The Conception and Birth of Cain

A Devotional Series from Genesis

Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)

4/8 Reading Portions: Leviticus 11-12; Psalm 13-14; Proverbs 26; 1 Thessalonians 5

Genesis 4:1

Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.”

GOTTEN

We have two things to consider in this morning’s devotional thought. First, Eve’s conception. Second, the birth of Cain and the words of Eve, the wife of Adam.

First, Eve’s conception. An ancient Rabbi, Shlomo Yitzchaki (c.1040-c.1105 AD), aka Rashi or Jarchi, believed that Adam was intimate with his wife before the fall in original sin, and that the birth of Cain only came after dad and mom were banished from the garden. That is absurd on so many levels that we could not cover them all in several days of devotionals. We will consider only one. If God is sovereign over every human conception (and He is, viz., Isa 44:2; Jer 1:5; Lk 1:15, 35; et al), then it would have served no good gospel purpose for the conception of Cain to take place in innocence. Cain would therefore be an exception to Adam’s headship in original sin. That premise would result in a series of false conclusions that would undermine Christ’s gospel.

Second, the birth of Cain, קַיִן (QA-yeen) in Hebrew, is uttered as evidence of Eve’s faith upon God’s promise in Genesis 3:15. Her first child was a man, and she expected him to be the fulfillment of that promise. She even named Cain from the Hebrew root of what she believed occurred—she had gotten a man from the LORD. Although Cain would prove to be a type of antichrist as the fourth chapter of Genesis unfolds, his being born first, and that Eve had gotten him as the expectant salvation, made her words prophetic of the true Christ to come some 4,000 years later, making Cain’s birth as the first-born son, a picture of a type of Christ, as it is written:

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Hallelujah! What a Savior!