The Offerings of Cain and Abel

Gen 4:3  In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD.
Gen 4:4  But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
Gen 4:5  but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.
Gen 4:6  Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast?
Gen 4:7  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."

It is nice to note that one of the natural things that these two young men thought of doing was to bring an offering to God.  I would like to believe that this came from the influence of their parents.  Yes, Adam and Eve had sinned against the Lord, and were banished from the garden.  But remember they were covered by the Lord, and He graciously continued to be with them.  This would have lead them to worship Him.  Cain and Abel most probably followed their footsteps.

Cain brought fruits of the soil.  He was most probably a farmer, given a skill by the Lord to till the land and bear much fruit. Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock.  He was obviously a shepherd.  The worship of the two stemmed from the “gift” or skill that the Lord had blessed them with.

How natural it should also be for us to worship the Lord through the giving of the fruit of the skill or work that He has graciously given to us.  This is why we give, or “tithe” – it is worship.  It is recognizing that “every good and perfect gift comes from Him”, and we return to Him as a reminder of this truth.

It is also hard not to notice the difference of the offerings – Cain brought the fruit of the ground, but Abel brought the fat portion of the firstborn.  Abel brought the best part of the best of the flock.  He gave the best.

Are we giving the Lord the best of the best?  Maybe this is why the New Testament is silent concerning the tithe, or ten percent.  Not so that we can give what we want, but that we bow our hearts to the Lord and give what is best, from the best.

Are we living a life of “offering” to the Lord, regularly and consistently giving Him of our life, our time, our strength and our finances?  Are we giving Him what He deserves – the best of the best?  This is what makes us cheerful givers.