The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Cain vs. Abel

Cain's offering was rejected because he "did it his way" (like Frank Sinatra's song - "I did it MY Way"). There's only two religion's in the world today - that which is by faith according to the will of God and all of the false religions which are works based.

Cain rejected God's prescibed way of salvation. Instead of coming to God on God's terms, Cain rebelled and came on his own terms. Cain's offering probably looked very nice, but it wasn't what God required. So today, many people do wonderful things hoping to be saved by their good deeds. Those who do these good deeds usually want everybody to know of their good deeds too.

Very Interesting thread. I have wondered many times why God did not accept Cain's sacrifice, believing that it must have had something to do with his heart. Your discussion , which is completely biblical, makes so much sense. Thank You.

Jamieson, Fawcett & Brown translate Gen 3:24 as, 'And He [God] dwelt at the east of the garden of Eden between the Cherubim, as a Shekinah (a fire tongue or fire sword] to keep open the way to the tree of life.'

I am not sufficiently familiar with Hebrew to know if that is a good translation or not, but if it is, then it appears that after the Expulsion from the garden, God established a mercy seat so that Adam and Eve, and later Cain and Abel, could come and worship Him. In that case, the NKJV marginal reading of Gen 4:3 is interesting. 'At the end of days it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD.' Is that a reference to the Sabbath day? Anyhow, Cain's offering was unacceptable because the Mercy Seat could not be approached without a blood sacrifice (Heb 9:7 ).

Here's a transcription of a sermon on Cain and Abel which touches on this subject:-

http://spurgeonunderground.blogspot.com/2006/02/prophet-abel.html

Steve

It is not a good translation of the Hebrew. Here's what it says more accurately:

"God caused cherubim to dwell (to encamp) at the east (on the eastern side) of the garden, and the (i.e., with the ) flame of the sword turning to and fro (moving rapidly)."

Courtesy of Keil-Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament - Pentatuch, vol. 1, p. 107. The purpose of the cherubim being there was to keep man from having access to the Tree of Life until the consummation. (cf. Rev 20, 21) Cherubim are noted to be of the highest order of created beings and often representatives of God especially in judgment.

And yes, "At the end of days" is a reference to the "Sabbath" which God instituted at creation and of which man was to keep. For the most thorough defense of the biblical teaching concerning the Sabbath, see here: The Covenantal Sabbath.