~ Cain and Abel ~

a.  Read Genesis 4:1-8 and Moses 5:18-19 and the Old Testament Institute Student Manual commentary for Genesis 4:4-8, "But unto Cain and His Offering He Had Not Respect" (pg. 52).  Write a summary of what Joseph Smith taught about Cain's offering and why God did not accept it.  Give some examples of how offerings from members of the Church can become unacceptable to the Lord today.

Cain was a farmer, and his younger brother Abel raised livestock.  In Genesis 4, we read that Abel brought the type of offering the Lord had commanded; he, "...brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof..." (Genesis 4:4).  We also read that, "...Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord" (Genesis 4:3).  Joseph Smith taught that, "...Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which [God] obtained witness that [Abel] was righteous..." (pg. 59 of the Old Testament Institute student manual). God commanded the people of that time to bring Him offerings the way Abel did, offerings that are in similitude of what Christ did for us and was going to do for them.  Any deviation from that standard was unacceptable.

While Cain probably brought the Lord the best fruit he had grown, the Lord asked for the best and first born of his lambs.  I'm not completely sure if Cain had any lambs or where he would've gotten one if he didn't, but such was the commandment.  The Lord didn't accept Cain's fruit because fruit wasn't what the Lord asked for.  'What's the big deal about a perfect, unblemished lamb who was the first born of the flock?' one might ask.  Christ is often referred to as 'the Lamb of God.'  He was God's first born Son in the flesh, and lived His life without blemish or sin.

When the Lord didn't accept Cain's offering, it's wasn't a personal thing.  If Abel or Adam or Eve or anyone else had offered Him fruit, He wouldn't have accepted it from them, either.

Sometimes, we all have our 'Cain moments,' where we attempt to do what the Lord commands and don't do it completely right for whatever reason.  For example, repenting.  The Lord has taught us that when we ask for His forgiveness, we should be truly sorry about whatever wrong thing we did.  If we're not, what will we learn?  What will be our motivation to not do it again?  Another example is prayer.  If we have all the wrong intentions when praying, why should God take us seriously?  They who pray for the praise of men have their reward; those who pray in front of others to get attention and to get people to think they're righteous are already the getting the worldly attention they're seeking.  Also, if we don't pay a full tithe, it will not be accepted by the Lord.  When I am tempted not to tithe, I ask myself, 'Am I giving the Lord 10% or is He giving me 90%?'

b.  Read Genesis 4:8-9.  After Cain killed Abel, the Lord asked him, "Where is Abel thy brother?"  Cain's answer shows his selfishness and contempt toward others, including the Lord.  Read Luke 10:27-37 and write an explanation of how you think the Lord's question to Cain in verse 9 applies to us today.

When the Lord asked Cain, "Where is Abel thy brother?" Cain basically tells the Lord that he doesn't know and that Abel isn't really his problem.  It seems to me like Cain was the kind of person who only looks out for #1.  I'm curious as to how happy people like that are, who only take care of and worry about themselves.  Wouldn't they get lonely?  And how can a lonely person be happy?  I know I've never felt lonely and happy at the same time.  I think the Lord's question to Cain can apply to all of us in the sense that we should also be looking out for and helping each other.  It doesn't have to be this big, extravagant, elaborate thing.  It can just be smiling at someone you walk past on the street or helping someone up and asking if they're alright if you see them fall or helping someone out with their groceries if you see them struggling to carry them.  If through the small and simple things great things are brought to pass, why can't something simple be all someone needs to turn their day around?

c.  Make a list of Cain's sinful acts as recorded in Genesis 4:3-9 and Moses 5: 16-33.

Cain's first problem was that he brought the wrong kind of offering to the Lord.  The Lord specifically explained how to give offerings and what kind of offerings to give, so Cain knew beforehand what would probably happen, that the Lord would probably tell him to go back and try again.  He then became very angry with the Lord for not accepting his offering.  I'm not completely sure why, though.  He knew he hadn't brought the right kind of offering, so I can't help but wonder why it was such a shock to him that the Lord didn't accept it.  When it says in Genesis 4:8 that after all this, "...Cain talked with Abel..." I don't think there was really much talking.  I think Cain was probably telling Abel off and taking his frustration with the Lord out on him, especially since Abel ends up dead at the end of the verse.  It says in Moses 5:26, "...Cain...listened not any more to the voice of the Lord, neither to Abel, his brother, who walked in holiness before the Lord."  Cain chose to completely cut himself off from the words of the Lord, which were the only things that could help him.  He also married a woman who, "...loved Satan more than God" (Moses 5:28).  In Moses 5:29-30, Cain got involved in what are commonly referred to in the Book of Mormon as 'secret combinations.'  Satan came to Cain and had him swear on his life that he wouldn't tell anyone what happened to Abel, and Cain foolishly agreed.  He made a pact with Satan to do his bidding.

d.  Cain had a choice to make after his sacrifice was not accepted by the Lord.  Read Genesis 4:7 and mark in your scriptures what the Lord said to him.  Compare that statement with Joshua 24:15, 2 Nephi 2:27, and Alma 3:26-27.  What does the account of Cain and Abel teach about agency?

 Agency is the ability to choose to do whatever you want however you please.  One can use their agency for good or bad.  Cain is just one example of many of how to not use agency wisely and what the consequences are if you follow the path of disobeying God.  A few scriptures that encourage us to choose God and warn us of possible consequences are Genesis 4:7, Joshua 24:15, 2 Nephi 2:27, and Alma 3:26-27.  There are consequences to all that we do and all choices we make.  Positive or negative consequences are dependent upon whether or not we chose to do something good.  We usually call the positive consequences 'blessings.'  The better choice we make, the greater blessings we will receive.

e.  Read Genesis 4:10-16 and Moses 5:35-41.  Describe, in writing, Cain's punishment for disobeying God and killing his brother.  How did Cain feel about his punishment?  Cross-reference verse 13 with Alma 12:13-15.  Why do you think Cain struggled to accept God's punishment?

When the Lord punished Cain, we see that he fell into a trap that so many people fall into.  Cain, through his pride, blamed others, in this case his brother and Satan, for his bad choices so that he wouldn't have to take responsibility for his actions.  He told the Lord that Satan had tempted him because of Abel's flocks.  Basically it's Satan's fault for tempting him and it's Abel's fault for having what he had.  The problem with this mentality is that it is somewhat faulty.  Yes, Satan tempted him, but Cain still chose to listen and obey.  God also cursed Cain with a mark so that everyone would know what he had done and not to kill him.  He made Cain live with the shame of what he had done, which is sometimes a worse punishment than killing someone to put them out of their misery.

The Lord also cursed the ground, making it hard for Cain to grow anything to eat.  He was constantly moving around from place to place to try to find good soil to grow fruit for himself and his family.  I wonder if he wasn't also being driven out of certain places by other people.  Adam and Eve had a lot of children, who also had a lot of kids, who also had a lot of kids, etc. in the process of multiplying and replenishing the earth.  All of these people needed a place for themselves and their families to live, and I don't think anyone wanted Cain around.  The Lord punished Cain's pride because that was his biggest stumbling block, and that would be hard for anyone to handle.