Cain and Abel
J. C. Gray. Genesis 4:4-5 And Abel, he also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect to Abel and to his offering:… I. THE FIRST RECORDED SACRIFICE. The need of sacrifice felt, and the nature of it revealed. Without doubt Adam had offered sacrifices in the presence of his children. From him they learned what to select, and how to offer it, and the sign of acceptance. Plain from Hebrews 11:4 that both a right feeling and a right thing are needed to constitute an acceptable sacrifice. The right sacrifice without faith, or faith without the right sacrifice, would have failed. The presence of both made the sacrifice of Abel more acceptable than Cain's. Cain a daring innovator. He chose what God had not appointed, and offered it in a wrong spirit. II. THE FIRST RECORDED DEATH. 1. A violent death. Death in any form the occasion of deep sorrow. Such a death most appalling. The more so that it was now unprecedented. A serious subtraction from the world's population at that time. 2. Probably unintentional. Cain evidently meditated violence, but not death. Hence a lesson to us on the consequences of ungoverned rage. What has passion done since this event! III. THE FIRST MURDERER. 1. Could not undo the deed. 2. His dreadful remorse and despair. 3. The criminality of the act may be judged by the curse pronounced. 4. Cain himself felt that, though his life was spared, he must leave the society of men. 5. At last has a son, Enoch ( = dedication). May we not indulge the hope that this was indicative of his true repentance? 6. Ceased to be a wanderer; built a city, also called Enoch. (J. C. Gray.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: WEB: Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. Yahweh respected Abel and his offering,