I was taught that the first shedding of blood was Gen.3:21 when Lord God made coats of skins. Now 35 yrs
later the Lord is having me question that.. I read no blood shedding in that verse. Now this all came about
when the I was reading Heb 11:4 by faith a better sacrifice did Abel offer to God than Cain,
through which he was testified to be righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and through it,
he being dead, doth yet speak.
It was the word sacrifice that the Lord said look! SoI looked up the word "sacrifice,"G2378 sacrifice
(the act or the victim, literally or figuratively): from G2380A primary verb; properly to rush (breathe hard,
blow, smoke), that is, (by implication)
to sacrifice (properly by fire, but generally); by extension to immolate (slaughter for any purpose):
- kill, (do) sacrifice, slay.
The word sacrifice has all the implications of blood letting or shedding.
There had been no such enactment of any such when I read the account, so I dutifully went back and
read the account in Gen 3:21 And Jehovah God doth make to the man and to his wife coats of skin.
A primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application: - accomplish, advance, appoint, apt,be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress (-ed), (put in) execute (-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, [fight-] ing man, + finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfil, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ([a feast]), X indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, practise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin, spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be [warr-] ior, work (-man), yield, use.
Yes the word sacrifice is there, but there is absolutely no evidence of any shedding of blood taking place.
I, as anyone would have to assume there was a shedding of blood. It is the same make= to do or make of Gen.1:26, 2:18
and most of the makes I looked up, no blood was involved. Coats= H3801 "to cover" to (be) bare:
- be made naked. fromH3802 to clothe of skin H5785 skin (as naked);
by implication hide, leather: - hide, leather, skin. And doth clothe them..clothe= H3847 A primitive root; properly wrap around,
Gen.3:21 And Jehovah God doth make to the man and his wife covers of skin, that wrap around.
Now I know that folks will consider me a little off, but this is how I can understand this verse.
But there is more because this began about the teaching that those coats of skin were the first shedding
of blood and that word sacrifice. I have more thoughts of the coats of skin, but I'm trying to stay
on the path of the first blood shedding.
Now perhaps it was a different church I was going to, I cant say, but I was told that the first shedding
of blood was when Cain slew Abel. So, I went back to Genesis, the Lord has shown me much in
that book, and He has put this great desire for me to understand how this all began rather than just
some story to tell in Sunday school.
I was reading the KJV at the time so I will use it and the YLT to show my reasoning.
Gen 4:3 And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an
offering unto the LORD.
Gen 4:4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD
had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
Gen 4:3 And it cometh to pass at the end of days that Cain bringeth from the fruit of the ground a present
to Jehovah;
Gen 4:4 and Abel, he hath brought, he also, from the female firstlings of his flock, even from their fat ones;
and Jehovah looketh unto Abel and unto his present,
Offering H4503=From an unused root meaning to apportion, that is, bestow; a donation; euphemistically
tribute; specifically a sacrificial offering (usually bloodless and voluntary): - gift, oblation, (meat) offering, present, sacrifice.
Again I have sought some witness to "blood shedding" and I find none. There has been no shedding of blood
in the clothing of the man and his wife, nor is there been a shedding of blood in the "offerings" of
Cain and Abel. When speaking of Abel's firstlings of the flock and "fat thereof of the fat ones," we
again can assume the shedding of blood but what we find is that this is a expression of the "best of
the flock." The "fat thereof or fat ones" H2459 From an unused root meaning to be fat; fat, hence the
richest or choice part: - X best, fat (-ness), X finest, grease, marrow.
I am getting no where with this first shedding of blood as I have been taught. I know there are those
who will disagree and who know much more of the Bible than I, but I have not seen the first shedding
of blood in either Gen. 3:21 nor Gen. 4:3. The Lord had me to go back to Heb. 11:4 where the Lord had
began to shed light.
Heb.11:4
(ASV) By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had
witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts: and through it
he being dead yet speaketh.
(KJV) By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness
that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
(YLT) by faith a better sacrifice did Abel offer to God than Cain, through which he was testified to be
righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and through it, he being dead, doth yet speak.
Gen 4:4
(ASV) And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And Jehovah had
respect unto Abel and to his offering:
(KJV) And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had
respect unto Abel and to his offering:
(YLT) and Abel, he hath brought, he also, from the female firstlings of his flock, even from their fat ones;
and Jehovah looketh unto Abel and unto his present,
What did the writer in Hebrews mean that Abel offered/brought a more excellent sacrifice when there was no
shedding of blood. The only shedding of blood that I had read was when Cain slew his brother Abel.......
Thats when the Lord started to shake me. I had done some study on the names of Cain and Abel years
ago so I looked them up again.
Cain..H7013 fixity; a lance (as striking fast): - spear H6969 A primitive root; to strike a musical note, that is, chant or wail (at a funeral): - lament, mourning woman.
Abel...H1892 emptiness or vanity; figuratively something transitory and unsatisfactory; vain from
H1891 A primitive root; to be vain in act, word, or expectation; specifically to lead astray: -
be (become, make) vain.
What was revealed to me took breath, but fits so well into how I can understand the
beginning and how I am here now. Cain, by the names definition is something that will use force
even kill to move forward.
Abel on the other side is empty, of what I am not sure, Abel is also transitory.
transitory: of a passing nature; not enduring or permanent; temporary, fleeting, or
ephemeral; transient.(Web. New World College Dict.)
What I have found for myself is the first shedding of blood, when Cain slew his brother Abel. And
what is important is that I believe from how I read Heb.11:4 is that Abel was a willing sacrifice. A
willing sacrifice to begin what man is still doing today. Killing his brother out of jealousy and envy.
Heb 11:4 by faith a better sacrifice did Abel offer to God than Cain, through which he was testified
to be righteous, God testifying of his gifts, and through it, he being dead, doth yet speak.
The witness to this sacrifice of faith by Abel who was empty of an thought of malice, envy, jealousy and who was transitory, temorary.
sacrificed himself in the purpose of Jehovah and His reason; and we can read how God testifying of his gifts
Gen 4:10 And He saith, `What hast thou done?
the voice of thy brother's blood is crying unto Me from the ground;
This better sacrifice that is spoke of is brought forth in the teaching of the Kingdom, the
Gospel; that Jesus, when He offered Himself in faith, that His Father would accept
the better sacrifice. That is the Good News the Apostles and Paul and now those of
us who have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying, His blood is life and He offered the
BETTER SACRIFICE.
Joh 15:13 greater love than this hath no one, that any one his life may lay down for his friends;
Gal 2:20 with Christ I have been crucified, and live no more do I, and Christ doth live in me;
and that which I now live in the flesh--in the faith I live of the Son of God, who did love me
and did give himself for me;
Rev 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first-born out of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth; to him who did love us, and did bathe us from our sins in his blood,
Joh 3:16 for God did so love the world, that His Son--the only begotten--He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during.
Father I thank you for Your Word and Your Love. Peace and Love Through Jesus.
