Pride--Jealousy--Anger--Murder

No children were born to Adam and Eve in Eden. They labored with sweat of face for quite a time before their first-born came. Doubtless he was birth-marked with a jealous, unhappy disposition. Toil conduced to fretfulness in those who knew a happier lot in Eden. Fault-finding with each other, resentment against the Creator, discontent with their lot, probably marked their offspring--Cain. The world has since been under a "reign of Sin and Death."

Daughters also were born to them, and later another son, Abel, of a very different disposition from their first-born. The experiences of life may have mellowed their hearts. They remembered an intimation of hope connected with their sentence; namely, that the Seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. Abel's disposition indicates that he had a contrite heart, and desired to please God. If parents realized to what extent mental conditions affect their offspring, all would strive to bestow favorable birth-traits on their children.

Years passed. Cain and Abel were inspired by the promise respecting the Seed of the woman, and the hope for recovery by Divine favor. They approached the Lord with offerings to receive a blessing. Abel's sacrifice of animal life God accepted, because it typified the necessity for Jesus' death as the basis for forgiveness of sin. God's rejection of Cain's offering teaches that without shedding of blood there can be no remission of sins. Cain should have procured an animal for acceptable sacrifice, in obedience to the Divine will. Instead, he allowed anger, malice, hatred, and strife to burn in his heart, and became a murderer.--Genesis 4:5-8.

St. Paul says that Abel's blood cried to God for justice against Cain. But Jesus' blood cried to God for mercy on the sinner. Every injustice cries to God for justice. By a special covenant, Jesus and His Elect Church lay down their lives sacrificially for Adam and his race. (Romans 12:1.) The "better sacrifices" completed, Restitution follows.