The Offering of Abel

And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.--Hebrews 12:24

There was great anticipation east of Eden when Eve gave birth to her firstborn son. She aptly described her joy when she said, "I have gotten a man from the LORD" (Genesis 4:1). Every mother who has ever lived can relate to the pain and joy of bringing forth new life. Doubtless Eve was thinking beyond this event, back to her experience in the garden when the LORD not only pronounced her punishment for disobedience, but gave her a glimmer of hope for the future by the curse he put on the serpent. "I will put enmity between thee [Satan] and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" (Genesis 3:15). Perhaps she felt that Cain would be the instrument that would bruise the head of the serpent as God had promised. But Cain was not the one to realize this hope. God's due time to fulfill this promise was far distant.

Some time later Eve bore another son named Abel. The two boys grew up together and prospered. Doubtless they played and fought with each other as most boys do. Cain grew in stature and strength and became a farmer of the land, while his brother Abel tended the animals and became a shepherd. This seems especially appropriate since Cain's name means "acquired" or "man of the earth," while Abel's name means "that which ascends." Based on the record, we realize that Cain was earthly minded and Abel was spiritually minded.

Doubtless their parents had described the experience of being cast out of the garden of Eden, for it was the most traumatic event of their lives. The separation from God that they experienced made them long for communion with the Almighty Creator. Over time these two young men felt a need to make offerings unto God. Perhaps this was an expression of duty love to God based on the blessings of the fruitage of both crops and livestock. Although they had to toil by the sweat of their brows, nevertheless the bounty of the earth was plentiful.

Offering Their Best

Naturally being a shepherd, Abel's tendency would be to present an unblemished animal offering. Perhaps Abel reflected on the account of Genesis 3:21 where "the LORD God made coats of skins, and clothed them" when trying to determine an appropriate offering. Why did God replace the covering of fig leaves on Adam and Eve used to cover themselves with a covering of animal skins? Was this an indication that God would have to intervene to provide an acceptable covering for the fallen flesh? Why did this covering involve the killing of animals and consequent shedding of blood? Reflecting on this experience, perhaps Abel realized that the shedding of blood was necessary for an acceptable offering.^* This would be represented by the garments that God had provided his parents upon banishing them from the garden. Abel is listed in Hebrews as a hero of faith so we can say with certainty that he was spiritually minded. "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24).

"And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof" (Genesis 4:3,4). So each of the sons of Adam and Eve brought forth the best they had to offer. Cain brought an offering of the first fruits of the soil; Abel brought forth the firstborn of his flocks. Later, based on Jewish sacrifices, we realize that both grain and animal offerings were acceptable to God. So what was God's reaction to these offerings? "The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor" (Genesis 4:4,5).

Acceptable Sacrifices

How did Cain and Abel know whether their offerings were acceptable? The Genesis account gives no definitive answer. It is obvious, however, that all involved were aware of God's favor on Abel's offering and his disfavor with Cain's. We know that God communicated with both Cain and Abel, but the Genesis account does not tell us that he directly said anything to either of them about his acceptance of their offerings. Instead, he asked Cain, "Why are you angry?" (Genesis 4:6). At this point God's verdict on the offerings was already known.

We have a clue as to the acceptance of offerings based on later biblical events and the history of sacrifices under the law. We know that burnt offerings show God's acceptance or seal of approval. This is clearly laid out and prescribed by God himself in the sacrifices of the Tabernacle.

There is a wonderful account of the clear acceptance of an offering in the incident when Elijah faced the prophets of Baal. Elijah suggested that Baal send fire to consume their offering. Nothing happened. The prophets called continually upon Baal and still nothing happened! After repeatedly soaking his sacrifice with water, Elijah said, "Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again. Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench." (1 Kings 18:37,38). It was clear to all present which offering was accepted by the true and living God. So we suggest that God used fire to signify his approval of Abel's offering. This would be an obvious way to consume the offering and show acceptance to all involved.

"Why Are You Angry?"

At first it seems as though God was surprised when he asked Cain, "Why are you angry?" (Genesis 4:6). In fact God was testing Cain; he was not cutting him off but rather giving him an opportunity to offer a more acceptable offering. God continued by inquiring, "Why is your face downcast?" (Genesis 4:6). Because God had not approved his offering, Cain was disheartened. Most likely Adam and Eve now looked more favorably upon Abel and his offering, and this caused jealousy to erupt in Cain's heart. The Lord warned Cain of the results of the struggle of good and evil when he said, "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." (Genesis 4:7, New International Version) This was the first reminder of the consequences of the corruption of sin since the garden, and an extension of the statement, "the wages of sin is death."

Cain had already demonstrated his strong self will by not following the Lord's leading in bringing forth an animal offering. While speaking with God, he showed anger and distress. Despite an opportunity to make a more acceptable offering, he did not change. In Genesis 4:8 Cain's envy drives him to the murder of his brother, the first in a long tradition of killing that continues down to our day. Not only did this act show malice, anger, and jealousy, it was cold hearted. Only now was the full scope of the death sentence given in the garden coming to light. For the first time we have recorded the death of a man. The first recorded death of man came by the hand of another man, his own brother. Cain's heart was corrupted by deception when the Lord asked him, "Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?" (Genesis 4:9). But God knew that Cain had shed his brother's blood. As he said in Genesis 4:10, "What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground." God handed down a sentence for this vile crime in Genesis 3:11,12 where we read, "And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth." As a result, Cain was an outcast in the land of Nod. He was given a life sentence of being a vagabond.

We can not imagine the sorrow that our first parents must have felt at the death of Abel, their beloved son. Two nearly perfect hearts broken over the loss of both of their sons, one to death and the other to gross sin. Only now did they start to comprehend the cost of what they lost in the garden. Only now could they begin to understand the wages of sin, one son lost to the pit [sheol, grave], and the other banished from their sight. Only now did they have a hint of the necessity of blood to make an acceptable sacrifice. How great their sorrow must have been as they cried to God at this unexpected loss. Yet God permitted them to have this experience in the permission of evil. Even without the law, Adam and Eve knew that Cain's actions were condemned and he was banished from their presence.

A Deeper Significance

Is there a deeper significance to Abel's offering? Looking back at the scriptures, we see a pattern developing. Adam and Eve covered themselves with fig leaves, but God replaced these garments with animal skins and in doing so sacrificed the life and the blood of the animal. Abel's offering of the firstborn of his flock was acceptable while Cain's offering from the ground was rejected. Noah and the patriarchs offered animals to honor God. This tradition was expanded upon by the tenants of the law. As it says in Hebrews 9:12, the blood of goats and calves could not redeem man from sin. Finally, Christ gave his all upon the cross; it was not an animal sacrifice but a perfect human life for a perfect human life. We can see in each of these examples, a more progressive and clearer picture of the sacrifice needed to redeem mankind from their sin-sick and dying condition.

Cain also made a mistake in assuming that since he was the firstborn, the favor of his parents would fall upon him. Since no one had yet died, the concept of inheritance did not yet exist. We see this theme repeated over and over again in the examples of Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Isaac, Esau and Jacob, the Jews and the Gentiles. Each of these situations contrasted an earthly versus a spiritual inheritance, and in each case the firstborn lost his inheritance. God here illustrates the principle that he is seeking a spiritual class to become a part of his spiritual family. Once again, each of these situations is a picture of increasing clarity showing that unfruitful branches would be pruned and spiritual branches would be grafted into the vine.

We can learn many things from the lesson of Abel's offering. In order to offer a sacrifice that is pleasing and acceptable to God, we must seek and do his will. This means putting aside the tendencies and preferences of the fallen human nature. In doing so, our little all can be consumed upon the altar and be acceptable to God. Abel's offering was the second example of the necessity of the shedding of blood for the remission of sin. It was the first chapter in a long story of offerings, even down to the death and crucifixion of our Lord and Master at the hands of his Jewish brethren. The story of Cain and Abel illustrate a picture of a second group being offered a birthright, the arrangement whereby the church is invited into God's own family. What a wonderful picture of the unchanging principles of God. To God be the glory forever, AMEN.