In Genesis 3:4-5, we read that Cain brought of the fruit an offering unto the Lord. His brother Abel aso brought an offering of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. The Lord had respect unto Abel and his offering, but unto Cain and his offering He had not respect. Why did God not respect Cain’s offering, but did respect Abel’s offering? What was the difference between Cain and Abel and their offerings? Was Cain’s offering not according to the will of God or was it not about the offering, but was there another reason why God didn’t respect Cain’s offering?
Cain was a tiller of the ground
Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, 並說, I have gotten a man from the Lord. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground (成因 3:23-4:2)
When God removed Adam and Eve from the garden of God, God commanded man to till the ground. Adam was a tiller of the ground. He did what God commanded him to do.
The first man, who was conceived by a man and a woman, was Cain. Cain was a tiller, just like Adam, his dad. Cain did what the Lord had commanded man to do. 所以, it was according to the commandment and the will of God that Cain was a tiller.
What was wrong with Cain’s offering?
And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell (成因 4:3-5)
Why did God not respect Cain’s offering? Could the reason be that the way Cain made the offering was not right or that Cain didn’t offer the right fruits? There is nothing written in the Bible about the manner of sacrifice. There is also nothing written about whether Cain offered the firstlings of his fruits or not.
All we know from the Scriptures is that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.
In contrary to Cain’s offering, it is specified in the Bible that Abel brought of the firstlings of his flock and the fat thereof.
But saying that Cain didn’t offer the right fruits; the firstlings of his fruits, would only be an assumption.
If Cain would have offered the firstlings of the fruits of the earth, would Cain’s offering be accepted by God?
Or if the offering itself was not right and Cain would have offered from the firstlings of the flock of Abel, would God been pleased with Cain’s offering and would God respected the offering of Cain?
Apparently not. Because most likely it was not about Cain’s sacrifice and offering, but about Cain’s life.
Why did God not respect the offering of Cain?
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh (希伯來 書 11:4)
The reason why God didn’t respect the offering of Cain was most likely because Cain was unrighteous (邪惡, 邪惡的) and not righteous like Abel. Through the sacrifice, it became visible in whom God was pleased and in whom God was displeased.
By respecting the offering of Abel, God showed that God was pleased in Abel and his righteous works. The offering that was respected by God, testified that Abel was righteous. And by not respecting the offering of Cain, God showed that God was displeased with Cain and his evil works.
Cain was of the wicked one and didn’t listen to God, but rejected His words and didn’t walk in the will of God. Cain was rebellious and did according to his own will. Because of his wickedness God didn’t respect Cain’s offering (哦. 1 約翰 3:12 (另請閱讀: Who still dares to work in the vineyard?)).
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord
The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight. The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord: but He loveth him that followeth after righteousness (箴言 15:8-9)
The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination: how much more, when he bringeth it with a wicked mind? (箴言 21:27)
People can sacrifice and give all they want, but if their lives are not according to the will of God, but are wicked and they persevere in sin, then all their sacrifices will be an abomination to the Lord.
Christians can pray beautifully in the presence of others. They can pray according to prayer methods and technics and use all the right words, but if their hearts are not right before the Lord and they won’t listen to God and don’t walk in obedience to His commandments, which are also the commandments of Jesus, and represent His will, then the Lord shall not have pleasure in their prayers, but their prayers shall be an abomination to God (o.a. 箴言 28:9, 以賽亞 1:11-20; 19:13, 以西結 8:15-18, 何西阿 6:6-7, Zachariah 7:11-13, 馬修 15:8, 約翰 9:31).
Jesus’ sacrifice pleased God
Wherefore when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared Me: In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do Thy will, O God.
Above when He said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin Thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said He, Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (希伯來 書 10:5-10)
The life of Jesus Christ was a well-pleasing sacrifice before God, because Jesus walked in obedience to His Father’s will.
Because Jesus walked in the will of the Father, Jesus fulfilled the law (另請閱讀: Is man able to fulfill the law?).
Jesus was obedient to the words of God until the moment came that Jesus was sacrificed as a spotless Lamb for humanity, and Jesus carried the disobedience of man and was made sin on the cross (另請閱讀: Is the act of offense of Adam’s stronger than the act of righteousness of Jesus? 和 What does it mean disobedience to God?).
But because of Jesus’ righteous life, God was well pleased with the sacrifice of His Son and God respected the sacrifice of Jesus and His blood, which redeemed fallen man. This became visible through the resurrection from the dead (哦. 約翰 3:14-21, 羅馬書 5. 以弗所書 5:1-2, 希伯來 書 9:27-28).
A well-pleasing sacrifice to God
I beseech you therefore, 兄弟們, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, 神的旨意 (羅馬書 12:1-2)
Just like Jesus, the life of Christians is supposed to be a well-pleasing sacrifice to God. Believers should present their bodies a living sacrifice unto God, holy, acceptable unto God, so that Jesus Christ will be exalted and the Father will be glorified.
Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and by His blood, you have been made righteous and holy and you belong to God and no longer belong to the devil and darkness. Because you have been made righteous in Christ and received God’s nature, you shall walk in righteousness in the will of God.
Your life is a well-pleasing sacrifice to God if you walk in the will of God and keep His commandments (另請閱讀: 神的誡命和耶穌的誡命 和 The commandments of God versus the commandments of the devil).
If you keep His commandments, you shall walk in love. Walking in love doesn’t mean compromising with darkness and tolerating and approving the works of darkness. But walking in love means obedience to God and His commandments, so that you live in His will and your life will be a pleasing sacrifice unto God.
‘成為地球之鹽’
