“So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD of the fruit of the ground. Abel, on his part, also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.” (vv.4-7)
This account can be hard to understand. It seems as if Abel and Cain brought similar offerings to the Lord, and that the Lord accepted one offering and rejected the other for apparently no good reason. In fact, people sometimes look toward this passage to claim that God is capricious. But a closer look at the text reveals the opposite.
First, notice that Genesis 4:3 tells us that Cain brought “some of the fruits of the soil” to the Lord. We have no indication what the quality of this produce was; we certainly have no hint that it was the best of the harvest. Now, notice that verse 4 tells us that Abel brought the “fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.” The fat portions were the best pieces of meat. Additionally, the firstborn always indicated something prized. In other words, Abel gave from the best of what he had, while Cain offered whatever he was willing to spare. This brings us to the “heart” of worship.
Abel's offering showed honor to God, true gratitude, and worship (Hebrews 11:4). Cain's offering was at the least careless—he didn't offer his first-fruits—and his response revealed an even deeper bitterness or anger. Despite a warning from the Lord about sin “crouching at your door,” he lured his brother out to a field and killed him (Gen 4:6).
As a result, God punished Cain professionally (farming would become difficult), personally (exiled from home and family to be a “restless wanderer”), and spiritually (“hidden” from God's presence). But He also showed him mercy. He had already been gracious in warning him against temptation and implicitly offering him a second chance to “do right” (v.7). And, after the murder, He showed more mercy by putting some kind of mark on Cain to protect him from vengeance.
Though Cain does not appear repentant in today’s reading, God still showed him mercy. And, but for the grace of God there go we. For we sin, we mess-up, we fall short of the mark, but God’s mercies are there waiting for us, new every morning. Therefore, let us not be angry with God for our own short comings and lash out against others. But let us seek His forgiveness, accept His discipline, and be greatful for His mercy.
The Truth: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)
