WEBVTT 00:00:01.120 --> 00:00:04.240 Welcome to the program Study in the Chapel. 00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:07.599 God's Word is supreme at Chapel Ministries. 00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:12.400 We consider it absolutely essential to a proper relationship with God. 00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:17.760 We study it, we love it, we rely on it every minute of every day. 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:22.960 The following program is an edited recording of the regular Bible studies we hold. 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:33.920 And we decided to share these with you in the hope that you too will be able to find inspiration, encouragement, and ultimately salvation through discovering Christ in Scripture. 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:37.600 Our intention is to travel all the way through the Bible. 00:00:37.759 --> 00:00:42.719 It will be a challenging journey, but one that will undoubtedly bring you to a decision. 00:00:42.960 --> 00:00:48.240 Through this study, you will be faced with either believing or rejecting what God has said to us. 00:00:48.479 --> 00:00:54.399 It is our intention to provide you with enough knowledge to make an informed decision about God and his word. 00:00:54.960 --> 00:01:04.879 We strongly encourage you to listen intently and diligently, because though at the moment you may not realize it, these things are truly a matter of life and death. 00:01:05.120 --> 00:01:09.359 In fact, these are matters of eternal life and eternal death. 00:01:09.680 --> 00:01:11.599 Never treat what God has said lightly. 00:01:11.760 --> 00:01:14.400 There's truly nothing more important to you. 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:19.040 Now join us as we seek God's will through his inspired word. 00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:26.560 We have spent the last couple of sessions looking at the offerings brought by Cain and Abel to God. 00:01:26.719 --> 00:01:30.159 We have one more thing to deal with before moving on. 00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:36.719 Let's read a few verses to help remind us of the context of this discussion. 00:01:36.879 --> 00:01:43.439 Always remember, context is crucial to any useful Bible study. 00:01:43.599 --> 00:01:49.120 Error and heresy are always the result of ignoring text. 00:01:49.359 --> 00:01:50.239 Context. 00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:52.319 Genesis 4, 3. 00:01:52.560 --> 00:02:00.000 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. 00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:05.920 And Abel he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. 00:02:06.079 --> 00:02:09.840 And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering. 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:26.080 I hope you remember or I hope you were present last time when we talked about how important it was that Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock, how important that was to God, and that's why God respected it. 00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:31.680 If you don't know what we're talking about, please check the website and see what we were talking about. 00:02:31.840 --> 00:02:34.080 It has everything to do with Christ. 00:02:34.319 --> 00:02:39.199 The only sacrifice that will please God is a blood sacrifice. 00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:41.439 That's why Abel's offering had respect. 00:02:41.599 --> 00:02:46.639 Verse 5, but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. 00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:50.560 And Cain was very wroth and his countenance fell. 00:02:50.800 --> 00:02:57.039 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth, and why is thy countenance fallen? 00:02:57.280 --> 00:03:01.360 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? 00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:11.759 And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door, and unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 00:03:12.159 --> 00:03:20.960 Now we've not yet talked about this last part of verse seven, primarily because it's rather enigmatic. 00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:29.439 I decided to get some of the other less difficult portions out of the way before trying to tackle this one. 00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:50.159 Now, as is usual with these less than straightforward passages, the tendency for some is to either ignore or invent, pretend it's not there, or attempt to explain it away with often thinly based theories. 00:03:50.319 --> 00:03:59.520 We'll avoid both paths and do our best to come up with a coherent explanation as best we can. 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:04.479 If thou dost well, shalt thou not be accepted. 00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:06.319 That part's not complicated. 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:07.280 We get that. 00:04:07.520 --> 00:04:12.479 As we said some time ago, this is talking about obedience. 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:15.520 Do as you're told, and you're in. 00:04:16.480 --> 00:04:30.160 But what did God mean when he said, If thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door, and unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 00:04:30.560 --> 00:04:41.680 Now, this is what the pulpit commentary calls a crux interpretatum, interpretum, interpretum, crux interpretum. 00:04:41.759 --> 00:04:42.959 I'm not great at Latin. 00:04:43.120 --> 00:04:44.800 Raised a Catholic, not good at Latin. 00:04:44.959 --> 00:04:45.680 Figure that one out. 00:04:45.920 --> 00:04:52.720 Crux interpretum, which loosely translates the torment of the interpreters. 00:04:52.879 --> 00:04:57.360 In other words, this is a tough nut to crack. 00:04:57.600 --> 00:05:25.360 Now, under normal circumstances, I would, as a part of the teaching, present a few of the possible theories, and then I would give you my impression of those theories, discuss what I agree with, explain the parts I don't agree with, and then in the end give my own opinion or interpretation or my idea as to what the meaning would be. 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:35.600 That's been our practice with some of the other challenging and even some of the not so challenging verses we've encountered in the past. 00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:40.079 I like to share what the academics say most of the time. 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:41.439 I think you can handle it. 00:05:41.600 --> 00:05:42.959 I think you're smart. 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:49.519 I don't think we should hide anything from those Christians that want to know God as best they can. 00:05:49.759 --> 00:06:05.199 However, since this is quite the crux interpretum, I think it best for me to skip to right, to skip right to what I think is going on here and then leave the rest to you. 00:06:05.439 --> 00:06:15.439 Listen, I feel like there's a real danger of debilitating confusion with this one, and I don't want this to distract us too much. 00:06:15.680 --> 00:06:26.639 Now, if you want more information than what I will be sharing tonight, please feel free, as always, to contact me and I'll pass on some guidance. 00:06:26.959 --> 00:06:31.839 So let's repeat our currently understudy verse. 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:35.680 We'll back up a little bit just to preserve the context. 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:37.839 Remember, context is king. 00:06:38.079 --> 00:06:51.759 And Abel he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof, and the firstlings of the flock and the fat thereof, and the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offerings. 00:06:51.920 --> 00:06:58.800 Verse 5, but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. 00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:02.959 And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:10.160 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth, and why is thy countenance fallen? 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:12.959 Next is the verse we're looking at. 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:16.639 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:20.399 If you do what I tell you, everything is going to be okay. 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:30.480 But if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door, and unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:34.560 Again, no problem with thee, if thou doest well part. 00:07:34.720 --> 00:07:35.759 That's obvious. 00:07:36.079 --> 00:07:39.759 Do the right thing, you won't find yourself in trouble. 00:07:40.160 --> 00:07:48.240 And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door, and unto thee shall be his desire. 00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:54.720 Now, I believe this is two statements with two different foci. 00:07:55.040 --> 00:07:58.160 Now, not everyone agrees with that approach. 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:06.639 Many, if not most, feel that this whole last part is together speaking of one thing. 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:08.720 Well, let's look at it. 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:14.879 So the first of the two parts, the first that I say of two parts, is this. 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:19.759 And if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. 00:08:19.839 --> 00:08:22.079 And just make sure that you understand. 00:08:22.319 --> 00:08:25.199 Most of you know I'm not a trained theologian. 00:08:25.279 --> 00:08:28.879 I don't teach in Bible colleges, none of those things. 00:08:29.040 --> 00:08:30.079 I'm just like you. 00:08:30.240 --> 00:08:32.799 I'm trying to figure out what God is trying to say. 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:34.879 I have no expertise in this. 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:41.039 And I wouldn't dare give you something that didn't have some kind of backup to it. 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:43.759 I'm not the one that comes up with these theories. 00:08:44.080 --> 00:08:52.159 Well-respected academicians do come up with these, the theologians do, and I'm just sharing the ones that I feel fit best. 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:55.039 This is the one that I think fits best. 00:08:55.600 --> 00:08:57.120 What does that mean? 00:08:57.360 --> 00:08:59.279 Sin lieth at the door. 00:09:00.480 --> 00:09:03.440 It's a little bit of an unusual thing to say. 00:09:04.080 --> 00:09:15.679 Now, the word sin is translating a Hebrew word that is also and often translated sin offering. 00:09:15.919 --> 00:09:21.840 Sometimes in the Bible it's just sin, and sometimes it's sin offering. 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:27.840 Now, in my opinion, and let me say, you probably shouldn't say these things. 00:09:27.919 --> 00:09:35.200 It doesn't give you any confidence, but I will say I'm not 100% convinced that I'm right here. 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:41.360 Nonetheless, I think it's better translated here, sin offering. 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:43.039 Now, let me read Adam Clark. 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:46.639 Adam Clark is one of the theologians that I was just referencing. 00:09:46.879 --> 00:09:51.519 This is, at least that I know of, he was the first one to come up with this theory. 00:09:51.600 --> 00:09:54.240 And let me read his comment from this verse. 00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:56.480 He'll say it better than I ever could. 00:09:56.639 --> 00:10:04.799 Quote: Cain's fault now was his not bringing a sin offering when his brother brought one. 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:09.759 Now, if you stop and think about what happened in that verse, that makes sense. 00:10:10.080 --> 00:10:15.919 Abel's sin offering, the bloody offering God had respect for. 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:21.360 Whatever Cain brought, it was not a sin offering because there was no blood. 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:23.039 So this makes sense. 00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:30.080 This idea of Cain not bringing a sin offering, these weren't just offerings, these were sin offerings. 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:31.519 So let me start over again. 00:10:31.840 --> 00:10:39.039 Cain's fault now was his not bringing a sin offering when his brother brought one. 00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:46.159 And his neglect and contempt caused his other offering to be rejected. 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:49.519 However, now listen, this is the important part. 00:10:50.000 --> 00:11:15.039 God now graciously informs him that though he had miscarried, though he made a mistake, though he didn't do what he was supposed to do, his case was not yet desperate as the means of faith from the promise, etc., were in his power, and a victim proper for a sin offering was lying. 00:11:15.360 --> 00:11:27.279 Robets, this is, I'm still quoting Adam Clark, robets, a word used to express the lying down of a quadruped, lying at the door of his fold. 00:11:27.440 --> 00:11:33.600 Now, this last part may not be very clear, but it is crucial to your understanding. 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:36.000 Let me try to explain. 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:45.919 Clark says that the word that gets translated into the English word lying, it's it's lieth in the King James. 00:11:46.159 --> 00:11:49.120 The word is lying in modern English. 00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:55.759 The Hebrew word behind the English word lying is robots or rabbets. 00:11:56.240 --> 00:12:01.840 And robots is referring to a very, very specific type of lying. 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:05.120 Now, this is a crucial clue. 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:10.399 Robots is the lying down of a four-legged animal. 00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:12.799 Clark called it a quadruped. 00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:17.600 Let's keep it simple and we'll stick with four-legged animal. 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:20.559 But this isn't just lying down. 00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:24.639 This is the way the Hebrew word is structured. 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:29.039 This is lying down with the legs folded. 00:12:29.600 --> 00:12:31.679 This is a resting position. 00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:34.879 If you look at your screen, this is robots. 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:39.759 This is an animal in robots, according to Clark. 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:40.639 Robots. 00:12:40.720 --> 00:12:43.840 He's lying down with his legs folded underneath him. 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:45.120 It's a little lamb. 00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:59.200 Now, this may seem like an odd clarification, but I want to make sure that you see this, in my opinion, is if you look at this picture, this is a position of submission. 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:04.159 At the very least, an attitude of vulnerability. 00:13:04.480 --> 00:13:18.000 God had arranged, according to Adam Clark, and I agree, God had arranged for a sin offering to be right outside the door, lying just like this for Cain. 00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:22.799 Now, others say that this word is referring to something different. 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:28.000 It's actually referring to a sort of crouch to strike posture. 00:13:28.159 --> 00:13:33.120 Now, looking at your screen, this is what others say that word means. 00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:44.879 They're saying that this word is being used to describe sin, not a sin offering, but sin as being in an orientation of attack. 00:13:45.120 --> 00:14:03.360 Now, some commentators believe that this verse is a personification of sorts of sin, and that Cain's poor choices and unrepentant attitude are putting him at risk of falling victim to sin. 00:14:03.840 --> 00:14:13.759 That just outside his door, figuratively, of course, is sin waiting to pounce on him from this crouching attack position. 00:14:13.919 --> 00:14:16.639 Now, I don't think that's the case. 00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:22.720 And I don't think the Hebrew expression easily allows such an interpretation. 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:30.799 Granted, as I just said, I'm not an expert, but I do have access to expert opinions and literature. 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:44.480 I think the Hebrew only enhances the imagery of an actual animal appropriate for a sin offering, waiting outside, or at least nearby Cain. 00:14:44.559 --> 00:14:46.000 Now listen to me. 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:50.639 God is giving Cain another shot at it. 00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:57.600 He's offering to this man an opportunity to make this right. 00:14:58.320 --> 00:15:04.879 He's informing Cain that he, that God, is providing a sacrifice. 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:11.919 Isn't that the gospel? 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:17.440 Isn't God offering to you and me a sacrifice? 00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:20.000 Isn't he giving us a chance? 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:30.559 Now let me ask you, wouldn't this interpretation fall much better in line with what God is trying to do with this entire scene? 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:32.240 Again, context. 00:15:32.960 --> 00:15:52.960 God is trying to teach us that a bloody sacrifice is needed, and that He is willing to provide that bloody sacrifice for all of us, even those of us who keep getting in the way of His plan of redemption. 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:56.960 If that's true for us, why not for Cain? 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:02.879 I think this is one of the most important lessons here. 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:10.799 God is being merciful to Cain, He's offering a solution to Cain's failure. 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:19.679 Through this, God is showing his willingness to help us get our worship right. 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:30.000 So to sum up my opinion, when God told Cain, if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:32.559 Sin offering lies at the door. 00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:36.240 There's a sin offering for you right outside the door. 00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:44.240 When God said that to Cain, he was offering this wayward son of Adam a do-over. 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:50.320 Now, don't think I'm being respectful, disrespectful for doing that for saying it that way. 00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:56.000 I'm doing my best to get you to relate to a very difficult passage. 00:16:56.399 --> 00:17:02.879 God is encouraging Cain to not sulk in the embarrassment of his failure. 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:10.960 He is instead demonstrating what Cain has done wrong and how it can be corrected. 00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:20.240 There is an animal literally lying right outside the door, an animal that will be an adequate sacrifice. 00:17:20.400 --> 00:17:21.920 Why would God do that? 00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:24.960 He's got a story to tell. 00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:54.000 Did Cain actually do the sacrifice? 00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:58.400 Did Cain take God's option of getting it right? 00:17:58.559 --> 00:17:59.440 We don't know. 00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:01.839 And that seems like a big omission. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:06.720 At least in my mind, that seems a difficult thing to put together. 00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:08.720 But God doesn't have to tell us everything. 00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:10.000 We've already said that. 00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:12.480 Many things God has left out. 00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:24.799 Maybe what God wanted us to know is that regardless of whether or not we take him up on his offer of reconciliation and redemption, he's still offering it. 00:18:25.599 --> 00:18:30.079 Maybe he's telling us not everyone is going to take the offer. 00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:31.599 Don't know. 00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:35.519 But I do think this works best. 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:36.640 You know why? 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:38.640 Because it's the simplest. 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:45.759 Most of the other theories contain highly symbolic imagery and references. 00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:48.160 Now I'm not saying God doesn't do that. 00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:49.119 Of course he does. 00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:52.640 We've talked about that sort of thing here before. 00:18:53.200 --> 00:19:10.000 But for me, I always prefer to start my consideration of difficult passages by not considering them difficult if I can, by pondering or pursuing solutions that are plain and straightforward if possible. 00:19:10.559 --> 00:19:17.359 Listen, God is not in the business of presenting dazzling and creative concepts. 00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:20.559 When he needs to, it appears he will. 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:28.079 But I believe he would prefer to lead us to truth by the path of least resistance. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:34.160 All right, so that's the first part of that section of Genesis 4, 7. 00:19:34.319 --> 00:19:36.400 Let's read the whole thing one more time. 00:19:36.559 --> 00:19:42.559 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth, and why is thy countenance fallen? 00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:58.880 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted in, and if thou doest not well, sin lieth, sin offering lieth at the door, and unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 00:19:59.119 --> 00:20:04.799 Now, for this very last part of verse 7, it doesn't seem like it ever gets any better. 00:20:05.119 --> 00:20:09.759 And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 00:20:10.160 --> 00:20:13.680 This portion of the verse is also difficult. 00:20:14.079 --> 00:20:21.279 Now it has a smaller but not much smaller amount of disagreement as to its meaning. 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:26.079 Like before, I'm just going to give you my thoughts so we can move on. 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:34.559 No time to go into any other possibilities because, again, I don't want to introduce too much confusion. 00:20:34.880 --> 00:20:39.440 These very old events are often very tough to break down. 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:45.359 And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:56.319 Now, one thing to remember about these early humans, and you have to put flesh and blood on all of these Bible stories. 00:20:56.480 --> 00:21:02.079 You can't just think of them as novels or short stories or entertainment. 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:09.440 This is, these are real people, these are real stories, and you have to put, as I said, flesh and blood on them. 00:21:09.519 --> 00:21:17.680 And you have to realize that these early humans, they were limited in their experience and exposure. 00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:29.519 Cain most likely knew he made a mistake with his offering, and he knew that God was not one to allow such things to go unaddressed. 00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:33.440 We know Cain must have known that about God. 00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:36.559 So because of that, he was concerned. 00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:38.720 Cain was concerned. 00:21:39.119 --> 00:21:46.400 And one of the things that concerned him, believe it or not, was his position in the family. 00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:55.920 It's apparent from even from the beginning that families operated under the customs of primogeniture. 00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:58.880 Now, I'm not going to go into any detail here. 00:21:59.119 --> 00:22:02.480 It's not a Very well received custom. 00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:14.400 So I'm not going to attempt to defend it or support it either way, but I will give a very brief description so that we can apply it to our current discussion. 00:22:14.720 --> 00:22:29.680 As it relates to this case, primogeniture is defined by Websters as meaning and listen to this, an exclusive right of inheritance belonging to the eldest son. 00:22:29.920 --> 00:22:34.240 Certainly the nation of Israel had this custom. 00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:39.920 The eldest son always received the greatest inheritance all the way through. 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:42.319 We're going to see that as we go through the Bible. 00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:48.319 It appears that that also applied all the way back to the family of Adam and Eve. 00:22:48.640 --> 00:22:55.920 The firstborn son was given special advantages over all of the other children. 00:22:56.160 --> 00:23:09.039 Although, as we said some time back, there is pretty strong evidence that Cain and Abel were twins, but the Bible does tell us that Cain was born first. 00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:37.440 Though he may have been born only seconds before Abel, he, by virtue of the birth order, remember, birth order is very important to God, by virtue of the birth order, Cain was the eldest son and was entitled to all the benefits of being primogenit, of benefits of primogeniture, most likely then in force, from what we can tell. 00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:53.839 Now we don't know precisely what advantages or benefits that this status afforded Cain, but we can assume from this verse that they were preferable to whatever any of the others were to receive. 00:23:55.359 --> 00:24:09.200 Well, it's therefore arguable that Cain felt that due to his improper handling of the offering, that this status was in jeopardy. 00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:19.680 And because of that, because God knew Cain was concerned, you get the idea that Cain that God still loved Cain. 00:24:19.920 --> 00:24:22.720 We're going to talk about that in the coming weeks. 00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:26.720 God was still loving and tender towards Cain. 00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:28.799 He loved all of his people. 00:24:29.279 --> 00:24:30.640 He still does. 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:44.240 Well, because he knew that Cain was concerned about this, he kindly responded, and unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 00:24:44.400 --> 00:25:06.000 In other words, don't worry, Cain, your eldest son's position is preserved, and the youngest son, Abel, will continue to be secondary to you, and he will as such continue to faithfully respect your birthright authority. 00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:06.960 Okay? 00:25:07.440 --> 00:25:12.720 Now let me reread the whole verse as a way to pull all of this together. 00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:16.960 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? 00:25:17.279 --> 00:25:30.079 And if thou doest not well, if you make a mistake, there is a sin offering that I am giving to you, and is lying at the door, and unto thee shall be his desire. 00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:30.559 Who? 00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:31.440 Abel. 00:25:31.680 --> 00:25:39.279 Abel will still desire to be your inferior, and thou shalt have rule over him, over Abel. 00:25:39.839 --> 00:25:42.720 Now I'm going to repeat what I said earlier. 00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:47.759 I'm not terribly confident in these interpretations of what's going on here. 00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:54.160 I'm telling you, Genesis 4, 7 is easily the most complicated verse we've come across. 00:25:54.240 --> 00:25:57.200 And we've come across some complicated verses. 00:25:57.359 --> 00:26:00.000 I'm pretty sure this was the most difficult. 00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:13.759 It is in no way straightforward and has caused a great deal of anxiety down through the centuries for those who've tried to wring out its meaning, myself included. 00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:17.200 Crox interpretum indeed. 00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:23.599 In fact, I'm certain that I've I've taught this verse differently in the past. 00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:27.279 It's a very difficult one to unpack. 00:26:28.400 --> 00:26:38.079 But as I always tell you, let's leave it with God and pray that he will enlighten us on what he is saying to us. 00:26:39.039 --> 00:26:39.359 Okay? 00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:45.839 Though not personally satisfied, I think we need to keep moving. 00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:52.400 But let me warn you, it gets it gets really ugly from here on out. 00:26:52.559 --> 00:26:59.519 After the next couple of verses, you're going to be longing for the simple sin of eating forbidden fruit, I'll tell you. 00:26:59.759 --> 00:27:01.680 Gets a lot worse than that. 00:27:03.200 --> 00:27:05.599 Next time we'll pick it up at verse 8. 00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:06.559 See you then. 00:27:09.519 --> 00:27:11.759 We hope this study has blessed you. 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:21.839 God's word is a great treasure, and it's our belief that a thorough, purposeful study of it will bring all of God's children to an understanding of his eternal plan of redemption. 00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:25.680 It is our prayer that this will be so for all of our listeners. 00:27:25.920 --> 00:27:27.759 Please join us again soon. 00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:32.480 New content is being added all the time, so make sure you check back often. 00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:43.680 For more information on Chapel Ministries, including our YouTube channel and podcasts, please visit www.chapelontheweb.com. 00:27:44.240 --> 00:27:51.440 And if God has laid it upon your heart to share materially with us, we encourage you to follow the links to our secure giving page. 00:27:51.680 --> 00:28:00.319 Please note, Chapel Ministries is not an IRS registered nonprofit organization, and your 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