Genesis 4:3-8(KJV)
3And in process of
time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering
unto the LORD.
4And 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:
5But unto Cain and
to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his
countenance fell.
6And the LORD said
unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7If 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.
8And 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.
Do you ever wonder whether your offerings are acceptable to God? Do you think He looks on your gifts with favor? Have you ever considered whether your gifts meet God’s expressed desires, whether they are suitable for His intended purposes or whether they honor the relationship you have with Him? In our human relationships, such concern reflects our care and concern for the recipient. Such care certainly marks God’s gifts to us. Jesus said it this way:
Matthew 7:9-11 (KJV)
9Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask
bread, will he give him a stone?
10Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11If ye
then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more
shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
It seems reasonable that this same type of care should also be expressed in our offerings unto the Lord. Just as we receive “good gifts” from our Father, we should desire to give “good gifts” to Him as well.
The first Biblical account of men presenting offerings unto the Lord revolves around the issue of the acceptability. Christian commentary on the reference scripture often focuses on the inappropriateness of Cain’s offering, but I believe that the text is also pointing to a deeper issue. Notice in the reference scripture that God looked on both the gift and the giver. For our offering to be acceptable, for them to represent “good gifts”, both the gift and the giver must find favor in the Lord’s sight. God’s comment to Cain was that if Cain did what was right, Cain would be accepted. The wording suggests that Cain knew what was right and had the power to do so. God desired to accept Cain himself not just his offering. Conversely, God advised Cain that a choice not to do what was right was a
choice to turn from God toward sin. Sin was waiting for Cain, desiring to consume him, quickly, mercilessly, completely.
I suspect that this passage’s emphasis on the giver more so than the gift often goes unnoticed by readers. Yet, this passage of scripture actually says very little about the offering itself. God focused on Cain and how Cain was relating to Him. Maybe this is the reason we are not told what made the gift unacceptable. The specific aspect of unacceptability may not have been significant. What was significant however is that even though Cain’s gift or method of giving did not meet God’s standards, Cain chose neither to repent nor to make any amendment to his giving. Cain chose to give on his own terms rather than on God’s terms. Giving on his own terms drew him away from the face of God toward sin, which quickly consumed him. God’s concern was directed at the relationship because the gift had no value outside of the context of their relationship. Cain’s offering was symptomatic of a deeper problem. The consequences of Cain’s actions are summarized in his own words in Genesis 4:13 & 14:
Genesis 4:13-14(KJV)
13And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I
can bear.
14Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; ……
Cain realized that his choices and actions bore a cost to His relationship with the Lord.
God does not intend for our giving to be an end unto itself. It is a tool to achieve His greater purposes. Our giving is about more than the gift, much more. It is about our relationship with Him. This Biblical account illustrates that the requirements of offertory giving and opportunities to give present to us mirrors in which we can view facets of our relationship with the Lord. God calls us to examine the reflection of our relationship with Him in the mirror of our giving that we might draw closer to Him. God held such a mirror before Cain and called him to a moment of reflection that they might be reconciled. Cain chose to respond to the impulses of his emotions rather than to God’s call.
God’s concern for Cain’s response is relevant for us today. Often when we are confronted with the issue of the acceptability of our offerings to the Lord, we fail to consider that God looks on both the giver and the gift and desires that both be yielded on His terms. We don’t see how our approach to giving is reflective of the state of our relationship with Him and that our gift is always viewed in the context of the relationship. Instead, we find ourselves like Cain, turning our attention outwardly and venting our guilt and frustration on others. Our countenance and mood are affected. We become defensive about our approach to supporting the work of God’s ministry. We begin questioning the motives or magnitude of the offerings given by others. We use the apparent weaknesses and failings in church leaders as an excuse to limit our giving. We begin developing a disdain for those people and/or scriptures that suggest that we should give more or in a different manner than we currently give.
God still asks: “Why
are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not
be accepted?” He still warns: “But if you do not do what is right, sin is
crouching at your door; it desires to have you”. Whether this sin beast devours
us or whether we master it by amending our patterns and attitudes in giving is
up to us. If you desire to give acceptable offerings to God, it will involve
more than your gift. It will involve you as well.
I don’t believe that
the scripture teaches that there is a single thing that makes our giving
acceptable, but rather that multiple components work in concert with each
other. In the following chapters we will explore selected scriptures that guide
both the numerous facets of our giving (its content, our attitudes, our
motives, our methods, etc) while simultaneously guiding the growth of our
underlying relationship with the Lord.
It is within your
power to give acceptable offerings. God’s word and the Holy Spirit will guide
you, if you are willing to let them. The
examination of scriptures that follows is intended to assist you in discovering
God’s will and purposes for your giving.
Do you think He looks on your offertory gifts
with favor?
If not, why do you believe he is withholding
His favor?
Do you try to give financial offerings
without also offering yourself?
Do you try to offer yourself while
withholding your financial substance?
Be honest, does what God thinks about your
giving really matter to you?
Do you seek to adjust your actions and
attitudes to God’s guidance regarding your giving or do you feel justified by
simply giving on your own terms?
What does the mirror of your giving reflect
about your relationship with God?
Practical Implementation (How Can You Apply God’s
Revelation?)