Why Did God Refuse Cain's Sacrifice/Offering?
@gtargirl (5376)
United States
January 3, 2012 2:07pm CST
I'm reading through the Bible in 2012, it was one of my resolutions--only had two. It stands to reason that I will come across the old stories with new insight. At least, that's my prayer. So in Genesis chapter 4 is the first murder ever which was committed by Cain.
I assumed he was jealous because God accepted Abel's offering and not his (Cain's). Why did God refuse Cain's sacrifice? It was the first "tithe" of his crops and that's all that was required, right?
Here's some light on the subject when God talked to Cain. By the way, how cool is that? God talking to man? In any case in Gen 4:6-7 it says, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If 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 master it."
Here's a comment from my friend, author Sarah Witenhafer, on that scripture.
The crouching at the door is a reference to the old Sumerian belief that demons lurked outside your door and waited to ambush you. That's also what the Scriptures mean when it talks about the woman desiring her husband in the curse after the fall. She'll wait to spring on him - and not in a pleasant way. LOL! The ancients believed you could ward off the demons by painting your door red and burying their image under the threshold. The demons were so ugly they would be scared away by their own image. I think Christ is a better plan, don't you? :D I know all this useless stuff because I'm writing a book set in ancient Sumeria.
Sarah
So, my thought--attitude of his heart and giving in to "self/sin." I know there's more to it. Any thoughts?
3 people like this
9 responses
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
3 Jan 12
I agree, it was on a hear tissue rather than what Cain offered. Also another problem that "crouches" at man's door a lot is pride, so Cain probably had pride in his heart that was not pleasing to G♥d.
So you are writing a book set in ancient Sumeria? That is awesome, is it fiction or non-fiction?
2 people like this
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
3 Jan 12
Yes, I think so too: it was not what he offered but rather it was the condition of his heart.
BTW, my friend Sarah (befriended on facebook) is writing a fictional book set in ancient Sumeria. I'm writing one based on Genesis 6. Sorry about the confusion, sometimes my brain gets jumbled.
2 people like this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
4 Jan 12
Oh, that's okay, so you are going to write on Noah?? That should prove interesting, because here on mylot, I was in a thread debating on whether Noah had the time to going all around preaching, or if he preached while building the ark, and that people came to him..Plus, I think there was a comment about whether or not his sons helped him or preached with him or what???
So I am looking forward to see what you come up with..
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
5 Jan 12
I commend you for your wonderful goal of wanting to read the entire Bible on one year. This is a regular goal of mine and have now done so for may years.
When questions come up, Mylot is a good place to post them and get some feedback.
Why did God not accept Cain's sacrifice? The answer is simple. His heart wasn't right. Sacrifices are only good and acceptable to God when our heart is in it. Does God need any of our sacrifices? No!
God plainly told Cain to change his ways. Instead he goes and murders his brother. What an evil person he was! Why would God accept anything with favor from such an evil man?
Today too, many claim to serve God but their actions are wicked. God takes no pleasure in anything such people do.
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@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
5 Jan 12
1 John 3:11-12 Today's New International Version (TNIV) 11 For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another. 12 Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own actions were evil and his brother’s were righteous.
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@djbtol (5493)
• United States
4 Jan 12
Although I cannot point to an exact verse, I have come to believe that Cain's sacrifice was not accepted because God was looking for a blood sacrifice. Now I realize we have not been told this directly. I also realize that elsewhere in the old testamnent God not only accepts grain offerings, but commands them.
I will rest in the belief that God was not unjust in His treatment of Cain and that He did not make a mistake. We might expect God to have been more clear abut this, since the reason for Adam and Eve's judgment is clearly stated (maybe not as clear for Adam).
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@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
5 Jan 12
I always love coming to that bottom line conclusion that "God was not unjust in His treatment ..." You're so right.
@GardenGerty (160626)
• United States
3 Jan 12
He sacrificed out of his own pride. What he was proud of, rather than what was asked for or stipulated as an offering. Pride is often a demon.
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@GardenGerty (160626)
• United States
4 Jan 12
I think we may all have some degree of rebellion in our hearts. Our little ones do for sure. We just get more civilized with it as we get older. i find myself fighting my rebellious attitude often.
@salonga (27775)
• Philippines
4 Jan 12
Why did God refuse Cain's sacrifice? It was the first "tithe" of his crops and that's all that was required, right?
No it is not right. During the time of Cain and Abel offerings should be in the form of animals. God required animal sacrifices to provide a temporary covering of sins and to foreshadow the perfect and complete sacrifice of Jesus Christ as written in Leviticus 4:35, 5:10. Therefore Cain's act of offering the fruits of his crop is against God's commandment.Even if they are the best fruits of his crop, he still violates God's word and hence he is acting out of faith. this is clear act of disobedience which God so despised. Cain, in his disobedience did his own ways of worship so it was not acceptable to the Lord.
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
5 Jan 12
Understood. But I also think that even if Cain had sacrificed a blood offering God would probably not have accepted it as Cain's heart was filled with jealousy, rage and hatred. You are right though, his offering of fruit was already in violation.
1 person likes this
@Bluedoll (16773)
• Canada
3 Jan 12
I wasn’t there but I’m going to disagree here and say God did not “require” anything. It was the boys that were up to something. It was not that God did not favour but that he saw something better in the other and that created a heavy craving.
Now they wanted to get attention but God knew their hearts and someone was up to no good, greedy and selfish. I think God had a very special relationship with all his creations but over time slowly began to withdraw for good reason.
Jealousy is a terrible thing. Have you ever been jealous? Life of a fugitive is a lonely life and I think the start of God’s decision to withdraw.
What would it be like to talk to God and then be denied that privilege? Have you ever loved someone and because of something that happened, lost them? Hurts don’t it.
1 person likes this
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
3 Jan 12
Wow! These are some awesome thoughts. And so well stated. I agree that God had a special relationship with all his creation and grieved when Cain did this thing. Yes, I have been jealous. Still working on that actually. I guess with me it's a coveting thing. And yes I've lost someone. Hurts bad. I can't imagine, not for one minute how it must have felt to be denied the privilege of walking and talking with God after having such a relationship. Anyway, my thoughts are all over the place here. Thanks for your reply, it adds so much depth to this discussion.
@Bluedoll (16773)
• Canada
4 Jan 12
It is such a very old book of books and sketchy. I wonder what it was like to live back in that time. It must have been very different, we do know that. At the same time many things would be exactly the same. Things like how we feel and have babies and families we can relate to on a personal level. Just in our time we have more knowledge in certain things which makes living different.
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@winterose (39887)
• Canada
4 Jan 12
I don't know the ancient Sumerian customs this is absolutely fascinating,
I do know that these ancient cultures believed in animal sacrifice, some cultures such as the Aztec also mean human sacrifices to appease the Gods.
Also the blood of the ancient offering was a forerunner to the blood of Jesus. Once Jesus was crucified there was no need for animal sacrifices anymore.
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@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
5 Jan 12
Winterose, I'm beginning to get to know you a little better. I love it! And as far as the Aztec and their human sacrifices .. .. SCARY!!! But they did and apparently it never appeased their gods. Kind of makes us understand better the crucifixion. Like you said "once Jesus was crucified there was no need for animal sacrifices anymore."
@celticeagle (166761)
• Boise, Idaho
4 Jan 12
You have to remember that these people had no understanding like we do today. They believed in demons and felt it was all so close at hand. They were ignorant and not educated as we are today. They had some very strange beliefs. I think that perhaps your God felt it wasn't time yet and that Cain needed to learn a lesson.
@gtargirl (5376)
• United States
5 Jan 12
Well . . . I'm not altogether convinced they were ignorant and uneducated. Though I'm sure their world looked way different than ours. But education came straight from God himself. But, as far as Cain was concerned, his heart had grown pretty rebellious even though it sounds like he talked with God. Go figure. His punishment was pretty harsh and he said so. But even after murdering his brother God gave him grace by putting a mark on him which said no one could kill him. Sorry, I'm all over the place again. 
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@celticeagle (166761)
• Boise, Idaho
7 Jan 12
Ignorant and uneducated as apposed to people today is what i meant.
@carlotay123 (213)
• Philippines
4 Jan 12
Because God saw in Cain's heart that he's foolish and he's not sincere with his offering, so God refused Cain's Offering :)
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