Advent Day Five | Bloody

Advent Day Five | Bloody | Genesis 4:10

"י  וַיֹּאמֶר מֶה עָשִׂיתָ קוֹל דְּמֵי אָחִיךָ צֹעֲקִים אֵלַי מִן הָאֲדָמָה."

And [the Lord] said, "What have you done! A sound - your brother's blood cries out to me from the soil!"

The first murder recounted in the Bible is Cain's murder of his own brother Abel. But, before Cain committed this heinous act against Abel, something else happened. God spoke to Cain, warning him of the sin that was near and threatening. Speaking to Cain of the threat, God promises,

"But you can rule over [sin]."

Cain, instead, let sin master him. And, Abel's blood cried out to the Lord from the soil. But, only after God spoke to Abel again, asking, "Where is Abel your brother?" And, Cain said,

"I do not know. Am I the watcher of my brother?"

Cain and Abel. A serious of decisions to let the evil impulse rule and to shirk responsibility for the blood of another. All I can think these days is Cain and Abel. My brother's blood cries out to the Lord from the soil. There is responsibility to bear. There is action to take. There is blood. But, there is the choice of life too.