June 1st, 2025: The Offerings of Cain and Abel | Genesis 4:1-16

This past weekend we celebrated Memorial Day. It’s a time to remember those who gave their lives in service to our country. It's a day when we visit the cemeteries, at least in our family, and make sure our relatives’ graves are well-kept and new flowers are in place. However, the best parts of remembrance day are the stories. Maybe your family does the same, talking about to whom or how many times this one married, or where they lived and how they are related.

Then there is a recounting of the personalities and struggles of our ancestors for those standing around who have never met them. That’s how the next generation is built, on the strength and instruction of the past, instilling knowledge about their roots and getting to know about themselves, also, from the lines of connection that come from shared family history. 

This lesson has a similar feel, in that, we are going to talk about two sons, relatives from generations past. They are  “firsts” in many ways. They perform the first “recorded” sacrifice, and their account contains the first use of the words sin and blood in scripture, as well.

Unfortunately, they also show us the root of evil and how easily it spreads, in their case, leading to the first murder. What can we learn from these two sons of Adam and Eve? First, the simplicity of obedience and the complication of sin. Then we can see the sovereignty of God, who is just as well as merciful.  Additionally, we observe the fact that if we choose God, we will be accepted, but we must be vigilantly aware that sin lies always close by, waiting. God is for us and not against us, wanting to correct and direct our steps, but we have choices to make.  And, even in this very early story, God offered grace. He created a shadow and a whisper of the great and perfect sacrifice to come.

And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.

It is hard to start this lesson without first reviewing the sin and fall of the chapter prior to it.  Genesis is the book of beginnings. Many today have decided that Genesis cannot be taken literally; however, without the truths of Genesis, nothing else truly makes sense. Sin entered and ruined a perfect world. How? Adam and Eve decided that God’s word wasn’t trustworthy.  The serpent suggested that God was keeping them from something better than what they had. If you imagine how perfectly designed their world and lives were, how was that temptation even possible? At the heart of the issue was a seed of doubt about God’s character and their potential.

The serpent convinced Eve that they would be like gods, knowing fully all the things that their creator knew. That wiley serpent is a liar. He is the father of liars. He wants us to believe that he himself is equal with God. He has forgotten who created him, and his tactics have not changed. In the last book of scripture (Revelation), we see his growth into a terrible dragon and his final demise. He continues to twist words and laugh at how easy it is to deceive human beings. He offers them the now-sin-cursed world in order to steal them away from the Heaven they were created for. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1 John 2:15-16). 

Adam and Eve broke mankind’s relationship with God. The earth was cursed. Death was pronounced.  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Romans 5:12). God, in his graciousness and love, had a plan for their redemption. It was formulated before the foundation of the world. 

God had promised Eve that her seed would crush the head of Satan to repair their relationship with God.  When Cain was born, there is little doubt that Eve was hopeful this child would be the one to end the separation and reunite them with God. Eve, like us, had to learn that God’s timing is not our timing. It would be many years before the fullness of time came and Jesus would enter the world.  But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Galatians 4: 4-5).

And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.

The name Abel means breathe or vapor. He was here for just a short time. Note that Abel was a shepherd and Cain was a farmer. Both legitimate and responsible occupations. It wasn’t until after the flood (Genesis 9:3) that God told Noah they could eat meat. So why a shepherd? There are many uses for sheep. Wool for clothing and possibly sacrifices. Though we have no recorded instructions from God at that time for sacrifices, we know that God himself killed animals to make Adam and Eve’s coverings. Abel’s sacrifice was the first written account of animal sacrifice, a lamb (firstling of the flock) being offered to God.  

And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.

A key component to this verse is “ in the process of time.”  There are many places in scripture where much time passes within a single verse. It appears the same here. Why is that important? Many details we may be interested to know, such as how many other children might have been born to Adam and Eve around this time, how old Cain and Abel were, or what reasons they had for making a sacrifice, have not been recorded. We simply do not know. As is custom in Jewish writing, not every individual in a family tree is named. Not every detail is provided, but what is provided can be believed and used for our instruction. We know that the ground had been cursed by God, as a consequence of sin, “for dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return.” Cain’s offering was the “fruit of the ground.”

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:

We are not told how often or when they are to bring a sacrifice, but the actions indicate that not only were they required, but God appears to have given some instruction on the matter.  Cain brought the fruit of his harvest, and we have no reason to believe he brought anything less than his best. Abel brought a lamb of the flock and the fat. There are many speculations as to why one was accepted and one was not.  Scripture says. 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. (Hebrews 11:4).

Why does it record the words “by faith?” The lamb “stood in place of” the man. The lamb was a living creature who had committed no sin; it stood between the sin-tainted man made from earth and a holy and righteous God. God is sovereign. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. It is in faith that we believe and do what God says, not what seems righteous and holy to us, because our understanding is corrupted. Whether we understand His ways completely or not, God demands faithfulness and obedience to His way. 

But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

God did not respect Cain’s offering.  What does scripture tell us about that?

• In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. (1 John 3:10-12).

• But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. (Jude 1: 10-11).

  
  

What is scripture saying? Cain tried to justify himself, to force God to accept his “work.” Cain did not come by faith, trusting God and loving his brother. He brought his offering in his preferred way. Cain said, “Don’t tell me what to do!” to God! No doubt he put in just as much time, maybe even more, to raise his gardens than did Abel with his sheep.  Maybe his were great gardens and a wonderful variety of vegetables and fruits.  However, Cain cannot please God without faith. His heart is not in the right place. He, like us, cannot claim that somehow by goodness or by works, anyone can earn or deserve the removal of sin.  God is teaching Cain the purpose of the sacrifice and is painting a picture of a future sacrifice for all of the descendants of Adam - Jesus.  Jesus was sinless, the only qualified “go-between.”  

And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 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.

In rebellion, there is usually jealousy and also much self-pity. Both lead to making very poor decisions. Cain was angry. He had tried to justify himself in his own thoughts. After his offering was rejected, he changed in attitude and appearance. God is long-suffering and gracious and in love and mercy, and He offered a solution. He asked Cain to consider his anger and the change in his attitude. If you do what you know to be right (what I've told you to do) I will accept your sacrifice, also. There is a choice here that cannot be missed. God is no respecter of persons, He doesn’t hate Cain and love Abel, He desires for Cain to come to Him in faith, the same way his brother did. God indicated that Cain already knew how to make it right.  

Why is it so hard, for us, like it was for Cain, to just say, “I’m sorry, I was wrong?”  Pride? Sin is crouching, waiting to pounce on him. Sin will always be near, and its purpose is to kill, steal, and destroy. Sin crouches behind bad self-talk, meditating on evil thoughts, and taking action based on our rebellious nature. Sin comes from “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life”.  Obedience requires surrender and faith, but it is simple. Sin is much more complicated, and the consequences are much harder to handle. Human beings are too easily swayed to follow their own way.  We choose to ignore God’s instructions and to place ourselves as the ultimate authority. 

And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Instead of turning his heart toward God, he killed Abel.  He killed his brother. For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. (James 1:20). How Adam and Eve must have mourned over the death of their son! Death was new to them.The serpent’s beguiling words, “thou shalt not surely die,” must have stung like arrows in their heart. These boys were raised by the same parents, in the same environment, and yet one turned toward God and the other to his own way.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. (James 1:15).

In some ways, Abel represents the sacrifice of Jesus to come. He obeyed the Father, but was murdered by his family. Jesus was also killed over religious jealousy. Evil rarely lies dormant; it crouches, and devours, it spreads and multiplies.  Satan’s intentions, however, can never stop God’s plans. Righteous Abel was killed, but Adam and Eve’s son Seth restored the family line that would eventually bring the Messiah.

And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

Look how far Cain had fallen.  He was unremorseful and without faith, you can hear the bitterness in his reply to God. He was angry to the point of murdering his brother.  If that wasn’t enough, now he has lied to God, saying he didn’t know where Abel was.  He arrogantly dismissed it as if it were no big deal. He was given an opportunity to ask for forgiveness, but his heart just got harder.  God knew what had been done.   

Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. (Matthew 10:26).

And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth.

Cain now not only has to fight thorns and weeds to grow food, the consequences of his father’s rebellion, he now had an added curse. The ground would not yield its strength for him.  He would have to move from place to place to find enough to eat.  The land had been polluted because of the shedding of innocent blood.  God takes sin seriously, a fact overlooked in our day of grace. Jesus rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for the same hardness of heart when he said, That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. (Matthew 23:35). Jesus was speaking nearly 6,000 years after Abel’s murder and had not forgotten about the innocent blood of  Abel.   

And Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

God is merciful. What was the mark of Cain? No one knows for sure. But, descendants of Cain died during the flood judgment. There are many ridiculous speculations, based on racism or wild imaginations, but they have no backing in the Word of God. Scripture does not reveal what the mark was. Also, the mark wasn’t to hurt Cain, it was to help him. It announced that God was aware of his evil deed and that He alone could judge it. The saddest result of all is that Cain was driven even farther away from the presence of God. His story was recorded so others in the family of man could understand the lesson of choice.  By choosing his way, Cain started down the road leading away from God. By choosing obedience, even after he had died, Abel was remembered and drawn nearer to God. Evil entered the world in the garden, and it has grown incredibly. In fact, early generations soon after were so wicked that God brought judgment upon them.

As you share your stories of family and faith, take the opportunity to share the good choices made in faith by past ancestors, friends, and acquaintances who have gone on. Likewise, warn about the consequences of lives squandered and unfulfilled that are built on the shifting sands of selfishness and sin. May we all learn from the faithfulness and consequences of those before us and gather as many as possible into the family of God.

Thank you for studying with us! God bless!