I had a slight question about today’s discussion—is the point of Genesis 4:8 really to highlight a prophetic work of Abel? I’m not so sure, since the text tells us that it is Cain who spoke to Abel, and not Abel who spoke to Cain. Certainly, the blood of Abel is prophetic (Gen. 4:10), but based on 1 John 3:11–15, I would argue that Cain’s being “of the evil one” as a murder AND A LIAR (John 8:44) is more in view.

My apologies for excerpting from a book I wrote, but I’ll articulate my argument better if I quote this than if I try to rewrite it:

“So what does John mean when he says Cain was born of the evil one? Jesus himself opened up the significance of the phrase when he accused some of the Jews of being the offspring of the devil: “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).
“ If the devil’s two sins are to murder and to lie, then it is interesting to reread Genesis 4:8: “Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.” Cain’s murder in this passage is clear, but Jesus’ statement helps us to understand what Cain might have spoken to his brother: lies. Cain was deceiving his brother to lure him out away from their parents into the open field where he could murder Abel without anyone to witness his crime or to stop him. Cain was a liar and a murderer, just like his father the devil.”

I’d be interested in your thoughts on this.

And again, thank you so much for this program!