PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Genesis 3-4
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“Sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” (Genesis 4:7)
How is sin crouching at the door different from the serpent hanging in the tree?
Both before and after Adam and Eve had to “rule over” the temptation of sin.
But whereas before it was just the forbidden fruit, now the whole world is a war zone.
They were made to “rule over” all things, but now they are mastered by sin.
The unraveling of God’s “very good” world continues, and we have shown we cannot beat it.
We are “restless wanderers” like Cain (4:14) in this messed up world, with messed up lives.
We cannot “rule over” sin; we need help to crush the head of sin and evil (3:15).
God comes as Jesus, a new Adam, the promised “offspring” (3:15) or human messiah.
Sin desired to have Jesus too, but Jesus is the first human to “rule over” it.
Sin and Satan do not succeed with Jesus, though they strike him with all they have.
Not even the curse of death can break Jesus; Jesus breaks free and defeats death.
Jesus reclaims Adam and Eve’s authority, and rules God’s kingdom once again.
Jesus has crushed the serpent, but we still have to help him with our own foot!
We have to resist, knowing that Jesus’s foot will do the heavy crushing!
PRAYER
Lord, my foot is weak compared to yours, but I want to do my part. Strengthen my resolve to shut the door of my heart and mind on the sin that crouches there.
The loss of innocence – becoming scared of God – being cast out of the garden – that’s our downfall when we disobeyed God’s clear directive. Now knowing that we need to reverse the course – to be made righteous again so that we need not be scared of God and then in innocence of guilt be present with God again – to be able to walk in the garden. God was willing to work with our disobedience but let’s not be glib about what it took – God stepping in through Jesus – reconnecting us with Him that way it was when all things were very good. That’s the hope we have in Jesus – and I find with the HS we have it today even as we deal with the corruption and threat to life today – the consequences of that downfall! We have to live among the consequences of sin – along with all the descendants of Cain – especially those who are antagonistic to God. God did not give up on Cain’s descendants – but allowed them to grow and multiply as well as the descendants of Seth. Help me Lord to be in this world but not captured by it – so I can be a faithful follower of you Lord Jesus.
As sin was crouching at the door of Cain so too it is for all people but we/I must overcome it. I must come to Jesus Who has over come sin in my place. I must choose Jesus and do what is right. All I need is Jesus and His Spirit to lead and guide me in the Way. Jesus is the answer. Serve Him. Follow Him. Walk in His steps.
When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.