In my previous blog on Cain I was concentrating on where and how
he found his wife, and that there were no other people or race other than the
descendants of Adam and Eve on earth. I didn't delve into why Cain’s sacrifice
was not accepted. Some have raised this
point and it is quite a valid doubt too. In this blog I will try and address
this issue.
For clarifying such doubts we need to go back to Bible itself, the
written word. In Genesis 4:7 (NKJV), prior to Cain killing his brother Abel, God
tells Cain, 'If you do well, will you not be accepted? "This hints that
Cain didn't do well. In what manner he didn't do well, we are not given. It is
definitely not because Cain didn't offer animal sacrifice, as some people
interpret. It might not be also because he didn't do it with a clean heart. He
didn't do well something, which God had prescribed. We can only guess at this
juncture. It could be a rule, a procedure or method of offering the sacrifice.
NIV translates this verse as 'If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?'
Again it is clear that Cain didn't do something 'right.' What is it, we do not
know exactly, but we can presume what it could be, based on similar passages
elsewhere in the Bible.
In another place in the Biblical narrative, it is written that God
struck down dead Uzzah, who touched the Ark of the Covenant, which was being
transported in a bullock cart. When the oxen stumbled, he put his hands to
steady the Ark, and in the process he touched the Ark. God killed him off in an
instant. Why? Because God had prescribed a method by which Ark should be
transported - only by two long poles placed on the shoulder of the Levites. The
Ark had four rings of gold on its four corners. Two poles were made, overlaid
with gold, and the commandment was “You shall put the poles into the rings on
the sides of the ark, that the ark may be carried by them.” Exodus 25:14. The
poles were not to be removed from the ark at any time. The ark was important
because in it were laid the Ten Commandments, carved on the two tablets of stone,
the Testament. On the top of the Ark was the Mercy Seat made of pure gold. And that
is from where God of Israel met His people, including Moses. Hence the Ark was
most holy and was placed in the Most Holy chamber of the Tabernacle or the Temple.
While transporting the Ark, David committed the mistake of
carrying it in a cart. The next time it was being transported, David did
according to the prescribed procedure, and no one was hurt. (see 2 Samuel
6:3-7, 12-13). If you apply this analogy, Cain might have done something wrong
in the way he offered his sacrifice. Definitely, if he had waited and corrected
his method, his sacrifice also would have been accepted, for God says in Genesis
4:7, 'If you do well, will you not be accepted?' Cain didn't have the patience,
but acted hastily, taking the law into his own hands.
Again see Hebrew 11:4, where it is said, 'By faith Abel offered
to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain,...' (NKJV) In what way it was
excellent, we do not know. NIV puts it as 'By faith Abel offered God a better
sacrifice than Cain did, ...' Better sacrifice, because of the animal sacrifice
which Abel offered or because his attitude was better and more acceptable, we do
not know. We can only presume. It was what Abel believed and not what he
offered that must have made the difference. Or may be, it is just that Abel
offered the sacrifice in the manner prescribed, in the manner it was acceptable
to God. The real meaning is hidden, but we can always guess and take a stand
according to Biblical study of similar passages, incidents and by consulting a
few translations. The Holy Spirit will always enlighten us as to the
truth.
The other doubt is, Cain could have committed the murder at the
spur of the moment and that it was not a premeditated offence. Genesis 4:5
tells us that Cain was very angry and his face fell, when his offering was not
accepted by God. On observing his fallen face, God warns him not to brood over
it thus, because it is sin and it will overpower him. In Genesis 4:7, He says, “If
you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at
the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” Cain was
definitely contemplating what to do to avenge himself. He was jealous and
angry. It led him astray. Next verse says that Cain talked with Abel and when
they were together in the field, he rose against his brother Abel and killed
him. This does not appear as done on the spur of the moment. He talked with his
brother, still he couldn't contain himself, he was burning with jealousy, and he
rose against Abel and killed him. When you ruminate a matter in your mind for
long, some action plan develops in your mind and you act accordingly. This is
what Jesus meant in Matthew 5:28, when he said, even if you look at a woman
lustfully, you have committed adultery. Thinking leads to a plan and action
follows. That is why God warned Cain to overcome his wrong thinking, the sin,
before it could overpower him. But Cain let the sin overpower him.
We cannot say that God wanted Cain to kill Abel and so He created
such a scenario. Why would God do that? Even if He did, what did he get out of
it? What was the benefit to Him or to mankind? Nothing. God warns Cain because
God knew what was in Cain's mind and warns him that he must overpower the sin that
is crouching at his doorstep. God knows everything, past, present and future.
But He has given human beings free will to make our own choices. We cannot
blame God for the decisions we make and the consequences we suffer because of
our decisions. God warns us, but if we do not heed it, but go ahead and commit
mistakes and even horrible sins like murder, we cannot blame God for it. God
never tempts us or makes us do wrong things. James 1:13-15. He never asked Eve
to eat the forbidden apple, but warned them not to touch it. But she went ahead;
they ate it, and reaped the consequences.
However, God being merciful does not punish us as we should be.
He only cursed Cain to be a vagabond on the face of the earth. Even there, when
Cain cried out saying it is a heavy punishment, God comes to his rescue, by
putting a sign on him, so that others won't kill him. Moreover, God makes
"all things work together for good to those who love God, ..." Romans
8:28, and God brings good out of the mess we make in this world of His. So we
can never blame God thus. Our God is not that type of a god, who pinches the
baby and rock the cradle. He is trustworthy, fair, just and merciful. It is His
character that we put our trust in and not anything else. He is our Rock.
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