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But for Cain and for his offering
He had no regard.
So Cain became very angry
and his countenance fell.
Genesis 4:5
I have to admit that on a casual reading of this particular passage of Scripture, one could easily think God was a little unfair. I have to confess that I once held that thought. However, what I have learned in my walk with God is He is never unfair. Taking a closer look at this passage, at this famous story of Cain and Abel, so very much can be seen.
God is our Creator, and He will be honored.
God had regard for Abel’s offering because his offering came according to God’s way. In the garden after the fall, God slew an animal to cover Adam and Eve. This animal was slain to cover their sin. Here God showed them that “without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22). Abel brought God an animal from his flock as his offering. Abel also brought Him the firstlings. God is deserving of our first priority and deserving of our best.
For Cain’s offering, God had no regard because he did not come with a blood sacrifice, and he came in the course of time and not with his firstfruits. Yet even in Cain’s blatant disregard and lack of respect, God’s hand of mercy extended out to him.
God remained patient with him, and He gave him guidance and encouragement. He instructed him on what he needed to do, how he needed to do it, and gave him a warning concerning the sin of his heart.
Oh, precious one, our Creator is still patient with us. He has instructed us on what we need to do. We need to come to Him through the blood of Jesus Christ. He has instructed us on how we need to do it. We come to Him by grace through faith. He has given us a warning concerning the sin of our heart. God’s Word, His commands and precepts, show us the truth, and by them we are warned because by them we see that our way is different from God’s way. We then must choose to heed God’s warning and submit to his way or disregard this warning and experience the consequences.
Cain continued to disregard God and His word of warning, and in this he hardened his heart. This hardening led to jealousy and hatred toward his brother, which ended in Cain murdering Abel.
When we ignore God’s warning, when we blatantly disregard his commands, our hearts grow hard. When our hearts grow hard, we lose our sensitivity to sin, and in this state we can do things we never dreamed we would be guilty of doing.
God cast Cain from his presence. Even in this judgment we see Cain’s hardness of heart. He showed no remorse or repentance, only concern for the greatness of his own judgment. Cain was self-centered, not God-centered. His offering and his reaction toward Abel demonstrated the state of his heart.
In the book of Jude we read, “But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed. Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain” (Jude 1:10–11). Cain did not understand why God would only accept the offering if it came according to His way. Cain wanted the offering to be according to his instinct of what was right. Cain refused to accept God’s way by faith. He chose to act according to his own understanding, and by this he was destroyed.
My friend, we may not completely understand God’s ways, but let us accept them by faith and trust the Holy Spirit to bring us into understanding.
Oh Father,
You are God. You are holy, and You will be treated as holy. You will be honored, and You will be exalted. You know my heart. You know my coming and my going.
Oh Father, may I always give You my best. May my walk with You always be priority in my life. When I fail You and Your Holy Spirit convicts me of my sin, may I always be quick to confess and repent. May my heart always be soft and eager to be molded by You. Thank You, for Your mercies are great and Your love endures forever.
In Jesus’ name I pray,
Amen.