God's Word

Why did God have respect for Abel's offering but not for Cain's? The Bible tells us that without the shedding of blood is no remission of sin. Cain's offering represented the work of HIS OWN hands. We cannot work our way into Heaven, or into God's favor. Abel offered the required offering, shedding the blood of the lambs. And how often are we like Cain, and get bitter at God or others when OUR OWN disobedience gets us into trouble? Sadly, more often than any of us would like to admit. Obedience is not a suggestion, it is a requirement!

Now Adam and Eve have their second son. As the boys grew up, Abel became a shepherd and Cain became a farmer. This will come into play later.

Adam and Eve have their firstborn son. Eve, remembering the prophecy of Chapter 3, verse 15, believes that this is the promised Messiah, (I have acquired a man from the Lord). Like most of us today, Eve was expecting God to work immediately, in her timing. We all have trouble WAITING on the Lord and his timing.

The expulsion from the Garden of Eden may seem a harsh punishment, but it was really an act of love. Sin had entered the world. If Adam and Eve were to now eat of the tree of Life, they would live forever in their fallen state. So God denied them the ability to eat of the tree of life. Where is the Garden of Eden now? The flood of Noah's days has forever changed the topography of the Earth, and we will never know. The good news is that those who are born again will one day have access to the tree of life (Rev. 22:1-2).

Eve means mother, so Adam named his wife Eve, because she is the mother of all people other than Adam and herself. And again,we see Christianity (God seeking man and covering mans sin. Adam tried to cover themselves with fig leaves, but, without the shedding of blood (symbolizing Jesus' sacrifice) is no remission of sin, so God made then tunics of animal skins.

Now we see several interesting things. One of the first things we see is man's willingness the shirk his responsibility and shift the blame to others for his actions. When God confronted Adam, Adam tried to not only blame Eve, but also to blame God. Look at Adam's response (emphasis mine) "The WOMAN, whom YOU gave to be with me". So, it was Eve's fault,and by extension God's fault because He gave Eve to Adam. Pass the buck. Eve also tried to pass the buck, but she did tell the truth, "The serpent deceived me". She had been lied to and tricked. Verse 14 is really interesting, because it destroys a lot of theology. God cursed the serpent to crawl on it's belly. God is just, and therefore would not pass a curse on anything or anyone that was not responsible for it's actions. Satan is referred to as a serpent, but it is actual snakes that are cursed to crawl on the dirt. Satan possessed the snake, but the snake was willing to be possesse...