As the boys watched conditions worsening around them each responded differently. In Cain the bitter seeds of hostility and anger took root and began to grow. Abel, on the other hand, could see that man's rebellious attitude was responsible for all the unhappiness that the human race was experiencing. Abel wisely turned to God for guidance in how to live his life. Cain, who had allowed his mind to tune into Satan's way of selfish lust and resentment, envied the relationship his brother had with their Creator, but had no desire to do those things that would draw him closer to God.

"Why are you angry?" God asked Cain. "And why do I see evil in your face? If your attitude is right, won't I accept you, as I did your brother? If, however, you don't do the things you should, then sin is waiting to claim you. It is easy to give in to Satan's influence. You should learn to avoid his evil ways, and overcome sin."

God's gentle correction only made Cain more resentful. Later, when he and his brother were alone in the field, Cain lost complete control of his temper. In a fit of rage he attacked his brother and killed him. Then he returned home as though nothing had happened.

"Cain, where is your brother, Abel?" God asked him.

"How should I know?" Cain asked, "Am I my brother's keeper?"

Cain never understood that brothers should watch out for one another and love one another. He was too filled with Satan's evil thoughts to show the kind of consideration that should exist between family members.

"What have you done?" God asked sternly. "I know the violence you have done to your brother. Because of your cruel act, his blood has flowed into the ground. As punishment for your terrible sin, the ground that has tasted your brother's blood will no longer yield produce for you. You will become a vagabond on the earth, traveling about the land without anyplace to call home."

"My punishment is too great!" Cain complained. "Will you drive me away from my own land and from Your protection so that all who find me will hate me and kill me?"

"I'll see that no one kills you," God said, grieved that Cain showed no remorse for the murder of his brother, but thought instead only of his own safety.

To see that no one killed him, God set a sign on Cain. Just what that sign was, the Bible doesn't say. We do know that all who saw it knew that they mustn't harm the person who carried it.

Cain left his homeland and moved into the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Eventually Cain took a wife and had children of his own.

Eve had lost two sons. One had died by this brothers hand and the other had been driven away from home. God saw how unhappy she was and gave her another son whom she named Seth.

Adam died at the age of nine hundred and thirty. Just as God had foretold, his physical existence came to an end and his body returned to the ground from which it was formed.

Instead of spreading out and populating the earth, man developed his own civilization, clustering into cities. They didn't turn to God for guidance, but looked to their own human reasoning. They forgot God's law and, instead of taking just one wife, took whatever woman caught their eye.

In those days there were men of gigantic stature as well as men who became powerful authorities. Even though these men had physical strength and position they lacked the character needed to be good leaders.

The human race had corrupted itself. Hatred, violence and greed had become a way of life, not only for the human race, but for all creation.

God looked down at the suffering and misery and was deeply grieved. "My Spirit won't always be at odds with man," He declared. "I will give them one hundred and twenty years to repent. Then, if they haven't listened to My warning and changed their evil ways, I will blot them off of the face of the earth."

But Noah found favor in the sight of God, and it was Noah who God selected to perform a very important task.

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