Abel

 

    Abel was the second born person into the world.  His name means "breath" or "vapor".  It indicates that he was calm and had a calming affect on those around him.  He was not a favorite of God's because God does not have favorites, but he was cherished by God.  Able held a close relationship with God which made him a powerful life force.

    Abel was a shepherd.  This indicates that he was a care giver.  He loved the outdoors.  He loved animals and nature.  He had a protective nature.  Yet, he was willing to sacrifice his very best and most loved animal to God.  He gave God the best portions of his firstborn lamb to honor and show God love.  

    God was pleased with Abel's gift. He did not accept Abel's brother's gift because it was given out of duty, not love or respect.  Cain had an attitude problem.  There is nothing to support my theory, but I think Cain was angry with God because he felt robbed of the perfect life in Eden.  After all that was his parent's fault, not his.  His attitude robbed him of what he wanted and needed most: a close relationship with God.  However, God was talking to him.  God was trying to get Cain to understand what Abel seemed to get.  God was trying to help Cain conquer his sin. 

    Can was not listening to God with his heart.  He allowed his jealousy to consume him to the point that he wanted his brother dead.  No matter how Cain killed Abel, it was premeditated to a certain degree.  He had to think about wanting to remove Abel for a while before acting on it even if in the moment it was on impulse and not calculation.  Murder is murder.  Murder is evil.  Murder is hate.  Murder is sin.

    Cain led Abel into a secluded field, attached Abel, and killed him.  It is murder.  It is not self-defense.  It was not war.  There was no reason why Abel had to die that day.  Yet he did.  Cain did not consider how this would destroy his parents or if he did, then he did not care.  Cain did not realize what killing his own brother would do to him, but he would.  Taking a life will always have consequences, even if the killer is not caught by a person or people.

    For the rest of time, when God's righteous people are killed the killer(s) are held by God as if they had killed Abel.  Able was the first martyr to hate.  All murder in history is subsequentially under his murder.  Which eventually led to the murder of Jesus.  It is a serious crime.  

    Abel is will be remembered for his faith throughout history.  His faith is what made whatever he gave God acceptable and even cherished by God.  His short life was evidence of a righteous man in the fallen world.  We do not have to give into temptation.  We do not have to sin.  We chose to sin.  We can always look at Abel as an example of faith.

Genesis 4:2-8, Matthew 23:35, & Hebrew 11:4