Why was Abel's offering accepted but Cain's offering was not accepted?

[Hizikyah]

[FONT=Times New Roman, serif]John/Yahanan 5:46-47, "For had you believed Mosheh, you would have believed Me, for he wrote about Me*. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"

*Mosheh wrote:

Deuteronomy 18:18-19, “I (YHWH) will raise up for them a Prophet (Yahshua/Jesus) like you from among their brothers, and I will put My words in His mouth, and He will tell them everything I command Him. Whoever will not listen to My words, which He speaks in My Name, I will judge him for it.”

"listen" is word #8085 - [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]שָׁמַע [/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman, serif]- shama` {shaw-mah'}

Brown-Driver-Briggs (Old Testament Hebrew-English Lexicon)
A primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively to tell, etc.)

Hebrew Word Study (Transliteration-Pronunciation Etymology & Grammar) - 1) to hear, listen to, obey[/FONT]

 

[Hizikyah]

Genesis 26:5, “Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my Laws.”

Romans 4:3, “For what does the Scripture say? “Aḇraham believed Yah, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness.”

Genesis 15:6, "And he believed in יהוה, and He reckoned it to him for righteousness.”

Genesis 15:4-6, "And see, the word of יהוה came to him, saying, “This one is not your heir, but he who comes from your own body is your heir. And He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward the heavens, and count the stars if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So are your seed. And he believed in יהוה, and He reckoned it to him for righteousness."

“By belief, Aḇraham obeyed”

Hebrews 11
11:8, "By belief, Aḇraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he was about to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.
11:9, "By belief, he sojourned in the land of promise as a stranger, dwelling in tents with Yitsḥaq and Ya‛aqoḇ, the heirs with him of the same promise,"
11:10, "for he was looking for the city having foundations, whose builder and maker is Yah.
11:17, "By belief, Aḇraham, when he was tried, offered up Yitsḥaq, and he who had received the promises offered up his only brought-forth son,

 

[Enoch987]

Does Abel represent Jesus (Hebrews 12 and 13). Does Cain represent Satan? Was Jesus chosen? read Hebrews 1:8-9 "Jesus was anointed from His companions." Did Satan like Cain think that he should have been chosen as the firstborn son? Was Satan's response the same as Cain's?

 

[MarcR]

Ge 3:21
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
KJV


Ge 4:3-4
3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.
4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
KJV


Lev 17:10
11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
KJV


I have given it to you upon the altar The Hebrew language has a grammatical construction called the Historical Future, in which, a future event is spoken of as if already accomplished, to show the certainty of its happening.

Here the blood in question is Jesus blood on the cross.

Abel, in offering a blood sacrifice, recognized his need for a Savior; while Cain acted in his own strength, offering his own efforts.

 

[Hizikyah]

Does Abel represent Jesus (Hebrews 12 and 13). Does Cain represent Satan? Was Jesus chosen? read Hebrews 1:8-9 "Jesus was anointed from His companions." Did Satan like Cain think that he should have been chosen as the firstborn son? Was Satan's response the same as Cain's?

An interesting thought, there is a likeness not doubt.

 

[Hizikyah]

Ge 3:21
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
KJV


Ge 4:3-4
3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord.
4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
KJV


Lev 17:10
11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
KJV


I have given it to you upon the altar The Hebrew language has a grammatical construction called the Historical Future, in which, a future event is spoken of as if already accomplished, to show the certainty of its happening.

Here the blood in question is Jesus blood on the cross.

Abel, in offering a blood sacrifice, recognized his need for a Savior; while Cain acted in his own strength, offering his own efforts.

I don't disagree but Able also made an offering from the fruit of the ground;

One did as required the other did as they pleased. Abel offered both a blood sacrifice (Yahshua) and fruit from the ground (his own labor).


Revelation 12:17, “And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to fight with the remnant of her seed, those guarding the commands of Yah and possessing the witness of יהושעMessiah."


Revelation 14:12-13, “Here is the endurance of the set-apart ones, here are those guarding the commands of יהוה and the belief of יהושע. And I heard a voice out of the heaven saying to me, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Master from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, in order that they rest from their labors, and their works follow with them.”

Faith and works

James 2:26, "For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so the faith without works is dead also."

on your hand (works) and as a reminder between your eyes (faith)

Exodus 13:9, “And it shall be as a *sign to you on your hand and as a reminder between your eyes, that the Torah (Instructions/Law) of יהוה is to be in your mouth, for with a strong hand יהוה has brought you out of Mitsrayim.”

The word *Sign is word #H226 – owth from Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, Hebrew Dictionary: meaning mark, token, sign, consent, flag, evidence of consent.

H226 אוֹת 'owth (oth), a signal (literally or figuratively), as a flag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence, etc., [probably from H225 (in the sense of appearing)], KJV: mark, miracle, (en-)sign, token.

 

[Nehemiah6]

5"but Cain and his sacrifices he regarded not, and Cain was exceedingly sorrowful and his countenance fell.
6 And the Lord God said to Cain, Why have you become very sorrowful and why is your countenance fallen?
7 Have you not sinned if you have brought it rightly, but not rightly divided it? be still, to you will be his submission, and you will rule over him."

The Septuagint text.

This certainly looks like a FABRICATED TEXT. The Septuagint is a corruption of the Hebrew Bible, so what is stated above is incorrect. These words are not in the Hebrew text ...if you have brought it rightly, but not rightly divided it? be still...

As to the OP, Abel offered a sacrifice which met God's requirements for sinners, while foreshadowing the one great sacrifice for sin, and the shedding of His blood by the Lamb of God. As to Cain, his offering was essentially an act of rebellion, since he too would have known about the necessity of the shedding of blood for the remission of sins. Instead he offered his own "works" (the fruit of the ground) which was a bloodless sacrifice.

 

[OneFaith]

It could be that God required an animal sacrifice, the Bible says the fat belongs to the Lord. If that were the case he could have traded Abel some wheat for some meat. Maybe he had a bad attitude, or held back a portion. All we know for certain is that he knew what was right to do, and chose not to do it.

Every sacrifice requires two things- it hurts in some way to give it up, and it must be done cheerfully with a good attitude and proper intention.

 

[OneFaith]

5"but Cain and his sacrifices he regarded not, and Cain was exceedingly sorrowful and his countenance fell.
6 And the Lord God said to Cain, Why have you become very sorrowful and why is your countenance fallen?
7 Have you not sinned if you have brought it rightly, but not rightly divided it? be still, to you will be his submission, and you will rule over him."

The Septuagint text.

No version of the Bible that I could find had the word ‘divide” in Genesis 4:7.

 

[Nehemiah6]

No version of the Bible that I could find had the word ‘divide” in Genesis 4:7.

If you wish to know more about the corrupted Septuagint (LXX) read The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah by Alfred Edersheim. There are certainly other sources for more information on the LXX. In spite of that, the textual critics deliberately resorted to the LXX, and other corruptions such as the Samaritan Pentacteuch and the writings of heretics.

 

[OneFaith]

If you wish to know more about the corrupted Septuagint (LXX) read The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah by Alfred Edersheim. There are certainly other sources for more information on the LXX. In spite of that, the textual critics deliberately resorted to the LXX, and other corruptions such as the Samaritan Pentacteuch and the writings of heretics.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Hizikyah]

If you wish to know more about the corrupted Septuagint (LXX) read The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah by Alfred Edersheim. There are certainly other sources for more information on the LXX. In spite of that, the textual critics deliberately resorted to the LXX, and other corruptions such as the Samaritan Pentacteuch and the writings of heretics.

There are many erros in the Septuagint, but I still see nuch value in it, not to have the proper and original text but rather to see how Hebrew words and ideas were conveyed into konie greek, I think it gives and even deeper understanding into the NT text language.

 

[garee]

They both brought the fruit of their labor as assigned by their parents. It would seem the younger had the smelliest job like that of David who his family left in the field when the prophet Samuel was expected.

Abel was moved by the faith of God that comes from hearing God that worked in Able to both will and do the good pleasure of God not seen. Cain who brought the labor of His work did not please God. His actions that moved him were out of jealousy not out of obedience to follow the loving commandment.

He did not say you both bring the fruit of your labor, but bring a Lamb .Cain did not move according to the faith that comes from hearing God. But a faith that came after the imaginations of his own deceitful heart.

It would be likened to a dead works of faith seeing they did not come from God but where offered towards God... not required of God . Like that in Hebrews 6 . It would be the kind of dead work of faith that crucifies Christ over and over every time a person refuses to bring what God desires but rather a self-serving faith .

Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith "toward God",

The man in Mathew 7 who offered his wonderful works even though God did not work in Him to request him.Cain ends up the same way. I never knew you, you worker iniquity.

One more example the parable of the waiting Father with two Sons which is also called the parable of two sons (Luke 15)
One heard the call of the waiting father from a far off and the other never entered the house because he was trying to establish a righteousness of His own as a dead work of faith coming after the imaginations of His own heart..

 

[trofimus]

This certainly looks like a FABRICATED TEXT. The Septuagint is a corruption of the Hebrew Bible, .

So why did the apostles use it?

 

[notuptome]

Cain offered God a bloodless religion. Able brought the blood that God expected. Today we have many who call themselves Christian but propose to enter into Gods presence without the blood of Christ.

Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

For the cause of Christ
Roger

 

[trofimus]

There are many erros in the Septuagint,

Post at least 3 examples.

There are more errors and inconsitencies in the masoretic text, by far. Not even talking about edited prophecies which Jews changed to be antichristian.

but I still see nuch value in it, not to have the proper and original text

Its more original than the masoretic text... by at least 1200 years.

 

[trofimus]

No version of the Bible that I could find had the word ‘divide” in Genesis 4:7.

Because all versions you can find translated the OT from the masoretic text. The Septuagint reading is much older.

Of course, the KJV Only people like Nehemiah6 will try to collect everything against the Septuagint, because it would prove that the KJV is not perfect.

 

[trofimus]

But I do not want to derail this thread and discuss Septuagint vs masoretic text.

Hizikyah asked a different question. I responded based on the Septuagint, others can respond based on their Bible version.

 

[heartofdavid]

Ok,some good answers.

The story has to be read through the prism of "innocent blood"

Enter the animal.

Innocent blood.

The reason is,innocent blood,was the requirement to cover sin.

So lets back up. Sin preceded God requirement.

Blood is a payment.

Enter Christ.

Redeemed is what we are. We are bought with innocent blood.the OT sacrifices COVERED sin. Christ removes sin.

We must first hold that banner to the story. Then,and only then,try to grasp the rest of it.

 

[Johnny_B]

I find it interesting that Cain became angery with his brother and it lead to murder. Genesis 4:3-7

“In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground,4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering,5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen?7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

This account is an example of what Jesus is talking about in the sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5:21-22

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.”

Both the murder and the one that is angery with his brother are both liable of the same judgement.