Neville Goddard on Genesis 4:3-8 - Mystical Bible Interpretation

Read Genesis 4 in context

Scripture Focus

3And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

4And 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:

5But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

6And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?

7If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

8And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.

Genesis 4:3-8

Biblical Context

Cain and Abel bring offerings; God favors Abel's but not Cain's, provoking Cain's anger, a warning that sin is at the door. In the ensuing scene, Cain murders Abel.

Neville's Inner Vision

From the Neville perspective, the scene is not about animals and fruit, but about states of consciousness. Abel's offering—the firstborn of the flock and its fat—represents a living confidence in the good of life, a state of gratitude and trust in the I AM that animates every breath. Cain's offering—the fruit of the ground—speaks of effort born from fear, comparison, and scarcity. When God has respect for Abel and not Cain, you are being shown your interior weather: when you identify with lack, the mind becomes wroth and its countenance falls; you feel judged and separate from source. The command, If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? is not judgment but invitation: align your inner action with the truth that you are already whole. Sin lying at the door is the persistent temptation to dwell in appetite, blame, or pride rather than in the awareness of your oneness. The field is your daily arena where you must choose: rule over the impulse to kill by returning to the one presence, your I AM. Cain's murder is the dramatization of choosing fear over love. You can revise it into mercy by choosing the state that accepts and blesses life.

Practice This Now

Imaginative Act: Assume the state 'I AM whole and accepted now' and see Abel's offering as your inner trust in life; when envy arises, silently revise to 'I accept what is mine to give and receive' and feel the peace as if God is approving your state.