Abel: A Kingdom Gem

By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And, through his faith, though he died he still speaks. (Hebrews 11:4)

There are so many nuances to the story of Abel, stretching out far beyond the Sunday School version that we all know—the sad story of the first murder on earth—one brother murdered by the hand of the other.

Honestly, how did Cain receive "top billing" anyway as the murderer? Abel even comes before Cain alphabetically, and yet the story is almost always called "Cain and Abel."

Abel’s name in Hebrew means "breath" or "vapor"—a fragile reminder of how fleeting life is, yet Abel’s legacy lives on. Cain means "acquired" or "possessed," consistent with the self-centered desires that often lead to our darkest despair and everything it produces in a human being. Abel’s brother might be mentioned, but Abel is the true shining star of this piece, and the less said about Cain the better. And while it might strike us as uniquely appalling that one blood brother murdered another, it is paramount to understand that, in God’s Kingdom, we are all God’s children. Among us, can there ever be a “more acceptable” murder—or any other sin?

Keep in mind that because the earliest events in the Old Testament were passed on through oral tradition, we wouldn’t know of this tragic event if it weren’t for Adam and Eve. There is simply no other way this story has found its place in scripture. Only they could have shared it with their children to follow, intentionally passing this narrative down to ensure that the faith of the son they lost lived on. This is the last, be it indirect, reference to Adam and Eve in human history. It is through Abel’s parents we learn that Abel was the true pioneer of devotion.

Abel’s heart for God preceded even Enoch—becoming the very first human to truly grasp God's heart long before the days when "men began to call upon the name of the Lord." No protocol for worship and offering existed yet. Abel’s actions were purely a product of his love and appreciation for his God. He brought God the very best he had.

We also see in Abel’s short life story an interesting twist that weaves through Old Testament history, highlighting that God’s thoughts and ways are different and above our own. God often chooses the younger over the older. Abel came after Cain by birth, but God bypassed the legal right of the firstborn and chose the younger. This divine, upside-down blueprint plays out with Jacob over Esau, Joseph over his older brothers, and later when Samuel sends for the forgotten shepherd boy, David, out of the fields to be anointed king instead of his older brothers. God underscores that He is no respecter of persons. Human status, strength, and "top billing" have no value in God’s Kingdom.

Pause to dwell on just how wicked and devastating Satan’s assassination of Abel, by the unwitting hand of Cain, truly was. In an instant, countless generations of those who would have followed in Abel’s spiritual footsteps were eliminated. This went far beyond a mere sibling squabble to the Evil One’s intent to prevent the prophecy of Genesis 3:15, where God promised that the Seed of the woman would eventually crush the serpent's head, and Satan desperately wanted to wipe out the righteous line right at the root. But God, being omniscient, was fully aware of Satan’s evil plans, and Abel did not die in vain.

Abel’s time on earth was cut short, but his love for and faith in God’s sovereignty and providence can and should be a factor in who we are becoming. We are the fruit of the One who crushed Satan’s head. And, like Jesus, we hold the keys to the Kingdom. Satan has no power over us, nor can he prevent us from bearing abundant fruit as devoted branches grafted into Jesus, the vine.

Father, sculpt within us a heart like Abel’s—one that overflows with love and appreciation for who You are. May our daily lives be a reflection of that genuine devotion as we look out for our brothers and sisters in Your Kingdom. Reinforce us in our fight against the spiritual warfare of daily life. Keep our eyes firmly focused upon Your Son and our Savior, Jesus, and the advancement of the Gospel, entirely for Your glory and not our own. Amen.

mgb