This lesson is compatible with the "Creation, Adam, and Cain" Flash-A-Cards from Abeka Books.
Scripture References: Genesis 4:1-7
The day had come. Cain and Abel woke up early in the morning. They were especially excited about this day. “This will be my very first sacrifice to God! He will be so pleased with it” thought Cain. “I have been waiting for this day since watching mom and dad make the sacrifice to cover our sins. Now I will make a sacrifice of my own for God!” Abel thought.
Cain worked very hard every day in his garden and among the fruit trees. He took special care that the weeds didn’t choke out the tomatoes. He kept the birds from eating all of the best fruits. His harvest was especially good that year. And he just knew God would be happy with all of his hard work. He knew God would see the special care he had taken with it all. So, Cain took from the very best of his best fruits and vegetables. The fruit smelled especially sweet and juicy. He gathered a big basket full of everything and made his way to the altar he had so carefully made. He remembered the hard word he had looking for the flat stones, and then digging them out of the dirt. He had to bring the heavy stones from all over to make a pile to stack up. He arrived at his altar and began to prepare the sacrifice.
Over by the sheep gate that Abel had built to keep the sheep safe at night, Abel was looking over all of his sheep. They looked good this year. Many of the sheep had had babies, and his flock was growing bigger each year. He took much care looking over the flock. He was looking for the best sheep he had. He wanted a sheep that had no sickness, no cuts, no insect bites. He wanted the best for God. When he found the perfect sheep, he took it with him as he walked to the altar. I’m sure his heart must have felt like it was being squeezed by a rubber band the closer that he got to his altar. He had taken such good care of this sheep. He knew it by name. He cared very much for it. When he got to the altar, he knew it was time to prepare the sacrifice.
Cain had his fruit and vegetables all laid out in a beautiful arrangement on the altar. The colors of the fruits were just right. The vegetables were laid nicely in the center. Everything was fresh and bright.
Abel began to prepare his sacrifice. How it must have hurt his heart as he killed that perfect lamb that he cared for so much. He might have even shed a tear. I know I would have! He placed that sheep on his altar, and the blood began to flow down onto the stones. Abel felt so sorry that his sin was the reason that his innocent sheep had to die. He felt so sorry that he sinned against God, and broke God’s rules, just as his parents had done. He knew that God took sin very seriously. That’s why the blood sacrifice was necessary. Abel wanted forgiveness for his sins.
Cain wanted to please God, too. He knew without his sins being forgiven he would never go to heaven. That’s why he brought his best fruit and vegetables to the altar.
The Bible tells us that God saw both offerings. And of course, God sees and knows everything! God saw Abel’s offering, and was very pleased with it. He accepted it. Abel came to God wanting his sins covered. He knew the only way to have fellowship with God was to have his sins covered. He very much wanted to have fellowship with God, just as his parents had in the garden! And now he could have that fellowship! Because of the blood sacrifice, his sins were covered, and he was forgiven. God was satisfied!
God looked at Cain’s sacrifice too. It was the best of the best! Cain worked so hard to grow them and bring them to God. But God did not accept it.
Cain became sad, and angry! What was wrong with HIS sacrifice?!? He had worked harder than Abel by pulling weeds and cutting away thorns. He was always getting pricked by those thorns. Surely his work was harder than Abel’s. He was bending over half of the day, his back aching, sweat dripping down his face as he pulled stubborn weeds from the dirt. He was constantly moving rocks out of the soil, so they wouldn’t get in the way of the roots. Heavy rocks! All Abel did was walk around with some little sheep all day, singing and talking to himself! What a joke! “And God accepted ABEL’S sacrifice?! Ha! That’s nothing! Mine should be the one accepted!” thought Cain. God knew exactly what Cain was thinking. He spoke with Cain that day. “Why are you angry? If you do what is right, you will be accepted.”
God didn’t accept Cain’s sacrifice because it was not a blood sacrifice. Cain didn’t have faith that what God taught Adam and Eve about a blood covering was true. Cain thought he could make just ANY sacrifice and God would be happy. Cain had truly worked hard. But it’s not hard work that covers sin. Cain might have been very sincere in his sacrifice…he brought the very best he had. But doing our best is not enough to cover sins. Only blood can cover sins.
Now God was giving Cain another chance to make the right sacrifice. He told Cain that if he made the right sacrifice, God would accept it. He also told Cain that if he didn’t make the right sacrifice, he would sin, and become a servant of sin. He would become trapped in sin, like a fly in a spider’s web. But Cain was still angry. He thought he deserved to be accepted. He wanted to go to God his own way, instead of God’s way. Cain spent the day mumbling under his breath. He was so angry with Abel. “If Abel was accepted, I should be too! It just isn’t fair! Abel is always the favorite of everybody, but he’s not so special!”
Cain just got angrier and angrier. He spoke to Abel and probably said some pretty mean things to him. While the two brothers were out in the field, Cain did something terrible. He killed his brother Abel. He had become the very first murderer. What God had said was true. Now Cain was a servant to sin. He let his anger take over, and he killed his own brother, who was innocent. Abel didn’t do anything to provoke Cain, that we know of. But Cain hated him for being accepted with God.
Couldn’t Cain have been accepted with God? Of course! We all have that opportunity! The Bible says that we must go to God HIS way, though. But God will only accept one sacrifice. In those days, it was an animal like a lamb or cow. But thankfully, we don’t have to make blood sacrifices anymore. Jesus was the final, perfect blood sacrifice! He died on the cross for our sins and rose again the third day! Only faith in Jesus will make us accepted with God. Church membership won’t make us accepted. Money won’t make us accepted. Charity work won’t make us accepted. Only faith in Jesus, who is the perfect Lamb of God!
Cain’s story also shows us that it doesn’t matter who are our parents and families. Their faith in Jesus will not be able to make us accepted with God. Abel’s faith did not make Cain accepted. We must accept Jesus ourselves!
If you have never trusted that only Jesus can wash away your sins, you can do so today.
(Invitation)
Let’s thank God for providing a perfect Lamb, who is Jesus, to die for our sins.