Measure-for-Measure
“My punishment is greater than I can bear” Genesis 4:13
Punishment – One of the greatest lessons of the Bible is reciprocity. It is so important that the principle is repeated over and over in the stories of the Scriptures. Once we recognize this principle, it helps us understand the potential dangers in our own actions, and the way righteousness confronts these dangers. We can see the principle quite clearly in the Hebrew word translated “punishment.” It is awon. It is one of the four Hebrew words for sin. In this case, it is sin that is especially grievous because it is deliberate. The word itself paints a picture of something hung on a nail, twisting in the wind. This kind of sin is premeditated, twisted perversion.
Consider how strange it is for Cain to use this word. By using this word, Cain admits to deliberately killing his own brother. His own choice of words, following the measure-for-measure principle, indicates that his action was not an outburst of uncontrolled rage. God warned Cain about this possibility, advising him to gain control of his anger. Cain’s sin is intentional. He says so. But then He complains to God, the righteous Judge, that his “punishment” is too severe. Using the same word that describes his intentional act of evil, Cain tries to shift the responsibility to God. Amazing! Does Cain think that his murder should be swept away in forgiveness? Doesn’t he recognize that taking his brother’s life means forfeiting his own? God is gracious, even under these circumstances. God does not take Cain’s life. He condemns Cain to wandering and exiles him from the land. Why? Because the land has been polluted by Cain’s action. It is no longer fit for his purposes. The land that swallowed Abel’s blood will not produce for Cain. What Cain wished to use for his own success has now been taken away. Measure-for-measure.
It’s the principle of measure-for-measure that Cain acknowledges in the word awon. The only problem is that he has the measurement backwards. His admission of the worst kind of sin results in a complaint against the Judge rather than an admission of his guilt. In other words, he attempts to make God the perpetrator of the crime. The guilty one deflects his responsibility by making the judge into the wounding party and the victim an incidental happenstance. When criminals rationalize their actions, they always attempt to move from perpetrator to victim. Cain now claims to be the victim of God’s unfair punishment (awon). The truth is twisted. The guilty squirms to recast the circumstances. The second original sin shows us just how convoluted sin really is.
Cain’s rationalization seems to be repeated time after time. It takes three steps. First, it ignores the real act of evil. Notice that Cain never mentions Abel. Secondly, it shifts the blame from the crime to the punishment. And finally, it attempts to make God (or the authority God puts in place) the real culprit. Here’s the saddest part. We have all done this. We have all entered into the Cain project, rationalizing our behavior, denying our guilt and trying to make God responsible. But here’s the hope. God still protects Cain. God still shows grace. God’s character does not change. Once we learn the measure-for-measure principle, we can be much more aware of the risks in sinful behavior. Cain should have fallen on his face in repentance. It’s far too late for him, but it isn’t too late for us.
Topical Index: Sin
