It Could Have Been Abel

In the Beginning.....was the Offering

      At the beginning of Genesis Chapter 4, Adam and Eve have children, Cain and Abel.  One of the first things we read regarding their sons, Cain and Abel, is that they worship God and bring offerings.  What is an offering?  Strong's Concordance #4503 for offering in the Genesis text says it is a grain offering, animal offering or sacrifice:  gift, tribute, present.

     It appears to me that Cain was raised by Adam and Eve to believe in God and was part of worshiping God.  They raised their firstborn believing him to be a "a man of the Lord"  Gen. 4:1 KJ.  How proud Adam must have been and desired to teach him the things God had told him in the Garden of Eden.  Adam taught Cain to be like himself, to till the ground.  Even after the curse, God is faithful..........The work is hard after the curse of Gen. 3:17-19 RSV......What joy that Cain is born, for it shows that Adam and Eve are still in relationship with God's promises of chapter 3.  Can you see the joy and pride of Adam and Eve in teaching little Cain to till and plant?  .......Blessing and joy come again to Adam and Eve when Abel is born.  This little boy will grow to bring the firstlings for an offering..........We don't really know what happened.  It could be that both boys were taught to till but Abel just liked animals more.  Maybe Abel didn't want to be just like his brother.  This is common even today among siblings, colleagues, and friends.  However, sometimes this is not to our advantage when our 'being different' stops us from imitating good examples and behavior of the Christian life.  Being different from others can sometimes lead us away from the things that God intends for us.  But being different from the bad we see can also lead us in the path God wants us to go.......God was first concerned about Cain and then about he gift he brought......God knows that what we freely choose to do comes from inside us first.  God's Spirit told Cain that if you do well your countenance will be lifted up.  But if you don't do well, then sin is crouching at the door, and its desire is for you, but you must master it Gen. 4:7 NASB

The book of Malachi talks about robbing God and that God's chosen people don't recognize that they have robbed God.....I have heard it taught about the 10 commandments, that the first three relate to our relationship with God and the rest are the relationship to other human beings, thereby forming a cross.  but are the last 7 really only for our relationship with others?  Consider that the Spirit of God resides in others, and when the sin is to others, it is also to God...... Malachi seems to indicate that stealing (7th) is also against God.  When you don't bring the firstling or firstfruits, you steal from God, you lie to God about what is first in your life.....Cursed.  Isn't that a word we usually think of that applies to the non-believer?  Weren't you taught that God is love in Sunday School?.......Notice, above that these people in Malachi robbed God.....Cain at least brought the tithe.

Law and grace seem to get quite different emotional reactions. Law is viewed as strict, stern, black and white.  Grace is relaxed, happy, more colorful or at least gray....For some the law makes them feel safe because they know what to expect and what to do.  Grace is a little more uncertain as to when it begins or ends leaving more gray area.  For the imperfect beings that we are, God kindly gave us both.  God's laws create a path to walk, a way of life to live.  Our comfort zone is challenged but we have the boundaries of the law to guide us and keep us from going too far to the right or left, and grace to walk within the boundaries or to get us back on the path when we stumble off the path.  Grace isn't limited to salvation.  It is there for our daily walk......Grace is in the law....Grace is always after the But if you.