Plant-Based Theology

I heard a sermon a couple weeks ago that spoke of the sacrifice of Cain that was not regarded by God, whereas God showed regard for the sacrifice of his brother Abel.

Genesis 6:2 tells us that Abel was a keeper of sheep and Cain worked the ground.

It didn’t seem fair. Gardening is hard work, even today with all the convenient tools at our disposal. I can’t imagine how tough it was a an early human, fresh out of the Garden of Eden, with no John Deere tractors to lighten the burden.  Cain gave an offering that was from his table, earned by the sweat of his brow. What was wrong with that?

The speaker basically concluded that it was a matter of the heart. Abel demonstrated faith, giving the firstborn and best of his flock, and Cain did not offer his best. (Then the rest of the message was about tithing.)

On my way home, I was asking myself why Abel was even raising sheep in the first place. Their diet was plant-based (such a buzz word today). Man didn’t eat meat until after the flood, according to Genesis 9:3.

It then occurred to me that there wool of the sheep would have probably been used for clothing. This was followed by an aha moment... their clothing was made from the skins of the animal. (I’ve written about Cain and Abel before, but sometimes I get new insights so I repeat myself in order to provide context).

Their covering.

Mural from the Painted Church, Kona, Hawaii
Adam tried to revive Abel.
Note the wardrobe.

In Genesis 3:7, Adam and Eve had tried to cover themselves with fig leaves after they sinned.  A plant-based wardrobe. It didn’t fly with the Almighty.

God Himself had covered Adam and Eve with animal skins in Genesis 3:21. Blood, the first blood spilled on earth, had to be shed for their acceptable covering.  The Hebrew Word for covering is kaphar- also meaning atonement.

Do you see a common theme here? Blood must be shed to provide a sufficient covering over of sin.

This is why Cain’s plant-based offering was not regarded by God, and why Adam and Eve’s plant-based wardrobe was not sufficient to cover them in the eyes of God.

Genesis gives us these prophetic pictures that foretell of the sacrifice that would cover our sin once and for all -Yeshua and His atoning (covering) death on the cross.

Isaiah 64:6 tells us what God thinks of our own striving to reconcile ourselves to God via “plant-based” efforts: 

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. 

Cain’s offering of grain and Adam and Eve’s attempt at the leaf wardrobe both demonstrate  the concept of man working for his own salvation. Neither attempt was regarded by God.

Only blood sacrifice was, and is, acceptable.

The gardening comes later as we work out (not for) our salvation.