Genesis 4:3-7 reads:

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 Ebel, he also brought off the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
5: but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
6: And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is they countenance fallen?
7: If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lithe at the door.

It has often been suggested that the Lord had respect for Abel’s sacrifice, but not Cain’s, due to the fact that Abel brought animals whereas Cain brought fruit.

In other words, the Lord respected one sacrifice due to what was sacrificed.

Unfortunately, this assumption misses the mark.

At the end of the day, the Lord cares less about the objects that are sacrificed and more about what the sacrifice does to our hearts.

Consider the following tangible differences with Cain and Abel’s sacrifices and the implications upon the heart:

(1) Cain’s sacrifice:

The key phrase in in Genesis 4:3 where it reads “and in process of time” Cain also brought an offering unto the Lord.

Said differently, Cain really didn’t want to make a sacrifice to the Lord. He only did so begrudgingly (most likely at the insistence of Lucifer, since Lucifer correctly calculated that Cain’s doing so with the resultant effect – the Lord not having respect for it – would only further embitter him against the Lord).

Cain didn’t give his best to the Lord, and he only gave reluctantly. A modern example might look like a wealthy person who wants to maintain appearances of religiosity, and after they have paid for their mortgage, their boat, their car, their toys, etc … they finally think, I need to maintain how other people perceive me and I’d better give a token offering to the Lord so that others might see it and so that I can maintain a certain standing among others.

Obviously this type of offering is hollow. It is not sincere. It is fake. It is contrived.

How can the Lord reach down and bless such an offering.

When someone gives reluctantly, and yet still expects the Heavens to reward them openly, and when the Heavens are silent and as brass, this only makes one’s heart bitter and as stone (which is kinda ironic since one is simultaneously giving the Lord the middle finger yet expecting the approval and the blessings of Heaven).

This is reflected in Genesis 4:5-6 which reads “but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why are thou wroth? and why is they countenance fallen?”

(2) Abel’s sacrifice

The key phrase in Genesis 4:4 reads “and Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof.”

Opposite of Cain who brought an offering “in process of time” (in other words, after all the other bills had been paid first), Abel brought of the firstlings and of the fat.

What exactly is so insightful about bringing the firstlings and the fat?

Consider what it means to be a farmer / rancher.

When one has sheep, not all the mother ewes give birth at once. They give birth over a period of time.

Consequently, it takes an act of faith to give an offering to the Lord of the firstlings (to make an offering before the total harvest has been accounted) and to give of the fat (or the very very best).

What if you give of the best and give too much … since you are yet to see what the total harvest will be?

But that is why the Lord had respect for Abel. Abel had respect for the Lord, and he knew that if he prioritized the Lord, the Lord would not leave him wanting. It was an act of faith. It was an act of having no other gods before Him. It was an act of devotion.

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Notes:

(1) When the scriptures state “the Lord had respect,” that is another way of saying Abel received witness that his sacrifice was approved in the form of receiving blessings from up above. Abel felt blessed, and Cain did not. When Cain compared his lack of blessings to Abel’s tangible blessings, he became bitter and wroth. He felt ripped off. Hadn’t he too made a material sacrifice to God, and hadn’t God turned His back on him … at least that is the way that Lucifer framed his reality to further drive a wedge between him and God.

(2) The doctrine upon which we experience miracles and receive blessings is “grace for grace,” not “grace for nothing.” As we show grace, we receive grace. As we demand grace from up above, but we are unwilling to play on the Lord’s team by His rules, we are bitterly disappointed.

(3) If Genesis 4:6 where it states “And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lithe at the door.” It is highly unlikely that the Lord was speaking to Cain face to face, but rather, the Lord was speaking to Cain through either his father Adam or his brother Abel (since in that moment they were a conduit through which the Lord was speaking). And so it is with us today. When the prophet speaks to us, it is as if the Lord Himself were here physically speaking face to face. We should be quick and eager to head the council from the Lord’s anointed.

(4) The Atonement is affective in our lives to the extent that like Abel we are willing to play on His team, by His rules, in bringing about His purposes. Quite often this will require acts of faith. Giving of our best before we see the full picture. We cannot be fence sitters, and if we are, we will only be sorely disappointed as was Cain. We cannot blame the Heavens when we feel the Heavens are sealed against us. In such moments, we must deeply reflect if we are giving our best to the Lord, or if we are giving Lucifer our best (in the form of satisfying our pride and our vain ambitions) and giving the Lord our leftovers.