Our True Older Brother - by Ben Bonython

Genesis 4:9‭-‬10 says

Afterward the Lord asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?” “I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?” But the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground!

The world's response is never to take responsibility for others, but to be focused on self and self interest alone. Cain thought the token he gave to god would keep god at arms length, tick the box and allow him to live how he wanted.

But God is a jealous God, and will never tolerate Idolatry. So Cain hoped that the spilling of Abel's blood would be the way to achieve his desires to be his own god, remove the better sacrifice, and not be reminded of the Lord of all.

Cain wanted the gifts of the Giver, but not the Giver.

However the blood of Abel was not ignored by Father God. Infact, the blood of the Abel was a forerunner to the blood of Christ.

Jesus the Giver, was given, and the given One would also become the Gift and in becoming the Gift, Jesus took responsibility for others and their sin problem. Jesus would become the true older brother who rescued the younger brother.

The spilling of the blood of Jesus was supposed to be the victory the world and the evil one thought they had achieved to be their own god, and remove the Lord God from their lives.

However, the blood of Jesus would cry out to God also as Abel's did.... The cry of the blood of Jesus was righteousness, faithfulness and obedience. And now it was the world, the evil one and sin that would face justice. Jesus was raised from the dead as the faithful suffering servant, accomplishing victory over sin, the world and the evil one.

His life took our place, and now, we like Abel, offer our thanks in faith for Jesus, who is the lamb of God. Because of Jesus, we offer our lives as a living sacrifice, living for Him, and thanking the Lord for His goodness and mercy on our lives.

And because of Jesus, Children of God never respond with "am I my brother's keeper?", no, we love one another, as Christ commanded, by following the example of the One who first loved us.