Cain and Abel
In Genesis 4 is the account of Cain and Abel’s sin offerings to the Lord.
Genesis 4:1-7
1 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the LORD.
2 And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
4 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:
5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
6 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
Adam and Eve’s sons, each made an offering to the Lord. Cain offered the best of his fruit and vegetable harvest. Able offered a young, unblemished lamb from his flock. The well meant fruit offering was rejected and the sacrificed lamb offering was accepted. As far as one can tell both offerings were offered whole heartedly.
Why then was the fruit offering rejected? The fruit offering was rejected because it was wrong. It had to be a young lamb without blemish. Because it’s shed blood had to picture Christ dying on a future cross shedding His blood for our sin. Shedding His blood once and for all time. Sacrificing fruit did not picture Christ shedding His blood for our sin, nor did it provide a temporary blood covering. Temporarily, until the once and for all offering of Christ would permanently remove their sin.
It was simple! Cain’s offering was wrong and Able’s offering was correct. Life is that simple. Everything is either right of wrong with the Lord. It is up to us to get to know and understand the Lord’s ways – the Truth.
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