Page 13 - The Road from Babylon to Zion

many saying that Cain did not bring the best of the fruit of the ground while Abel
brought the best of the flock. But the scriptures do not say that Cain brought less
than the best of what he had grown. I believe that he did indeed bring the very best
of his produce from the ground. Why then did God despise Cain’s offering?

The reason has to do with what the offerings represent. We can easily see that Abel’s
offering of the firstlings of his flock was in keeping with the offerings that Yahweh
ordained should be brought before Him. The firstlings of the flock represent the
Lamb who would be slain for the sins of the world, and we are told that “without the
shedding of blood there is no remission of sin” (Hebrews 9:22). Abel’s offering found
acceptance with God because it looked forward in faith to that spotless Lamb that
would one day cleanse the world from all guilt and condemnation. The scriptures
reveal that it was because of this faith that Abel’s offering was acceptable in God’s
sight.

Hebrews 11:4
By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which
he obtained the testimony that he was righteous...

Cain, however, made an offering based upon his own works that did not look to the
future atonement of Yahshua. After Adam sinned, the ground was cursed and
produce came forth by the sweat of man’s brow. It was the fruit of his own sweat and
labor that Cain presented to God as an offering and God was not impressed. Babylon
always seeks to ascend to God through its own works and to thereby find acceptance
and approval. Cain made an offering of the best that he had, and I am certain he was
proud of the quality and quantity of the fruit. He thought, “Certainly God will have
regard for my offering”, but God did not. By works of the flesh no man will be
justified before God. Justification is only by faith in Yahshua and HIS FINISHED
WORK.

This is actually the key distinction between Babylon and Zion. Babylon initiates great
works and then asks God to bless them. Babylon has the appearance of great
industriousness and her progress seems evident to all. But Babylon’s works are the
works of man. Babylon may be doing the same kind of works that Yahshua
performed, but she is doing them as she sees fit, not by command of God. Babylon
is not Spirit directed, she is soul directed.

The soul of man devises many plans that seem noble and right and which find the
approval of others. As we saw earlier, some of these activities include prophesying,
casting out demons, and performing miracles. These activities also include feeding
the hungry, proclaiming the gospel, building ministries with noble sounding
purposes, and the list could go on and on.