The Story of Cain and Abel

Transcript:

After Adam and Eve left paradise, Eve conceived and gave birth to Cain. Then she conceived again and gave birth to Abel. When they grew up, Cain became a farmer, and Abel became a shepherd.

One day, they brought a sacrifice to God. God was pleased with Abel’s sacrifice, which was the best from his herd. He wasn’t pleased with Cain’s offering, which was of his land’s produce. So Cain’s countenance changed, and he became angry. God said to him, “Yeah, Cain, why are you angry? Why has your face changed? If you had acted uprightly, happiness would have been apparent on your face. If you had acted wrongly... be careful. For sin wants to attack you and control you but you must not let it.”

So one day, Cain said to his brother, “Let’s go to a deserted place.” And when they arrived, he treacherously killed him. So God said to him, “Yeah, Cain, where is your brother?” He said, “Am I my brother’s guard?” “Your brother’s blood is calling me from the earth. And because of what you did, you are cursed. You will live as an exile and a wanderer in the land.”

He said to him, “My God, this punishment is too much for me. You will kick me out of your presence and I will live as a wanderer and a stranger in the land, and without you, whoever meets me will kill me.” God said to him, “No, nobody will kill you. I will put a mark on you, and anyone who does kill you, I will punish him seven times your punishment.”

And thus Cain was cursed and lived the rest of his life away from God, a wanderer in the land.

Why was God pleased with Abel’s offering and not with Cain’s offering? According to you, when Cain offered the sacrifice, how did he act independently from God? And what was the result? What did this story teach you personally?