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NASB | Genesis 4:5 but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Genesis 4:5 but for Cain and his offering He had no respect. So Cain became extremely angry (indignant), and he looked annoyed and hostile. |
Bible Question:
Dear forum members, Why did God not have regard for Cain's offering? Was it heart attitude, type of offering, or something else? God's Day To You, Tamara |
Bible Answer: Hello Tamara, I would venture to say it was the heart attitude. Our God is more interested in the heart than rituals. See Isa 1:10-17, Hos 6:6, Matt 9:13, 12:7, 23:23, God isn't concerned with the rituals (sacrifice). Also notice Romans 2:28-29, it is the heart that is more important, not the practices. That being said, our practices are usually a direct result of our heart. There is nothing given (that I am aware of) that says that God told them to sacrifice a lamb and not vegetables, but we do assume that He told them this at this time. However, if Cain had no lamb or any animal of any type, would God not accept his offering of vegetables if it was all he had and he sacrificed it with a proper heart? I would say that a God that desires mercy would indeed show mercy to one with the proper heart attitude. However, we see very shortly exactly the heart attitude Cain had when he killed his brother. Remember, even the right sacrifice (ritual) with the wrong heart is meaningless. God is after the heart, not the sacrifice. The sacrifice is merely an outward action demonstrating what is in the heart. jamison |