Cain's bloodless, lifeless offering
“And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And 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.” (Gen. 4:3,4).
The showbread in the sanctuary represented the abundant goodness of God for His whole vast creation. Due to His infinite store of goodness, His blessings flow out to His boundless universe through His Son. And from all over the universe, even the deepest inhabited space, come the praises redounding to the great, loving Father, through the Son.
We can sit in on one such occasion, which represent multiplied millions of other similar occasions. “And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Rev. 4:8-11).
But sin marred that wondrous scene of love and thanksgiving. Sin spread its foul influence far throughout the universe. And its effect have been focused and amplified here on earth.
Because of sin’s powerful altering ability, the heart of man and its ability to thank God and to trust Him. Even for all His continued blessings since we rebelled against His government, the human heart is not able of its own to give God His due praises. Or hearts are naturally self-centered and cannot return loving gratitude in exchange for His blessings of love.
Since sin was adopted and has become deeply rooted and eagerly perpetuated in the human race, the goodness of God in creation cannot lead us to humility as it could the sinless pair in the garden. Even throughout illimitable space, a new reserve toward the Creator was felt. This is seen in the first three verses of the next chapter in Revelation. The openness of the Father was shut up because of the controversy raging between Lucifer and the divine King. That conflict provided Lucifer the medium to cast charges against the Creator which the hosts of heaven had never dreamed of. Strongly voiced allegations against God were made by the highest angel that sounded irrefutable. God’s character was on trial; the truth of His righteousness was sealed shut, apparently forever. Those who remained loyal wept and wept at the loss of the perfect peace that had pervaded heaven. (vs. 4).
“Who is able to open the book of God’s character that I have shut up?” bellowed the covering cherub. No angel could vindicate God, and the angelic hosts could not longer worship Him as before, because trust is of such fine fabric that when false allegations are made they are not easily repaired.
But nowhere has the dissolution of sin been known like its full effects on earth. Here is revealed in blazing illustration the much more subtle influence it had in heaven. Thus, here God has made His classroom for the entire unfallen universe to learn from. “We are made a spectacle unto ….angels,” “which things the angels desire to look into.” (1Cor. 4:9;1Pet. 1:12).
Since sin has wasted the core of man’s ability to love God, His blessings don’t call forth our innermost joy toward Him. Regardless of nature’s beauty, its genius and wonder, its amazing qualities, it’s peacefulness and calm, or it’s demonstrations of power, none of it can bring us to God. Our hearts must be changed first. Repentance must precede thanksgiving.
All the world look to nature to satisfy an inmost need, an emptiness, an anxiety which they can’t put their finger on. Yet nature has only been a tantalizing disappointment to so many. It has drawn untold millions to the brink of salvation from an unbearable existence, but has been unable to deliver the needed secret for perfect peace. The most nature can provide in its most appealing panoramas, the most exquisite sounds or tastes, the most pleasant feelings or thoughts fail of healing the human woe.
“The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4). This must speak of His goodness expressed beyond that which meets our sensory needs. A full belly or a rested body is not enough to deliver us from the heart’s unrest. But God has offered even more than His provisions for our existence. Within the fullness of that goodness of God exists the only remedy for mankind’s insatiable longings. Grace; God’s goodness toward us expressed in grace.
It’s only through bowing before the Creator’s mercy that His creation can be fully appreciated by fallen man. As the vitamin functions to open the door of each cell so that the life-giving Glucose can enter and feed the cell, even so, it is only through the acceptance of God’s grace through repentance that the glories and provision of the natural world can be the benefit to man that God originally intended for them. Grace, grace, wonderful grace; grace that can pardon and heal my sin.
Thus the showbread was not enough, even though it sat within a holy sanctuary of God’s presence. The only way sinners could benefit from the abundant blessings of God, typified in the bread, was for the blood of a dying victim to be sprinkled on it. Every day, at each searching of scripture, at each spiritual supper, even at each meal around the family table, only by visiting the cross of Calvary and viewing the surrender and love of its dying Victim, can those holy experiences be accepted by God.
Grace must attend our feeding on God’s provisions. Without a continual remembrance of the gracious mercy of God in Christ, our gratitude and prayers and praises to God are nothing less than Cain’s proud offering. And that will lead us, as it has millions in the past, to further separation from God and ultimately to the depths of the grossest sin and depravity.
The showbread in the sanctuary represented the abundant goodness of God for His whole vast creation. Due to His infinite store of goodness, His blessings flow out to His boundless universe through His Son. And from all over the universe, even the deepest inhabited space, come the praises redounding to the great, loving Father, through the Son.
We can sit in on one such occasion, which represent multiplied millions of other similar occasions. “And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to Him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before Him that sat on the throne, and worship Him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Rev. 4:8-11).
But sin marred that wondrous scene of love and thanksgiving. Sin spread its foul influence far throughout the universe. And its effect have been focused and amplified here on earth.
Because of sin’s powerful altering ability, the heart of man and its ability to thank God and to trust Him. Even for all His continued blessings since we rebelled against His government, the human heart is not able of its own to give God His due praises. Or hearts are naturally self-centered and cannot return loving gratitude in exchange for His blessings of love.
Since sin was adopted and has become deeply rooted and eagerly perpetuated in the human race, the goodness of God in creation cannot lead us to humility as it could the sinless pair in the garden. Even throughout illimitable space, a new reserve toward the Creator was felt. This is seen in the first three verses of the next chapter in Revelation. The openness of the Father was shut up because of the controversy raging between Lucifer and the divine King. That conflict provided Lucifer the medium to cast charges against the Creator which the hosts of heaven had never dreamed of. Strongly voiced allegations against God were made by the highest angel that sounded irrefutable. God’s character was on trial; the truth of His righteousness was sealed shut, apparently forever. Those who remained loyal wept and wept at the loss of the perfect peace that had pervaded heaven. (vs. 4).
“Who is able to open the book of God’s character that I have shut up?” bellowed the covering cherub. No angel could vindicate God, and the angelic hosts could not longer worship Him as before, because trust is of such fine fabric that when false allegations are made they are not easily repaired.
But nowhere has the dissolution of sin been known like its full effects on earth. Here is revealed in blazing illustration the much more subtle influence it had in heaven. Thus, here God has made His classroom for the entire unfallen universe to learn from. “We are made a spectacle unto ….angels,” “which things the angels desire to look into.” (1Cor. 4:9;1Pet. 1:12).
Since sin has wasted the core of man’s ability to love God, His blessings don’t call forth our innermost joy toward Him. Regardless of nature’s beauty, its genius and wonder, its amazing qualities, it’s peacefulness and calm, or it’s demonstrations of power, none of it can bring us to God. Our hearts must be changed first. Repentance must precede thanksgiving.
All the world look to nature to satisfy an inmost need, an emptiness, an anxiety which they can’t put their finger on. Yet nature has only been a tantalizing disappointment to so many. It has drawn untold millions to the brink of salvation from an unbearable existence, but has been unable to deliver the needed secret for perfect peace. The most nature can provide in its most appealing panoramas, the most exquisite sounds or tastes, the most pleasant feelings or thoughts fail of healing the human woe.
“The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Rom. 2:4). This must speak of His goodness expressed beyond that which meets our sensory needs. A full belly or a rested body is not enough to deliver us from the heart’s unrest. But God has offered even more than His provisions for our existence. Within the fullness of that goodness of God exists the only remedy for mankind’s insatiable longings. Grace; God’s goodness toward us expressed in grace.
It’s only through bowing before the Creator’s mercy that His creation can be fully appreciated by fallen man. As the vitamin functions to open the door of each cell so that the life-giving Glucose can enter and feed the cell, even so, it is only through the acceptance of God’s grace through repentance that the glories and provision of the natural world can be the benefit to man that God originally intended for them. Grace, grace, wonderful grace; grace that can pardon and heal my sin.
Thus the showbread was not enough, even though it sat within a holy sanctuary of God’s presence. The only way sinners could benefit from the abundant blessings of God, typified in the bread, was for the blood of a dying victim to be sprinkled on it. Every day, at each searching of scripture, at each spiritual supper, even at each meal around the family table, only by visiting the cross of Calvary and viewing the surrender and love of its dying Victim, can those holy experiences be accepted by God.
Grace must attend our feeding on God’s provisions. Without a continual remembrance of the gracious mercy of God in Christ, our gratitude and prayers and praises to God are nothing less than Cain’s proud offering. And that will lead us, as it has millions in the past, to further separation from God and ultimately to the depths of the grossest sin and depravity.
posted by David | 1:35 PM
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