In this episode we continue studying the Book of Genesis. In this episode we note that the two brothers present offerings to God. Yet, the text says, The Lord had respect unto Able and his offering but unto Cain and his offering He had no respect.

Why didn't God have respect for Cain or his offering?

It’s possible that Cains’ offering was not respected because it wasn’t a blood sacrifice nor was it the first fruits.

Our text says in the process of time, Cain brought an offering.

It’s also possible that God was not pleased with Cain or his offering because he knew a blood sacrifice was required but he decided to do his own thing.

He was proud of the fruit offering he brought to God. He worked hard, in 100 degree weather, in the heat of day, he tilled the ground, and battled against thorns and thistles, to bring forth a bountiful crop, perhaps he really, wanted to present an offering to God, something that signified his work and toil.

But he was missing the point, the offering was not about him and his work but about God and his work, that God would send forth his Son to rescue mankind from the power of sin and death.

It’s important to note that, God required the person presenting the blood offering to lay his hands on the animal symbolizing that he had transferred his sins to the animal, then he was to slit the throat of the animal, drain the blood and sprinkle the blood around the altar, and wash the inward parts and burn the head, the fat and the legs on the altar.

When the offerer slit the animal's throat, the offering became personal. He or she was admitting they were guilty of sin and deserved death.

But God accepted the life of the innocent animal as a substitute for the life of the person making the sacrifice.

Cain wanted to bypass this important offering, he refused to acknowledge that without the shedding of blood there was no remission of sin and therefore any other offering was unacceptable.

Cain did not want to participate in the bloody gory process of killing a lamb. He was too dignified for that, yet he had no problem killing his brother.

Andrew Juke author of Types in Genesis says, with Cain and Able we see the workings of two minds. The carnal mind like Cain ignoring sin and the fall is busy to improve the fallen creature offering the fruit and cultivation of the cursed earth to God as though such things could please Him, while the other that is the spirit confessing sin by a sacrifice which involves not the improvement of the earth but the death and suffering of the creature, confesses death and yet looks for help in God, trusting His love and truth to meet us in our helplessness.