“Why Has Your Countenance Fallen?”
It is common to hear people complain about how depressed they are. I have no doubt that a number of people, due to a physical illness, can’t deliver themselves bouts of depression. Such people deserve our patience, sympathy and support. On the other hand many others (though they would never admit to it) complain of a depression that was brought on because of sin – their sin – and the improper handling of the guilt that attends it. Cain is an excellent illustration of this point. In Genesis 4 he and his brother Abel offered sacrifices to the God of heaven; each brought something in keeping with their respective occupations – “Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground. Abel … brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions” (vss 3-4a). God’s response to these sacrifices is recorded in these words…
(vss 4b-5a) And the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard.
Some have speculated that Cain’s sacrifice was rejected because he did not bring the “firstfruits” of his harvest; others suggest that it was because he did not bring an animal sacrifice. But in truth both views are nothing but speculation. The only reason given by God for His acceptance of Abel’s offering over that of Cain is found in Hebrews 11:4 where it says…
(Heb 11:4) By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.
This is the significant difference between the offering of Cain and the offering of Abel – Abel worshipped “by faith,” Cain did not. And God made it known not only to Abel that He was pleased with his offering, but also to Cain that He had “no regard” for his. As a result Cain became angry and his countenance fell (Gen 4:5) – a classic picture of depression. In verse six God questions the young man and asks: “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?” Then God makes a significant statement
(Gen 4:7) "If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it."
At least four things are clearly implied in these words of God:
1. Cain’s fallen countenance (depression) was a result of the fact that he had not done well.
2. His countenance and depression could be lifted if he would repent and change his course to “do well.”
3. If he failed to repent, his depression would result in further sin, beginning a downward spiral of sin, guilt, depression, sin, guilt, etc.
4. The choice was his—he could go either way.
All of us have sinned, just as surely as Cain had. But we are warned against “the way of Cain” (Jude 11). We should, therefore, study carefully his mistakes to avoid them.
First, he tried to serve God in his own way rather than in God’s appointed way. Regarding the sacrifice offered by Able the prophet said wrote…
(Heb 11:4) By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.
The words “by faith” means more than that Abel was a theist. His brother Cain also believed in God; otherwise he would not have offered any sacrifice whatsoever. “By faith” is a description of how Abel worshipped – he did it “by faith;” he did what God commanded him to do (cf., Romans 10:17). This is why his sacrifice was “better” than the one offered by Cain.
Most men are incurably religious. But since the time of Cain the majority has followed in his steps rather than in steps of Abel. They serve God in accordance to the imaginations of their own heart instead of in ways authorized by God. This is not to question their sincerity. For like the Jews in the first century “they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge” (Rom 10:2). They seek to be right with the God of heaven, but they want it to be in accordance to their own way of thinking instead of according to the revealed will of Christ. Jesus spoke about these people in his Sermon on the Mount. He reveals that on the final day many will say to him:
(Mat 7:22-27) “… ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell--and great was its fall.”
Cain’s problem was not that he refused to worship or serve God. His problem was that he sought to please God in his own way! And when a man does this he becomes guilty of practicing iniquity—lawlessness. Today we too walk in the way of Cain not only when we do it our way with regard to worship, but when we serve him in our own way in other matters. It may be with regard to marriage, to sexual morality, to how we treat our neighbors (including our brethren); it may be with regard the way the dress – modesty; to our speech and our business dealings. The people of Cain have no problem ignoring what God has said about these matters or tinkering with His revelation so that it may suit them. Like Cain they are making a grave mistake.
We are not told what God did to show His disapproval toward Cain and his offering, but it is clear that He did something. For Cain knew that God was not pleased and the text in Gen 4 says
(vs 5b) … So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell.
Cain wanted the approval of God, but on his terms. And because God wasn’t pleased, Cain became “very angry and his countenance fell” (he became depressed with the situation). Cain was very angry and depressed because he had made himself into a victim. In refusing his offering, God was treating him unfairly.
At some point God approaches him and asks …
(Gen 4:6-7) … “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?
In asking this question God was attempting to help Cain understand that his anger toward Him was not justified. He needed to point the finger elsewhere; he needed to point it at himself. God then tells Cain how this situation could be corrected.
If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up?
This is a call to repentance. Cain, God says, you want to get rid of your depression then do well, do what you are suppose to do, do what I ask of you. For if you do this, will not your face – your countenance be lifted up? God then warns him of what will happen if he does not repent.
And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”
Sin is personified as a dangerous animal stalking its prey. What God is saying to the young man is that if you do not repent of your bad attitude there is a real danger that you will fall into a greater evil. This is this is the curse of sin when it is not confessed and repented of! It leads to other and greater sins.
Sin’s “desire is for you,” says God, “but you must master it.” In other words, you must overcome it; and this will happen only through repentance – by doing well, by doing you’re your suppose to be doing, by doing what I ask of you.
Cain was already angry and depressed when God attempts
to turn him around. Millions in our society are precisely where Cain was. They
are depressed about their situation before God and they are angry that God is
not pleased with them. But they don’t feel that they are to blame. So God
approaches them through their parents or their siblings, through their wives or
their husbands, through concerned Christians and informs them that they have no
reason to be angry toward God and depressed as if somehow they are victims.
They are told how to get rid of their depression and anger – do what is right,
do what God tells you to do. They are warned that if they don’t do this they
are in danger of falling into greater sin, but it doesn’t have to be this way –
“You must master it.” Sadly, however, for the most part men are unwilling to
repent and become angrier and fall into
greater depression.
After God had told these things to Cain, Cain tells his brother of the conversation.
(Gen 4:8) Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
We are not told what Abel’s response was before Cain killed him. But I am inclined to believe that he offered him words that would encourage him to obey God in this matter. But with some, this would be the final straw. They already know what God says and are unwilling to do it. Thus, when fellow disciple comes along encouraging them to repent and to obey God they just get angrier.
Cain had already handled his depression badly. He could have repented of the sin that caused it and his face would have been lifted up. Instead, he is angry at God and at the people of God who act as God instructs them to act. In this instance the anger turned to hatred and the hatred eventually lead Cain to the murder his brother.
Still impenitent and bitter, he lied to God when asked about his brother’s whereabouts. Cain was in that downward spiral of which he had been warned, a spiral from which he apparently never escaped. Even more sadly, at least eight generations continued in that same skid until the flood came and destroyed all of Cain’s descendants.
We do not have to go “in the way of Cain.” When we find ourselves depressed, angry, our countenance fallen, God says to us as He did to Cain: “Sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” And with God’s help we can master it through confession and repentance.
(Psa 32:3-5, 7) When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. … You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.