February 17, 2011

Cain : Abel :: Esau : Jacob ?

From 7/13/2009 (~Genesis 4)

QUESTION
Regarding Cain's offering < Abel's offering: "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it"... Is "doing right" related to God's arbitrary favor, i.e. Cain and Esau were not "doing right"? (Abel vs. Cain, Jacob vs. Esau).

ANSWER
For Cain and Abel, Abel had more faith (Hebrews 11). This is different from Jacob and Esau, which deals with God's sovereign plan.

TANGENT
Jacob schemed b/c he didn't believe God could do what God said (bless him) so he manipulated to get it. But this caused strife w/ Esau and in general... Eventually Jacob wrestled with God until Jacob said "bless me" which is what God wanted to hear him ask.

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