Mark of Cain

Genesis 4:13-15

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹³ And Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear! ¹⁴ Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me.” ¹⁵ 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.

 Have you ever known that you deserved punishment for your wrong doing?  Have you ever blown it and thought I deserve exactly what I get? Has the realization of your sin been so strong that your heart broke? 

Cain could not have been more guilty and he had no one to blame but himself.  He had killed a quarter of the population.  In a jealous rage he struck out at his brother and at God. But the story is really not about Cain, its about God.

We see that God is just.    Cain's sin was not going to go unpunished.  I as a believer in Jesus can take rest in knowing that every sin will be accounted for.  I have no need to seek vengeance. Why? Because sin is paid for in one of two ways: The person will pay for their sin by an eternity of suffering in hell or Jesus paid for their sin on the cross.   Either way I can love my enemies because I know justice will be served.

We see that God is merciful.  Cain was guilty and wasn't even repentant for the crime he committed.  God would have been justified by killing Cain and when Cain explained that he feared for his life God could have said you should have thought about that when you killed your brother or so what you killed your brother why should I protect you.  Instead God placed His holy protection upon Cain heading to his cry.  His protection was so thorough that He would have vengeance on anyone who killed Cain.

God further showed His mercy through the cross.  Your sin is not so great that the mark of Jesus' cross can not protect you from the judgement that is to come.  Cry out to God for mercy and you will receive it.