This wouldn’t be a puzzle at all if Cain appeared before the Lord empty handed or if he didn’t show up at all. But the twist is that, in the course of time Cain also brought an offering to the Lord just like Abel. He believes in God, he even recognize the need for man to approach God. Cain was not an irreligious man but he performed his duty.
Genesis 4: 2-5
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
Isn’t it strange? They both bring offerings to the Lord. But God doesn’t look at Cain’s offering with favor. On the surface it looks as if the Lord was partial, unjust and unfair for looking at only one brother’s offering. But why? Is there a deeper meaning to this rejection? It’s time to dig deeper into the Word of God, search for the clues and investigate this case thoroughly to unearth the truth about Cain and Abel’s character, motives and their actions.
1. SOMETHING VS. THE RIGHT THING
In Genesis 4:7 we get to a GOLDEN KEY for solving this case. Lord says to Cain in Genesis 4:7, If you do what is RIGHT, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is RIGHT, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
The key word here is “RIGHT” in Hebrew YATAB (?????), it also carries the meanings “GOOD, WELL, GLAD, OR PLEASING.” It is evident from the question God asks Cain that he knew what was the right offering but he fails to offer the right offering. On the other hand Abel offers the right offering and his offering is accepted by the Lord.
ABEL BROUGHT “THE RIGHT OFFERING” TO THE LORD, AN OFFERING PLEASING TO THE EYES OF GOD, ACCORDING TO THE STANDARD AND WILL OF GOD.
CAIN ALSO BROUGHT AN OFFERING BUT IT WAS “NOT THE RIGHT OFFERING” IT WAS PLEASING IN THE EYES OF CAIN BUT ACCORDING TO THE STANDARD AND WILL OF GOD IT WAS NOT THE RIGHT OFFERING.
Point to Ponder
Do we pay attention to what the Lord require from us?
Are we interested in knowing His side of the story, what is pleasing in the eyes of God?
Are we interested in seeking the right thing according to the will of God (seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness) ? Or are we satisfied with doing something for the Lord?
2. OBEDIENCE VS. DISOBEDIENCE
How did Cain and Abel know to offer the right sacrifice? It is evident that the Lord had already given them the RIGHT INSTRUCTIONS regarding the offerings. You remember even in their parent’s (Adam & Eve’s) case, God gave them specific instructions regarding the tree of the knowledge of Good & Evil. But it was their own decision to make the right choice using their FREE WILL as the Lord had given them the authority to choose for themselves.
So what are their choices?
ABEL CHOOSE TO OBEY AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTION GIVEN BY GOD
(WORD OF GOD) BUT CAIN CHOOSE TO DISOBEY AND NEGLECT THE INSTRUCTION GIVEN BY GOD (WORD OF GOD)
Point to Ponder
The same principle applies even at present. According to a recent research more than 80% of regular church goers don’t read and study the bible. Word of God clearly says that “faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God” Roman 10:17. How do we keep walking in faith if we don’t read and listen to the Word of God?
In this age there are numerous spiritual activities, socializing activities in the Church and they sometimes replace the time and passion for the word of God. We cannot worship God without the truth in our hearts. “the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in TRUTH.” John 4:23
What is my choice today, do I choose the Word of God?
Joshua 1:8
Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
3. THE WAY OF GOD VS. THE WAY OF CAIN
Jude 1:11 says, “Woe unto them! for they have gone in THE WAY OF CAIN”
What is this “WAY OF CAIN?”
John 14:6 says, “I AM THE WAY, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me”
The scripture is very clear that there’s only one way to approach God which is provided by God himself, that is the blood of the lamb. There are spiritual laws that govern our approach to God. People can’t invent their own ways to approach God violating the spiritual laws. We can’t approach God on our own but through THE WAY provided by God.
ABEL OFFERS A SACRIFICE IN FAITH ADHERING TO THE WAY PROVIDED BY GOD HIMSELF. ABEL DOESN’T TRY TO INVENT A NEW WAY BUT HAS FAITH IN THE WAY GOD PROVIDED HIM.
Hebrews 11:4 says,
BY FAITH Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,
by which he obtained witness that he was righteous.
On the contrary, CAIN ATTEMPTS TO APPROACH GOD ON HIS OWN TERMS RATHER THAN ON GOD’S TERMS. Cain prefers to approach God by a way of a bloodless sacrifice, not the blood sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ which is typified in Abel’s sacrifice. CAIN IGNORES THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY GOD ON HOW TO APPROACH HIM AND TRY TO INVENT A NEW WAY TO APPROACH GOD THROUGH HIS OWN GOOD WORKS.
Proverbs 14:12 says,
“There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
Point to Ponder
Bible is very clear that we cannot earn God’s favor by works, religious systems, merits, performance, good deeds and so on but by faith in THE WAY provided by God through the blood sacrifice of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. We need to rely on God’s grace. But as we can see humanity is constantly inventing new ways through good works to avoid the only TRUE WAY.
4. SPIRITUALITY VS. RELIGIOSITY
Paradoxical nature of Cain’s character is that he was not an irreligious man, he is a man who performs religious rituals and duties BUT without relying upon the word of God and without having faith in the Way provided by God.
1 John 3:12 says,
We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother.
And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil,
and his brother had been doing what was righteous.
John clearly states that Cain belonged to the evil one, Cain was a religious man who murdered his own brother. As we can see a religious man who neglects the WORD OF GOD is a dangerous man. Given the right kind of opportunity Cain shows his true colors. Even though religious, Cain was an unspiritual man, who ignores the Word of God and the WAY provided by God.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:14 ,
“The natural man received not the things of the Spirit of God;
they are foolishness to him, neither can he know them,
because they are spiritually discerned.”
Genesis 4:16 says,
Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD
and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
The path Cain takes starts with ignoring the Word of God, then it leads to an unrepentant heart for offering a wrong sacrifice to God and end up in rebellion and then in murder. Cain doesn’t repent of his actions, and move away from the presence of God. The important spiritual truth involved in this is the spiritual separation that has taken place between him and the Lord. The danger is that he enters into a kind of life in which he has spiritually separated from the Lord.
Point to Ponder
Am I a believer who engage in the religious activities regularly but disconnected from God? What is my priority rituals or a relationship?
According to the results of the Gallup polls many countries are placed among the religious countries in the world, indicating people being religious. But World's high level of religiosity disconnected from a deeper sense of spirituality and a relationship is associated with suicide, frustration, broken relationships and so on cries out for the Gospel and a relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
5. CAIN’S LEGACY VS. ABEL’S LEGACY
From a human perspective, Cain gives birth to a remarkable civilization and some of the great inventions of humanity came through the line of Cain. But from God’s perspective, all these achievements do not glorify God and God is not in the center of their accomplishments & lifestyle. Apart from the great inventions a great moral corruption also came into existence through the line of Cain.
Cain was the Father of murderers and fratricide (Genesis 4:8 – Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.)
Cain was the Father of city builders (Genesis 4:17 – Cain was then building a city, and he named it after his son Enoch. )
Lamech was the Father of polygamy (Genesis 4:19 – Lamech married two women)
Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. (Genesis 4:20)
Jubal; he was the father of all who play stringed instruments and pipes. (Genesis 4:21)
Lamech kills two men. (Genesis 4:23 Lamech said to his wives,
“Adah and Zillah, listen to me; wives of Lamech, hear my words.
I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for injuring me.)
Now you can see that in this line, there is rising rebellion against God.
On the contrary we can see the Legacy of Abel in Hebrew 11, by faith Abel still speaks even though he is dead.
By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did.
By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings.
And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.
Point to Ponder
What is the legacy I leave behind for my children, my family, my colleagues, my neighbors?
Am I a man of Faith who seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness?
Or am I a successful man in human standards but separated from God as per Kingdom standards?
The above analysis explained in detail, the differences in character, attitudes and actions of Cain and Abel and the reasons behind the rejection of Cain’s offering by the Lord. Even though Cain had the opportunity to mend his ways he choose not to. When we zoom into the details we can see a world of difference between Cain & Abel’s offerings and the reason for the Lord’s decision is very clear.
I NEVER KNEW YOU!
In Matthew chapter 7 Jesus sheds light on another classic example of rejection yet to take place. Just like the case of Cain and Abel, people come before the Lord with heavy offerings, long lists of accomplishments at the end but the LORD says to them plainly, “I never knew you!”
Matthew 7: 21-23
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but ONLY THE ONE WHO DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
1 SAMUEL 15:22
WHAT IS MORE PLEASING TO THE LORD: YOUR BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES OR YOUR OBEDIENCE TO HIS VOICE? LISTEN! OBEDIENCE IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE, AND SUBMISSION IS BETTER THAN OFFERING THE FAT OF RAMS.
WHAT IS MY MINISTRY PRIORITY?
Let us diligently Seek the heart of our Father in Heaven and accomplish His purposes on this earth.
Shalom!
