When we last heard about Adam and Eve, what had happened?

 

• Because Adam and Eve did not follow God’s ways, they were now going to get sick, feel pain, and die eventually.

• God removed Adam and Eve from the garden and put powerful angels outside of the entrance to the garden. A flaming sword flashed back and forth, guarding the way to the Tree of Life.

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• Humans could not eat from the Tree of Life and live forever.

 

What do you think will happen next now that Adam and Eve are outside the garden?

 

This is a story about their two sons ...

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After leaving the garden, Adam and Eve had two sons named Cain and Abel. When they grew up, Cain became a farmer, and Abel became a shepherd, looking after sheep.

At harvest time, Cain brought to God a gift from what his farm produced, while Abel brought several of the very best lambs from his flock.

God accepted Abel and his offering of the lambs, but He did not accept Cain and his offering.

This made Cain very angry and upset. “Why are you so angry?” God asked Cain. “Why do you look so discouraged? You’ll be accepted if you do what’s right. But if you refuse to do what’s right, then watch out! Sin is crouching like a lion at your door, waiting to attack and destroy you, and you must bring it under control.”

Later, Cain suggested to his brother, Abel, “Let’s go out into the fields. . . .” While they were there, Cain attacked and killed his brother. This was the first murder described in the Bible.

Afterward, God asked Cain, “Where is your brother, Abel?”

“I don’t know!” Cain replied. “Am I supposed to keep track of him wherever he goes?”

But God said, “What have you done? Listen . . . your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! You have to leave this place and the ground you have dirtied by making your brother bleed here. Now it will not produce great crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be homeless, on the run, constantly wandering from place to place.”

Cain replied to God, “My punishment is more than I can handle! You have removed me from my land and from your presence; you have made me a wanderer, on the run. All who see me will try to kill me!”

God replied, “No! They will not kill you. Anyone who tries to hurt you will receive seven times your punishment.”
God put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him that they would be in trouble if they hurt him. Then Cain left God’s presence and traveled to the land east of the garden.