ABEL – THE FIRST MAN TO DIE
In these series of lessons we will be taking an in-depth look at some well known Bible characters, finding out what made them “tick,” and, even more importantly, learning some vital Bible principles. Many of these will be positive, but there will also be some powerful warnings of the consequences of disobeying God’s Word. Every lesson will provide an opportunity to apply practical truth to our daily lives.
Scriptures: Gen 4:1-10, 25; Matt 23:35; Heb 11:4, 12:24
“ABEL” means “breath” or “vapor”. His name, no doubt, is associated with the shortness of his life. (See Psalms 90:6; James 4:14)
- ABEL & CAIN– Abel was a shepherd and owned flocks and herds – Cain was a tiller of the ground (farmer). It was not occupation, though, which parted these first two brothers in the world; rather, it was their understanding of God’s program of salvation. The principle of redemption by blood was made clear to Adam and Eve in the garden when God made them coats of animal skins, and it is safe to conclude from the Genesis record that Cain and Abel had been taught about this. They both knew that God required an offering, but the response of Abel was quite different from that of Cain. Abel feared God, and because he did, he offered to God the best of his flock (4:4). He slew the animal and thereby made a sacrifice of blood. Two significant conclusions can be drawn from Abel’s action: 1) he understood God’s requirement of shedding of innocent blood for the forgiveness of sin (Heb 9:22), and, 2) this action represented the personal surrender of Abel’s heart to God. By contrast, Cain brought what he had grown and gathered from the earth. Therefore, his offering represented his own effort, which was totally unacceptable to God. Thus we learn right at the beginning of the Bible that there are only two basic plans for Approaching God: 1. the shedding of blood for the remission of sin (the innocent takes the place of the guilty) 2. the bloodless way – that is, the religions of works, all of which are built to some degree on man’s presumed potential for goodness. The first is 100% successful–John 6:37. The second is a total, 100% failure–Isa 64:6; Titus 3:5; etc. How foolish of man to think any effort of his own could ever satisfy an infinitely holy God, yet multitudes today are still following the “way of Cain” (Jude 1 la). Because God accepted Abel’s offering and rejected Cain’s, the angry brother killed Abel in the field. Isn’t it strange that down through the ages false religion has so often resorted to murder, torture and persecution of true believers in an effort to bolster its own position?? Millions of Abels have been tortured and killed by Cains, but have you ever heard of a Cain being put to death by an Abel?! (Consider Matt 5:43-48)
ABEL IS UNIQUE AMONG BIBLE MEN:
- He was the first human to experience physical death. (His body has been dead for almost 6,000 yrs!)
o He was the first human to be murdered. (Murdered by his own brother, who was the first person born into the human race!)
o He was the first person to present an offering acceptable to God. (No doubt Adam had brought offerings to God, but Abel’s is the first of which we have record.)
o Abel is the first man mentioned in God’s “Hall of Fame of the Faithful” (Heb 11).
- 2. ABEL & CHRIST– God was looking on and saw what Cain did to his brother. (By the way, God is always watching you, and He sees everything you do.) Therefore, Abel’s innocent blood cried from the ground to be avenged! (Do you suppose that the blood of millions of innocent babies, murdered in their mother’s womb, is crying out to God from America today?!)
It is interesting to note the comparison of Abel’s blood with that of Christ in Heb 12:24. Christ’s blood is far better in at least three ways:
- Christ’s blood was sinless – there was absolutely no taint of sin upon it!
- Abel’s blood cried out for vengeance against his murderer – but the blood of Christ cries out for mercy upon the sinner. (This is graphically illustrated in Christ’s amazing statement from the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”)
- Abel’s blood, although the blood of a righteous man (Matt 23:35), cannot atone for sin; but, hallelujah! Christ’s blood is ever able to cleanse from ALL sin (1 John 1 :7)!
LESSONS FROM ABEL’S LIFE:
1. There is only ONE WAY of salvation – faith in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Pet1:18ft).-
2. Man’s goodness, good works, or any other of his own efforts, can never justify him before God!
3. God’s own people must stand true to Him and the Only Way of Salvation REGARDLESS of the cost.