"And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the
ground"
(Genesis 4: 2, KJV)
Here in this chapter, just shortly after the fall of man, we
see the first two children of Adam and Eve. There names are Cain and Abel. They
are the two men who are the representatives of the two ways to God. The wrong
way and right way to God. The two ways relate to man's way of approaching God
in worship and God's way of man approaching the Lord in worship. We have Cain,
the Religious Man and Abel the Righteous Man. Let us consider the two points
below.
1. Cain, the
Religious Man (Gen. 4: 1-3, 5-8, 9-13)
Our first example Cain, was a tiller of the ground as our
text states. When he approached God he "brought
of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD" (4: 3). Then we
read that God had respect for Abel's offering, but unto Cain's offering God did
not have respect. Cain then became very angry (see 4: 5). Next, God spoke to
Cain about his anger and attitude (see 4: 6-7). However, Cain's anger and
demeanor did not change, which eventually lead to his murdering his brother
Abel (see 4: 8). God questions him about
where his brother Abel is? This is an opportunity for Cain to repent. This same
opportunity was first given to Adam and Eve, when God questioned them (see 3:
9-13). But like his parents, Cain does not owe up to his sin. For his response
to God was "I know not: Am I my
brother's keeper?" (4: 9). Then we read that God cursed him from the
earth. The Lord curses him on the very point "a tiller of the ground"
that he depended on to provide sustenance for himself and others. The Lord
cursed the ground for Adam's sin, "in
sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles
shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the
sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, til thou return unto the ground; for
out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou
return" (3: 17-19). So we learn from these verses that Adam's curse
was that the earth would only yield its fruit in sorrow, thorns and thistles,
in the sweat of your face, and that man would return to the earth that was
cursed. Now as for Cain, God said, "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." (4: 12). The
contrast between Adam and Cain is obvious, the ground would still yield its
fruit for Adam; whereas, for Cain, the earth would no longer yield its fruit to
him.
Now there is still the question about Cain's sacrificial
offering to the Lord. He offered unto the Lord the fruit of the ground, which
God did not accept. Dr. Spiros Zodhiates gives this interesting comment about
Cain and Abel's offerings:
"That God accepted Abel's sacrifice
and rejected Cain's was not based on the fact that Cain's sacrifice was
bloodless. Many of the required OT offerings were bloodless (as meal and meat
offerings). The difference was in the hearts of the two men. Abel offered in
faith (Heb. 11: 4), while Cain did not. This basic difference is indicated by
the wording of the passage: God "had
respect unto Abel and to his offering; but unto Cain and to his offering he had
not respect." Only when they are offered in faith do the sacrifices
and service of men please God (Isa. 1:11-17; Eph. 6:5-7)."[1]
Yes, I agree with Dr. Zodhiates that the main difference
between the two brothers was that Abel offered his sacrifice in faith; whereas
Cain did not. However, I do not totally agree with Dr. Zodhiates insinuating
that it did not matter whether Cain's sacrifice was bloodless or not. It does
matter. To begin with, the Levitical offerings that was required of the Jews to
offer up to God was not established until the time of Moses. The fact that Abel
offered up to God "the firstlings of
the flock," a lamb. It is made clear here that a blood sacrifice was
required for forgiveness of sins (see 4: 4). Abel knew this , because he and
his brother were no doubt instructed by their parents in what God required of
them in presenting an offering to Him.
2. Abel, the
Righteous Man (Gen. 4: 4, 10; Heb. 11:
4)
In these few verses we observe the brief life of a man of
faith, Abel. For twice we read of Abel's voice crying out from the grave. (1.)
The first cry, is a cry for justice (see 4: 10); (2.) next, we see Abel's
second cry, a cry of faith; though dead, his brief life spoke of faith and
righteousness (see Heb. 11: 4). Now keep in mind, I am not talking about two separate cries from Abel. Just two points about the same cry. (To be Continued...)
[1] Spiros
Zodhiates, Hebrew Greek Key Study Bible [KJV], (AMG Publishers,
Chattanooga, TN, 1991), pg. 8.
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