Why Was Cain’s Offering Rejected?
A reader replied, “Because it was not first fruits, The Lord wants his offering right off the top. Also it must be the best, substandard, seconds, damaged, blemished, rotted, items are not accepted by the Lord, as he gave his best to us for our salvation, That being Jesus, we must also give our best to him.”
Another reader wrote, Prov. 15:8, “The sacrifice of the wicked [is] an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright [is] his delight.”
Prov. 21:27 The sacrifice of the wicked [is] abomination: how much more, [when] he bringeth it with a wicked mind?
Another reader wrote, “Cain and Abel both brought the fruit of their labor, but God did not respect Cain because he had an improper heart attitude. (See Hosea 6:6, Amos 5:21-24, Micah 6:6-
Another reader wrote: “Some of you have suggested that Cain did not offer according to the Law, but Leviticus hadn’t been written yet…
God said: Gen.4:6-7 And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 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.
I’ve always assumed either he had a bad attitude, or that God required an animal offering, and that Cain offered vegetables because he was a gardener, and thought God should be happy to get what he offered…but to be quite honest, I’ve always been a little puzzled over it, myself!
Phillip LaSpino replies, “Thanks for all your responses. To be honest with you, this is a difficult topic, and there appears to be no Scripture that points directly to the problem of Cain’s offering being rejected, or is there? What I did was to gather what I thought to be the evidence that is given in the Bible.
Why was Cain’s offering rejected by the Lord?
I would like to answer this question in the following manner.
a. First present Scripture verses that will be relevant to the conclusion.
b. With these verses I will present the facts as given. Build a case, and,
c. Then hopefully draw a right conclusion from the facts presented.
When personal opinions and speculations are set aside and only the facts introduced, I believe that we can come to a right answer. Let us first lay a foundation, then present the evidence, and finally draw a conclusion. What God had prepared for Adam is relevant to the question and to the correct answer. Also what was lost when both Adam and Eve sinned should lead us to the reason for God’s rejection of Cain’s offering.
1. Out-side the garden:
Gen. 1:11-12, concerning the whole earth. “God said, let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind.”
When God spoke, the earth brought forth all manner of fruits and vegetation, even when there was yet no man to till the ground. The ground had been blessed by God, bearing the fruit of that blessing.
Gen.1:29, “God said, behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in that which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. ” Ver.30, I = (God) have given every green herb for meat: and it was good.”
Through God’s miraculous powers, the earth is now represented as bringing forth its fruit. This was a gift from God to man, a blessed, rich in its growth, and harvest.
Inside the garden:
Gen.2:5-6, God created, “every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground. But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.” This is God’s inspired irrigation.
God created Adam outside the garden, and now moves him to a place called Eden.
The Lord, Gen.2:8, “planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there He put the man whom He had formed.” This after God had announced the creation to be finished. So we can assume that in the garden, God formed from that which had been already created.
Ver.9, “Out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food etc.” ver.10, “a river went out of Eden to water the garden.” Every tree, that is good for food can be found in the garden.
The environment inside the garden appears to be somewhat different then that outside the garden. Adam most likely had access to both that which was inside and outside.
Herbs with their seeds seem to have been outside the garden, as also were the “beasts of the earth.” One quick thought about the beasts. These beast of the earth were wild beasts, carnivorous, flesh eaters, compared to, God having formed, “beasts of the field,” inside the garden, Gen.2:19, these being herbivores.
Only after sin were Adam and Eve cut off from entering back into the garden, Gen.3:22-23-24. Gen.3:24, “He = (God) drove out the man; and He placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”
This garden which the LORD gave to Adam was pretty much self sustaining. A minimal amount of labor was required, for God’s hand was upon this place. The LORD also remained with Adam in the garden, Gen.3:8, “Adam and Eve, both “heard the voice = (sound) of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the PRESENCE of the Lord God.”
Concerning the garden, God had instructed Adam to dress (to till) it, and to keep it. Keep means to guard, to keep safe, to watch.
Ver.16. God said to Adam in the garden, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:” But not of “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it,” ver.17. God provided for Adam and his wife, the fruit of the ground.
The word, fruit: 6529. Fruit, whether of the earth and field, or of a tree, whence fruit-bearing tree, dates, figs, etc.
The sin, and the curse: Both Adam and Eve sinned, and neither repented; both played the blame game, therefore, God’s cursed the ground.
The Hebrew for the word curse: a devoting or dooming to utter destruction; condemnation, doom punishment, of the earth,
Gen.3:17-18, “God said to Adam, “because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow = (toil) shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns also and thistles shall it = (the ground) bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field.”
“Cursed is the ground.” Compare with Gen.5:29, La-mech, Noah’s father, “called his name Noah, saying, this same = (Noah) shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed.” This before the flood and before God lifted the curse.
Heb.6:8, “That which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.”
Isa.5:6, “God said, “I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, not digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns.”
Mal.2:2, “If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the LORD of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I WILL CURSE YOUR BLESSINGS: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.”
God had at first blessed the ground, and called it good. After the fall, the ground was cursed. But after the flood, God lifted His curse.
See Also Dan.9:11. Duet.28:15-45. Prov.3:33. Also, Gal.3:10, comp. with 3:13.
After the flood, Gen. 8:21, “The LORD said in His heart, I will NOT again curse the ground any more for man’s sake, ver. 22, this, “While the earth remainet, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” So the curse is lifted.
A simple comparison can be found in Gen.9:11, where God reflects on the destruction of the earth by water. “I will establish my covenant with you = (man); neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood: neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.”
God’s garden was free of thorns and thistles. But now, Adam’s new home outside the garden, was to produce food (by the sweat of his face,) among thorns and thistles which the cursed ground yields.
Gen. 4:2-3, “Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in the process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.” To be a farmer, or tiller of the soil, this I would assume was Cain’s choice. He was the eldest son, he could have been a keeper of sheep (shepherd) as his brother Abel had become.
What does tiller mean?
Tiller, is to labor, to work, to reduce to servitude, bestowing labor on anything, to till a field, a vineyard; also to serve, to work for another, to serve any one, as in people to people, specially to serve. As the Israelites shall serve the Egyptians. To serve God, or Idols. To impose labor upon any one. To impose labor, to compel to do work, hence to cause weariness by hard labor, to fatigue. To make to serve, or to worship, to serve at the persuasion, incitement of others.
What lead to this labor by Cain?
The Lord had ordered Adam and his posterity in Gen.3:17-18, “Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I = (God) commanded thee, saying, Thou = (Adam) shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake, 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.”
The word, “Thorns: This example is taken from the curse of Adam, and set forth in Heb.6:8, “that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing: whose end is to be burned,” coll.
Gen.3:18, “Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; thou shalt eat the herb of the field.” Also, where Septuagint,
Isa.32:13, “Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers.”
Matt.7:16, “do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” Luke 6:44. So, Matt.13:7-22. Mark 4:7-18. Luke 8:7, “some = (seed) fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, ver.14, “are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life.” Sept. Jer. 4:3, “Sow not among thorns.” Also the crown of thorns they put upon Christ’s head; Matt. 27:29, “A crown of thorns.” John 19:2. From the above, we can conclude that thorns are represented, and/or associated with sin, disobedience, and the removal of God’s blessings.
Concerning Cain’s offering:
Gen.4:5, “But unto Cain and to his offering He = (God) had NOT respect.” The Ground from which Cain had harvested his offering to God, had been cursed by God. Therefore God, had, “Not respect.” No respect is to look away from, to turn the eyes from anything. Compare to Abel’s offering, which was the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. The word fat means, the best or most excellent of any kind. The word firstlings means, the firstborn offspring.
That which has been rejected, Heb.6:8, “is nigh unto cursing: whose end is to be burned.” Cursed by God, let no man offer the fruit thereof. The source (the ground) of what Cain offered, had been cursed, therefore the fruit of it was also cursed.
Undoing the curse, this after the flood of water resided.
Gen.8:21, “The LORD smelled a sweet savor; and the LORD said in His heart, I will NOT again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth;” Now the ground was redeemed from the curse. Gen.9:13, “I = (God) do set my bow (rainbow) in the cloud, and it shall be for a token = (sign) of a covenant between me and the earth.”
Then God gave man the Mosaic law: God would now accept the harvest of the ground what would be presented to Him under the law. The Lord required the first fruits of the harvest be offered to him. It was accepted as an offering from the hands of man.
Cain was the first-born of Adam and Eve. As the first born, and upon Adam’s death, Cain would have received the blessings of his father becoming the head of the family of man. Yet, Cain chose to serve that which was cursed, thinking to offer this fruit of the ground as an offering unto the LORD. I believe this played a large part in why the offering of Cain to the LORD was rejected.
From the above verses, and information, I have drawn these conclusions. It appears to satisfy the Scriptures. What do you think?
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com
Reader wrote, “I think we also need to understand that according to Jeremiah 10, it is very important to the Lord that we do what He asks us to do “The Way” He asks us to do it! Cain, did not. Able did.”
Phillip replies, “I agree. Obedience for spoiled children is at times very difficult. But their are times in a (young) Christian’s life when a lack of knowledge may be the reason for what may appear to be disobedience. This is why we must keep our noses in God’s book, and like any (good) sponge, absorb up all we can.”
Reader wrote,
Woe! Unto those who go in the way of Cain, Jude v.11; for know of assurety that Cain was a worshipper, but not a TRUE Worshipper (John 4:23). He disqualified himself by what he offered. His destiny was at stake. His offering divulged the real intent of his heart, for he was fully intent on keeping his human nature which is ever evil. He had no intention of shedding (purging) the corruptions running in his bloodstream. Even hate remained (1John 3:12, context) in his blood stream and culminated in eventual murder of Abel, the righteous, True Worshipper.
Cain brought a basket of fruit (Gen.4:3) from the cursed ground (self- righteousness) and not blood (love – Life) as was commanded.
Cain, therefore, Cain commending himself unto God, which is the way of human merit. He would not repent of his way, leaving his blood stream polluted with the sensual, earthy, devilish, carnal–even such entities as hate, pride, lust of the eye, envy, jealousy, criticism, judging, un-forgiveness, and every evil issue of the flesh and devises there of. Cain trampled the required blood sacrifice underfoot and counted it unholy by his works. He loved darkness, but desired to be a worshipper of God.
This is not possible, and all should beware of this kind of double mindedness.
Cain became a fugitive from righteous and went from the presence, a wanderer in the land of Nod – all this for one statement – “AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER” (Gen. 4:9).
Beware; all who do not become their brother – mans keeper through The Faith the love in Christ Jesus, will ever be wandering in circles – all for love of self!!
Phil replied, “MHG., your choice of words is interesting, “Leaving his blood stream polluted.” Never heard or read that before. I prefer, “His soul and spirit were polluted.” This retains the Greek and Hebrew idea of sin. Also, if we converse with Biblical words, others can follow the conversation with us, your thoughts!
Reader replied, “I agree that that would sound better, but was trying to make the statement strong as, this was what happened, for Cain gave NOT a blood offering and really why his offering was not accepted. There is either POWER in the blood to overcome, OR there is pollution.
There is always power in HIs blood but man wants to think that they themselves do not have to really partake of HIS body so as to walk in His footsteps, which in truth are bloody footsteps which leave us with scars and now with a true humble and contrite heart. People today want to appropriate what Jesus has done, position ally and yet never experientially partaking. I pray this explains my reason, so as to be in keeping with Cain’s wrong offering.
Phil Laspino www.seekfirstwisdom.com