Lesson Three: Cain, His Works Were Evil
Lesson Text: Genesis 4:1-24
Lesson Aim: Learn important life lessons from the experiences of Cain
Memory Verse: 1 John 3:11-12 NKJV
For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another, 12 not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.
Lesson Readings:
- Genesis 4:1-24
- Hebrews 11:4 NKJV By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.
- 1 John 3:12
- Jude 1:10-12 NKJV But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. 12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots.
Fact Questions:
- What do Adam and Eve call their firstborn son?
Genesis 4:1 NKJV Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from the LORD.” What does his name mean? - What vocation in life did Cain choose to follow?
Genesis 4:2 NKJV Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. - What did Cain bring as an offering to the Lord?
Genesis 4:3 NKJV And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. - How did God receive the offering which Cain brought?
Genesis 4:4-5 NKJV Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. - What was Cain’s reaction to God’s treatment of his sacrifice?
Genesis 4:5 - What did the Lord tell Cain to do?
Genesis 4:6-7 NKJV So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
What did Cain do instead?
Genesis 4:8 NKJV 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. - What punishment did God put upon Cain for his sin?
Genesis 4:11-12 NKJV So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth.” - What was the “mark of Cain”?
Genesis 4:15 NKJV And the LORD said to him, “Therefore, whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him. - What became of Cain?
Genesis 4:16-18 NKJV Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. 17 And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch. And he built a city, and called the name of the city after the name of his son – Enoch. 18 To Enoch was born Irad; and Irad begot Mehujael, and Mehujael begot Methushael, and Methushael begot Lamech.
Thought Questions:
- John says Cain “was of that Wicked One” & some had gone “the way of Cain.” What does this mean and how does it happen?
- What character traits, good or bad, do you find in Cain?
- How did Cain’s sin affect himself and his children? How has it affected men today?
- What is the answer to the question: “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
- What is the one great lesson in Cain’s life for you?
