The Offering of Cain, and how He Felt about It by Joseph Harvey Waggoner

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 13, 1870

The Offering of Cain, and how He Felt about It.

By Joseph Harvey Waggoner

Cain, as well as Abel, was a religious man. He brought an offering to the Lord, of such as his labor produced—of the fruit of the ground. This looks well so far. But the Lord did not accept the offering of Cain, while he did accept that of Abel. This, to some, has appeared hard and unjust on the part of God. In this they are in sympathy with Cain—he thought so, too. But God has a cause for his actions. His ways are sometimes mysterious to those who behold them, but time always vindicates them. Objection: Did not God suffer Satan to afflict Job “without a cause?” Job 2:3. Satan had no cause but his own malignity; God had a cause, and his object in suffering Satan to afflict him was fully accomplished.

Why did God accept Abel’s offering, and reject that of Cain?

1. Paul says that Abel’s offering was acceptable because he brought it by faith. God testified that he was righteous. Heb. 11:4. This shows us that an offering without faith is worthless.

2. The Lord told Cain that if he did well he should be accepted. Then it appears that well-doing is necessary to make our offerings acceptable; as Jesus said, it would do no good to call him Lord, that is, plead him as an offering, without doing the will of his Father. But Cain did not do well.

3. The Lord said to him, “Sin lieth at the door.” Sin must be put away, or God will put us away. “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.” Prov. 28:9. No greater delusion can overtake any, than the belief that they may be accepted of God, their prayers heard, while they cling to sin. “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” Ps. 66:18. But this deception Cain was under.

4. These words of reproof for Cain’s sin were not given in anger or severity, for the Lord promised him then and there that if he did well he should be accepted, and “have the excellency” (margin), or preeminence. Here was a double inducement for repentance or reformation. 1st. a reproof of his sin; 2d. a gracious promise of acceptance. But neither correction nor kindness in promise of blessing affected Cain’s heart. He preferred his own way to listening to God. Would you not suppose that Cain would have rejoiced to have the Lord tell him how he might come and be accepted? But how did Cain feel?

He “was very wroth, and his countenance fell.” He was angry with God. Why? Was God wrong? Did he deserve such treatment? No; Cain was wrong. But that did not humble him. He had the dark spirit of a self-willed rebel. He was also angry with Abel. Why? Had Abel prevented his getting a blessing? No; it was all Cain’s own fault; but he was angry with his brother because he was not as wicked as himself. Oh, how foolish! how cruelly wicked! Yet how many feel and act just as Cain did.

Cain was jealous of his brother. No doubt he said to himself, “If Abel had brought that offering, it would have been accepted! But he would not accept it of me!” It was not rejected because it was Cain, but because Cain was a sinner. But, query: Cannot sinners come to God and present their offerings to him? “Who then can be saved?” Yes; penitent, humble, confessing sinners can come to God; but Cain was not of that class. Self-willed, sin-loving sinners will not be accepted. But will not the sacrifice cover the sin? Not in such cases. “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.” 1 Sam. 15:22.

Cain was not only wroth, but “his countenance fell.” His heart was full of hatred; his spirit was dark and rebellious, and it showed itself in his countenance. If Cain’s evil disposition showed itself in his face as plainly as some that I have known, he needed no other “mark” to separate him from all whose hearts were not as dark as his own. Poor, jealous, selfish souls! Little do they suppose that their disposition has printed itself almost indelibly on their features. I once heard a celebrated lecturer on physiology and physiognomy say that he knew a most beautiful little girl, who, as is too often the case, was much praised for her beauty. She, of course, grew proud and self-conceited. If any one did not flatter her, she felt injured; she felt as if they had robbed her of her due. She grew up resentful, jealous, discontented, and hating everybody. Her eyes grew dark and sinister looking; her nose turned up in a scornful way; her lips became thin and compressed; and she became an ill-looking, repulsive young woman. Strangers remarked on her evil, repulsive looks then, as readily as they did on the beauty and loveliness of her countenance when a child. In one respect all have the moulding of their countenance in their own power. How readily the beholder would note the difference between the dark, jealous, resentful, forbidding countenance of Cain, and the frank, cheerful, benevolent-looking countenance of Abel! Every face might be lovely if its possessor had a lovely disposition. But, alas! too many have the spirit of Cain; their countenances fall.

We often see persons who do wrong, endeavoring to throw the consequences of their wrongs on the innocent. They do not hate sin, but they hate its punishment, and they hate all who do not suffer as themselves. They are followers of Cain. He slew his brother, says an apostle, “because his own works were evil.” But that is not all; it was also because his brother’s were righteous. 1 John 3:12. A most singular reason for killing a man: that he has done right! Yet that is the characteristic of “the last days.” Men shall be “despisers of those that are good.” 1 Tim. 3:3. I know those who profess to be entitled to respect, who will be friendly enough with all who are recklessly wicked; but immediately act suspicious and jealous if any join themselves to the people of God. Every act and every word is then watched for evil. They have no pleasure—they feel no freedom in the presence of the refined, the elevated, and the godly. They take no delight in their conversation, for they cannot enter into it. But with the giddy, the reckless, or the sensual, they are at home. There their tongues are loosed; their hearts are satisfied. It is the spirit of Cain in them. They hate the good, and love the evil. Yet they are often sanctimonious, and cry, “Charity,” if any one tries to point out their error and their danger. Do they not pray to God? Do they not bring their offerings to the Lord, as well as others? Yes; and so did Cain; and while they show the spirit of Cain, they must expect that they and their offerings will fare as did he and his.

When we reflect that hatred is as murder in the sight of God (is it not murder concealed?), we find the number of Cain’s followers very numerous, even among those who, like him, bring “an offering unto the Lord.” J. H. Waggoner.