Children's Bible Ministry of Connecticut
Abel: A Hero of Faith
It was a different world for Abel. His parents had lived in the paradise of the Garden of
Eden where there was no want or worry. Everything was good. There were no problems or
difficulties. Now, outside the garden, there were thorns and thistles, pain and sorrow, hard work and sweat. No
doubt Abel would have had many questions about what life had been like in the garden. It
used to be that God would meet with Adam and Eve in the cool of the afternoon. Now there
was a separation between them and God. They could not freely walk with Him. They lost
their relationship. As sinners they could not approach God. They were spiritually dead.
For
the wages of sin is death, separation from God. Now, they must bring an animal sacrifice to get near to
God. Abel would have watched his father, Adam, offer an animal sacrifice, a
substitute. The
animal died instead of Adam who deserved death.
As Abel grew in understanding he came to realize that he, too, was a sinner, separated from
God, deserving death. He also knew that only God could solve his problem. He must come
to God, God's way, even as his father had. Abel believed the
truth Adam had taught him about God.
Life must pay for life. And so, in faith, Abel went to his flocks (He was a shepherd) and took
one of his lambs and offer it up, a sacrifice to God. Shedding its blood, Abel confessed that
he deserved the death. Abel believed God about himself and about his sin and about his
need for a sacrifice, a substitute, a Saviour. And God was pleased with Abel's faith. Abel was forgiven.
Now Abel had an older brother, Cain. Cain,
too, knew his need for a sacrifice, a substitute for his
sin. He knew that life must pay for life, but instead of bringing an animal and shedding its
life's blood, Cain brought the work of his own hands from his garden (He was a farmer). No
doubt he chose the finest of fruits and vegetables, but these were his own production. They
could not by death pay for his life. God could not be pleased with Cain's offering. It
contained no life's blood. Without shedding of
blood is no remission (Hebrews 9:22).
The two brothers remind us of every person in the world.
For all have sinned, and come
short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We all need a Saviour, a solution to our sin against
God. To those who come God's way-believing God's Word about self and sin and the
Saviour, trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ Who is called the Lamb of God Who takes away
the sin of the world by the shedding of His blood on the cross and His resurrection from the
grave-to them there is acceptance, forgiveness of sin and everlasting life. To those who
offer up their own works-good deeds, religious practices, etc.-there is no acceptance, no
forgiveness of sin, no eternal life, but eternal death (separation from God). Without shedding of
blood is no remission (Hebrews 9:22).
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 speaks.
Hebrews 11:4
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