Shouldn't God feel responsible for Abel's murder?

Question

God favored Abel for sacrificing lifestock. Cain's interest was in growing stuff so he offered that as a sacrifice. Both were giving to God what each was passionate about so why did God make Cain feel so bad about it that he killed his brother out of jealousy?

Answer 1

Cain did not have as much of a giving heart, and the plants he gave God were not the best of the crop. His brother gave God the healthiest of his animals. At the period of time when you had to give sacrifices to be forgiven of sin, God wanted to best that you had. Therefore it wasnt because of God that Cain killed his brother it was because Cain did not give a proper sacrifice.

Answer 2

Yes, Cain and Abel both were passionate about what they did. But it was Abel's way that pleased God. Remember, Cain killed his brother out of anger as well. Man might think it is pleasing to God, but really, its not. That is why we seek His advice in the way He would do it. Cain could of learn from what Abel did, but it was the anger that welled up in him so much that his anger lead to a major sin. Cain could of been like, my brother's Abel way is how God wants it. Then I will do it like my brother. Blood has to be shed. Everything that came before God had to be specific and exactly to the point. If that person did not meet the requirements when they sacrificed a lamb, the outcome of that person's life could become fatal. Priests did not sacrifice vegetables to God, they did lambs. The blood needed to be shed, but once Jesus came, it was His blood that was sacrificed, thus taking the daily lamb sacrifices to where we can go before God.

Answer 3

Lol, Cain was not giving 'the best' of his crops, but instead gave God what he wanted too. Abel gave what was "perfect" and unblemished of his, so the "smell" of the sacrifice was more pleasing to God. Meaning that the "heart put into the giving was more honest" when it came to Abel and he did not begrude God what he though God DESERVED, which was only the best.

Where did Cains wife come from? That is so easy. Read Genesis 5:3, 4 says of Adam and Eve, "3 And Adam lived on for a hundred and thirty years. Then he became father to a son in his likeness, in his image, and called his name Seth. 4. And the days of Adam after his fathering Seth came to be eight hundred years. Meanwhile he became father to sons and daughters."

Also, you MUST REALIZE that according to the Midrash, Oral Tradition, the Misnah, etc., even Theologians like Elaine Pagel will tell you that the AVERAGE LENGTH OF A HUMAN PREGNANCY WAS 1-3 DAYS DURING THE PRE-FLOOD WORLD. And the Baby would be born often able to talk, walk or sometimes even both in rare occasions. Watch the A&E Series on Biographies in the Bible, even they speak of it. Haven't you wondered why humans are the only animals not born able to run/swim/etc.? Perhaps after the flood there was a reason to stop it.

Answer 4

Genesis 4 does not imply that God didn't like Cain's offering simply because it was harvested and not sacrificed; if this was so, God wouldn't have established an elaborate list of harvested items in Leviticus, such as grains, breads, and drinks, that He wished to be presented to Him.

I think what made Abel's offering better was that he brought God "the firstborn of his flock and of their fat," : in other words, Abel gave to God FIRST, and he gave the BEST, before he took for himself. Cain, on the other hand, waited until "the process of time" and gave to God from the general harvest; he did not give the best, nor did he give the first to God.

God saw Cain didn't love Him and didn't accept the offering. Instead of being enraged, Cain should have learned from this experience. Had he learned, his future offerings would have been accepted, I'm sure.

So, no, God was not responsible for Cain's unrighteous murder of Abel.

Peace.

p.s. -- "Tommy," your question has been answered on YA extensively; Cain married one of his sisters. The Bible documents Adam and Eve had LOTS of children.

Answer 5

Yeah, God punked Cain completely.

My question is this though. It says that God marked Cain, and then Cain went out into the land of Nod and took a wife. If we can reasonably assume that Adam and Eve were the first two people, and that Cain and Abel were to that point their only children (as no others were mentioned, and since Biblical nuts are literal adherents to this book, we have to assume that there were no other children), it begs the question: Where did Cain's wife come from? There shouldn't have been any other people, correct?

Answer 6

God did not favor Abel's sacrifice because it was live stock. God favored it because Abel offered it with his heart unlike Cain's offering which was more out of obligation. The issue is clearly with men, not the offering itself. This is lost in the english translation but in Hebrew and other Jewish commentaries you can find this clearly.

Jealousy is not a result of feeling bad. They were brothers and probably in competition with each other as most brothers are. Cain knew in his heart that he was not giving the best he had to God so he became angry with Abel because he could not be angry with God. He had to blame someone for his iniquity. This kept building into jealousy and rage = murder!

Cain murdered Abel! Even Cain knew he alone was guilty because he offered no defense. He only asked for mercy.

Genesis 4:13-15 13 And Cain said unto the LORD, My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14 Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. 15 And the LORD said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the LORD set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.

Answer 7

This story is completely symbolic and not intended to be associated with real person's.

The murder isn't even supposed to be a murder in a sense that 2 polar opposites can not eliminate each other.

I try to see sometimes what it would be like if each person represented a magnetic strentgh and their ability to understand another person or have the same dreams as another person makes their attractiveness grow stronger.

Anyways, the further away from neutrality one goes, the more option he has to see multiple forms of truth.
The sacrifice was a shift in comfort and delving into something new, with one body joined from two, to explore.

Answer 8

God already knew Cain's true heart. God also already knew Abel would kill his own brother. No God shouldnt feel responsible. cain didnt have his faith in God and God knew what his true heart and faith already was.

Answer 9

God should feel responsible for SOOOOOOOOO many deaths and murders!!! He was a freaking murderer!! Why doesn't anyone realize that!?! Think of all the people in the bible who died because he ordered something to happen. The flood and all that stuff killed so many people. And all because they didn't follow his every command! Geeze... what a control freak!

Answer 10

properly constructive, the commandments weren't standard yet yet, the sinning all started whilst Adam and Eve ate from the tree of know-how.... God by no potential mentioned homicide on a similar time as they have been in Eden by using fact there substitute into no such ingredient as sin - yet. you notice? yet the two way, whilst Abel substitute into murdered, it substitute into God that spoke and mentioned it substitute right into a sin. i think the commandments did no longer come till after by using fact perhaps God had to apply Moses to get his factor during.