By Your FAITH #5 - Abel
This post is the fifth part in a series called: "By Your Faith". In this series we will be going through Hebrews chapter 11; studying the faith of many prophets and other important Old Testament people. Today is the first of those prophets: Abel.
Our topic today is: Abel (verse 4 in Hebrews Chapter 11)
We will obviously also be talking about Cain (Abel's brother).
Let's begin by reading the verse that I referenced above:
Cain and Abel were Adam and Eve's first children and many Bible scholars believe that they were twins. In Genesis 4 (see below) we see that "later Eve gave birth to Cain's brother Abel." It seems unlikely that "later" means two years later, so I agree with the scholars theory that they were twins.
Now, why was Abel's offering better than Cain's? It has to do with the difference in their hearts/their motives. The offering that Abel gave was an atonement sacrifice. The fat portions of the firstborn from his flock indicates that he was atoning for his sins. This also symbolizes that Jesus Christ is the only firstborn, sacrificial Lamb by which we are all saved (those who repent and accept Jesus that is).
Cain on the other hand, brought "some fruits" from the soil - not the firstfruits. We then see the proof of Cain's evil spirit from his sins that follow.
Look at this list of Cain's sins (as stated in the short Scripture passage above):
- he was angry & downcast when God favored Abel's offering (instead, Cain should have respected God and he should have corrected his ways to please God)
- Cain ignored God's warning about succumbing to sin.
- Cain connived and deceived his brother by luring him out to the fields
- Cain murdered his brother Abel
- Cain lied to God when God asked him where his brother was and Cain even mocked God with his sarcastic response: "Am I my brother's keeper?"
- Then, Cain whined and complained about his punishment (in verse 13 not listed above)
The worst of these sins is of course murder. Abel was the first man ever to be murdered. I looked up that passage in the "Blue Letter Bible" and researched the meaning of the word murder in Greek:
- to be deprived of real life
- to perish by means of something fixed in sin
The verse in 1 John explains it perfectly (see below):
Jesus also used Abel as an example when he was speaking with the Pharisees and "experts" in the Law:
"Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all."
Luke 11:50-51
The murder of innocents and faithful saints will be terribly punished.
Abel's faith was shown through his sincere sacrifice of repentance.
By Your FAITH (Previous posts in this series)
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