Gen 4:4-5 | KingComments | STEP | Although we are not reading about it, Adam and Eve will have told their children about what happened in paradise. They will have told of their sin and of their alienation from God. Then they will have told that God has provided an opportunity to have them back with Him by covering them with the skin of an animal that has been killed for that. They have realized that they can only exist before God on the basis of an animal slaughtered by God to clothe them with the skin of that animal. Cain is the first to bring an offering. Abel also brings an offering. We read about “Cain and … his offering” and about “Abel and … his offering” ( ). The person and his offering belong together. Abel and his offering are accepted, Cain and his offering are not. Here begins the separation that runs through the whole Bible: the separation between the family of God and the family of the devil ( ). As people they are both sinners. There is no distinction in this ( ). The rejection of Cain and the acceptance of Abel must therefore lie in the offering. That is exactly what Hebrews 11 says: “By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain” ( ). Abel is no better than Cain, but he has really taken the lesson of his parents to heart and comes to God with an animal of his flock. He understands that the blood of an innocent one is necessary to be accepted by God. God can accept that offering and He accepts the offeror in the offering. Cain comes with a completely different kind of offering. He comes with the fruit of the ground, with the fruit of his own honest, hard work. But it is a bloodless offering. It is like with the fig leaves ( ). Own effort can never bring reconciliation and bridge the gap that exists between the sinner and God. It refers to the own righteousness that a man tries to build up and of which he thinks that God should be content with that. This is what Jude in his letter calls “the way of Cain” ( ), the self-willed way to approach God. Following that path leads one to turn his back on God and to live his own life, without considering Him, as we see later in this chapter ( ). Through the rejection of him and his offering the true nature of Cain comes to the surface. He is “of the evil one” ( ). He becomes very angry at his rejection instead of humbling himself before God. This can be read from his face. His countenance falls or becomes gloomy.

‏ Genesis 4:4-5

Cain and His Offering – Abel and His Offering

Although we are not reading about it, Adam and Eve will have told their children about what happened in paradise. They will have told of their sin and of their alienation from God. Then they will have told that God has provided an opportunity to have them back with Him by covering them with the skin of an animal that has been killed for that. They have realized that they can only exist before God on the basis of an animal slaughtered by God to clothe them with the skin of that animal.

Cain is the first to bring an offering. Abel also brings an offering. We read about “Cain and … his offering” and about “Abel and … his offering” (Gen 4:4-5). The person and his offering belong together. Abel and his offering are accepted, Cain and his offering are not. Here begins the separation that runs through the whole Bible: the separation between the family of God and the family of the devil (1Jn 3:10-12).

As people they are both sinners. There is no distinction in this (Rom 3:23). The rejection of Cain and the acceptance of Abel must therefore lie in the offering. That is exactly what Hebrews 11 says: “By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain” (Heb 11:4). Abel is no better than Cain, but he has really taken the lesson of his parents to heart and comes to God with an animal of his flock. He understands that the blood of an innocent one is necessary to be accepted by God. God can accept that offering and He accepts the offeror in the offering.

Cain comes with a completely different kind of offering. He comes with the fruit of the ground, with the fruit of his own honest, hard work. But it is a bloodless offering. It is like with the fig leaves (Gen 3:7). Own effort can never bring reconciliation and bridge the gap that exists between the sinner and God. It refers to the own righteousness that a man tries to build up and of which he thinks that God should be content with that. This is what Jude in his letter calls “the way of Cain” (Jude 1:11), the self-willed way to approach God. Following that path leads one to turn his back on God and to live his own life, without considering Him, as we see later in this chapter (Gen 4:16-22).

Through the rejection of him and his offering the true nature of Cain comes to the surface. He is “of the evil one” (1Jn 3:12a). He becomes very angry at his rejection instead of humbling himself before God. This can be read from his face. His countenance falls or becomes gloomy.