23 Aug '10 20:38>
Originally posted by rwingettSpeculative and yet highly interesting take on the whole topic. However, the caveat which prompts one to stop and think again is this:
In Genesis 4 we have the story of Cain and Abel. Abel was the keeper of sheep while Cain was a tiller of the ground. It is further recounted how they each brought an offering to the Lord and that He approved of Abel's offering, but not of Cain's. Cain then slew Abel and was subsequently cursed. I will here offer up an interpretation of Genesis 4 as influenc ...[text shortened]... k, but rather has been the very cause of it. And for that, Cain was cursed by the Lord.
"Therefore the LORD
God sent him forth from the
garden of Eden, to till the
ground from whence he was
taken."
Although the ground was cursed on account of man's ill-conceived attempt, Adam was given the ground to produce his life sustenance. Intuitively, one could draw the conclusion that first fruits from that ground ought to be first in order of acceptable tender, as it were, in God's economy. Counter-intuitively, God points to a more primitive solution: forgiveness via pure blood, pure life.
That being said, I am thankful for your thoughtfulness in posting this most thought-provoking post. It really attempts to get to the meat of things and demands the one so inclined to engage the idea.
Nicely done, rwingett.