“Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel. When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground.”
Abel was the son of the first two people, Adam and Eve. The meaning of his name isn't fully clear, but it might mean "breath," "vanity," or a form of the word "shepherd." He's the second child listed in scripture who was born to Adam and Eve. Cain was his older brother, and when they grew up, Abel became a shepherd while Cain became a farmer (Genesis 4:2).
A Righteous Offering in Faith
Abel was a righteous man who pleased God. This is evidenced through the offering he brought to God (Genesis 4). At this point in the story, we're not certain if God had given specific instructions about what kinds of offerings He would accept. Later, God would command His people to make very specific kinds of sacrifices, but we can learn about this moment by observing what happened between God and these brothers.
Both Cain and Abel brought separate offerings to God (Genesis 4:3-4). As a farmer, Cain brought produce from the ground that he had tended. As a shepherd, Abel gave a firstborn lamb from the flock that he had cared for. God accepted Abel's sacrifice but not Cain's.
Why was Abel's sacrifice more acceptable than Cain's?
“It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.”
The Bible says that without faith, it's impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Perhaps the Lord was pleased with Abel's offering because it was given "in faith," which shows trust in God's promises. It could be that Abel came humbly before God, offering his sacrifice in trust—rather than thinking he could "earn" forgiveness with an impressive gift.
Another reason God may have favored one offering over another is found in how they're described differently. Abel brought "the best portions of the firstborn lambs from his flock" (Genesis 4:4, NLT). And Cain's offering is described as "some of his crops" (Genesis 4:4, NLT). So it's possible that, while Abel brought "the best portions," Cain simply brought some regular crops—not the best ones.
Cain's Jealous Response
“The Lord said, 'What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.'”
When Cain saw that God accepted Abel's offering but not his, he became jealous and angry. God saw his strong emotional response and spoke with Cain, gently giving him a chance to change his attitude (Genesis 4:6-7). Rather than repenting, Cain's anger led him to murder his brother (Genesis 4:8). Maybe he thought he could hide from God, but of course, God knew everything (Genesis 4:10).
As part of Cain's punishment, the ground, symbolic of where he'd spilled his brother's blood, would no longer produce well for him (Genesis 4:12). This was devastating for Cain, and he spent his days wandering far from God and felt like a fugitive for the rest of his life (Genesis 4:13-16).
What grief their parents must have felt to see the cost of their sin playing out through their first children in these ways. Abel was the first martyr—a man killed for his faith due to the curse of sin caused by Adam and Eve (Matthew 23:34-35).
Lessons from Abel's Life
The Bible doesn't give us a lot of details about Abel. But based on what it does say, we can find several parallels with biblical principles.
God is pleased with those who come to Him in faith and trust (Psalm 28:7; 2 Corinthians 5:7).
Sometimes being faithful to God can cost us something (Mark 8:34-36).
God is just and punishes those who sin against Him and others (Romans 12:19). We might not witness their punishment, but no one gets away with sin. There will be judgment either on this earth and/or in eternity (2 Corinthians 5:10).
God heard the cry of Abel's blood and responded, which shows that God is attentive to our cries as well (Psalm 55:22; Philippians 4:6).
Satan cannot thwart God's redemption plan (Matthew 2:13-23). God brought good out of this tragedy by appointing another son of Adam and Eve's (Seth) to be a righteous leader who would impact generations to come (Genesis 4:25-26).
Finally, Abel's story would become an example of Christ—even before the world knew Jesus. Both were righteousness men who were killed due to the sinful nature of humanity. While Abel's blood cried out for vengeance and justice, Jesus' blood cried out to forgive the sin of His persecutors. Through His blood, our sin can be forgiven (Ephesians 1:7).