40 Days of Faith: Day 3

Hebrews 11:4 – By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.

When I was a kid, I never really understood the story of Cain and Abel and why one offering was acceptable and another wasn’t. Frankly, I thought it was a bit unfair. As I have grown in my understanding of the Scriptures and the importance of finances, I have better understood this story. Allow me to point out a few things as we look back at Genesis 4:3-5.

“In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.”

You probably know the rest of the story. After Cain is angry, he makes a plan to kill Abel out in the field. My assumption is that Cain didn’t believe that the Lord would know where Abel was, just as Adam thought he could hide from an all-knowing God after his and Eve’s sin, so Cain invited him to the field and took his life.

But here is the real question I want to wrestle with today: why was Abel’s gift acceptable and Cain’s was not? What made one gift a gift given in faith that pleased the Lord versus the other gift that was not accepted?

I believe it was both the order and care with which Abel brought his gift versus the order and care with which Cain brought his. Notice the language around Cain’s gift. Genesis 4:3 says, “In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground.”

Now, notice the language around Abel’s offering. Genesis 4:4 says, “…and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions.”

What’s the difference? Is it an animal sacrifice versus a fruit or grain offering? I don’t think so, because in Leviticus, there are specifications for grain offerings.

The difference in their offering has to do with when they brought their gift and whether it was accompanied by faith. The phrase regarding Cain’s offering, “In the course of time,” means, “the point in time at which something ends.”[1] Where as the “firstborn” means the animal that was born first.[2]

 Here is the contrast: Cain waited until the end to bring what was leftover, while Abel brought the first as an offering, before he knew if any more would come.

 The offering of Abel teaches us that God delights in our bringing the first to him because it places us in a position of dependence upon him. Abel brought, as it says in Hebrews 11:4, his offering, “by faith.” And here is what is amazing – Abel’s gift still speaks. Don’t miss this!  It says, “And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks,”

 Did you know that when you invest in the kingdom of God by giving of your first, your gift continues to have impact? As I write this, our church is nearing our 100th birthday. The fascinating thing to me about the kingdom and offering our gifts to the Lord in faith, is that those who went before us and invested to build the church, even though most of them are dead and in heaven, they still receive credit to their kingdom account even in heaven, when our ministry reaches people with the gospel today. In other words, their investment then, is still making an impact today! It’s the most incredible investment one can make.

 Kingdom offerings, given with proper care and order, will continue to speak long beyond the lifespan of the one who made the offering. That’s an incredible aspect of making a gift in faith, that though you are dead, you still speak! “And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.”

 Abel’s story reminds us that faith-filled giving is never wasted. When we bring God our first and our best, we declare our trust in Him to provide what we cannot see yet. And just like Abel, our offerings can continue to speak long after we are gone—impacting lives, advancing the gospel, and leaving a legacy of faith. Today, take an honest look at your own giving. Are you offering God the leftovers, or are you bringing Him your first and best? Choose to worship Him with your whole heart and trust that your sacrifice, offered in faith, will echo into eternity.

 Prayer:
Father, thank You for giving everything for me through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Teach me to give not grudgingly or from what is left over, but to bring You my very best. Build in me the kind of faith that trusts Your provision and believes that what I give today will still speak for generations to come. Use my life and my offerings to glorify Your name and to advance Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
 
   [1] Bible Sense Lexicon, Logos Bible Software, end (point of time).
   [2] Ibid, firstborn.