The first murder in the Bible was between two brothers from the same womb. The murder was over whose worship was acceptable to God, how to worship and what does God accept. Is there a wrong way to worship and a right way to worship? Does God accept one way and not the other?
Cain built an alter containing the fruit of the ground because he was a tiller of soil. He probably worked extensively on his alter. I am sure he did his best to make it acceptable to God whom he wanted to worship. Cain and Able both had access to the history of the garden of Eden. Adam and Eve undoubtedly rehearsed what happened to them over and over so their children would understand what God wanted and required.
In the garden Adam and Eve walked with God. The garden was without sin, sickness and torment until Eve allowed the serpent to sow the seed of reason in her mind against God's Word. And Adam did partake and they died spiritually to the glory they had known and they knew they were naked. The first thing they did was cover themselves with fig leaves. I believe this is prophetic to let Cain and Able and all mankind know that the first covering for sin would be the fig tree (Israel), God's lawgiver.
Man's first way back to God was through the law with it's diverse cleansings and sacrifices. For his sin a Jew could approach God and then only through a priest, and then only through the High Priest. The law was not meant to save but to cover. When the presence of God came to Adam and Eve, He explained the seriousness of what they had done and revealed the fullness of the curse. He then slay animals and covered them with coats of skin. This was to reveal to Adam, Eve and all mankind that the law alone could not save you but you must have a savior.
The innocent must die for the guilty. An innocent had to give it's life. Blood had to be shed for Adam and Eve's sin to gain access to the presence of God again. The law cannot get us into God's presence. It takes the blood of the savior, an innocent Lamb of God.
I believe Adam and Eve told this story many times to their children. Cain knew what was expected. Life for life. Innocent blood had to be shed to enter into true worship. Cain rejected God's revealed Word and built his own way to God by his works. No one is right because of how many times they pray, nor by how long they pray, nor by the position of their body. Neither can a certain dress or special belief in a certain pattern of scriptures make you acceptable to God. But only by the blood.
Able sacrificed an innocent animal and maybe didn't work as hard. His alter may not have looked as good as Cain's but he chose to obey God's revealed word. The innocent must die for the guilty.
The only innocent blood that has ever been shed is the blood of Jesus, God's own son, who was slain from the foundation of the world, to wash our sins away. We need a Savior and we have a Savior in the Lord Jesus Christ. For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus said no man cometh to the Father but by me. There is salvation in no other name and no amount of religious works will get us into God's presence without the first work of God. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.
All religions of works with no savior started with Cain in the garden. He is the example of all those that reject the Savior of mankind, but in Able we see our answer. Innocent blood must be shed to save the guilty and only the blood of Jesus can save and give us access into the presence of God.
It's not what area of the world we visit. It's not some man's name we honor. It's not some religious work but the blood of Jesus Christ, God's son, that takes away sin. There is no other name.
Let us come to our God through accepting the sacrifice of the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus that we may be accepted in His sight as Able was. Cain was rejected because he chose his own way. Able was accepted because he chose God's way. Let us chose this day who we will serve. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ!
Hopefully, this message will help you in your search for a closer walk with Jesus. Seek Him today while He may be found!