GoD's WorK - God's Puzzle Solved

218 God’s Workgotten a man from the Lord. 2 And she againbare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper ofsheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And inprocess of time it came to pass, that Cain broughtof the fruit of the ground an offering unto theLord. 4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlingsof his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lordhad respect unto Abel and to his offering: 5 Butunto Cain and to his offering he had not respect.And Cain was very wroth, and his countenancefell. 6 And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thouwroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? 7 Ifthou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? Andif thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. Andunto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt ruleover him.The main point of this story is that God accepted Abel’s offering,which was a firstling from his flock. But God did not acceptCain’s offering of fruit, from his garden. Why not? The Bibledoes not give a record of God’s reasons for doing this, but it mayhave been because Abel’s animal sacrifice pointed to Christ (hinting,also, of the death of the animals that provided clothes forAdam and Eve in The Garden) whereas the fruit of the ground didnot. The main point is that Cain started a human religious system.But God was pleased only with Abel’s approach and attitude.Around 3,000 years later, David declared that God never requiredsacrifices or offerings. This would mean that Abel’s sacrifice wasnot a requirement of God’s (Psalm 40:6-7) although it is statedthe sacrifice pleased God.