A quick note to get started. I went to church today! It was only the 5th time that I have gone since Easter of this year. At this time I don't have a church to call my home. I have not yet found one that I want to attend (I guess this is kind of like our President, Barak Obama, you won't find a home church if you don't go looking for one.).
I am not happy with myself! I used to be in church every time that the door was open. In fact, I used to be the first one there to unlock the doors and the last one to leave, locking them back. Truthfully, I have not even had the desire to go to church. I have allowed my anger and bitterness to steal my joy.
It is my prayer that I will find my peace and joy once again, find it in a measure that I have never know before, find it in abundance!
Please agree with me on this.
Genesis 4:1-26
Cain and Abel
Genesis 4:2(b) - 7
"... Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast."
I wonder...
Was God unhappy with Cain's offering because it was not a blood sacrifice from the firstborn, the best (fat) of the flock. (Remember my previous post... I believe that God set the example of blood covering for sin in the Garden of Eden when he covered their nakedness with the skin of a slain animal.) Maybe, God was unhappy with Cain's offering because it was fruit of the ground which had been cursed. Or, could it possibly be both?
What do you think?
In verses 6 and 7, God goes on to say to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 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."
What I see here is that God is telling Cain that it is better to obey than sacrifice. I believe that God had told them that a blood offering from the best of the firstfruits is what He required. God wanted the best, not leftovers, and certainly not "fruit of a curse". Also, God is telling Cain that there is a heart issue here as well. Cain's heart was not right. If our heart is not right, it is a sin. Cain's heart was not to please God by doing what God desired. He was just going through the motions... doing the ritual. God said to Cain, "if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." Through this, God is encouraging us to do what is right and to be the master over sin. Never let sin rule in you. Wow, what a challenge!
An interesting thought...
Genesis 4:10 - 14 The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth". Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is more than I can bear. Today you are driving me from the land, and I will be hidden from your presence; I will be a restless wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me."
Up to this point the Bible only speaks of 4 people, Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel. However, when Cain is punished God tells Cain that he is banished from the land and will be a wanderer on the earth. Cain replies to God that "whoever finds me will kill me". This means that there are other people on the earth. Were they relatives of Cain?
Did God continue creating other people? Where did they come from?
Any thoughts?
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