God’s Abounding Grace

A Devotional Series from Genesis

Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)

4/19 Reading Portions: Leviticus 23; Psalm 30; Ecclesiastes 6; 2 Timothy 2

Genesis 4:15

Then the LORD said to him, “Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.” And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him.

MARK

As mentioned in an earlier devotional thought for this chapter, capital punishment for murder of a human being would not be instituted by God until after the flood in Noah’s day (Gen 9:6). Here, YHVH God expresses grace and mercy. Why? Because the gospel of Jesus Christ was God’s plan before He uttered “Let there be light” (Gen 1:3). As we have considered in an earlier devotional from this chapter (Gen 4:8), every single one of us is guilty of the murder of Jesus Messiah. Moreover, from this verse here, we also find the prophetic fulfillment of the sparing and salvation of Saul of Tarsus, who was guilty of the murder of hundreds of Christian believers, possibly thousands (Acts 9:1; 22:4; 26:11).

So, what was this mark placed upon Cain? There are a few commentators who suggest that this may have been some physical mark. There are those who suggest otherwise. In his commentary on Genesis, Dr. Robert Jamieson states:

“…not any visible mark or brand on his forehead, but some sign or token of assurance that his life would be preserved.” Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary, 1871 (emphasis in original)

Mark is translated from the Hebrew word אוֹת (ōt), which is often translate as the word “sign” in English (Gen 1:14), or “token” (Gen 9:12, KJV). Yet sometimes in the Old Testament, when a “sign” was given by God, although it may have been something that literally took place, that sign was not seen by the person it was given to, neither was it something witnessed by everyone. For example, here was a sign given that must be taken by faith:

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

Perhaps this mark was not anything visible to other men at all, but the power of our sovereign and almighty God to protect His gospel witness until its fruitful fulfilment. This, we’ve seen from the gospel account of the ministry of the Lord Jesus, whereas he could not be harmed or arrested until His time. It is written,

When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove Him out of the town and brought Him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw Him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, He went away. Luke 4:28-30

And again,

So they were seeking to arrest Him, but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. John 7:20 (see also John 8:20; 10:39)

Hallelujah! What a Savior!