Why did God say that anyone killing Cain would be punished 7 times?
In the book of Genesis, we learn about the first murder committed by Cain, who killed his brother Abel out of jealousy. After the murder, God confronts Cain and asks him where Abel is. Cain lies to God, and in response, God punishes him by making him a wanderer on the earth. However, before Cain leaves, God also makes a strange statement: "If anyone kills Cain, he will suffer vengeance seven times over" (Genesis 4:15).
Many people have wondered why God made this statement. After all, Cain had just committed a terrible sin, and it might seem like justice would be served if someone were to take his life. However, God's statement shows us something important about His character and His desire for justice.
Firstly, God is a just God, and He takes sin very seriously. However, He also desires mercy and redemption for sinners. In the case of Cain, God chose to spare his life, despite his heinous crime. This shows us that God values human life and desires to give people the opportunity to turn from their sin and be redeemed.
Secondly, God's statement about vengeance shows us that He is the only one who has the right to administer justice. In other words, it is not up to us to take revenge on those who have wronged us. Instead, we should trust in God's justice and allow Him to deal with those who have sinned against us.
Finally, God's statement about vengeance also shows us that sin has consequences. Although God chose to spare Cain's life, he still had to live with the consequences of his sin. He became a wanderer on the earth, and his sin had lasting effects on his family and future generations.