How much of our world is going "the Way of Cain?"

Woe to them! for they have gone in the
way of Cain... (Jude 1:11)

Ever wonder why it seems so easy for some people to kill other people; or
commit some unimaginable deed, without seemingly an ounce of shame?
As Jude and John tell us, one reason might be because a number of people
in our modern world follow the "ways of Cain." A lot of Biblical passages
gives us the hints towards identifying the modern-day parallel of these
ancient antediluvian "ways" - those ultimately coming from Cain and
Babylon. Let's now take a look at some of these ancient influences that,
once again, are popping up in our modern-day society.

The Bible can get fairly specific about some of the characteristics that
people use, regarding those who adopt this "way:"

Woe to them! for they have gone in the way of Cain... These are spots
in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves
without fear: clouds without water, carried about of winds, trees whose
fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering
stars… murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and
their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in
admiration because of advantage… there should be mockers in the last
time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who
separate themselves, sensual, having not the spirit.
- Jude 1:11-19 (KJV)

As we see, those who adopt these "ways" as their ways of life are great
partakers of charity: they take a hand out without any real sense of shame
or hesitation. Like clouds without water, they seem to have a lot to say;
puffing themselves up by claiming to be on some "higher moral ground;"
yet often provide little moral substance to back it up! Like dying trees, their
branches do not generate much fruit. If they temporarily accomplish
something positive, it usually gets overshadowed by so many more of the
negative elements of their daily life. Because they often do things in a
shameful way, their inner guilt and insecurity often, can manifest itself into
outer acts of indecency, anger, or unpredictable behavior. They may often
may murmur, complain, and pursue ideals they and they alone think are
right. Often, they will mock others. For the most part, the people who
follow these "ways" are fairly self-centered - pursuing whatever, in the
end, makes them feel good.

These people also enjoy the quest to separate themselves from the rest of
society, pursuing their own, individual lusts. They often speak great,
boasting words to those around them. Many will admire them because of
their outward actions; at least in the short run. But, it will not last long,
however; because there is no substance to their words. Does this sound
like a lot of people we might know, today?

Yes, the "Way of Cain" is out there! Those who adopted the attitudes and
ways of life that went on in the days of Noah are back - many do not feel
the need to ever blame themselves for their own failures; nor accept
responsibility for their own actions. It's almost always someone else's fault,
or society as a whole. They often try to get away from any inner guilt and
responsibility by formulating themselves as the "victim" of each
circumstance.

Another interesting article on Cain states the following:

Cain said to God, "Am I (expected to be) my brother’s keeper?
(Genesis 4:9). You (God) are the keeper of all creatures, yet You call
me to account for him…" Accordingly, Cain’s question is in fact a
defiant assertion: "I slew Abel – it was You who created in me the
impulse to evil. But You are the keeper of all things- yet You let me slay
him. It is You who slew him. Had You accepted my offering and You
did his, I would not have been jealous of him… I never in my life knew
or saw anyone slain. How was I to know that if I struck Able with a
stone, he would die?"
Cain went on, "Is my sin so great that it cannot be borne? (Genesis
4:13)… The whole world, all of it, You bear, yet my sin You cannot
bear?"… (the verse) "Cain went out from the presence of the Lord"
(Genesis 4:16) signifies that Cain left (the consciousness of) the Lord’s
presence by tossing off the words ("My sin is greater than can be
forgiven”), as if by mouthing them he could blunt the Almighty’s
awareness of his sin… Cain... went out thinking that he had deceived
(literally, stolen the mind of) the Holy One.
(Bialik and Ravnitzky, 1992, p. 24 (and notes))[1]

How unbelievably irreverent and cocky Cain was to the Creator of the
Universe! Cain thought he was something special, obviously. After he tried
to "outsmart" God in his war of words, he tried to mock the whole "status
quo” of following these ways of God![2] Through Cain's pride, he actually
thought he outsmarted his own Creator, and his benefactor! How pompous.

God was not going to allow it to go on forever, however. He had to put
Cain in his place. One interesting interpretation of God's wrath on Cain,
and how He confronted Cain, head on:

Why doth they brother’s blood cry from under the alter against thee?
Behold, is not his blood upon they flesh, a mark which shall not be
eradicated until the end of time? Thou wicked Cain, thou art Perdition
and thy deeds shall follow thee for from thee shall flow murder and
bloodshed, wars and contentions, until the earth shall hide her face
from the wickedness and pollution of mankind.
Depart from before my face, for thine existence is a pollution to the
sanctity of this spot. Nevertheless, no man shall slay thee, for thou shalt
live to see the full measure flowing from thine iniquity, until the final
destruction of the darkness of this world.
- Book of the Generations of Adam 5:8

Contention is defined as a "verbal strife, dispute, argument, controversy,
or a statement or point that one argues for as true or valid." Perdition is
"complete and irreparable loss, ruin, or loss of the soul," as well "the cause
of ruin or destruction" (Webster's). As we can figure: many descendants of
Cain - in seed and spirit - had no problem polluting mankind. They had no
problem with violence and murder. They loved to complain and be in
controversy. And, he surely had many after him that could have
accustomed themselves to the same "ways" of living.

Yet, the blood of Abel was on his hands - and the stigma of what he did,
and what he promoted; all of which would be passed onto people since
him, to the end of time.

…the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the
children of light. - John 16:8 (KJV)

Interesting. But, considering who Cain's father most probably was - not
surprising.

…know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?
- James 4:4 (KJV)

But, there are downsides to living according to these ways of the world,
however. Cain's descendants, or anyone who wanted to adopt these "Ways
of Cain," might feel some short-term benefit from following them; but
these thoughts and deeds will often be accompanied by some negative side-
effects, as well - many might begin to feel uncertain about themselves; feel
angry or wrathful to many of those around them; or even act in
unpredictable ways:

They have two heads (figuratively), wherefore they can never arrive at
a decision; they are always at loggerheads with themselves. It may
happen that they are pious (or moral) now, only to be inclined to do
evil the next moment. (Ginzberg, 1909, p. 114)

As we recall, in Cain, Seed of the Serpent, Cain was probably a direct,
literal descendant of the Devil; via the Serpent. With that in mind, the
following verses of the Bible make much more sense:

He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the
beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was mainifested, that he
might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth
not commit sin; for his (God’s) seed remaineth in him: and he cannot
sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are
manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not
righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For
this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should
love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew
his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were
evil, and his brother’s righteous. - I John 3:8-12 (KJV)

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world,
according to the prince and the power of the air (i.e. Satan), the spirit
that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also
we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh,
fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the
children of wrath, even as others. - Eph. 2:2-3 (KJV)

Not only may those with the seed of Cain (and, ultimately, the Serpent)
have these tendencies, but anyone who whole-heartedly makes the
conscious decision to reject God, and want to adopt these "ways!" As a
result, many of those in the past did what they wanted, and followed, often
unsavory, "ways" - without the rationality and consciousness that would
usually "put on the brakes" on others who may know of God, and want to
follow Him:

...but he who sins, and who thus blushes and is overwhelmed with
shame, is near akin to him (God)… for those persons who pride
themselves on their errors as if they had not done wrong, are afflicted
with a disease which is difficult to cure…
- Works of Philo Judaeus Questions and Answers on
Genesis 1(65)

As we'll guess, in Politically Correct Babylon, this "disease" could extend
even further into our societies - through political correctness, and the like.
Sometimes, these intrusions of the "Ways of Cain" on our world might be
easy to spot. In other cases, they may be a little more difficult. Either way,
the true colors of these nefarious "Ways of Cain" will eventually begin to
show themselves through, and be exposed, over the passing of time. As the
Bible states:

...by their fruits ye shall know them.
- Mat. 7:20 (KJV)

It just takes an eye for God, and faith in Him - that he will provide us with
a discerning mind.

Footnotes:

[1] Jayim Nahman Bialik and Yehoshua Hana Ravnitzky, The Book of Legends (Sefer Ha-
Aggadah): Legends of the Talmud and Midrash, 104 (and notes) (New York: Shocken Books,
1992), 24.
[2] ibid.


Copyright 2010, Brett T. All Rights Reserved