In this powerful sermon, Pastor Ed Hamilton takes us through the biblical account of King Hezekiah and his interactions with the Assyrian Empire, exploring the spiritual dangers of making deals with the enemy. Drawing from 2 Kings, Ephesians, and 2 Corinthians, this message reminds us that Satan’s tactics—fear, deceit, and manipulation—are designed to lead us away from trusting God. With practical wisdom and biblical truth, Pastor Hamilton encourages believers to stand firm, put on the armor of God, and refuse to compromise with the devil. This sermon offers vital insights into spiritual warfare and how to rely on God’s strength for victory.
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2 Kings 18:5 He (Hezekiah) trusted in the Lord God of Israel, so that after him
was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him.
2 Kings 18:6 For he held fast to the Lord; he did not depart from following Him,
but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses.
2 Kings 18:7 The Lord was with him; he prospered wherever he went. And he
rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him.
2 Corinthians 2:11 Lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant
of his devices.
Ephesians 6:11 (ESV) Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand
against the schemes of the devil.
Ephesians 4:27 And give no opportunity to the devil.
Isaiah 32:7 Also the schemes of the schemer are evil; He devises wicked plans to
destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaks justice.
Sun Tzu in the ancient Chinese military manual The Art of War (quote)
“Knowing the enemy enable you to take the offensive, knowing yourself enables
you to stand on the defensive.”
I. THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE: LET’S MAKE A DEAL.
2 Kings 18:13 And in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Se-nnac-he-rib king of
Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them.
2 Kings 18:14 Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lac-hish,
saying, “I have done wrong; turn away from me; whatever you impose on me
I will pay.” And the king of Assyria assessed Hezekiah king of Judah three
hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold.
2 Kings 18:15 So Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house
of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king’s house.
2 Kings 18:16 At that time Hezekiah stripped the gold from the doors of the
temple of the Lord, and from the pillars which Hezekiah king of Judah had
overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria.
2 Kings 16:8 And Ahaz took the silver and gold that was found in the house of
the Lord, and in the treasuries of the king’s house, and sent it as a present to
the king of Assyria.
The family patriarch grandfather J. Paul Getty refused to pay the ransom price,
famously proclaiming, “If I pay one penny now, I’ll have 14 kidnapped grandchildren.”
II. THE DEVIL’S ATTACK: SCARE TACTICS.
2 Kings 18:17 “Then the king of Assyria sent … a great army against Jerusalem,
to King Hezekiah. And they went up and came to Jerusalem.”
2 Kings 18:19 Then the Rab-sha-keh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘Thus
says the great king, the king of Assyria: “What confidence is this in which you trust?
2 Kings 18:20 You speak of having plans and power for war; but they are mere words.
And in whom do you trust, that you rebel against me?
1. THE DEVIL ALWAYS TRIES TO MAGNIFY OUR WEAKNESSES.
2 Kings 18:22 But if you say to me, ‘We trust in the Lord our God,’ Is it not He
whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has taken away, and said to
Judah and Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem’?”
2 Kings 18:23 Now therefore, I urge you, give a pledge to my master the king
of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses–if you are able on your part
to put riders on them!
1 John 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater
is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
2. THE DEVIL LIES TO TRY TO DISTORT THE LORD’S WORD.
2 Kings 18:25 Have I now come up without the Lord against this place to destroy it?
The Lord said to me, ‘Go up against this land, and destroy it.’ ”
III. THE DEVIL’S APPROACH: DIVIDE AND CONQUER.
2 Kings 18:28 Then the Rab-sha-keh stood and called out with a loud voice in
Hebrew, and spoke, saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria!
2 Kings 18:29 Thus says the king: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he shall
not be able to deliver you from his hand;
2 Kings 18:30 Nor let Hezekiah make you trust in the Lord, saying, “The Lord will
surely deliver us; this city shall not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” ‘
2 Kings 18:31 Do not listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria:
‘Make peace with me …
Isaiah 36:12 But Sennacherib’s chief of staff replied, “Do you think my master sent
this message only to you and your master? He wants all the people to hear it, for when
we put this city under siege, they will suffer along with you. They will be so hungry
and thirsty that they will eat their own dung and drink their own urine.”
IV. THE DEVIL’S APPEAL: A FALSE PEACE TREATY.
2 Kings 18:31 “…‘Make peace with me by a present and come out to me; and every
one of you eat from his own vine and every one from his own fig tree, and every one
of you drink the waters of his own cistern;
2 Kings 18:32 until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of
grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive groves and honey,
that you may live and not die. But do not listen to Hezekiah, lest he persuade you,
saying, “The Lord will deliver us.”
Jeremiah 6:13 “… And from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely.
Jeremiah 6:14 “… Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace.
1 Thessalonians 5:3 For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction
comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.
IV. RIGHTFUL RESPONSES TO THE DEVIL’S DEALS.
1. SILENCE IS GOLDEN: REFUSE TO NEGOTIATE.
2 Kings 18:36 But the people held their peace and answered him not a word;
for the king’s commandment was, “Do not answer him.”
Proverbs 26:4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.
2. SUBMIT TO THE LORD: HUMBLE YOURSELF IN REPENTANCE.
2 Kings 19:1 And so it was, when King Hezekiah heard it, that he tore his clothes,
covered himself with sackcloth, …
3. SEEK THE LORD: GO INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD.
2 KIngs 19:1 …. and went into the house of the Lord.
4. SPEAK TO THE LORD: PRAY EMPHASIZING GOD’S GLORY.
2 Kings 19:14 And Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers,
and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before
the Lord.
2 Kings 19:15 Then Hezekiah prayed before the Lord, and said: “O Lord God of Israel,
the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the
kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth.
2 Kings 19:16 Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see;
and hear the words of Se-nnac-he-rib, which he has sent to reproach the living God.
2 Kings 19:17 Truly, Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands,
2 Kings 19:18 and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were not gods, but the
work of men’s hands—wood and stone. Therefore they destroyed them.
2 Kings 19:19 Now therefore, O Lord our God, I pray, save us from his hand, that all
the kingdoms of the earth may know that You are the Lord God, You alone.”
Pastor McGee said, “Fight with us against the enemies that are killing our children.
There is a war going on in the streets of America. Well pls pray for me. Today
hopefully, I am going to rescue my daughter from where she is in Las Vegas.”
Also pray for anyone who tries to get in my way, that I would ‘lay hands suddenly
on them’ & it would [be] quick & productive. Even though I am really good at
hurting people, I do NOT like that, & I have tried to help them since I got
saved @ 17 in Teen Challenge.”
5. SELECT THE PROPER WEAPONS OF WARFARE.
Ephesians 6:12 (NLT) For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but
against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in
this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
1 Corinthians 9:26 (ESV) “… I do not box as one beating the air.
2 Corinthians 10:4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal …
2 Corinthians 10:4 (GNT) The weapons we use in our fight are not the world’s weapons
Zechariah 4:6 …’Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts.
Ephesians 6:10 … be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Pastor Ed emphasizes the contrast between the fate of the wicked and the righteous on this day, using vivid imagery of fire and healing. He discusses God’s judgment on the proud and wicked, while also highlighting the hope and restoration for those who fear God’s name. The sermon incorporates various biblical references beyond Malachi, including Psalms, Romans, and New Testament passages, to reinforce its points. Additionally, Pastor Ed touches on contemporary issues, such as changes in school disciplinary problems over time, to provide context and relevance to his audience.
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Malachi 4:1 “For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud,
yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn
them up,” Says the Lord of hosts, “That will leave them neither root nor branch.
Malachi 4:2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
Malachi 4:3 You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles
of your feet On the day that I do this,” Says the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 4:4 “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, Which I commanded him
in Horeb for all Israel, With the statutes and judgments.
Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the
great and dreadful day of the Lord.
Malachi 4:6 And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the
hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with
a curse.”
The Supreme court offered this justification and quoted a psychologist who stated:
“If portions of the New Testament were read without explanation, they could be and
had been psychologically harmful to the child.”
Sixty years ago, the top disciplinary problems in schools were:
Talking in class, chewing gum, making noises, running in the halls, cutting in line
That was then, this is now
Disrespect – students speak and act in a disrespectful way to adults and peers
including verbal abuse of teachers and faculty
Defiance – students openly refusing to listen to adults or follow directions.
Bullying – students consistently trying to intimidate others,
Widespread disorder in classroom, cyberbulling & school shooting possibilities.”
I. WHAT A FIERY DAY OF BURNING THAT WILL BE.
Malachi 4:1 “For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud,
yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn
them up,” Says the Lord of hosts, “That will leave them neither root nor branch.
Psalm 51:4 Against You, You only, have I sinned, …”
Romans 2:5 (NLT) But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin,
you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming,
when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
Romans 2:6 He will judge everyone according to what they have done.
Malachi 4:1 “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven,…
Psalm 21:9 You shall make them as a fiery oven in the time of Your anger;
Isaiah 47:14 Behold, they shall be as stubble, the fire shall burn them;They shall
not deliver themselves from the power of the flame; It shall not be a coal to be
warmed by, nor a fire to sit before!
Malachi 4:1 “… And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” Says the Lord of
hosts, That will leave them neither root nor branch.
Zephaniah 1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them
in the day of the Lord’s wrath; But the whole land shall be devoured by the fire
of His jealousy, for He will make speedy riddance of all those who dwell in the land.
Hebrews 10:30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,”
says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”
Hebrews 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Malachi 4:3 You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles
of your feet On the day that I do this,” Says the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 3:14 You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; What profit is it that we
have kept His ordinance, And that we have walked as mourners Before the Lord
of hosts?
II. WHAT A FANTASTIC DAY OF HEALING THAT WILL BE.
Malachi 4:2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
Malachi 1:14 “… For I am a great King,” Says the Lord of hosts, and My name is to
be feared among the nations.
Malachi 2:5 “My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, and I gave them to
him that he might fear Me; So he feared Me and was reverent before My name.
Malachi 3:16 “… So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who
fear the Lord
Malachi 4:2 ” …my name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Acts 17:28 For in Him we live and move and have our being …”
John 1:5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world,
and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light,
lest his deeds should be exposed.
John 3:21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly
seen, that they have been done in God.”
Malachi 4:2 ” …my name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His
wings, …
Malachi 4:2 “… And you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves.
III. WHAT A FUTURE DAY OF TESTING THAT WILL BE.
Malachi 4:4 “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, Which I commanded him
in Horeb for all Israel, With the statutes and judgments.
Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the
great and dreadful day of the Lord.
Malachi 4:6 And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the
hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with
a curse.”
IV. WHAT A FINAL DAY FOR THE PROUD THAT WILL BE.
Malachi 4:1 ” … All the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. ”
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
Proverbs 15:25 ” The Lord will destroy the house of the proud …”
2 Thessalonians 1:8 In flaming fire, taking vengeance on those who do not know God,
on those who know not God, and on those who obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
1 Peter 5:5 “… God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
The sermon titled “Holy Hatred and Divine Decisions” delves into Malachi’s message on divine justice and sovereignty. It explores the concept of holy hatred through God’s love for Jacob and hatred for Esau, examining the role of divine hatred in addressing sin and wickedness. The sermon also addresses the theme of divine choice, emphasizing that God’s election and mercy are based on His will and purpose rather than human merit, drawing on passages from Romans and other scriptures to highlight the nature of God’s sovereign decisions and their ultimate goal of glorifying Him
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Malachi 1:1 The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.
Malachi 1:2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. “Yet you say, ‘In what way have
You loved us?” Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” Says the Lord. Yet Jacob I have
loved;
Malachi 1:3 But Esau I have hated, And laid waste his mountains and his heritage
For the jackals of the wilderness.”
Malachi 1:4 Even though Edom has said, “We have been impoverished, But we
will return and build the desolate places,” Thus says the Lord of hosts: “They
may build, but I will throw down; They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness,
And the people against whom the Lord will have indignation forever.
Malachi 1:5 Your eyes shall see, And you shall say, ‘The Lord is magnified
beyond the border of Israel.’
Q #1: How Have You Loved Us?
Q #2. How Have We Shown Contempt For Your Name?
Q #3. Why (Do You Not Accept Our Worship)?
Q #4. How Have We Wearied You?
Q #5. How Are We to Return?
Q #6. How Have We Robbed You?
Q #7. What Have We Said Against You?
I. HOLY HATRED: WE MUST LET GOD HATE BECAUSE HE DOES HATE.
Malachi 1:2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. “Yet you say, ‘In what way have
You loved us?” Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?” Says the Lord. Yet Jacob I have
loved;
Malachi 1:3 But Esau I have hated, …
Is God a hater?
Is all hatred evil?
Is “hate” always negative?
Is hate ever the answer?
Is there ever a positive side to hate?
Is there good hatred and bad hatred?
Is it ever alright to hate?
Is hate ever the answer?
Is it all about hating the right things?
Are there some things we should hate?
Where does hate come from?
Ecclesiastes 3:8 A time to love, And a time to hate;
Psalm 5:5 “. . . You hate all workers of iniquity”
Psalm 5:6 “… The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
Psalm 7:11 “… God is angry with the wicked every day.
Psalm 119:163 I hate and abhor lying,
Proverbs 6:16 These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
Proverbs 6:17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood,
Proverbs 6:18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil,
Proverbs 6:19 A false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among
brethren.
Proverbs 6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord
among brethren.
Leviticus 20:23 “… For they commit all these things, and therefore I abhor them.
Malachi 2:16 “For the Lord God of Israel says that He hates divorce …”
God hates what many people love — Sin!!!
Malachi 1:3 But Esau I have hated, And laid waste his mountains and his heritage
For the jackals of the wilderness.”
Malachi 1:4 Even though Edom has said, “We have been impoverished, But we
will return and build the desolate places,” Thus says the Lord of hosts: “They
may build, but I will throw down; They shall be called the Territory of Wickedness,
And the people against whom the Lord will have indignation forever.
If God be for us who can be against us, but if God be against us who can be for us.
II. DIVINE DECISIONS: WE MUST LET GOD CHOOSE BECAUSE HE DOES CHOOSE.
Romans 9:11 (For the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil,
that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him
who calls),
Romans 9:12 it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.”
Romans 9:13 As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”
Romans 9:14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God?
Certainly not!
Romans 9:15 For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have
mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.”
Romans 1:16 So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God
who shows mercy.
If God chose you because of what you did, then who gets the glory?
You do.
But the purpose of God is to glorify Himself.
John 6:37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes
to Me I will by no means cast out.
John 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him;
John 15:19 “… I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
Ephesians 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that
we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
Ephesians 1:5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself,
according to the good pleasure of His will,
1 Peter 1:2 “… elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,
Matthew 15:24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep
of the house of Israel.”
Acts 15:14 (NLT) Peter has told you about the time God first visited the Gentiles to
take from them a people for himself.
Why doesn’t the Father get to pick who goes to His house?
Romans 3:11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God
Edgar Bernhard poem
If you go to heaven, You will likely view
Many folks whose presence there,Will be a shock to you.
But just keep very quiet; Don’t even stare.
Doutbless there’ll be many folks, Surprised to see you there.
Since God knows everything, and He knew that when He created people they
wouldn’t choose Him, then why did He go ahead and create them?
John 3:18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe
is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten
Son of God.
1 Corinthians 16:22 If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed.
O Lord, come!
We’re saved by God, we’re saved from God, we’re saved to God, we’re saved for God.
Jonah 2:9 “… Salvation is of the Lord.”
Join us as we dive deep into the book of Malachi, exploring the profound questions posed to God and His revealing responses. Discover how these ancient dialogues are still relevant today, reminding us of God’s unwavering love and our relationship with Him.
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Malachi 1:1 The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.
Malachi 1:2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord. “Yet you say, ‘In what way have
You loved us?’
Malachi 1:2 “… You say, ‘In what way have You loved us?
Malachi 1:6 “… Where is My honor? Where is My reverence? You say, “In what way
have we despised Your name?’
‘Malachi 1:7 “… In what way have we defiled You?
Malachi 1:13 “…Should I accept this from your hand?
Malachi 2:17 You have wearied the Lord with your words;Yet you say, “In what way
have we wearied Him?”
Malachi 3:8 “Will a man rob God? But you say, “In what way have we robbed You?
Malachi 3:13 “… What have we spoken against You?’
This is not what God has said, this is what God is still saying.
I. GOD’S LOVE BURDENED.
Malachi 1:1 The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.
Malachi 3:1 “Behold, I send My messenger, …
Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Mark 2:3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men.
Mark 2:4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered
the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on
which the paralytic was lying.
Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins
are forgiven you.”
Didn’t someone believe for you before you believed?
Didn’t someone pray for us before we knew to pray for ourselves?
Every person’s salvation begins with the burden, interest and influence of another.
II. GOD’S LOVE ANNOUNCED.
Malachi 1:2 “I have loved you,” says the Lord.”
Malachi 1:6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am the Father,
Where is My honor?
Malachi 2:10 Have we not all one Father?
III. GOD’S LOVE DOUBTED.
Malachi 1:2 “… Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’
Catergory #1. We Must Take The Good With The Bad.
Job 2:10 (NLT) Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never
anything bad?”
Catergory #2. Right Place, Right Time, Wrong Place, Wrong Time.
Ecclesiastes 9:11 I returned and saw under the sun that–
The race is not to the swift,
Nor the battle to the strong,
Nor bread to the wise,
Nor riches to men of understanding,
Nor favor to men of skill;
But time and chance happen to them all.
Catergory #3. Be Ready: It Could Happen To You.
Luke 13:4 (NLT) And what about the eighteen people who died when the tower in
Siloam fell on them? Were they the worst sinners in Jerusalem?
Luke 13:5 No, and I tell you again that unless you repent, you will perish, too.”
Catergory #4. Don’t Worry, It’s None Of Your Business.
John 21:18 “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you
liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go.
But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and
take you where you don’t want to go.”
John 21:19 Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify
God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”
John 21:20 Peter turned around and saw behind them the disciple Jesus loved—
the one who had leaned over to Jesus during supper and asked, “Lord, who will
betray you?”
John 21:21 Peter asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?”
John 21:22 Jesus replied, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to
you? As for you, follow me.
Catergory #5. God Is Not Obligated To Explain Himself To Us.
Proverbs 25:2 “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter…”
Isaiah 45:15 ” Truly you are a God who hides Himself.”
Isaiah 55:8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,”
says the Lord.
Isaiah 55:9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher
than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.
Romans 11:33 “… How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
Psalm 139:2 “… You know my thoughts even when I’m far away
Psalm 139:3 “… You know everything I do.”
Psalm 139:4 You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Zephaniah 3:17 The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save
He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love
He will rejoice over you with singing.”
Welcome to Part 2 of our sermon series, “Eat This Book: At First Bite.” In this session, we explore the poignant narrative of Genesis 4—the story of Cain and Abel. This story introduces us to significant biblical firsts, such as the first mention of sin, the first murder, and the concept of personal responsibility. We’ll delve into the repercussions of Cain’s actions and the profound lessons they hold for us today about sin’s deceit and the importance of offering what is right in God’s eyes. Join us as we uncover the depths of these early biblical events and their implications for our understanding of justice, accountability, and mercy.
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Genesis 4:2 “…Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Genesis 4:3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering
of the fruit of the ground to the Lord.
Genesis 4:4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the
Lord respected Abel and his offering,
Genesis 4:5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry,
and his countenance fell.
Genesis 4:6 So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your
countenance fallen?
Genesis 4:7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin
lies at the door. And its desire is [d]for you, but you should rule over it.”
Genesis 4:8 Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they
were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
Genesis 4:9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not
know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Genesis 4:10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood
cries out to Me from the ground.
Rule #13: Recognize the Law of First Mention in the Bible which means that the
first time an idea or word is introduced in the Bible is important.
I. THE FIRST MENTION OF THE WORD SIN IN SCRIPTURE.
Genesis 4:2 “…Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Genesis 4:3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering
of the fruit of the ground to the Lord.
Genesis 4:4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the
Lord respected Abel and his offering,
Genesis 4:5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry,
and his countenance fell.
Genesis 3:21 Also for Adam and his wife the Lord God made tunics of skin, and
clothed them.
The Cain Syndrome
Lord, I won’t give you what you want, I’ll give you what I want.
Genesis 4:6 So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your
countenance fallen?
Genesis 4:7 If you do well, will you not be accepted?
Genesis 4:7 (AMP) If you do well [believing Me and doing what is acceptable and
pleasing to Me], will you not be accepted?
Genesis 4:7 (VOICE) Don’t you know that as long as you do what is right, then I
accept you?
Genesis 4:7 “…. And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door.
Who is it knocks so loud?”
“A lonely little sin.”
“Slip through,” I answered.
And soon all hell was in.
Ephesians 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.
Genesis 4:7 …And its desrie is for you, but you should rule over it.”
John Owen said, “Be killing sin, or sin will be killing you.”
II. THE FIRST MURDER IN THE BIBLE.
Genesis 4:8 Now Cain talked with Abel his brother; and it came to pass, when they
were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
John 10:10 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy…
John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to
do. He was a murderer from the beginning …”
Now in the United States, there are 19 states that have no restrictions on abortion
Up until 15 minutes before birthing, you can destroy the unborn in 19 states.
14 states have intense restrictions where it is very hard to get an abortion
Missouri is one of them
17 states are in the middle, they have some restrictions but abortion is accessible.
So 36 states in the union you can get an abortion
There is no state that bans abortion completely
Joe Biden said, “The supreme was wrong. Abortion should be a constitutional right in the
federal constitution, a federal right. And it shouldn’t matter where in America you
live. This isn’t about states rights, it’s about women’s rights.”
It’s sick world when one family member gets to decide whether another family
member gets to live or die.
When sex is the God we worship, children are the demonic sacrifice we make.
Proverbs 8:36 But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate
me love death.
Matthew 23:35 That on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from
the blood of righteous Abel …”
1 John 3:12 “…Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother.and why
did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous
1 John 3:13 Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you.
Genesis 4:9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do
not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
I John 3:15, “Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer.”
To quote Clint Eastwood:
It’s a heck of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he’s got and all he’s ever gonna have.
III. THE FIRST MENTION OF BLOOD IN THE BIBLE.
Genesis 4:10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood
cries out to Me from the ground.
Romans 3:15 Their feet are swift to shed blood:
Romans 3:16 Destruction and misery are in their ways:
Romans 3:17 And the way of peace have they not known:
Romans 3:18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Sin can always justifies itself and we can justify anything we do, even murder.
Proverbs 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
Proverbs 26:12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a
fool than for him.
Numbers 32:23 “… Be sure your sin will find you out.
James 2:13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy.
1 Corinthians 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.
Proverbs 3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
