Sin in Repose
sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it. Genesis 4:7 NASB
Crouching – Genesis chapter 4 is the story of Cain and Abel. It is a story that we have probably known since childhood. It is the story of the results of allowing the yetzer ha’ra to guide emotions. God knows that emotional situations can become the seedbed for sinful acts. He sees Cain’s depression. He knows that there are two monumental choices facing Cain. Cain can agree with God’s assessment of the situation and take steps to repair the relationship, or Cain can defend himself, refuse God’s offer and let his emotional state carry him into another action.
The text tells us that sin is crouching at the door. Notice some very important things about this statement. First, sin is still outside. It is right there, ready to come in if invited, but it is not yet part of the emotional equation. The word used here is ravats. It means “a resting place.” In almost every occurrence in the Old Testament it is associated with “repose” or “rest after exertion.” It does not carry with it the idea of something evil lying in wait. In fact, this word is used many times to symbolically describe the rest of sheep under the shepherd’s care. Translations that imply that this verse means sin is crouching like a tiger, ready to spring into action probably miss the mark. God says to Cain, “Sin is in repose just outside you. If you choose to accept my solution, it will stay there. It cannot begin to work until you open the door. But if you don’t heed my warning, if you let the yetzer ha’ra guide your emotions, sin will have the opportunity it needs to spring into action. Be careful, Cain.”
Then God closes His conversation with this remark, “Sin’s desire is for you but you must master it.” Sin wants control. Sin needs control. The word for desire used here occurs only three times in the Old Testament. In both of the other occurrences, the word indicates a turning point, a moment when the person (Havvah in the Genesis 3 account) opts for actions controlled by personal desire rather than godly advice. God makes it very clear. Sin wants to own you. Sin wants a controlling, intimate involvement with you. And it will use the emotional gateway to get what it wants.
But God says that Cain can be sin’s master. It is up to him. Choose! “You still have time, Cain. You can still reverse this emotional roller coaster you are on and prevent the downhill slide. Nod your ascent to my evaluation of the circumstance of your life. Agree that I am your King and deserve your tribute. And it will be acceptable. You will find joy. You will be released from this depression.”
How often do we find ourselves standing next to Cain, receiving God’s gentle instructions about the direction of our emotional decisions? How often have we discovered the power of the yetzer ha’ra is not in choosing, but in desiring what must not be chosen? But have we learned that sin has no power on its own. It lies dormant at the door and as long as the door remains closed, it can do nothing to harm us. Perhaps that’s why Sha’ul tells us that sin entered the world by Adam’s act of opening the door. That’s the way it enters our world too. We need more practice keeping the door shut. It helps to remember that there is no door handle on the outside.
Topical Index: Genesis 4:7, sin, yetzer ha’ra, crouching, ravats, repose
“We need more practice keeping the door shut. It helps to remember that there is no door handle on the outside.” “sin has no power on its own” “Sin wants to own you. Sin wants a controlling, intimate involvement with you. And it will use the emotional gateway to get what it wants.”
Amein! Exactly right!!!! lol Seriously!
ABBA will give us our hearts’ desires, but it’s not what we need.
This is what we need to know, and not make excuses that mankind is not perfect, and it is ‘human’ to sin from Adam, as I’d heard some believers claim!
ABBA YHWH is seeking for overcomers.
Thank you, Skip, for this inspiring word.
ESTER – I DON’T UNDERSTAND THIS STATEMENT/TEXT:
“ABBA will give us our hearts’ desires, but it’s not what we need.”
ARE YOU SAYING ABBA WILL GIVE US WHAT IS NOT GOOD FOR US JUST BECAUSE WE WANT IT???
Hi Jan,
1 Sam 12: 13 The people of Israel desired a king, and a king was given to them-king Saul.
This is what Israel desired, but it is not what they needed.
Hope this answers your question.
Shalom!
Ester, if God had told Israel HE was going to give them a King (King David) would they have listened to HIM/God – because that is what HE/God did – HE/God gave them their King David. If God had not really wanted to give the Israelites a King (David) He would not have – I think HE/God just wanted it to be HIS/God’s choice of a man & not theirs… ♥
I think you’re missing the point of God interaction on this issue. He accommodates to the wishes of the people, warning them that this is a mistake and the price will be very high. He doesn’t give them a king because He had already determined to do so. He works with the circumstances that men create. They started a chain of events that resulted in captivity. David was a bright spot in an otherwise dismal adventure. It wasn’t God choice that determined the events. It was man’s disobedience which of course has consequences.
Skip, i may be missing your point but now i am really confused because now i’m thinking because of the way you explain the way King David came about that every thing else that happened in the Bible only happened because of the people’s disobedience & God’s covering the bum.
What makes you think that man doesn’t work with the circumstances that God creates – sometimes i think you put to much power on what man can do instead of God. i will probably always believe that God is in control & not man & that God is not always cow towing to man’s desires & wishes. i still believe that God is sovereign & what goes is what happens is His plan & not mans – where the problem lies is when men/women are disobedient to God’s plan.
so what you are saying in my pea like brain (to me) is that the lineage of David’s house & how it is part of Jesus was not God’s plan at all but a mistake he had to cover made by man. that sure takes the royalty & majesty out of the history of Jesus & makes it all about man & God being the puppet of man.
sometimes i just can’t wrap my brain or heart around what you are trying to say or make us believe & that is okay too – cause i will & prefer to believe that God is smarter, wiser, Alpha/Omega & man is not – i just don’t see men/women being more powerful than God & HE having to do something just because we want it – doesn’t seem like he has done much in my life just because i want it…
i think HE carries the story all by HIMself & we just get to be part of it – it may look like we do get things just because we want them but He has a plan way beyond what we understand & it is HE that is in control…
that is how i think & feel because i don’t know all you do & perhaps i don’t want too – it is too scary for me to think i am in control & HE/God is just appeasing me…
Robert has the right approach. The Hebraic view embraces the authority of men (and their culpability) and the sovereignty of God equally. God is in control, but Man is equally responsible. How this partnership works is a paradox and a mystery. That it works is a biblical fact. So, yes, David is king because of the people’s disobedience. God never intended human royalty to guide Israel. But once the people compel God to allow a king, then God works through that circumstance to bring about His will. Men can cooperate with God’s purposes or men can delay God’s purposes but men cannot prevent God’s purposes. Maybe the reason it took thousands of years for the Messiah to come is that the actions of men delayed the purposes of God.
Hi Jan,
If it will help your dilemna any, consider this. Which “control” is a true control? Getting ones will done by withholding or administering circumstances and activities, (some would call that “micro management”) or achieving it in “spite” of the freewill actions of another. The fact that God accomplishes His will no matter what the decisions or actions of men (the appointed rulers) are, shows greater sovereignty, not less.
There’s a lot to be said on the passage Skip wrote on concerning the “image” and appointing man as ruler over the earth. It would almost seem that God has placed a self willed limitation on Himself, but it isn’t what it seems on the surface.
God’s plan is the next best alternative after taking into account the fears and tendencies of His people. For example:
Exodus 13:17 – Now when Pharaoh had let the people go, God did not lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, even though it was near ; for God said, “The people might change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.”
Similarly, God still led through the Isrealite kings, even though it was not the ideal. It was the ‘longer’, more difficult route.
This verse in Exodus was an awesome find for me. Specifically, I could finally pray for humility. I had always thought praying for humility, would mean public embarrassment. But when I saw this verse, I thought, “Wow, God takes my fears into consideration when he answers my prayers.”
A few years ago I attended a writing seminar that required us to submit a paper written to a peer group, take their feedback and rewrite and present again. Skip was the instructor. The paper I wrote was on depression (a psychological term) and the scripture. Cains experience was my first illustration. I thank Skip for this affirmation that I was on base. The point I missed in that paper was that Cain had a choice about what to do. Cain could have said no to the “temmptation” and yes to God and then the reason for the “depression” would have probably evaporated. Sometimes it takes me so long to learn. Thanks Skip for being so patient.
It’s a journey, not a destination. As you can see from my correction to the February 12 TW, I am traveling too.
~ There has no temptation (testing,trial) come upon you but such as is common to man: *but G-d is faithful*, who will not suffer (allow) you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it ~ (1 Corinthians 10.13)
All of us are tempted or tested. This is common to us all. Temptations are universal and exist everywhere and every day and come upon every son (and daughter!) of Adam. The *yetser ha’ra* is universal- both to the Jew and to the Gentile- every son of Adam- including the child of Adam who writes these words. I too am tested and will be tested. -(Just the facts ma’am.) The Teacher, (our Master) has instructed his students (us)- “in this world you will have tribulation..”. Either you are in a storm, have just come through a storm or will be in a storm- All of us will be subject to the “stormy weather..”
We also see in the N.T. book of James, sin can also be an “inside job.” Enemies within and enemies without- we have no shortage of enemies! lol! “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” (James 1.15) Lust..Sin..Death, our Adversary’s LSD. We see here the progression of sin and it starts with the grandaddy of them all.. “lust.” I see it, I want it- I desire (or worse yet) “deserve” to have it. ~ For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1 John 2:15-16)
Our three enemies have just been defined for us. We (now) know who our enemies are. The question then is how shall we defeat them? And answer to this question is- .. we are not!
This, my friends is a true statement. All three enemies were defeated for us by Christ at Calvary. The victory belongs to the LORD. Sin shall no longer have dominion over you (or over me!) because of Calvary’s cross.
For I (too) have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless I (too) live, yet *not I, but Christ..* and the life I now live in the flesh (if I’m still breathing- I’m still able to be tempted!)- I now live by the faith of (and in) the Son of G-d who loved me and gave Himself for me (and to me!). (Galatians 2.20)
The answer to life is death. Death to self.
May I ask- how shall we “tempt” a dead man?
~For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in G-d ~ (Colossians 3.3) Good morning dead people!-
Has Yeshua HaMashiach given you life? Resurrection life? New life? His life?
~ Don’t you realize (or recognize, -may we say “awake and aware?”) that your body is the temple of the Ruach HaKodesh, who lives in you and was given to you by G-d? You do not belong to yourself, for you have been bought with a price; be glorifying G-d with your body and with your spirit, which are G-d’s.~ (1 Corinthians 6.20)
~ To them G-d has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is *Christ in you, the hope of glory.* ~ (Colossians 1.27)
Oh..- dear friends! such wonderful news!-
~ Little children, you belong to G-d and have overcome them, because the ONE who is in you is greater (so much greater!) than the one who is in the world.~ (1 John 4.4)
After meditating on this teaching, it seems to be very appropriate to to our own culture. It even made me wonder if Cain might have been a ‘teen-ager’ when that was spoken to him. Sounds a bit like a lot of that type of ‘drama’ that makes its way into the public sphere. 🙂
However, how many of us have ever been taught that WE have the ability to make a FREE WILL CHOICE of good over evil? It is only in recent time (thank you, Skip) that it has become clear to me that the Creator put within each of us something sacred – FREE WILL. It is difficult to move into this place of action, when I ignorantly believed that humans were unable to exercise that level of authority in action. I realize now that I only believed it in the abstract, and while I experienced it on occasion, it was somewhat random, because of the lack of specific teaching.
There are a number of areas in my personal life where this lesson should be applied. I have a LONG WAY to go, but I am so grateful for His presence on the journey.
You hit the bullseye with this, Skip! 🙂
OH – NOT YOU GAYLE… 😀 I AM TEASING YOU SISTER – I HOPE AT MY VINTAGE I AM STILL ABLE TO BE SO INTROSPECTIVE & OPEN TO CORRECTION IN MYSELF & OTHERS – THAT WONDERFUL BEAUTIFUL TEACHABLE SPIRIT THAT ALL SHOULD HAVE & DOES NOT GRIEVE THE HOLY SPIRIT… ♥
Hi Skip,
After riding a very emotional roller coaster last week I know exactly what you mean. In fact, it is as if you are commenting my life at this very moment. I opened my door for the creature outside and allowed it to awake and enter my life. This almost cost me everything. It caused very bitter tears. The only difference with Cain is that God did not allow me to do irreparable damage, but let me hear His gentle voice. Thanks, Skip! Thank you for your advice! I will keep my door shut. It’s so true! There’s no door handle on the outside…… I need only to remember.
Genesis 4:7, sin, yetzer ha’ra, crouching at the door
Choose! “You still have time, Cain.
Hmmm
I think we need to be more action oriented
If, a la Jim Morrison and the Doors
We want to “break on through to the other side”
aka the right door
I had my door closed and locked, but someone picked the lock!! There wasn’t a handle on the outside and it came in uninvited. Is that the yetzer ha’ra working overtime?
What opens the door to the uninvited guest? I am becoming convinced it will most always have something to do with an accusation of some sort, either against God, myself, or others, that I come into agreement with. I prayed to ask, if I was instructed to guard the door of my heart, what was I to guard against, and the following is what I think right now, anyway.
You cannot sin if you are not in agreement with the Accuser, and all accusations contain an element of a lie, too. All accusation misrepresents the truth in some way, and all accusation attempts to lay blame somewhere. Accusation is the base of all scandal, too, incidentally. The Greek word for the bait in a trap is called “skandalon”, and this is the word used in the most of the verses in the New Testament that are usually translated “stumbling block”. Well, bait is just not that passive! It entices.
We feel condemned by sin already present, or by believing some accusation against us, too, and that feels like a death sentence. We see no way to rectify it, so we seek to pass that blame. I think accusation promises us a false sense of relief, so we bite, and the trap of sin is sprung. We have to be believing something that isn’t true before we are tempted to sin, and I am convinced that accusation is the favorite channel of the Accuser to get us to believe a lie. When we believe an accusation of some sort, either against God, ourselves or others, then we are committed to doing any sin that will reinforce that belief, and our door is swinging in the wind. Just where I am at with this, so far. Take what you like, and leave the rest!
I know when I prayed to get my heart door closed, I was shown that I would have to repent for believing accusations of ALL types, for none of them were the truth. Judgment Day is at the end of the world, but it is not today. We should not be participating in judging or condemning on any level, including against ourselves. Identifying all that accusation has been an eye-opening exercise, that’s for sure, but I quit suffering most of those vicious attacks, eventually. Halleluah!
Thanks Laurita. I do and don’t understand. Poking a little fun at myself and so it goes.
Hey, that’s a step better than accusing or condemning yourself! LOL