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Refused offer 24/25 Nov 2018

Genesis 4:2-8

Now Abel became a shepherd 3 and kept flocks, while Cain tilled the soil.
Time passed and Cain brought some 4 of the produce of the soil as an offering for Yahweh,
while Abel for his part brought the first-born of his flock and some of their fat as well.
Yahweh looked 5 with favor on Abel and his offering.
But he did not look with favor on Cain 6 and his offering, and Cain was very angry and downcast.
Yahweh asked 7 Cain, Why are you angry and downcast?
If you are well disposed, ought you not to lift up your head?
But if you are ill disposed,
is not sin at the door like 8 a crouching beast hungering for you, which you must master?

We all know how the story ends. Today I like to write about the Refused Offer

Assume Cain had carefully prepared an offer.

In brief

Cain was the first person where it is written that he made an offering to God.
God ignored his offer. How do I feel when my offer to someone is refused? Although I realise that people are free to accept my offer, I still may feel hurt when my offer is rejected. Apart from the (honest?) feelings of rejection, I may become jealous.

Now God has some interesting advise for those whose offers have been turned down.

Downcast because of rejection.

1. Why are you so angry and downcast? My Dutch translation says: Why does your face looks so grim?
People who know me are afraid of me when my face looks grim. They already know, they can expect not much kindness from me.

2. If you are ill disposed ... I am by times!
is not sin creeping in your heart? ... In my heart, it is by times.
The crouching beast (sounds like the serpent) hungers for me.

God says: I have to master the crouching serpent, the sin creeping in my heart.