When considering Cain and Abel, the narrative teaches us that while the Lord does not despise the humble who come to Him in faith, He is against the proud such that “the haughty looks of man shall be brought low, and the lofty pride of men shall be humbled” (Isa. 2:11). Genesis 4 calls us to consider our character, and to come to the Lord not in self-righteous pride but in the humility of faith, for “those who humble themselves will be exalted, but those who exalt themselves will be humbled” (Matt. 23:12).
God’s rejection of Cain’s sacrifice and acceptance of Abel’s is a topic of much discussion, with a number of different proposals made for why the distinction was made. Perhaps the most popular opinion is that Abel’s sacrifice was accepted because it involved the shedding of blood, which is necessary for the forgiveness of sins (Heb. 9:22). Some argue that Cain’s offering of produce from the ground was insufficient due to the curse on the earth (Gen. 3:17–18). Still others look to Cain’s offering and note that it is simply an offering of the “fruit of the ground” rather than of the firstfruits and as such was not acceptable to the Lord (see Lev. 2:14 for firstfruits offerings). The common thread among all these views is that the answer to why one offering was rejected and the other accepted has to do with the object of the offering itself. While there are clear texts that deal with the quality and kind of offerings that are acceptable to God (see Lev. 1:3), this does not seem to fit what is happening in Genesis 4. Instead, the most likely reason for God’s acceptance of Abel’s offering and His rejection of Cain’s is not the quality of the offering but the character of the worshiper. Abel approached God in the humility of faith and Cain in the pride of self-righteousness. Their respective characters constitute the distinguishing feature of the two brothers. To illustrate this point, we will work through three areas: first, the kind of sacrifices offered; second, the context of Genesis 4; and third, the brothers’ character.
First, considering the sacrifices, grain and animal offerings are both part of the Old Testament sacrificial system. While animal sacrifices are important, without the grain offerings Israel would not be worshiping the Lord appropriately (Lev. 2), and not all grain offerings were firstfruit offerings. Moreover, both Cain’s and Abel’s offerings are called a minhah in Hebrew, and while this can be a general term for “offering,” it is used in Leviticus 2 in reference to approved grain offerings. In light of these observations, the particular kind of offering that both Cain and Abel brought—grain and animal—were part of the sacrificial system and therefore appropriate to bring before the Lord. The distinguishing feature of each offering, therefore, cannot be in the kind or quality of the sacrifice. The answer must lie elsewhere.
Too often this question of the sacrifices is asked without regard for the broader context of the Genesis narrative. Genesis 2:4–4:26 forms one narrative unit; therefore, we must understand the Cain and Abel narrative within the context of Genesis 2–3. Mankind was created good, with original righteousness and holiness in the image of God (Gen. 1:26–27; 2:7, 22), but the fall (Gen. 3:1–7) drastically affected our nature. Rather than being in a state of original righteousness, mankind is now in a state of sin and misery, of confirmed wickedness. But God in His mercy established a covenant of grace in Genesis 3:15, promising to redeem fallen sinners through the “seed of the woman” who would restore them to blessed communion with God. This covenant of grace is also marked by enmity. In the fall, Adam and Eve spiritually associated themselves with Satan. The Lord then graciously promised to sow enmity with Satan and restore a people to fellowship with Him.
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