Scripture: Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the LORD.” And again, she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. 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 portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”
Genesis 4:1-7 ESV [Click here to read the entire chapter.]
Observation: Recapping Yesterday’s Daily Focus, Moses tells us that Adam revised the meaning of Eve’s name to “the mother of all living.” Moses adds that God cared for Adam and Eve by sacrificing an animal and using its hide to clothe them in garments. Caring for their spiritual, physiological, and psychological well-being, God posts cherubim at the entrance to the garden to prevent humans from re-entering and obtaining immortality in their sinful state.
Today’s reading introduces us to Adam and Eve’s life in exile when they conceive their first two children. As their boys mature into men, the oldest, Cain, gravitates toward farming (“a worker of the ground”), and the younger, Abel, becomes a shepherd. As time passes, both bring their offerings before the Lord. Abel presents the fattened firstborn, while Cain offers the fruit of the ground. As such, Yahweh regards Abel’s offering over Cain’s, provoking Cain’s sadness and anger. So, the Lord questions Cain about his attitude and challenges him to “do well.” Otherwise, sin will entrap him, so he must “rule over it” (v.7)
Takeaway: Without further detail regarding the two sons’ offerings, the storyline leaves us with the question: Why did God favor Abel’s sacrifice over Cain’s? Earlier-dated commentaries surmise that God preferred the animal offering based on two factors the text does not present: the shedding of blood or Abel’s superior-quality sacrifice. Certainly, a firstborn, fattened sheep aligns with later-developed Levitical law regarding animal sacrifices. Still, our passage remains silent about the quality of Cain’s offering—prohibiting us from concluding that Abel’s was superior to Cain’s.
So, again, why did God disregard Cain’s offering? Verses 5-7 provide a clue: Cain’s attitude. Rather than seek answers before God, Cain falls victim to self-pity (“fallen face”) and resentment (“anger”) and thus distances himself from the Lord. But the Lord draws near to Cain and invites him to talk it out, cautioning him to do well and receive the Lord’s blessings. Otherwise, sin (i.e., evil) is lurking and seeks to lead Cain away from God, so Cain must master it. Hence, the issue is not the quality of the offering but the attitude of its presenter. Jeremiah later speaks to this point when he implores Israel’s hypocritical worshipers “to do well,” using the exact Hebrew words (ʾim-hêṭêḇ têṭîḇû) God says to Cain in our text. Jeremiah further warns Israel not to shed innocent blood lest they face exile from the land (Jeremiah 7:5-7) as Cain will soon sadly incur (v.12).
Our takeaway? Our text challenges us regarding our attitudes toward God. First, are we cheerful givers? As Paul explains to the Corinthian church, we must not give to God reluctantly or under compulsion because God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). Do we give to God with strings attached (i.e., expecting a blessing in return)? Or do we give our best to God out of gratitude for how he has already blessed us? Secondly, do we judge God’s fairness and assume a victim mentality (provoking our unbridled anger), or do we trust in his goodness and graciousness and candidly respond to him in prayer when he speaks to our minds and questions why we are angry? How we answer these questions makes all the difference between whether we rule over sin or it rules over us.
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for your Son, who ruled over sin and its consequences of death by trusting in your goodness and graciousness and thus always doing your will. And we thank you for your Holy Spirit, who convicts us when we succumb to self-pity, resentment, and other attitudes contrary to gratitude for all you have done for us. Still, we confess that when life circumstances fail to meet our expectations, we tend to harbor an attitude toward you rather than talk through our feelings with you. So please help us maintain an open and honest relationship with you where we seek your perspective and give no opportunity for sin to rule over us but instead rule over it. Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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