05A.05. Cain And Abel
05 -- CAIN AND ABEL The next crimson spot I would call to your attention is the story of Cain and Abel, told in the 4th chapter of Genesis. They were born of the same parents, reared under the same environment and evidently came to God about the same time. Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground, beautiful to the eye, pleasant to the touch, and easily prepared; but God had cursed the ground and Cain and his offering were rejected. Abel evidently acted under previous instructions, for the book of Hebrews tells us, "By faith Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain;" and faith literally means, taking God at His word. And taking God at His word, he brought an offering of his flock, not the work of his hands, but the sacrifice of a life, blood was shed, and he was accepted. In this far away incident, we have a story of the redeeming blood.
God started with blood when He made coats of skins, Cain planned a new way but was rejected. All down through the ages we have had the two ways, God’s way and man’s way, the blood and the bloodless; the religion of Cain and the religion of Calvary.
"I’ve often heard tell of a popular way, To mansions of gold in the skies, Of an easier route than the way of the cross, To reach that blest home upon high, "No thorns line this path and no clouds ever come, From trims and crosses it’s free.
Let others who will take this popular line, The old fashioned way suits me."
I believe it was Charles G. Finney who illustrated the value of the blood by picturing people as they approached the city of God and demanded an entrance. The gates to the city were closed, the angel gate-keeper stood in his place. There approached the gate an officer of the army; his uniform was spotless, his buttons shone, his saber gleamed in the light, his trappings denoted that his rank was that of a general. Saluting, he said, "Sir, will you please open the gate, I would like to pass in."
"By what right?" asked the angel.
"Because," replied the General, "I have fought for religious liberty; I have fought for the widow and orphan; I am an officer from a Christian nation and have kept our flag from the grasp of the heathen."
"That is all very good, sir," said the gatekeeper, "and there are times when people must fight, but that is not the password; I am sorry but I cannot let you in." In sorrow the General turned away and was soon lost in the distance and darkness.
Another approached whose paraphernalia bespoke wealth and culture, and when he asked that the gates be opened, the angel asked, "Upon what, friend, do you base your right to enter here?"
"I have given of my wealth to the causes of Christianity," said the rich man, "I have builded schools, established orphan asylums, sent missionaries to the heathen and builded churches in the home land."
"You are to be commended," said the angel, "for money is needed to carry on the work of the Lord in the world, but we cannot open these gates because of any work that you have done."
He too turned away and was soon lost to sight, and in the distance was heard wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Behold, another approached the city. It was a woman; her clothing showed signs of poverty, her face of suffering, her hands of toil. But as she neared the gate she lifted her hand and began to sing, "O the blood, the blood ’tis all my plea, Hallelujah it cleanses me, O the blood, the blood, ’tis all my plea, Hallelujah for it cleanses me." The angel without a word stepped to one side, and of their own accord the gates swung open and she marched in and all heaven joined in the chorus, "O the blood, the blood ’tis all my plea, Hallelujah it cleanses me, O the blood, the blood, ’tis all my plea, Hallelujah for it cleanses me."
* * * * * *