Adam's Heart - Adam's Words v. Cain's Words (3)

Comparing Adam and Eve's words with Cain's words will give us insight into Adam's potential motives for speaking Genesis 3:12. Since we already know that Adam spoke truth in Genesis 3:12, let's start with Cain.

Cain did not speak in agreement with God's testimony as recorded in Genesis 4:1-10. Instead, he lied to God when he said "I do not know" in Genesis 4:9. Cain also did not list the events that lead to Cain's actions. Instead, Cain responds to God's question, "Where is Abel your brother?" with the QUESTION, "Am I my brother's keeper?" Cain questioned God's justification for asking His question in the first place. This is not humility. Zacharias also learned this the hard way in Luke 1:18.

Cain demonstrates the pride of refusing to give God that which God seeks. This is the very definition of scoffing, Proverbs 13:1, 15:12, 21:23-24. The result for Cain was God actually used the word "cursed" in God's pronouncement of consequences found in Genesis 4:11. God makes this very clear distinction between Cain's consequences and the consequences given to Adam and Eve. God cursed the ground when Adam disobeyed, but God cursed Cain when Cain scoffed. Grace was given to Adam but hatred was shown to Cain. You will need to use the biblical definition of hatred provided by Isaac to understand that last claim.

Adam, Eve and Cain verbally answered God after God confronted each of them concerning their actions. But, God produced two completely different responses. That is why it is written that wise men learn from reproof, Hebrews 12:11 and fools scoff at it, Proverbs 1. It is the confession of sins which agree with God's judgment of our actions that humbles us in the sight of God. Check it out in the context for these verses:

Now while Ezra was praying and making confession, weeping and prostrating himself before the house of God, a very large assembly, men, women and children, gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept bitterly. Ezra 10:1In short, God made a clear distinction between how God treated Adam and Eve verses how God treated Cain. Adam was left to toil with sweat and tears in order to eat, but he was not completely cut off from the fruit of the earth. Cain, on the other hand, was removed from the fruit of the earth both at the point in time of the murder and later when his lineage was removed by the flood. Since God does not show partiality, we CANNOT assume that Adam blamed God just because the words in Genesis 3:12 on the surface appear to be translated as blame towards God.

Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you. James 4:9-10

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. James 5:16

If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. (Remember Cain?) If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. (What did Cain do again?) 1 John 1:6-10

Now take a look at what a sincere repentance is as described in 2 Chronicles 34:27. This is the repentance that is taught by John the Baptist, Matthew 3:3, Mark 1:3, Luke 3:4, and the apostle James in James 5:16 as the way back into God's kingdom or into the presence of God. Even the thief on the cross gave a similar declaration. The writer of 2 Chronicles 7:14 said the same thing. Hence, God raises up the countenance of the humble through joyful gratitude for God's salvation. This is why King David wrote:

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. Psalms 51:10-12

Since it is clear that God raises the human countenance when man humbles himself with confession then, we must ask if Adam humbled himself before God when Adam spoke Genesis 3:12. It is entirely possible Genesis 3:12 was intended to communicate humility. For example: Adam could have, with his head bowed low, been thinking like {this}?

{Father, you were so gracious.} The woman whom You gave to be with me, {I'm such a wretch}, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.

Remember, many times humans do not say everything they are thinking.

Furthermore, there is a trend in the Bible where humble people refer to either themselves or other sinners with descriptive phrases like “ruler of the world,” “son of man.” This trend lends itself quite well to the humility of covering over someone's guilt, a behavior that evidences the existence of love. Since we know that the sons do and say what they see the father do and say, John 5:19, is it too hard to believe that Jesus picked this trend up from Adam's reference to Eve in Genesis 3:12?

Adam's thoughts, by sovereign design, were withheld from us so we must compare God's actions in response to Adam's words to determine what was actually in Adam's heart. God knows the heart, Jeremiah 17:9, and responds to human sincerity accordingly, Jeremiah 17:10. He does not change, Malachi 3:6, and He is smart enough to recognize Adam's sincerity or lack thereof.

God's response was simple. Adam and Eve were spared any form of a “curse” from God that dreadful day. They did not die, i.e. get cursed, as God said in Genesis 2:17. Instead, God's salvation came in the form of a curse upon the ground, Genesis 3:17, from which Adam was taken. This is the first substitutiary sacrifice in the entire Bible. God cursed the father of all dust, the ground, instead of cursing Adam to death. This one act by God is why Abraham knew that God would provide HIMSELF as a sacrifice in Genesis 22:8. God never changes and nor does He ever show partiality.

Copyright © 2010 by Diane Pebley
(All rights reserved, no use granted without the express written permission of the author, Diane Pebley)