Instead he took out his anger on his righteous brother, abel. By faith abel brought god a better offering than cain did. In the course of time, cain brought an offering to the lord from the fruit of the soil. Cain, the firstborn, was a farmer, and his brother abel was a shepherd. So cain became very angry and his countenance fell. While abel s offering showed his complete submission to god, cain s hints at grudging worship of god and that done in his own way. Nov 21, 2008 in cains offering, david reagan uses romans 10.
The sacrifice was accepted for the man, and not the man for the sacrifice ainsworth. The bible gives no indication that he was following what was then popular among the children of adam and eve, nor that he was following common sense, human reason, or his feelings. God was pleased with abel s offering of a lamb, but not with cain s offering from his harvest. Apr 20, 2014 and the lord had regard for abel and his offering, but for cain and his offering he had no regard. Book of hebrews stresses the fact that abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than cain. Use this cain and abel childrens sunday school lesson to teach kids about jealousy and giving their best to god. Cains response apparently the rejection of cains offering was a public event. This 25 verse book is the longest of the one chapter books, yet im afraid its the least known. When god shows disappointment in cains sacrifice and pleasure in abels, cain kills abel. They both offered to the lord a sacrifice, acknowledging, in a manner analogous to that later prescribed in the law, the sovereign power of the creator.
As abels example proves, true worshipers will give the first and best of their time, money, and possessions to god. Abels offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and god. It is most holy, like the sin offering and the trespass offering leviticus 6. The text is silent regarding anything wrong with the quality or type of cains offering. Cain lured his brother abel into the fields and killed him with a rock. Study the bible online using commentary on genesis 4 and more. In fact, not one word is recorded from living abel. The story of cain and abel is one of sibling rivalry and murder. The story of cain and abel in genesis 4 tells much more about cain than abel. Abel became a herder of flocks, and cain a tiller of the ground. In his landmark book the genesis record, the late dr. Cain thought god was unfair to him by rejecting his sacrifice. A hypocrite may possibly hear as many sermons, say as many prayers, and give as much alms, as a good christian, and yet, for want of sincerity, come short of acceptance with god. By faith he was commended as righteous, when god spoke well of his offerings.
Cain and abel childrens sunday school lesson purpose. And cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell gen. In the course of time cain brought to the lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of. What do you learn about god from the narrative of cain and abel. David guzik commentary on genesis 4, which describes life immediately after the. When cain and abel, the first two sons of adam and eve, presented their.
Henry morris, one of the founders of the modern creation movement, speculates on why cains offering was rejected the bible does not actually say specifically whether such sacrifices had been commanded by god, or whether the practice arose merely as a spontaneous expression of thanksgiving and worship. Genesis 4 bible commentary matthew henry concise christianity. This is interesting because the book of hebrews states that the blood of jesus. The problem with cains offering was not that it was a grain offering rather than an animal, or blood, offering. She said, with the help of the lord i have brought forth a man. God was pleased with abels offering of a lamb, but not with cains offering from his harvest. Qabil, habil were sons of adam and eve in the biblical book of. A thoughtful consideration of the story of cain and abel yields some interesting.
He murdered abel and was banished by the lord from the settled country. Cains offering was the effort of dead religion, while abels offering was made in faith, in a desire to worship god in spirit and in truth. The writer to the hebrews clearly explained why the offering of abel was accepted and the offering of cain was rejected. Cains was only a sacrifice of acknowledgment offered to the creator. Both cain and abel came to worship before the lord, both brought a sacrifice. And the lord had respect unto abel and to his offering.
There are two basic reasons why god accepted abel s offering and not cain s. God showed favor upon abels sacrifice because it was an offering that came from the best abel had to give. Why did god accept abel s offering and reject cain s. Cain and abel in the bible biblical archaeology society.
In the course of time cain brought to the lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. The lord looked with favor on abel and his offering, 5 but on cain and his offering he did not look with favor. Now join me in the fifth and final onechapter books in the bible. When abel came for worship, it was by faith that he brought his offering, the fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock genesis 4. Jun 10, 20 cain and his offering posted on june 10, 20 by claude mariottini the biblical narrative of cain and abel is well known among students of the bible and continues to captivate the imagination of those who seek to understand the issues related to the story of these two brothers, a story that involves mystery, murder, and the issue of personal. By faith abel offered to god a better sacrifice than cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, god testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. While abels offering showed his complete submission to god, cains hints at grudging worship of god and that done in his own way. But abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.
It is possible to do the wrong thing with the right attitude. Introduction as soon as we begin to read the bible, we are creating midrash that is, we are interpreting what we read in order to bridge the distance that separates us from the text. There are two basic reasons why god accepted abels offering and not cains. In the biblical book of genesis, cain and abel are the first two sons of adam and eve. Cains wicked heart, manifested more clearly in his murder of abel, is first observable in his formal yet faithless worship 1 john 3.
Cain brought a sacrifice, but god would not accept it because it did not meet his standards. By faith abel offered up a more excellent sacrifice than cain hebrews 11. That the religious worship of god is no novel invention, but an ancient institution. This is the bible story and study lesson about cain and abel as told in genesis.
In a premeditated manner, cain invited abel out to the fields where he murdered him. And jehovah had respect unto abel and to his offering. The lord looked with favor on abel and his offering, 5but on cain and his offering he did not look with favor. Vainly do we assume our devotion is acceptable if it is done without faith. Mar 25, 2016 this is the bible story and study lesson about cain and abel as told in genesis. The lord offered cain an opportunity to repent, but cain denied knowing where abel was, as if he could fool god. The book of genesis, chapter 4 king james version, kjv. Cain, a farmer, became enraged when the lord accepted the offering of his brother abel, a shepherd, in preference to his own. Our sermon ideas on cain and abel will help you preach a powerful message. Old testament scholarship to help you understand this important book. Cain, in the bible hebrew bible, or old testament, firstborn son of adam and eve, who murdered his brother abel genesis 4. In the course of time cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the lord. They received this as a part of the pentateuch, the first five books of the bible. Abel was murdered, even though he lived a pleasing life before god.
Now why is it that god accepted abel s sacrifice and did not accept cain s sacrifice. Mankinds first murderer, a weary cain contemplates the death of his brother, abel, who lies face down at right in this 1944 painting by the germanborn artist georg grosz. God showed acceptance to abel, rather than cain, because abel made his offering to the lord in faith. Why did god accept abels offering and reject cains. Cain and abel now adam knew eve his wife, and she conceived and bore cain, saying, i have gotten a man with the help of the lord. Cain brought some of the produce from the land while abel brought the first born of his sheep. It was by faith that abel brought a more acceptable offering to god than cain did. Six lessons from the lives of cain and abel sermon by william. Why did god accept abels offering but reject cains. Predestination weekly assignments read the following.
The problem with cain s offering was not that it was a grain offering rather than an animal, or blood, offering. We know that god had revealed to cain an abel the way he desired to be worshipped, as well. The birth, employment, and religion of cain and abel. Why did god accept abels offering but reject cains offering. And by faith abel still speaks, even though he is dead. Cain and his offering posted on june 10, 20 by claude mariottini the biblical narrative of cain and abel is well known among students of the bible and continues to captivate the imagination of those who seek to understand the issues related to the story of these two brothers, a story that involves mystery, murder, and the issue of personal. Later god approached cain about the whereabouts of. And the lord respected abel and his offering, but he did not respect cain. And abel also brought an offeringfat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. Now abel was a keeper of sheep, and cain a worker of the ground. God showed favor upon abel s sacrifice because it was an offering that came from the best abel had to give. A hypocrite may possibly hear as many sermons, say as many prayers, and give as much alms, as a good christian, and yet, for want of. The king james bible commentary on genesis, chapter 4.
Genesis 4 commentary matthew henry commentary on the whole. Genesis 4 cain and abel bible story sunday school lesson. A twentydollar bill or something comparable intro activity. As to the acceptance of abels offering and the rejection of cains, some have. The lord paid heed to abel and his offering, but to cain and his offering he paid no heed. He was very angry that god accepted abels offering, but did not accept his. The book of genesis, interested in this section in the origin of the different occupations of men, tells us that cain became a husbandman while his brother abel tended flocks. Later god approached cain about the whereabouts of abel just as he did with adam and eve with their sin. Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. Cain spoke to his brother likely as a friend, to decieve him, and lure him into the field to kill him. Cain and his offering 365 we commence our study with the observation that the text syn tactically distinguishes between the offerer and his offering. Now why is it that god accepted abels sacrifice and did not accept cains sacrifice. Jan 21, 2020 it is clear that the offering was to be a substitutionary atonement, because we read in hebrews 11.
And abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. Cain killed abel after a quarrel over a sacrifice to god. God knows the number of hairs on our heads luke 12. The new testament is by far our best commentary on this chapter and.
But the better explanation for why scripture tells us their professions is that. It is clear that the offering was to be a substitutionary atonement, because we read in hebrews 11. Man avenging death penalty for killing revenge marks on people revenge, and retaliation. Mar 16, 2006 we know that god had revealed to cain an abel the way he desired to be worshipped, as well. And in process of time it came to pass that cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto jehovah. Abel story, a part of the books of moses, neither sin offering nor guilt. And the lord had regard for abel and for his offering.