Unblest Offerings by Charles H. Watson

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Nov 4, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 42.

Unblest Offerings.

By Charles H. Watson

WE have no authority from God to expect that everything we offer to him as a sacrifice will be blessed, or that we shall receive his blessing by reason of the offering. We may consecrate a liberal amount of our possessions to the service of God, and yet the offering will remain unblest because it is not in harmony with the good pleasure of God. I am reminded of this truth by a fresh reading of Cain and his offering. He was a farmer, and he took "the fruit of the ground" as "an offering unto the Lord." And the inspired testimony is, the Lord did not have "respect" unto Cain and his offering. In other words, both Cain and his offering were unblest in such a service and sacrifice. What was the reason? Was not Cain's offering good in itself? God created the "fruit of the ground." We have no reason to suppose that it was a poor, decayed lot of fruit. There is no hint that the quality of the fruit was objectionable, nor that the quantity was insufficient. Why, then, was Cain's offering unblest?

Two reasons may be assigned. One is, the offering was not the kind that God required. Cain should have offered an unblemished lamb, which would have typified the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, that would be slain in due time. There was no suitableness in such an offering, and therefore God did not bless it. Another reason is, Cain's heart was not right towards God. He did not have true faith in God, else he would have presented such an offering as Abel did, and looked through it to Christ, as the ground of his acceptance with God.

Now we may believe that there are those in these days whose offerings to God are unblest for similar reasons. Money which is obtained by disreputable and dishonest means and offered to God's cause is unblest. Certainly the giver is not blest. Whatever is obtained by fraud, and is presented as a sacrifice to God, does not receive his blessing. The offering may be very liberal as to quantity, but that does not atone for the lack of its appropriateness and the proper spirit in which it should be given. Even that which is good in itself may be so offered that no blessing will follow its bestowal. If we would be blest ourselves, and see a blessing upon our offerings, we must comply with the divine conditions on which the blessings rest.—C. H. W., in Watchman.