Why Wasn’t God Pleased With CAIN’S OFFERING?

Let’s read the passage in question:

Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

6Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

8Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

9Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

10The Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.

Genesis 4:2b-10

Abel was a shepherd while Cain was a farmer.  Thus when they presented offerings to the LORD, Abel sacrificed some of the choice firstborn of his flock while Cain naturally gave an offering of the fruits of the soil. God looked favorably on Abel & his offering, but not Cain, why? We know it wasn’t Cain’s offering itself that the LORD took issue with since:

1. “Cain worked the soil” (4:2) and thus his sacrifice to God would be based on the fruits of his work.
2. Grain offerings and harvest offerings would later be revealed as legitimate expressions of worship under the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 2:1-6 & Leviticus 23:9-14).

So what was God’s issue with Cain’s offering? It was not his offering, but the attitude of his heart, as revealed in the New Testament:

By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.

Hebrews 11:4

Abel gave a “better offering” than Cain due to his faith, which refers to belief; and belief has to do with one’s heart or mindset. We know that:

• The pure in heart are “blessed” and “will see God” (Matthew 5:8, Hebrews 12:14 & Proverbs 22:11).
• Yet Cain’s heart was obviously not pure since he didn’t hesitate to murder his brother due to jealous hatred and then brazenly lied to the LORD about it (verses 8-9).
• Thus Abel was “commended as righteous” and Cain wasn’t.

You could say that Cain gave out of a spirit of religion: His heart possibly begrudged giving the offering, but felt he had to do it because it was the law; in other words, he gave out of an attitude of legal-ism. Abel, by contrast, gave out of a spirit of faith and therefore pure-hearted cheer (2 Corinthians 9:7). The latter are the people who will experience closeness to the LORD and the favor (grace) thereof.

Top Levite musician Asaph recorded how the LORD rebuked the Israelites, but the problem was not their ceremonial sacrifices, as witnessed here:

I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices

or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.

Psalm 50:8

So what did God take issue with? The rest of the psalm reveals:

16But to the wicked person, God says:

“What right have you to recite my laws

or take my covenant on your lips?

17You hate my instruction

and cast my words behind you.

18When you see a thief, you join with him;

you throw in your lot with adulterers.

19You use your mouth for evil

and harness your tongue to deceit.

20You sit and testify against your brother

and slander your own mother’s son.

21When you did these things and I kept silent,

you thought I was exactly like you.

But I now arraign you

and set my accusations before you.

The LORD didn’t have a problem with their religious sacrifices, but rather with the carnal attitude of their hearts:

• They were unthankful
• Ignored the Almighty
• Ignored God’s instruction, i.e. God’s Word
• Committed thievery
• Committed adultery
• Maliciously lied
• Falsely testified against innocent people
• Slandered their own brothers (physical or spiritual)
• Forgot about their Creator

Likewise, God didn’t have a problem with Cain’s ceremonial offering, but rather the sinful condition of his heart, which resulted in murder (1 John 3:12).

David commented on such things:

6Sacrifice and offering you did not desire—

but my ears you have opened —

burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require…

8I desire to do your will, my God;

your law is within my heart.”

Psalm 40:6,8

It’s not that the LORD didn’t want David’s offering, it’s that God wanted genuine worship even more. Going through the motions of religious ceremony does not please our Creator. The desire to do God’s will must come from the heart, as observed in verse 8.

Related Topics:

HEART – Is It “Desperately Wicked”? (It Depends)

The Gist on Giving and “Tithing”

Spiritual Growth is Like Climbing a Mountain

Provision, Money and “Prosperity”

Greed — What is it? Why is it Bad?

Who is Melchizedek? How was He a Type of Christ?

The Basics of Christianity