Here is the story of Cain and Abel and their offering to God. This is another one of those first mentions we would do well to pay attention to!
3 In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. (Genesis 4.3-5)
We could imagine that God was not fair with Cain. After all, he made an offering of the best productions from his fields. It was the best he had. But what if your best effort is not enough?
Religion is doing wanting to do things for God.
That is the way human religions start. Actually, they are offering (to themselves) what they think God might want. Man tries to impress God by his sacrifice or with an elaborated liturgy so that God would be favorable to his requests. But what do you want to give to the God of the universe who already has everything he wants? The only thing God wants is :
Proverbs 4:23 Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.
Proverbs 8.10 Take (prefer) my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold
Prefer my instructions… It seems since the beginning, God taught something fundamental for a sinner to be able to approach God. That can only be done through the blood of an innocent one.
A first-born lamb though innocent doesn’t have the value of a man. But God looked favorably upon Abel’s sacrifice which obeyed his instruction and announced the only way to approach God (and live). It is through the blood of an innocent lamb.
Finally, this was a messianic prophesy that Jesus, the only innocent Man that ever lived, would accomplish what the Father wanted most for His creation: their salvation. Check out the article.
John 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and declared, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Cain wanted to make an offering according to his own criteria.
So Cain was irritated because he didn’t want to depend on his brother to accomplish his religious duties.
He wanted to worship God his way!
(See Elvis Presley’s song – I did it MY WAY)
Even more, he was enraged that God could consider his brother as more spiritual than he. It was necessary to silence him. But it didn’t work because Abel’s blood is still speaking a lesson to us.
“By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and through it, though dead still speaks” (Hebrews 11.4)
It was the first murder for a religious cause.
Wanting to be right (in our own eyes) sends us even further from God. God talked to Cain BEFORE he decided to persist in his error. He talked to his conscience that he had the POWER to choose between what was right or wrong.
So the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 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
Yes, the temptation is to approach God by making your own rules. But you (like Cain) have the option to dominate the sin that was lurking at the door of your heart.
It is not a matter of offering a religion but a relationship
How many of our acts to approach God are a religious substitution for what God really wants.
- The peace we feel in a church or cathedral.
- Praying to the saint instead of God because we think they can understand us better.
- the atmosphere that a gospel choir can give us.
- Burning a candle to pray on our behalf
- the sense of usefulness when we do work for God (humanitarian or in a local church).
But you cannot replace the true Presence of God with a good feeling. The devil laughs at our efforts because the pleasure soon is dissipated. And especially, we do not go through the right Door or God’s will!
Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
What about you? Have you decided to approach God with your offering according to His way?
As Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14.6)
Or would you prefer coming to God following your own rules?
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(Day 16) First Mention helps understand the Bible
(Day 18) Am I the keeper of my brother?
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