After the Fall, Adam and Eve followed God’s plan to have children. The Bible does not tell us how many God blessed them with, but they had many during their hundreds of years of life. Because they were made directly by God, their health held up much better than it does for us. Moses does tell us about three sons: Cain, Abel and Seth. When Cain is born, Eve named him the usual naming formula: “I have received a man– the Lord.” Martin Luther and many theologians think Eve believed Cain was to be the Messiah that God promised them after the Fall. (Genesis 3:15) Others see it as Eve thanking God for giving her a child and not taking credit for the birth herself.
Abel grew up to be a shepherd and Cain a farmer. Both Abel and Cain brought offerings to God. Cain gave some of his crops to God because he felt he had to. Abel gave the very best of the very best of his flock because he loved God. God accepted both gifts, but favored Abel’s over Cain’s because Abel gave his gift by faith, while Cain offered his as a work.
Cain was jealous. God warned him to let it go and to work on being a better person. Jealously has a way of feeding our sinful nature. In this case, Cain grew angry with his brother Abel and killed him. This first murder fed the decline of society into the evil that resulted in God’s decision to destroy them all — except Noah and his family.
Nevertheless, God loved him and showed him mercy. He put a mark on him to protect him from death. He got married and had children that shaped the world.
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