The Genesis of Murder

Read Genesis Chapter 4

Genesis is a book that documents the first moments of human failure after creation—the first lie, the first deception, the first rebellion, the first sin, the first sacrifice, and the first murder. Each event shapes humanity’s ongoing struggle between obedience and disobedience, faith and rebellion.

Cain and Abel: A Deeper Story

The story of Cain and Abel is as well-known as Adam and Eve’s, yet it carries profound lessons that go beyond the obvious jealousy and violence. It serves as a powerful reminder of faith, obedience, and the continuous relationship between God and humanity.

Even after the fall, God did not abandon mankind—His presence remained. The story of Cain and Abel reveals that despite separation from Eden, people still had a choice in how they approached God.

Beyond Jealousy: The Root of Cain’s Actions

The divide between Cain and Abel was deeper than simple envy—it was about faith vs. empty obligation.

· Abel’s offering was given with genuine gratitude and faith, reflecting a heart aligned with God.

· Cain’s offering, however, was done as a formality, without sincerity—an action without true devotion.

Cain’s rebellion against God’s correction led him to reject divine guidance and choose his own path, ultimately leading to the first recorded murder in the Bible. His punishment—banishment and separation from God —was a direct consequence of his defiance, rather than reflection or repentance.

David Jeremiah’s commentary highlights: "Cain’s response to God hints at why God did not respect Cain and his offering. Those who become angry when corrected reveal selfish hearts. Cain rejected God’s authority by ignoring His invitation to make the right choice."

Applying These Lessons Today

Cain’s mistakes mirror modern struggles in faith and integrity. To avoid similar patterns in our own lives, we should:

· Offer to God with joy and gratitude – Give willingly from what we earn, not as an afterthought. If giving to God is a burden, it’s better not to give at all.

· Accept God’s correction humbly – Do not reject His authority, wisdom, or discipline when faced with truth we may not like. Accept responsibility for our mistakes. 

· Reflect God’s presence in our daily lives – If we are honest in our relationship with God, it will show in how we treat others. Integrity in faith leads to integrity in work, relationships, and decision-making. 

· Avoid rebellion in everyday actions & Accept responsibility – Misusing resources, rejecting correction, shifting blame, always criticizing (without a solution) or escaping responsibility through lies are signs of a rebellious and weak character—echoing Cain’s own downfall.

Cain’s story is a powerful reminder that obedience, humility, faith and sincerity are essential in a faithful walk with God. 

The Genesis of Deception

Genesis 3:1 – "Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?"

Genesis 3:4-5 – "The serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die! For God knows that when you eat from it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’"

Does Satan lie or deceive? Interesting question so let us understand it and the difference. 

Satan primarily deceives though lying is one of his tools. Lying and deceiving are closely related and often used interchangeably, but they have distinct nuances.

Lying involves making a false statement with the intention to mislead. Deception, on the other hand, misleads without necessarily lying - through omission of facts, or creating misleading statements which are not necessarily lies. It often exploits the other person's assumptions, expectations, or cognitive biases. It is more subtle—it involves twisting truth, creating doubt, and leading people astray (Revelation 12:9).

In short, deception is mostly based on an aspect of the truth, making it plausible, and difficult to detect.

That is exactly what the serpent did to Eve in the Garden of Eden. Satan didn’t just lie outright—he twisted God’s words to make disobedience seem appealing (Genesis 3:1-5).

He played on Gods command and advice, quoted God (as a question) and gave a plausible, attractive reason, at the same time not telling Eve of the consequences.

Deceiving is Satan's strategy. He does not go around making random false statements but uses our own weaknesses and plays on them.

Deception is a wider concept than simply uttering falsehoods. Satan's methods go beyond direct lies to include:

-Manipulation: Twisting God's words and intentions, as he did with Eve in the Garden of Eden. He didn't outright say God was lying, but he reinterpreted God's command and motives.

-Creating Illusions: Planting ideas and perceptions in people's minds so that we think we are the author and therefore start justifying it, even though it may be false. This procedure is called auto suggestion.

-Exploiting Weaknesses: Targeting vulnerabilities and desires to lead people astray. 

-Half-Truths: Mixing elements of truth with falsehoods, making the lie more convincing.

For these reasons deception is much more dangerous than lies - because it is much more difficult to identify, and Satan excels at it. It speaks to his cunning, his strategic approach, and the ultimate goal of causing people to embrace falsehood and reject truth.

What can we do about it?

For starters we need to understand the "why" and the "how" of Satan's deception.

Why does Satan deceive people?

Satan is the enemy of all righteousness and doesn’t want anyone to follow the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. He wants us to be miserable like he is (see 2 Nephi 2:27).

His target is God and Christ and their mission, and his way is through us people. The weaker and more fearful or impatient we are, the more we collaborate with Satan to defeat God's purpose. Think about that.

How does he deceive?

Eric B. Murdoch says - "Satan loves it when we feel discouraged. He wants us to believe that whatever is getting us down will be around permanently. But that’s just not true".

He works relentlessly to confuse us to believe that good is evil and evil is good (see Isaiah 5:20). To see examples of this simple fact, look around you and then find out what the Bible says about what you have seen.

Finally, how do we overcome Satan?

How do we not allow ourselves to become his tools to be used and thrown (you know where)?

First, we must decide in all honesty whether we want to become his tool. Somewhere deep down, are we willing to compromise, just a little, to achieve or attain something, just a little and willing to bend the rules, just a little? Is there anything that could make us give up on God, even for a brief moment or a day. Be honest. If the honest answer is yes, then we first need to work on correcting our own mindset and priorities. 

Second, focus on Jesus Christ: Jesus declared, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Anchoring ourselves in Christ and his teachings is paramount.

We can't do this alone. Seek the Holy Spirit's guidance: The Holy Spirit is called the "Spirit of truth" (John 16:13) and helps believers discern truth from falsehood, even within ourselves.

finally, do we truly believe we are on level or more powerful than Satan by ourselves? Sorry. This is spiritual warfare, not the kind we read about in books, where strategy and plans come in handy and tanks and weapons and protective gear are required.

Being a spiritual war, we need to put on spiritual Armour, and we need spiritual weaponry. Therefore, put on the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18): This passage describes spiritual armor to withstand spiritual attacks, including deception. 

Use the Bible as your scale and weapon to refute lies and stand firm against deception, just as Jesus did when tempted in the wilderness (Matthew 4).

Lastly, understand that he makes us believe in the concept of 'me first' - that I and my so-called happiness is more important than people and even God. (For example, certain things which were completely taboo in the past have been justified today and included in the mainstream as "normal".)

When we prioritize our own desires above everything else, including people and Gods word, justified in our own minds, we are opening up ourselves to deception. The desire is ours; the justification and prioritization are obligingly provided by Satan.

To counter this, we need our daily dose of the spirit. We need the "spirit of God" to help us through it, giving us the power to see through deception, by staying rooted in prayer, scripture, and discernment. 

The Genesis of Fear (and what we can do about it)

Fear can overtake every human being - Satan ensured that. But the difference between a believer and others is what happens after that. The response to fear.

The believer falls back on the Word of God, prayer and sharing with the Lord, and then experiences a calmness and peace of God. 

On the other hand, a non-believer gets into a frenzy, panics, gets into fits of rage, reacts, may scream, may abuse etc., finally succumb to it and lose their self-control.

This peace that true believers experience is beyond our understanding as the word says. It can only be experienced. This peace is not a delirium. It does not ignore the reality of danger but believes that he will overcome - because he has God on his side.

Fear entered the human existence after Adam and Eve disobey God in the Garden of Eden, as described in Genesis 3:10. They likely feared Gods reaction to their disobedience.

But today, we have the peace of God available to us - a divine assurance of His presence through it all.

God's peace stands as an unshakable foundation for believers. It is not merely the absence of trouble but a deep assurance. The Bible says -

Philippians 4:7 – "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

The peace God gives is different from what the world offers—it is lasting, unbreakable, and rooted in His presence.

John 14:27 – "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

When we place our trust in God, fear loses its grip, and His peace fills our hearts.

Isaiah 26:3 – "You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you."

The Bible often reminds believers that fear is not from God, but rather a response to uncertainty or difficulties. Instead of succumbing to fear, scripture encourages trusting in God’s strength. But that means you have to believe Him first.

Adam’s story offers a deep insight into the concept of faith and human nature. While he knew God personally, lived in His presence, and was given direct instructions, his choice to disobey reflects our own relationship with God. We worship Him, we pray to Him, but do we really trust Him through all our troubles? Do we rest in His promises?

The Genesis of Sin and Atonement

                                             

Read Genesis Chapter 3

“Sin always produces the same result - separation from God”. - David Jeremiah

That Adam sinned (as did his wife) is a given. Let's think about what was Adam’s Sin? Disobeying God. What caused it? Symbolically speaking it was Gluttony (wanting/eating what you shouldn't) and avarice, or greed, in desiring wisdom and power (ambition).

Adam's sin has been inherited in us as well. In our greed, sometimes do we not overlook God and what He has said and advised?

They had the best of the best in every way, but their ambition to become what they were not meant to be brought about their downfall.

How did it happen? Presenting of Deception and half-truths by Satan (which he still does); rationalization by Eve, of what God said to suit her, thereby twisting and finally rejecting what God actually said. We do the same even today.

David Jeremiah explains the seriousness, consequences and effects of that sin (which hold true even today) in the Jeremiah Bible and we quote as below –

“when Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command and fell into rebellion, they lost three God given privileges:

1. Their intimate communion was broken: Adam and Eve hid from God

2. (Prior to Sin, they knew God as He is. Their minds were not clouded by falsehoods and half truths.) “ When they believed Satan, their knowledge was corrupted and their understanding of God was damaged. What God had said became twisted in their minds.

3. Perhaps most importantly, instead of knowing life as they had once known it with God, they began to know death.”

Please note that while we are physically alive, separation from God brings an immediate effect: Spiritual death. Which is why Jesus said to Nicodemus that one would need to be born again. Again, a truth of today.

What started out as a beautiful journey for man, ended in tragedy. Though God did not curse Adam and Eve like He did the serpent (He had already blessed them), judgement was pronounced. A judgement carried forward till this day.

What happened afterwards is as significant and a fore runner of the need of Jesus.

Adam and Eve tried to cover their sin and themselves, but their efforts were insufficient. God's act of providing proper clothing (covering them with animal skin) shows that reconciliation with God requires His initiative and provision, not just human effort.

The "garments of skin" involved the sacrifice of animals. This is the first instance in the Bible where blood was shed, and it foreshadows the concept of atonement through sacrifice for sin.

Just as the animal's skin covered Adam and Eve's physical nakedness, later in the Bible, animal sacrifices would symbolize the covering of sin through the shedding of blood. This ultimately points forward to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sins of humanity and salvation. A sacrifice provided by God, for us, to remove our sin. This is also known as the "proto evangel" - the earliest announcement of the gospel message in Scripture (Gen 3:15). It is not only a curse on the serpent, but also a ray of hope for humanity.

Thus, Genesis is not only a historical account of creation but also the reason for what happened thousands of years later - when we crucified Jesus.

(In fact, in the Greek version (and some others) of Genesis 3:15 uses the term "he and his " indicating one man (Jesus) not the entire posterity of eve).

Just as God initiated reconciliation then, He also initiated reconciliation through Jesus years later, making a full and final atonement.

Let us remember everything that Adam lost in the fall is exactly what people lack today without Jesus Christ.

When Satan Laughs in Delight

In the 70s there was a very famous song called American Pie. It was a chart buster and remains popular till this day. A line in the song is very thought provoking and it says, "I saw Satan laughing in delight". 

Strange, isn't it? But think about it. What makes Satan delighted. Do you and I delight Satan?

We spend so much time on developing our lives to delight God and trying to follow it, we seldom stop to think what about our life delights Satan. Let's think about it today.

Possibly because we are a material society, we believe what we see, therefore we have a far-off belief in the spiritual wars we face and hence don't take the trouble to know our enemy - Satan. Big mistake because then we severely underestimate the tactics and character of our enemy.

In the ancient Chinese military classic, The Art of War (attributed to Sun Tzu), it is commented, "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained, you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle."

Let us then prepare for battle and understand what makes Satan happy, because that makes God sad.

Delight no. 1

Blake Labaree says - "If we, being friends of God, can be moved against Him in action, word, or thought, the Devil will have accomplished something that he could never do by his own hand, chiefly, the disgrace of the child of God bringing reproach on God’s name". Most common reason: our pride.

Delight no. 2

Being unforgiving or holding a grudge against our fellow men. Gossiping, backbiting, judging. Common enough?

Delight no. 3

Giving in to Satan's pressures. Very common. We try and take the easy was out without pausing to think if that is the way God would want. Remember, Satan can cause a lot of pressure, so much so that we break and give in and turn away from our goal of delighting God our father or doing His work. This pressure can be at work, financial mountains, personal sickness, anything to break us. We are not the only ones. Remember 1Th 2:18 "Therefore we wanted to come to you--even I, Paul, time and again--but Satan hindered us". If he can hinder Paul, who are we?

To hinder is to impede. To not let it happen by cutting off the way. Satan is all about cutting off our way to the destination God planned for us.

Delight no. 4

Our will and way over Gods will and way. A very common act that most of us do without a second thought. Let's call it "unconscious rebellion". This state is so actively promoted by the devil and his cohort that it spares none. He uses temptation, fear, pride, ego as well as a fond memory of a past sin even though one asked for forgiveness. All this and more and every other weakness of man are in his arsenal.

And in the midst of all of this is our tendency to sin, "idolate", hate, prejudice, and judge.

How can we overcome?

Corrie Ten Boom, a holocaust survivor, who's story we talked about in an earlier post (you Can read it here) has this to say-

"When a Christian shuns fellowship with other Christians, the devil smiles. When he stops studying the Bible, the devil laughs. When he stops praying, the devil shouts for joy.”

These are reasons as well as the antidote to overcome the poison of Satan. Three very vital practices that every child of God can employ: Fellowship. Study of the Word and Prayer.

Today, can we identify areas of our life which delight Satan? Can we become actively conscious of them and use Corrie Ten Booms advice to overcome all those weaknesses which delight the devil.

A very relevant sermon on how we can overcome was given by Pastor Jolly Raj, of the Bethel Methodist Church in India, and we strongly recommend you hear it here.

What part of the word did you put into practice today?

Joshua 1: 7-9

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

What part of God's word did you put into practice today?

You have read your Bible, said your prayers, meditated and possibly taken notes as well. Of all God's word that we read and quote, which ones have we actually put into practice? It is important because that "practice" is called obedience. And that is what the quoted verse is talking about.

Second, let us not interpret Gods word, because we often interpret it to suit ourselves. For example, a lie is a lie. It's not a small lie, nor a big lie, nor a harmless lie, and so on. As the quoted scripture says, " do not turn from the word to the left or to the right".

The motivation to "bend" the word is often fear. Following Gods word has its own responsibilities which can overwhelm us. For example, telling the truth about something may get us into temporary trouble or discomfort. Most people who get pulled up for speeding will deny and argue, to avoid the penalty. Again, the quoted verse encourages us to not let fear overcome our resolve to obey. For as long as we are willing to obey, we have God with us, each step of the way.

The difference between the man who built his house on the rock and the one who built it on sand is essentially this: both heard His word. One obeyed and one did not.