# Gen 4:3



## Peter (Nov 27, 2005)

What does the "process of time", or "end of days" refer to in Gen 4:3?

Some commentators say the end of the year, or the end of the season, or even the end of the week (viz the Sabbath)


----------



## Contra_Mundum (Nov 27, 2005)

I incline toward the end-of-the-week view, as this is the one set of "days" that is mentioned in the context up to this point. But I am not dogmatic about that. I do think that the language expresses something much more definite than the term "process of time" indicates, a poor translation in my view. It was the end of _some_specified period of time (which is the way the rest of the OT uses the language "end of the days").

Thus, the _marked out period_ of whatever actual length (a week, a year, a season) terminates in an event of designated worship. Abel comes with a heart prepared, bringing an acceptable offering--an _index_ of his heart-commitment.

Cain is not accepted; _and neither is his offering,_ and not merely because he wasn't himself. We know his heart was bad primarily because his offering was clearly unacceptable to God--it was a visible testimony of his rejection. He didn't have the heart-attitude that was prepared to bring God what was expected. Thus, his offering also provides an _index_ to his heart condition.

How the acceptance/rejection was manifested we are not told. Was Abel's offering burnt with supernatural fire (cf. Judges 6:21, Lev. 9:24)? We only know it was obvious (visible) and Cain was publicly humiliated.

What did God expect from the offering? We can only surmize from the few clues given. It may have been that the offering was not bloody (as the one previous example that we know of instituted by God showed, Gen. 3:21). It may have been that it was not the _firstfruits,_ or the best (the "fat"), facts clearly distingishing Abel's offering from Cain's in the text.

Whatever else it was, Cain's offering was obviously will-worship or contemptuous, or both.


----------



## Peter (Nov 27, 2005)

Thanks, those are interesting thoughts. I was thinking of the passage with its extended relation to the Lord's Supper in mind and your comments on "heart attitude" pressed upon me the need for communion preparation.


----------

