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Spiritual Gifts, Volume 3
accept him and respect his offering. But if he will not humbly submit
to God’s arrangements, and believe and obey him, he cannot accept
his offering. The angel tells Cain that it was no injustice on the part of
God, or partiality shown to Abel; but that it was on account of his own
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sin, and disobedience of God’s express command, why he could not
respect his offering—and if he would do well he would be accepted
of God, and his brother should listen to him, and he should take the
lead, because he was the eldest. But even after being thus faithfully
instructed, Cain did not repent. Instead of censuring and abhorring
himself to his unbelief, he still complains of the injustice and partiality
of God. And in his jealousy and hatred he contends with Abel and
reproaches him. Abel meekly points out his brother’s error, and shows
him that the wrong is in himself. But Cain hates his brother from
the moment that God manifests to him the tokens of his acceptance.
His brother Abel seeks to appease his wrath by contending for the
compassion of God in saving the lives of their parents, when he might
have brought upon them immediate death. He tells Cain that God
loved them, or he would not have given his Son, innocent and holy,
to suffer the wrath which man by his disobedience deserved to suffer.
While Abel justifies the plan of God, Cain becomes enraged and his
anger increases and burns against Abel, until in his rage he slays him.
God inquires of Cain for his brother, and Cain utters a guilty falsehood,
“I know not; am I my brother’s keeper?” God informs Cain that he
knew in regard to his sin—that he was acquainted with his every act,
and even the thoughts of his heart, and says to him, “Thy brother’s
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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 henceforth
yield unto thee her strength. A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be
in the earth.”
The curse upon the ground at first had been felt but lightly; but
now a double curse rested upon it. Cain and Abel represent the two
classes, the righteous and the wicked, the believers and unbelievers,
which should exist from the fall of man to the second coming of
Christ. Cain slaying his brother Abel represents the wicked who
will be envious of the righteous, and will hate them because they are
better than themselves. They will be jealous of the righteous, and will