Why did God accept Abel’s offering but reject Cain’s offering?

Answer

The accounts of the initial act of worship in human history and the first murder are documented in Genesis chapter 4. The act of worship—Cain’s and Abel’s offerings—comes after the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, their disobedience to God, and the introduction of sin into humanity. Death, the punishment declared by God, promptly infiltrated the first family.

Cain and Abel, the offspring of Adam and Eve, “at the end of days” presented offerings to the Lord «And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. », (Genesis 4:3). Undoubtedly, they did so because God had instructed them on the importance of a sacrifice. Some may question how Cain and Abel knew what to offer. The explanation is that God likely provided them with guidance on the specifics of acceptable worship, even though these instructions are not found in the Genesis account.

Abel, a shepherd, presented to the Lord “the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock” «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: », (Genesis 4:4, NLT). Cain, a farmer, offered “some of his crops” «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: », (Genesis 4:4, NLT). TheMost evident difference between the two sacrifices is that Abel’s offering was an animal (blood) sacrifice, and Cain’s was a vegetable (bloodless) sacrifice. There may be an additional implication that, while Abel brought “the best portions,” Cain simply brought some of his ordinary crops. Scripture does not give an indication, however, that either of these differences factored into God’s acceptance of Abel and rejection of Cain.

What we know for sure is that “the LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor” (Genesis 4:4-5). We also know that God looks on the heart «But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. », (1 Samuel 16:7). There was something in Cain’s motivation and heart attitude, and possibly something in his performance, that made his offering unacceptable to God. It was obviously something that he was aware of and could remedy, since God tells him after the fact, “You will be accepted if you do what is right” «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. », (Genesis 4:7, NLT).

Abel, on the other hand, had the proper motivation, the proper procedure, and the proper relationship with God. That relationship was based on faith: “By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did” «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.», (Hebrews 11:4).

Hebrews 11:4. Ever since the beginning, people must come to God in faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please God” «But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. », (Hebrews 11:6), and faith is evidently what Cain lacked.

In Jude 1:11, we read, “They have taken the way of Cain,” a description that refers to lawless men. This may mean that they, like Cain, disobediently devised their own ways of worship, and they did not come to God by faith. Cain’s offering, while acceptable in his own eyes, was not acceptable to the Lord. In some way, Cain had perverted God’s prescribed form of worship, and his heart was not right. He grew jealous of Abel, and he selfishly nursed his wounded pride. Rather than repent at God’s rebuke, Cain became angry, and later, in the field, he killed Abel and brought judgment upon himself «And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. », (Genesis 4:8).

The apostle John gives us more insight into Cain’s heart: “Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous” «Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. », (1 John 3:12). Those who belong to the evil one will have evil actions, and those with evil actions will naturally hate those with righteous actions. The evil in Cain’s heart is evident.

Art was further revealed when the Lord asked him, “Where is your brother Abel?” to which Cain replied, “I don’t know. . . . Am I my brother’s keeper?” «And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper? », (Genesis 4:9). In this response, Cain tells a stone-cold lie and shows an amazing level of insolence.

When Jesus Christ died upon the cross, He became the substitutionary atonement for our sins. The blood of Christ “speaks a better word than the blood of Abel” «and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. », (Hebrews 12:24). Both Abel and Christ were slain by wicked men. But, as the theologian Erasmus commented, “The blood of Abel cried for vengeance; that of Christ for remission.”