Abel. God again speaks to Cain. The Lord reveals Cain’s punishment for his sin, for all sin comes with a price. Cain pleads for the sparing of his life, and God grants it. Then we read these sad words: And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord (Genesis 4:).

Though Cain knew the place of sacrifice and the offering needed for the covering of his sin, he never visits there again. He takes his wife, one of his sisters, and builds a city named after his firstborn son. When we read the list of the names that flow from Cain’s loins (Genesis 4:17-24), we must ask: Who bears the responsibility for their spiritual blindness?

From this point, God can no longer expect all the earth to come unto him, though his expectation for the world has not changed: God will make all things new and usher in Christ’s everlasting kingdom for whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord (Romans 10:6-13). God is calling out a Bride by one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13). Through repentance of our dead works and faith toward God (Hebrews 6:1), we now have that Spirit, the Spirit of Christ. He dwells in us (1 Corinthians 6:19; Romans 8:1-10) and, externally, seals us (Ephesians 1:9-14) unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).

To be continued…