Spiritual Survival Guide
8: Bible Studies for Inside and Out
13 Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is more than I can bear. 14 Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” 15 But the LORD said to him, “Not so; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 16 So Cain went out from the LORD’s presence and lived in the land of Nod, east of Eden.—Genesis 4:1-16
other people) didn’t accept you or what you had to offer? If so, how did you handle it? a. I lashed out at others. b. I lashed out myself and beat myself up about it. c. I shut down inside. d. I isolated myself from others. e. I self-medicated. 4. God tried to encourage Cain to do the acceptable thing and warned him about sin crouching at his door like a wild beast. Cain gave in to the beast. How are you doing with the beast these days? a. Honestly, I welcome the beast in and feed it all too often. b. I’m keeping the door locked tight. c. I’m getting help and driving it farther away. d. It’s an ongoing struggle for me. 5.What do you make of Cain’s reaction when he was confronted by God after killing Abel? a. He was evasive and untruthful. b. He was callous when he said, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” c. He was scared of being punished. d. He was feeling sorry for himself, like he was the victim, instead of his dead brother. e. He never seems to have truly repented. He made it all about himself. 6. Cain lived under a curse and was a “restless wanderer” as a result of his behavior. How about you? a. That pretty much describes my experience. I’ve just gotten used to it. b. I used to be that way when I was younger, but I’m finding my way home.
DISCUSS
We offer suggestions for some possible answers, but don’t feel confined by them. 1.What made Cain and Abel so different? a. Cain was just a “bad seed.” b. Initially, not very much. But Cain let sin take him down a terrible road. c.Younger brothers can be jerks sometimes. d. Abel’s generous gift reveals that he was more interested in his relationship with God than Cain was. 2.Why was Cain angry and who was he angry at? a. He was angry at God for being displeased with his offering. b. He was angry at God for looking with favor on his brother. c. He was angry at Abel for showing him up. d. He was angry at himself and ashamed for not being “acceptable.” 3. Have you ever felt angry and downcast because you felt that God (or
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