What You Didn't Know About Cain and Abel (reposted)

Hello everyone,

Today's write-up would be about Adam and Eve. After they where driven out of the Garden of Eden, they had two boys—Cain the first, and his brother Abel. “Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground” Genesis 4:2. The time came for both of them to bring an offering to the Lord, Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground, while Abel brought of the firstborn of his flock and their fat. As we know, the Lord respected Abel’s offering, while he didn’t respect Cain’s offering. With this story of the two brothers, we have been taught that it was because Abel brought of the firstborn of his flock, while Cain brought the fruit of what he tilled, some even say, Cain brought scrap to God, but that’s not true, what Cain brought was very good, but it wasn’t like that of Abel. Was it just the issue of the first fruit offering issue alone that made God accept Abel’s offering and reject Cain’s or there is more to the story of God’s decision? Yes, there is more to the story, and the reason is that many of us could fall into the category of Cain or maybe have already fallen, but don’t know, let me explain why.

Many think Cain’s offering was bad, but if it was why was he angry? The reason why he was angry was that he brought what he had sweat for, which he felt was presentable. The reason why Cain’s offering was rejected was simply that Cain depended on his self-effort. Cain was just like a regular businessman who goes about his business and becomes very successful and feels it was by his effort that all these came about, his waking up early in the morning, meeting that client and striking that big contract which fetched you a large amount of money and so on, many of us forget that all of our successes came from God. The Bible says in James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” And Psalms 24:1 says, “The earth is the LORD’S, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.”

We should always remember that all of your successes come to the Lord, and in so doing give Him the regard, this was what Abel understood, even though his family was pushed out of Eden, God was still with them. even though they had to till the ground, it was the Lord who made seed grow and livestock have young ones, and in giving God that respect and regard that all that he [Abel] had, came from God, he honoured Him by giving Him the firstborn of his flock, while Cain just brought a part of his crop which symbolised self-effort, there was a difference.

Another thing Cain did which is seen in today’s market is that Cain killed Abel. Now, this looks grievous, but what this means today is that Cain eliminated his competition, which looks normal right? No, it doesn’t to God. What many of us do not know is that as long as God tells us that we would succeed in a thing, it is done. To eliminate a competition implies the presence of flesh and not God’s presence. We are to understand that the story of Cain and Abel isn’t just a man respecting God by bringing an acceptable offering to God and the other bringing a non-acceptable offering, rather, one symbolised self-effort, while the other symbolised God’s effort.

Recognising God in everything is to give your life to God/Christ, thus presenting yourself as living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, (ref. Romans 12:1). Your offering to God has nothing to do with what you bring, but with the state of your heart because everything is attached to you.

May the LORD bless you and keep you, make His face shine upon you. May the LORD be gracious to you and lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. AMEN.

                    

Why not accept Jesus today if you haven’t. Pray out loud, “Jesus, I confess that You are my Lord and Saviour. I believe in my heart that God raised You from the dead. By faith in Your Word, I receive salvation now. Thank You for saving me!” Congratulations, you’re born again, you are now brand new!

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GOD BLESS YOU.