Why did God accept Abel and his offering but not Cain and his offering?
The reason why he did not accept Cain’s offering is so clearly written in the Bible.
God had already cursed the ground because he offered sacrifices from the fruit of the land.
Although it is a product of the cursed land, Cain must have worked hard and devoted himself every day to obtain it.
Cain considered his hard work and sincerity for God more important than finding out what God’s will was and establishing it. But God did not accept human effort.
The ground had already been cursed by God, and the reason was Adam, that is, fallen man, so a holy God could not receive it.
In the end, because Cain’s offering was not accepted by God, Cain’s image as a sincere and trustworthy eldest son is not revealed.
[Related Verse]
Genesis 3:17
He said to Adam, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree of which I told you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; you will toil all the days of your life and eat from it.
Genesis 4:1
Adam lay with his wife Eve, and Eve conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have obtained a son by the Lord.”
Genesis 4:2
She also gave birth to Cain’s brother Abel, who was a shepherd and Cain a farmer.
Genesis 4:3
Years passed, and Cain brought the fruit of the ground as an offering to the LORD.
Genesis 4:4
Abel also offered the firstlings and their fat, and the LORD accepted Abel and his offering.
Genesis 4:5
He did not accept Cain and his offering, but Cain was very angry and his face changed.
Genesis 4:6
The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why is your complexion changed?
Genesis 4:7
If you do good, will you not be recognized? If you do not do good, sin lies at the door. The desire of sin is with you, but you will rule over it.
Genesis 4:8
Cain told his brother Abel, and after that while they were in the field, Cain struck down his brother Abel and killed him.