What of Cain and Abel? What was the big deal, that God would reject Cain’s sacrifice and accept Abel’s? Many things are happening here, but at least consider this: First, Abel’s gift of the choice of his flock involved the LOSS OF LIFE. Cain’s did not. Secondly, Abel’s sacrifice DEPENDED COMPLETELY ON THE BLOOD OF ANOTHER to bring atonement and acceptability in the eyes of the Father. And this blood of Another, offered to the Father as his atonement, was accepted by God in full. And thirdly, Abel’s sacrifice, worship, was the celebration of the union he already had. It is not the worship which establishes the union; rather the worship is the fruit of the union.... Can you make the connection? How about for you and for me? Can you look at these three points and find your way into Father’s arms, as our brother Abel did? Let’s go to that place together..... Jesus, please help us all find what our brother Abel found in You

(i thought this was awesome. i have read so many things on why Cains sacrifice was rejected it was pretty cool to read a devotional on why Abel's was accepted. I can say amen to these thoughts)

This begs the question as to whether Cain's non-blood sacrifice COULD have been acceptable to the Lord.

I personally think it could have been and that lack of blood had nothing to do with God's non-acceptance of it. I think God was rejecting Cain's heart, not his offering.

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Todd

I agree with you, it was Cain's heart that was the issue. His choosing may have revealed somethings about his heart and the lack of true fellowship he had with the Lord.(just a thought)

Abel knew what would be pleasing to the Lord because he had true union with Him and as a result wanted to please the Lord.

I think it was interesting the picture Abel's sacrifice sets of what is to come. The blood and life of another needing to be sacrificed to be acceptable to God. Cain offered a sacrificed based on what he thought would be pleasing to the Lord, but Abel seem to take the time to know the Lord and seek what was pleasing to Him.

just my thoughts.

The whole idea of sacrifice and what pleases the Lord is pretty confusing. God required sacrifices, but there are several places in scripture where Zhe says He is not pleased by them, as in Is. 1:11:

“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?”Says the Lord.“I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle.I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs or goats."

The same sentiment can be found in 1 Sam 15:22 and Ps. 51:16.

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Todd

Excellent post and thoughts rainydaygirl!

The article as well as your thoughts are very inspirational!

I have never understood why a Christian would abject to mentioning the blood in Abel offering. The bible plainly tells us in Hebrews 11:4 that it was an offering of faith that was more excellent than Cains,

So to keep from writing so much, I would like to add a couple more thoughts. We know from scripture that Jesus was slain from the foundation of the world.. We know that the shedding of Christ blood was the only way to make atonement for our sins. The bible is clear concerning the blood all through both the old and new testaments.

Now there is no person we will ever meet on the face of the earth who can be accepted by God apart from faith in the blood of Christ for the pardon of their sins.

Now the first offering recorded in the bible for Adams children after the fall into sin clearly shows that they had to bring an offering of faith to be accepted by God. The bible says that all have sinned and we clearly know from scripture that God will not except any sinner apart from blood atonement. We know that when a lamb was sacrificed that the blood was poured out to make atonement. We know that when our savior the Lord Jesus Christ, the lamb of God was sacrificed on the cross crucified for our sins that the blood poured our of his side in his death to purchase our redemption. The blood sacrifice is important to God in making atonement for our sins, to all who by faith put their trust in the Lord Jesus and his finished work for them.

Blessings!

rbanks-

No one is disputing the necessity of Jesus' blood sacrifice.

The OP was about Cain and Abel's sacrifices and why Abels sacrifice was accepted and Cains was not. Bottom line is that Genesis does not tell us nor does the passage in Hebrews, except that Abels was offered in faith. The issue was his heart, not sheep's blood.

As indicated God is not really pleased with animal blood. He is pleased when men's hearts are yielded to him.

We don't offer blood sacrifices today, thank goodness. So how can we make sure that our worship is acceptable to God?

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Todd

for me what i took away from the original post was simple, Abel had faith and union with God which was pleasing to Him. Abel had what Cain did not have. there are three points mentioned, Abel's gift of sacrifice involved loss of life, Jesus died for our sins, the second point the blood shed, Jesus shed His blood for our sins, third Abel's sacrifice was an out pouring of his worship in God. for me it was just a really cool little picture of God's heart for me. He wants to have union and fellowship with me but a sacrifice had to happen. Jesus had to die for me, His blood was shed for me. There was no work that I could do to be pleasing to the Lord it all depended on another(Jesus)

I really felt the focus was on the union that God had with Abel and why that was different from Cain.

Much thought over this.
Perhaps this story of Adam and Eve has been written in a such a way to hide something.

Paul said "I have espoused you as a chaste Virgin, Not like Eve..." Could we conclude that Eve was not a Virgin?

Doesn't first John mention that Cain is the seed of the evil one?
How about the enmity between the seed of Satan and that of Christ? Satan has seed?

Aren't there 2 lines flowing through the word?

Why did Jesus says that the secret of the parable of the sower had been hidden from the beginning of the world?
Aren't there 2 sowers? Didn't one sow tares? One of those words for seed means sperm.

Doesn't Trees also mean people?
Perhaps It was Satan, the handsome young man that Eve encountered. After all if it was eating then the mouth where the sin occurred she would have covered her mouth with fig leaves. No need to know she was naked there.

Could it be that God didn't accept Cain because of his lineage? He's not mentioned in Adam's lineage.

The Kenites are said to be descendants of Cain. Was it the Kenites who actually wanted Christ crucified...?
Jesus said to the Pharisees, if you were of Abraham seed you would understand my words, but you are not of Abraham....

How about the Kenites? Didn't Solomon hire them to cut wood and they became scribes? When Nehemiah started rebuilding the temple there were plenty of Kenites and no Levites.

Lots of thoughts. Perhaps it should really be looked at.

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James R Barnes

Good observation, Roger.

There are two lines from Genesis to Revelation.

The religious system/Babylon/Babel/Cain/Saul/Pharisees/flesh and

the called out ones/Abel/David/Jesus/Apostles/Spirit.

In the end, Babylon is defeated.

Eve, was a virgin, but not chaste (faithful). It has always been about the heart.

Where in the bible does it say eve was unfaithful ,,the verses say that eve was deceived by satan refuring to the fruit she ate nothing about committing adultery or what have you ,,,she was unfaithful to God