Abel accepted, Cain rejected.

[looksgood]

Ever wonder about that? Why was cains offering not accepted and abels was?

Gather round for a wonderfull tail lol. A tale of living faith and its rewards. And a tale of dead faith with its warning.

"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."

Abel Offered his gift in faith. His heart trusted in God and followed after Him.

"But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"

Abels works and way of life showed a live faith. He was clean from the filth of sin because of the faith He had to follow God. Cain was different. His reaction shows the condition of his heart. He was wrathfull towards God and Abel. If he followed God he would not have been like this. He would have sought the reason but not become wrathfull.

"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."

Sin lieth at the door! Why abel and not cain? It was cause of the sin in cains life. With no change in life...no works, faith is dead. God can not be pleased by dead faith.

So we should examin ourselves. Are we just giving lip service to God? Lets have live faith.

 

[Eleana]

this is something i never can understand...why is abel's offer being accepted and not cain? why?

 

[seangoh]

On first reading, i could not understand it too. And it's because there is information that is left out that would otherwise have made the whole situtation understandable.
It is not stated that either Cain or Abel built an altar for their offerings, but obviously they must have done so.The next time the offering of a sacrifices is reported in the Bible, its altar is mentioned (Gen. 8:20). In fact, i believe the system of sacrificial offerings had been introduced by God at the time man was expelled from the garden because “without shedding of blood is no remission,” for “it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul” (Heb. 9:22; Lev. 17:11).

The word “firstlings” indicates that Abel brought of the first-born of his flock (see Ex. 13:12). The sacrificial ordinance as set forth by Moses required the sprinkling of the blood of first-born animals upon the altar and the burning of their fat in the fire (Num. 18:17). Abel’s offering was a demonstration of faith (Heb. 11:4). Cain’s offering, in contrast, was an attempt to earn salvation by works. With Abel, faith in the plan of salvation and in the atoning sacrifice of Christ revealed itself in unquestioning obedience.

What was it that made Cain’s offering unacceptable to God? He acknowledged, in part, grudgingly, the claims of God upon him. But a secret spirit of resentment and rebellion prompted him to meet the claims of God in a way of his own choosing rather than to follow precisely the plan ordained by God. Ostensibly he complied, but the manner of his compliance revealed a defiant spirit. Cain proposed to justify himself by his own works, to earn salvation by his own merits. Refusing to recognize himself a sinner in need of a savior, he offered a gift that expressed no penitence for sin—a bloodless offering.

Probably you'll like to read here instead as it gives more detail on what happened between Cain and Abel and you can judge for yourself whether the answer meets your satisfaction.

 

[looksgood]

Simple...sin layed at cains door. God doesn't accept a filthy offering.

 

[endure]

well there are alot of diffrent pictures and shadows and meaning to be drawn, like what looksgood is saying, thats so true. and what seangoh is saying too.

but i think the most simple reason is where God said
if do well will i not receive it?
cain wasnt condemned for some unknown reason, God said "you know full well what you need to do , and wont i receive it if you do?"

God had already demonstrated how things were to be done, and cain refused to obey the order of how it was to be done, he sinned and disobeyed God.
he knew how to offer sacrifices, but didnt. thats why God so plainly asked "wont i bless you if just do whats good and right?"
cain disboyed and sinned, he knew he was disobeying God.

God said that
"cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell 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?" 4.5-6

God said "why are you mad? why are dismayed? why are surprised? you know that if you do whats right ill recieve it.
God simply said that cain had enough knowledge that to know how it should have been done, and just didnt obey, and that he had no reason to be angry or surprised at being rejected.
and we must believe this.z
Cain knew... or God wouldnt have said "thou knowest...."

 

[1John5:3]

In the Levitical system, no thank offerings can be accepted by God before the Burnt offering, which would represent the death of Christ.

Leviticus 1


The Burnt Offering

1 The LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting. He said, 2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When any of you brings an offering to the LORD , bring as your offering an animal from either the herd or the flock.
3 " 'If the offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he is to offer a male without defect. He must present it at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting so that it will be acceptable to the LORD . 4 He is to lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, and it will be accepted on his behalf to make atonement for him. 5 He is to slaughter the young bull before the LORD , and then Aaron's sons the priests shall bring the blood and sprinkle it against the altar on all sides at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

God will not accept our worship and praise if we have not FIRST accepted His atoning sacrifice for our sin.

 

[1John5:3]

For more Biblical information on
The Hebrew Sanctuary
The Illustrated Plan of Salvation, click below:
http://biblelight.net/temple.htm

 

[seangoh]

Cain knew... or God wouldnt have said "thou knowest...."

Amen! God is fair.

God will not accept our worship and praise if we have not FIRST accepted His atoning sacrifice for our sin.

Agree. Because we're like filthy rags without a savior to cloth us with robes of righteousness.

"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. " Isa 6:10

 

[love&forgiveness]

(Gen 4:3) And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

not the the first of his fruit or the best just an offering.

(Gen 4:4) 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:

abel brought the firstlings and the fat there of.

abel's heart was fully on serving God ,but i don't think cain's was.

if thou doest well ,abel did well he tried with the best that he had to please God.
did cain do likewise with what he had.

Jesus talks of a similar thing with the talents ,mathew chapter 25v14

we are to give our all to God ,love the Lord with all our hearts.

God bless.

 

[Rafael]

A Cain's sacrifice is one that we decide to give God instead of giving Him what He asks for - like saying I will worship you in this manner when He has already told you what is required. It can be applied to our lives today in what parts of our lives we give to God and what we hold back.