The concept of God’s Favour is introduced at the beginning of His Word.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. THE LORD LOOKED WITH FAVOUR ON ABEL AND HIS OFFERING, 5 BUT ON CAIN AND HIS OFFERING HE DID NOT LOOK WITH FAVOUR. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Genesis 4
The Lord made a distinction between the two brothers, He received the offering of Abel but not the offering from his older brother and firstborn, Cain. We’re not told exactly why; it may have been something to do with the earth now being cursed after Adam’s sin.
6 Then the Lord said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 IF YOU DO WHAT IS RIGHT, WILL YOU NOT BE ACCEPTED? (We are Fully Righteous through Christ’s sacrifice today) But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.’
God told Cain HE HAD A CHOICE (We all have Free Will), do the right thing and he would be accepted. How many people today are living life on their own terms, with a bit of religious observance when it suits and expecting God’s blessing or Favour? God also warned Cain that there was an enemy waiting for him if he chose the wrong way and he did.
8 Now Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let’s go out to the field.’ While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
The first recorded murder followed soon after the Lord rejected Cain’s offering. Anger rose up and he killed his own brother out in the field, where he wouldn’t be seen. The Lord’s Favour and acceptance produced murderous anger in the older brother. There’s no record he tried to get right with God, instead he took revenge against his own brother.
18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. John 15
In John 15 and when Jesus said, ‘‘I AM THE VINE, you are the branches’’, He warned us about being hated by those who didn’t know Him. Jealousy over what they don’t want, but envious that believers have.
The first person mentioned in Hebrews 11, the gallery of heroes in the Faith is Abel. His sacrifice has never been forgotten, Hallelujah.
4 By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.
God’s Favour May cause even those close to us to resent us bitterly, but God’s Favour is worth everything in this life and in the life to come.
God bless and keep you today.