By oldhermit
II. The Sacrifices of Cain and Able.
A. “In the course of time,” Literally, “at the end of days;” What is the end of days suggested by the context? What would contextually mark the course of time?
1. Popular options
a. The end of a seven day period.
b. The anniversary of the end of creation. The problem with both of these theories is that they cannot be arrived from the contents of the context.
2. The only temporal indicator offered by the text is that of the time of harvest; thus, the course of time from one harvest to the next. We know this because of the type of sacrifice both men are offering. “And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he ALSO brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof.”
3. Both men are offering the offering of first-fruits, one of the flock and one of the earth. Both are legitimate sacrifices. Cain, being a tiller of the ground naturally offers the first-fruit of his crop. Being a keeper of the flock, Able offers his first-fruit of the flock. What implications can we generalize from Able offering up the fat portions of his sacrifice?
a. That the offering of sacrifice had already been regulated by both time and procedure.
* It was offered at the proper time - at the end of days.”
* There is no separation of the fat from the sacrifice. It was offered up as a whole sacrifice.
b. That sacrifices were a matter of instruction. How did they know to offer these sacrifices and how these sacrifices were to be offered in such a way that would be acceptable to the Lord? This instructed had to be revealed instruction. Even if they received the practice from their father Adam still had to have received it from the Lord.
c. This is not their first sacrifice.
d. The possibility that other types of sacrifices were also being offered that did not require the separation of the fat portions.
4. No indicators from the text that the sacrifice of Able had any connection to atonement or even contrition. In other words this is not a sin sacrifice.
a. The is no sprinkling of blood mentioned.
b. There is no removal of the intestines or the refuse mentioned.
This is a sacrifice of thanksgiving. Cain offered his first-fruits as a matter of thanksgiving. This is the nature if any first-fruit offering. The text says that Able ALSO of his first. Both men are offering the same sacrifice. Why then was Cain's sacrifice not accepted? This rejection seems to stem from Cain's relationship with his brother.
III. The Rejection of Cain's Sacrifice and the Murder of Able, 5-15.
A. His conversation with God, 6-7.
1. Cain's behavior is challenged. “If you do well, shall you not be accepted?
2. Cain has unresolved sin in his life that is renders his sacrifice unacceptable. “and if you do not well, sin lies at the door.
3. He needs to first confront and correct his sin problem And you shall be its desire, and you must rule over it.” His failure to do so will manifest itself in the murder of his brother.
4. Inappropriate response to correction – Anger, pouting, and self-pity. He accepts no responsibility for his behavior.
B. In Cain's conversation with Able he apparently rehearses the events and his conversation with God. From his response with Able, Able apparently sides with God and Cain kills him, 8.
C. Cain's second conversation with God, 9-10
1. “Where is Able your brother?”
2. “What have you done?”
God is not probing for information. He already knows Abel is dead. “The voice of your brother's blood cries unto me from the ground.” This is confrontation and rather that repenting, Cain lies and refuses to accept responsibility for his brother. God curses Cain even beyond the curse that was pronounced upon his father, 11-15.
1. His livelihood is taken away. “When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield unto you its strength.”
2. His home is taken away. “A fugitive and a wanderer shall you be in the earth.”
3. Even his fellowship with humanity is taken away. “Anyone that finds me shall slay me.” He has become a marked man. Every man is now his enemy.
4. All association with God was lost.
5. Cain settles in the land in Nod and his wife conceived and bore Enoch. Notice, the text does not say that Cain got his wife in Nod, only that when he went to Nod, his wife conceived. Cain was already married when he was driven out.
