Q: #93. Why did God reject Cain's offering, but accept Abel's?
A: The story of the offerings of Abel and Cain is found in (Gen 4:1-15). Within the story, we are not told “specifically” why God accepted the offering from Abel, but rejected the offering of Cain.
However, in the New Testament, we are given one clear reason in (Heb 11:4).
(Heb 11:4) “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.”
In other words, if Abel’s sacrifice to God was given in faith, the opposite would be that Cain’s sacrifice was given without faith. A key difference in their “faith” is displayed by looking at what they offered to God.
(Gen 4:3-4)(NKJV) “And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. (4) Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat.”
Notice, that Cain’s offering was some of his crops, but Abel brought the FIRSTBORN of his flock. The firstborn was very valuable, because it showed dependence on God. (God later required this in the Bible.) Abel is displaying his “faith” in his offering. Later, in Leviticus Chapter 2, we see God setting up rules for “grain offerings,” and He does make a distinction between a simple offering of grain vs a “firstfruit” offering of grain. Offering grain “was” an acceptable sacrifice (also see: Lev 6:14-23, Num Ch. 7), but Cain is not shown to give the “firstfruits” of his grain.
In addition, we can see Cain’s heart towards the Lord several times in this story.
(Gen 4:5) After God rejected Cain’s offering, Cain was “very wroth (angry) and his countenance fell.” He was not sorry, and did not ask for forgiveness. He was ANGRY!
(Gen 4:7) When God tells Cain, “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted,” Cain wasn’t interested in changing (doeth well).
And, when God confronts Cain after he killed Abel, look at what he says:
(Gen 4:9)(NKJV) “Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”” First, Cain lies to God. Second, look at the lack of reverence and respect in his words.
(Gen 4:10-15) Cain does not show any remorse or repentance for killing Abel, and when told what the punishment for his sin would be, he responds with self-pity.
In the New Testament, we are told two more things about Cain:
(Jude 1:10-11) “But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. (11) Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain…”
(1 Jn 3:12)(NKJV) “not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.”
***Note: We are not told how long Cain lived after killing Abel (it “may” have been a significant amount of time), but we know from these New Testament verses that Cain never turned to the Lord, and died in unbelief.
In (Mt 23:35), Jesus calls Abel righteous as well. God knows the heart of all people (1 Sam 16:7)(1 Chr 28:9)(1 Kin 8:39)(Acts 1:24). Before Cain did anything, God knew his heart. He was “unrighteous.” Cain’s “works” showed he was “evil.” He had no “faith” at all. It seems clear to me that this was the reason why God rejected Cain’s offering.
However, I should add here that a number of scholars believe that the reason God rejected Cain’s sacrifice was because it wasn’t a blood sacrifice, while Abel’s was. Blood sacrifice was for sin, grain offerings were not. While the need to offer blood sacrifices for sin is not made clear until the Law is later given, some believe that at some time God made them aware of the need for a blood sacrifice, and Abel obeyed, but Cain did not. (Some believe God made it clear that animal sacrifice was needed in Gen 3:21, when He killed two animals to clothe Adam and Even after they sinned. [I do not hold this view.])
One other theory is that Cain is a picture of offering “works” to God, while Abel is a picture of “grace.”
***Trivia Note: In Genesis, God is shown to speak to Cain, but He never spoke to Abel.
Related:
What was the mark God placed upon Cain (Gen 4:15)?