"If Thou Doest Well, Shalt Thou Not Be Accepted?"

"And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. 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: but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell."
Genesis 4:3-5

Cain worked with the ground and it became his life. He wanted to sacrifice to God and he faltered in giving God what was pleasing to his own flesh. So he offered the fruit of the ground and the product of mans' labor, thinking it was fitting for the Holy God. Cain soon found he was desperately mistaken. God did not want the fruits of his labor. Instead, God wanted a true sacrifice, the offering of a pure lamb. This, of course, is a picture of the ultimate sacrifice made by the very Son of God, Jesus. As Jesus was offered as the first born of Jehovah, so did Abel offer his firstlings in faith. This was pleasing to God because this was the method he ordained for the time. And thus, God showed Abel favor in his offering, but he gave none to Cain.

"And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him."
Genesis 4:6-7

It is interesting to consider the mercy of God in this instance. Cain offered of his own desires and of his own works, the works of which God did not approve for sacrifice, yet the Almighty God did not instantly slay him. He had surely disobeyed God, and graciously God showed mercy and long suffering. He reminded Cain of his wrothfullness and how his countenance had fallen. Surprisingly, he continued by telling him that if he did well, Cain would surely be accepted. However, if he did not that which was good, that is, the thing that displeased God, sin would surely follow. Cain was also reminded that this had no weight on his carnal position because Abel still desired for Cain, and Cain still had rule over his younger brother. But to hear the reproof of God and not understand is no new thing. For as God gave Cain instructions by which God would be pleased, Cain knew it not.

"And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not hence forth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth. and Cain said unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear."
Genesis 4:8-13

We see that Cain slew his brother in the field and went about as if nothing of the sort had happened. Then came the wrath of God. Cain took no part of the will of God, to offer a pleasing sacrifice to the Living God. He still relied upon his own understanding and his own imagination and sin came through the door. Amazing that God spoke of this and Cains' heart had hardened so that he did not understand it. We see the sins of Cain, and his disobedience. What was the result? The very thing that pleased Cain was turned away from him. No longer could he work with the ground and bring forth fruit of his own labor. And above all else, he was cast from the sight of God. Just as his father had been turned from Jehovah and taken from Eden, so had Cain been cast from the sight of God and refused the garden of his pleasure. Oh, how accurate was Cains' statement, "My punishment is greater than I can bear." Cain viewed it, as all carnal men do, as a grievous thing toward his flesh, having no consideration about being cast from the sight of God. How, oh how, could we bear it if we were to be turned from our Saviour, never to be in his favor again?

Now consider our estate. Do we from time to time bring our own desires to the table of God expecting him to be pleased? I speak to the saved, and also the damned. The damned concerning salvation. Do you trust completely in the finished sacrifice of Jesus through faith and that nothing you have done nor can do will ever match it or work in it's stead? That although God is turned from you now, should you be washed in his righteousness and be an heir of salvation he will never leave you nor forsake you. I speak to the saved concerning faith. Do we rely completely upon God in everything? In worship, prayer, labor, and life are we truly walking in faith? He will never leave, nor forsake us. Even though the world itself stand at our door, he is there in our stead. Consider it, do we incorporate our own inventions and claim them to be those from God, or are we after the heart of God, delighting in his statutes?