The first shocking human murder is described in Genesis 4. The event is exceptionally tragic for various reasons. First of all, it is the first murder of a human being; secondly, it is a fratricide, that is a murder of a brother by a brother; thirdly, because it foreshadows a way of life that has characterized humanity ever since.

The event is also meaningful because, for the first time, God does not intervene in human affairs and allows the actual murder of an innocent person to take place, even though He clearly knew it was going to happen and witnessed its happening. God had warned Cain that sin lay at his door “and its desire is for you” (Genesis, 4:7). But God’s warning fell on deaf ears “…and it came to pass, when they rose in the field, that Cain rose against Abel his brother and killed him” (Genesis, 4:8).

But what if God had intervened and had prevented Abel’s death? What if God had simply warned Abel of Cain’s intent and had asked him to stay away?

If God had intervened, a different pattern would have been set for God’s relationship with humanity. To be consistent, God would have had to intervene every time a potential murder was on the way, or before any wars occurred. If God had chosen the path to intervention and prevention, it would have also made logical sense for Him to prevent thefts, lying, fornication, adultery, and so on.

Some might say that this approach would have been more reflective of a God who is supposed to be loving and just. After all, God’s consistent intervention in preventing evil would have brought about a decent, peaceful and safe world free from sin and suffering. This reasoning seems to be sound, but is it?

When Adam and Eve took of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they placed all of humanity on a path of independence from God and of slavery toward Satan. The Bible makes it plain that Satan, not Almighty God, is humanity’s chosen god (II Cor. 4:4, Eph. 2:2). From the start God has been set aside by a rebellious humanity, and He “gave them up to uncleanness…and a debased mind to do those things that are not fitting” (Romans 1: 24, 28). Adam and Eve, and their descendents, were going to be allowed to taste the horrors of sin in their entirety. Humanity would learn the hard way what it means to reject God and follow in Satan’s footsteps.

No doubt standing aside and watching untold evil and its tragic consequences from taking place must have been very painful for a God of love. Yet, in the long term, God is showing a kind of love we do not understand. We humans can only see the immediate. God sees the very long-term, eternal benefits. He sees that the learning of this eternal lesson will ultimately lead to eternal peace and joy. Thus, he is willing to suffer along with humanity as long as, in the end, humanity will inherit eternal blessings.

God, therefore, is allowing sin to be manifested for what it is: a destructive, pain-filled choice that hurts perpetrators and bystanders. God wants humans to see the horrors that Satan-inspired actions will bring upon humanity. The long-term lesson is that sin hurts and that righteousness is always the better way.

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