Abel, a second generation human, Trusted Christ

© 2016 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)

Abel, Adam and Eve’s second son, had faith in Christ.

“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 speaketh” (Hebrews 11:4).

In whom was Abel’s faith? This question is answered by God’s interaction with Adam and Eve shortly after they had, in disobedience, eaten the forbidden fruit. After admitting their sin, Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed “that old serpent which is the Devil” (Revelation 20:2). God then addressed the Devil assuring him of his ultimate downfall.

“And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:14-15).

The seed of the woman, mentioned above, was a direct reference to Christ and His coming work of redemption. Christ would die to “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). The Devil would bruise the heel of Christ as Christ died His agonizing death on the Cross of Calvary. However, Christ’s victorious death and resurrection would bruise the head of Satan ensuring His final eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire (see Revelation 20:10).

God then used animal skins to clothe Adam and Eve’s nakedness. This first animal sacrifice was a picture of the prophesied blood-sacrifice of Christ. It was the first of many such pictures recorded in Scripture. With this poignant picture, God was teaching Adam and Eve that sins could be paid for only by Christ’s pure blood-sacrifice (see Hebrews 9:22-28).

Abel demonstrated commitment to this important principle. Scripture describes him and his brother Cain offering sacrifices to God. However, only Abel’s sacrifice was a blood-sacrifice pleasing to God. God rejected Cain’s bloodless sacrifice (Genesis 4:3-5). Abel had embraced God’s picture of Christ, the coming “seed of the woman” (see Galatians 3:16) who would shed His blood to save sinners from their sins. Cain rejected Him.

Are you trusting Christ, as did Abel, or rejecting him as Cain?

 

 

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