Where is thy brother?

"And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass...that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground" (Gen. 4:8-10).

When Adam sinned and hid from the Lord, God called unto him saying, "Where art thou?" (See previous blog) Now Cain slays his brother and God asked him, "Where is Abel thy brother?" Just like God knew where Adam was he knew where Abel was too. God said unto Cain, "the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground." Because of Cain's sin he was driven from the presence of the Lord to become a wanderer in the earth (Gen. 4:14-16). When God asked Adam, "Where are thou?" this question was in regards to Adam's personal sin against God. When God asked Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? this question was in regards to Cain's sin against his brother. Both Adam's sin against God and Cain's sin against his brother Abel affected their enjoyment of God's presence. Adam needed to be reconciled to God. God covered the shame of Adam and Eve with animal skins, which they received. These animals that were killed to cover the shame of Adam and Eve was a picture of the blood atonement of Jesus Christ. Abel needed to be reconciled with his brother. But rather than getting his heart right with his brother Abel, Cain murdered him. And as a result was driven from the presence of God.

The Apostle John wrote, "For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him" (1 John 3:11-17).

According to John a unwillingness in a person to reach out to another brother or sister in love is an indication that they do not know God. Is there an offense, bitterness, or anger toward your brother or sister on your part crying out to God against you? God will not plug his ears. If you’re saved your fellowship with God will be hindered until you do your part to resolve any issue between you and another brother. If your persist in your unwillingness to do your part in resolving any issues between you and a brother or sister perhaps the reason might be that you do not know the love of God yourself. In other word you need to get saved. If you are saved and in conflict with a brother or sister you need to heed the words of the Apostle Paul, "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you" (Eph. 4:31-32). God asked Cain, "Where is Abel thy brother?" Perhaps God is saying to us today, “Where is (fill in the blank) thy brother? Where is (fill in the blank) thy sister?”