A couple months ago, I was reading the fourth chapter of Genesis and I got tripped up on the part where Abel gets killed by his brother. My burning question was, “If Abel was in good standing with God, why wasn’t he protected or at least warned about the wrath of his brother?” Why didn’t God save Abel? 

Is there a clue, or indication why God didn’t act? Earlier, in chapter three, their parents, Adam and Eve, started down the path of rebellion by eating forbidden fruit. They were punished by getting expelled from the garden where they would no longer have access to the Tree of Life. God didn’t interfere with them either; he let them sin and allowed them face the consequences of their actions.

Cain followed in their rebellion by choosing his own path, bringing an offering of fruit rather than of animals, as God had required. Then when faced with rejection, instead of modifying his behavior, Cain acts out, perhaps even trying to punish God by killing his favored son. Similar to the incident in the garden, God arrived later with a question. “Where is your brother?” Cain throws it back in his face, “Am I my brother‘s keeper?”

God tells him that Abel’s blood is crying out from the ground to him, and that the Earth itself will reject Cain’s futher efforts as a farmer. Cain is now afraid. Even though it would be just for God to take Cain’s life or allow others to, God extends his mercy by marking him so that no one will touch him. God saves Cain.

My conclusion is that Abel did not need saving because he was already in a right relationship with God.  It was Cain that needed saving.

Like Cain, we may see negative feedback as a punishment, but it’s how we deal with things under poor circumstances that matters. It’s not our mistakes that condemn us, but our follow up. Cain could have made an effort to bring a better offering, but he dug in. 

When we find ourselves outside of God’s favor, we can alter our behavior, or double down and punish those around us. The first time he sins Cain is unrepentant, but the second time he begs God for mercy. Cain is given mercy, not because he deserves it, but because God is merciful and his justice often looks different than what we expect.