Genesis 4:1-16 KJV 1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD. 2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. 4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. 6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. 8 And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. 9 And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? 10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. 11 And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; 12 When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. 13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. 15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

Today I writing about outside the home, outside the gate. Adam and Eve sin cost them living in Eden. Cain killing Abel was cast out of the presents of the Lord and forced to live away from God. Now keep in mind Cain probably had lived at home with his family until he killed his brother Abel. He was forced to leave from God presence why because he pretended to be God by choosing to kill, or take his brother's life, a gift only God has. Through out the history of Hebrew/Jewish people transgressor of the law was punished outside the gate or outside the homeland. Sin was not corrected in the home. In fact Christ on death was outside the gate. Christ dying because of the sin of the people declaring him king, and God. True he was these things but not to the religious world or the legal world of his day. His sin being such he was crucified for the sins of the people. Was He God, his resurrection proved who He was as the Son of the living God. Because man cause his crucifixion the believers live outside of the gate of Jerusalem. Gladly bare the reproach of our sin, but at the same time something is happening, we look for a place called our eternal home. It is the place not of this earth but of what will come to be. Heaven our home, and living in the New Jerusalem. Now let's get back to Cain. Cain sin caused his punishment. His crime to get him killed, but God chose to mark him, giving him protection despite his sin caused him to be cast out. God marks his children has his, despite sin. Did Cain believe God in the end or only fear for his own life. God gave Cain a mark, so outside his house he was protected from evil people that would seek to harm him. His crime punishable by death. His crime not under the law of Moses. His crime was not under the blood of Jesus. His crime was enough to get put away from God for eternity. His reproach was great, yet he still told his children about God. God is holy and He dwells with his people. Adam and Eve though cast out for sin of disobedience still knew God. They were only exiled from heaven not God. Cain was exiled from God. Point is our sin crucifies Christ. Our disobedience is to the word of God. God is not the author of sin. Sin is action we do ourselves. Christ is more then just human but also the word of God. Jesus is prophesy that came and will come. Christ was innocent yet he was put outside the gate away from the people, punished by a crime of death he did not deserve. God's people are marked by the Holy Spirit as Cain was marked for protection. God's promise of protection is for his people, who deserve a greater punishment then Christ. It easy to put God outside the gate. It easy to put God outside our home, and only pick him up when we go into a church or a religious function. Yet when we only put on our faith when it convient, it has no value, a person has cheapened their faith if only outwardly have it at convience. Our faith must be worn daily, that is our hope of salvation. For Christ said forgive them they know not what they do. Christ forgiveness came with hope. Christ forgiveness came with a marking by the Holy Spirit on the believer. Yet people try and wear it only when it convient. We must remember He suffered outside his earthly home, He suffered outside of heavenly home. We join Christ in his suffering outside the gate of our heavenly home and Jerusalem watching and waiting for his second coming. Our faith becoming much more real with us taking on the responsibility of our transgression of sin. Dear Heavenly Father, help me to take on the responsibility of my own sin and wear my faith in Christ where ever I go, living outside the gate of heaven, until it time to go home. In Jesus precious name, Amen. Continual Scripture Study for Devotion: Hebrew 13:10-14 KJV 10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. http://www.turtle30cshell.com