It just doesn’t seem fair.
You know, the story of Cain and Abel. Both guys work the land: Cain is a farmer and Abel is a rancher. Both guys bring a sacrifice of their labors to God. God is pleased with Abel’s but Cain’s is rejected. Why? Well, because God requires a sacrifice of blood. But He hadn’t established the Jewish sacrificial laws yet. He hadn’t made his covenant with Israel where God walked through the pieces of the animal to seal the deal. There had been no altars, no sacrifice, no hint of what a “pleasing” and detestable offering would be.
Or had there?
I’ve heard the arguments that focus on the heart attitudes: Abel brought the “firstfruits” – the best – of what he had while Cain brought “some”. There is truth in that argument. But today our pastor brought out something more that I think bears some consideration and might be a more accurate understanding of why Cain’s offering was so displeasing.
When Adam and Eve sinned by eating the fruit, the author of Genesis tells us “the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” (Gen. 3:7)
As Bruce pointed out this morning, the covering of fig leaves represented the origins of “religion”: man’s attempt to make himself pleasing and acceptable to God. By covering themselves, Adam and Eve were trying to solve their sin problem on their own. Instead of seeking God first, admitting their sin and confessing, they sought to cover themselves in hopes that God wouldn’t notice. The problem was, there was no sacrifice involved in their actions. There was no consequence, no “payment” rendered. Removing leaves from a tree may not be the best thing to do to a tree, but leaves grow back. Trees produce new leaves and continue to bear fruit without harm or long-term damage.
What was God’s response? Besides the curse – the consequences for the individuals involved in the disobedience – “The LORD God made garments from skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.” Where did God get the skin? From an animal. An innocent animal had to die, shed its blood, sacrifice its life, for Adam and Eve to be acceptably clothed before God. Who initiated the sacrifice? God. This was not an example of man trying to fix himself before God but rather God reaching out to man in an act of restoration. This was the first death Adam and Eve had ever witnessed. And if you’ve ever watched an animal – or a person – die, you know it can have a profound impact. I’m sure that moment was etched permanently in Adam and Eve’s memory. And I’m sure they passed the story along to their sons from an early age.
Cain and Abel knew. A pleasing sacrifice involves blood. Blood that is spilled. Blood that is poured out. God demonstrated that in the first Divine teachable moment in the Garden. Oh, yes, I’m certain Cain and Abel knew.
I guess the story doesn’t seem so unfair after all.