Once upon a time there was a man named Kahyin Smith. (His friends called him Cain, a nickname long forgotten since his time near the beginning.)
Now I know that if you think back to ACT 1, SCENE 1 or most recently SCENE 2 of our story that you might think of Cain in Moses’ story. I mention this not only because we will momentarily continue with ACT !, SCENE 3, but in keeping with our LINE of thought,
I’d like to ask you a question:
IN the beginning..
Do you think that ‘Once upon a time..’ mirrors Moses’ story ‘IN THE BEGINNING’ in some way?
Please add your ANSWER to a COMMENT at the end of any of these SCENES.
Continuing with SCENE 3 of our Story:
Now Abel was a keeper of flocks..
So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the LORD from the fruit of the ground.
Abel, on his part also brought an offering, from the firstborn of his flock and from their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering; but for Cain and his offering He had no regard..
Does Cahyin know that Heḇel made an offering that the LORD accepts while this brother of his worked even harder EVERY DAY as a farmer cultivating the soil full of weeds and thistles, I wondered?
I struggled to keep my eyes covered to keep out so many pictures of this world. And without me saying a single word, my Guide answered me with a question of his own.
Why would it make any difference to you if one brother’s offering is better than the other’s OR if either brother knows about the offering of the other?
Hmmm.. I had not considered that they may not have had just one place to make their offerings. Since Cain worked the farm while Able wanders the fields as a ‘keeper of sheep..’ maybe goats.. and other creatures roam the earth too.., I wondered; then I asked my Guide,
But even if they worshiped at the same stone altar, how would they know if God accepted either offering? Could both brothers see the LORD?
Look closer.. What do you see?
Two men approaching each other from a distance.
It seems to be the end of a day — twilight — and a stone altar stands at the edge of one field and also near a field — I think it’s wheat — the one coming from a partially cultivated field behind him has an armful of early, small stalks.
And he seems to have some tinder, like thistles and dry stocks, too. (It must be to start a fire.)
Do YOU see the LORD?
I hear a young lamb in the arms of the shepherd as he also approaches the altar of sacrifice.
I don’t see anyone else.
.. And do you hear His Voice?
I looked back on the scene then listened.. But now the scene had quickly progressed and both men had reached the altar.
I could hear a quick crackling of dry branches and thistles burning away in an instant.. then a low roar of burning fat as the fire brightened where the slain lamb had been laid..
And a bright smoke rose into the darkness from the sacrifice of the lamb, while the fire faded into coldness where so many thistles and an unripened harvest had been lain so hastily.
Do you hear His Voice?
YES!
The LORD’s Voice sounds in my own hearing like a Fatherly rebuke of a child who has done something he shouldn’t have.
“Why are you angry? And why is your face gloomy?
“If you do well, will your face not be cheerful? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door;
and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”
Genesis 4:6-7 NASB20 – :וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה
a change of Scene..
And Cain talked with Abel his brother..
Genesis 4:8a KJV
What do you suppose Cain said? (I couldn’t hear his words.)
AND What words do you think Cain and Abel had in their conversation of our NEXT Scene?
Synopsis (so far)
I’m going to have to leave our story right here for now.
So far: I had discovered that the garden near Eden was not exactly paradise. And you must realize by now that Cain was a Gardener, and just now that his brother Abel was a Shepherd.
NEXT: We will meet a hunter. (Any guesses who?)
Don’t forget to COMMENT on Moses’ IN THE BEGINNING compared to ONCE UPON A TIME..
The Gardener, the Shepherd and the Hunter
Roger Harned, Christian Author
