Cain and Abel? Can you tell me why God didn't respect Cain's offering?
By coolseeds
@coolseeds (3919)
United States
12 responses
@ReyM21 (281)
• Philippines
27 Mar 07
Simply Cain did the offering out of his very heart (rushed, obliged, effortless). Although his products were good but his heart was not into it. His offerings were meant just for a man not for a God. While Abel offered it with his very heart on it (together with worship and thanksgiving to God).
3 people like this
@coolseeds (3919)
• United States
27 Mar 07
How do you get that? I'm trying to figure this out.
Cain was upset after god did not respect his offering. It says he was frowning and upset after the fact not before. I am referring to the King James version.
Most people would be upset if their hard work was not accepted?
@slickcut (8141)
• United States
28 Mar 07
I am going to try and answer your discussion by memory,so if i am wrong you can correct me...I believe that Cain was jealous of his brother,so he had the spirit of jealousy.The two brothers were to make a sacrifice to God.Cain was trying to out do his brother and get the best sacrifice so that he would be bringing the best sacrifice, he wanted to be number one.Abel on the other hand was doing his best to bring God a sacrifice that would be worthy before God.Abel had a good spirit and Cain had a bad spirit.So when the two brothers brought their sacrifice before God, God accepted Abel's sacrifice and rejected Cain's sacrifice..If I remember correctly Cain was so angry that God rejected his sacrifice and he was so jealous of his brother,that he hunted down his brother Abel and slayed him.I think the moral of this was the difference in the spirits of the two brothers.One had the heart of evil and the other had a heart of Love.
2 people like this
@coolseeds (3919)
• United States
28 Mar 07
That is how the story is told. He may not have hunted him down and killed him but it makes the story sound better.
The story of Cain and Abel does not go into detail. It is only a few lines.
@arseniajoaquin (1732)
• Philippines
27 Mar 07
Abel offered the best to God with all his heart while Cain gave to God just the ordinary ones with ill-feelings which means that it did not come from his heart. He was not sincere in giving to God. That's why in the New Testament, it is stated that giving should come from the heart. Give what you are willing to give, no tithes or 10% of what you earn.
@thekidd (18)
• United States
28 Mar 07
I agree with you arseniajoaquin, Cain brought some of the fruits but Able brought Fat portions from some of the Firstborn of his flock. The contrast is not between an offering of plant life and an offering of animal life, but between a careless,thoughtless offering and a choice generous offering. Motivation and heart attude are all-important and God looked with favor on Able and his offering because of Able's Faith.
The big thing is the Firstborn, because it is a sign that all of the productivity of the flock is from the Lord and all of it belongs to Him
2 people like this
@coolseeds (3919)
• United States
27 Mar 07
So you are saying if Cain sacrificed a baby god would have respected it more than the sheep?
What does written by people have to do with " god's word"? Some people believe it word for word. Read my Noah discussion.
2 people like this
@coolseeds (3919)
• United States
27 Mar 07
I agree with you Judy. I couldn't believe how many people think the entire planet was covered with water in the flood of Noah. This would obviously be impossible and there probably wouldn't be any animals on Australia.
I believe they are stories. Sometimes we forget or add things when we tell stories. This can be completely unintentional as well. Just like with the pass along game where you tell one person a sentence and see what it is after it was passed through 50 people. If we can't get a sentence right that we heard 10 seconds prior... how are we going to remember a tale passed down through generations.
We all know that there were several books written of the same stories in the bible. Some of which were left out therefore they were not possessed by god or they all would have been used. But that is a different discussion all together.
@Kaeli72 (1229)
• United States
27 Mar 07
All the answers are great that you've recieved, however, you're asking for solid answers. The thing about the bible is that there's so many mysteries that are hidden, in plain sight. How many times were you looking for something and it was right there under your nose?
1 person likes this
@coolseeds (3919)
• United States
28 Mar 07
There is not really anything in the bible about it. It is only a few short lines which do not give much detail. Therefore up for discussion.
@antonyredeemed (39)
• India
27 Mar 07
Cain's offering is good, but he could have done better. This is the problem found in many of us. We stop at being good and do not thrive to be at our best...
1 person likes this
@coolseeds (3919)
• United States
27 Mar 07
This is a good answer. It is what I think. He could have done better.
It is a direct reflection of a lot the employees and employers. McDonald's could pay more and the employees could do a better job at getting your order right. They both can do better. But a lot of people on do just enough.
Always strive for excellence.
@Withoutwings (6992)
• United States
1 Jun 07
God didn't like Cain's offering because ABel gave his best - his first fruits and Cain gave what he didn't want - sick animals, etc. 2nd best. God also saw into his heart and saw that he wasn't good.
@meeandnotyou (2548)
• United States
25 Dec 07
Abel's offering was an offering of Blood in which was the custom and command. Able supplied no blood in his sacrifice and thus it was rejected.
See Able followed the rules while Cain did not. Cain gave what he wanted to give not what was requested. For example if you ask for a dollar and I offer you an orange, how would you feel about it. Would you accept the Orange from me or the dollar from my brother?!? God demanded Bllood and Blood is all that he will accept.
thank you for the good discussion and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
@erminiasanjose (1588)
• Philippines
26 Dec 07
Abel with faith and sincerity chose the best for God while Cain in effect offered to God what he did not like and therefore accepted the offering of Abel while He did not regard the offering of Cain and therefore Cain got angry and killed Abel.
@minty3 (592)
• Nigeria
27 Mar 07
God didn't expect him to bring the fruit of the ground as an offering; but an animal which he could have gotten. God has His own ways and rules for doing things to have access to Himself but cain decided to do it his own way and so he was rejected.
@coolseeds (3919)
• United States
28 Mar 07
So you are saying because Cain was a farmer he was not as good as a sheep herder?
What sense does that make?
@stacyv81 (5903)
• United States
27 Mar 07
If you don't take pleasure in what you have, nothing you have or achieve will be meaningful.
Cain approaches his thank you as an obligation: "It's Dad's birthday. I gotta pick up something. Take this, I don't need it
http://aish.com/literacy/exploring/Cain_and_Abel_Happiness_and_Other_Insights.asp
This might explain it better.
@coolseeds (3919)
• United States
27 Mar 07
I can see where you guys are coming from but it doesn't say anywhere that Cain's offering was out of obligation.
It does however degrade Cain's by saying fruit of the earth. Implying lesser value if you know where the tree grows wild. It will produce fruit regardless.
It also praises Abel's by stating first born as well was choicest.
I can see where it is going with my brother's keeper but it never really says that Cain was obligated.
I am wondering which lines says that?
@ryanphil01 (4182)
• Philippines
17 May 07
the issue was not WHAT they brought to God, but rather the ATTITUDE with which they approached God. Abel got the right attitude in approaching to God while Cain came to God with the wrong attitude—and God turned him down.
