Alan Fong
3 min read
Alan Fong
3 min read
Alan Fong
3 min read
Abel Speaks
Today’s Verse:
And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: ~Genesis 4:4
Abel was the second son of Adam and Eve. In Hebrews 11, he is the first of the heroes of faith who are mentioned. His name means “breath.” David referred to his days as an “hand breadth.” The shortness of Abel’s life is embodied in the concept of a hand breadth. I think of the brevity of life and how important it is that we make every day of our life count for God. However, Abel is someone whose life continues to live on as a message. This morning, let us see "Abel speaks."
We see Abel, the son.
He was the son of Adam and Eve. His brother was Cain. Cain was the first birth. Abel was the second birth. Our first birth is when we are naturally born. We are born with a sin nature, and if we die without our sins forgiven, we will not go to Heaven. The second birth is the New Birth. This is being born again. It is spiritual birth. When we are born again, we have the gift of eternal life and our sins are forgiven. When we are born again, we become a son of God.
We see Abel and his sacrifice.
“And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering.” Hebrews 11:4 says that Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain. He brought a lamb of the first year that was without blemish. This lamb was slain, its blood was shed, and its entire body was offered as a sacrifice for Abel’s sin. The lamb was his substitute for his sin. Abel had faith in the shed blood and sacrificial death of this lamb. God had respect unto his offering. This means that the just demands of God for Abel’s sin were appeased when the lamb’s blood was offered and its life was given as a sacrifice.
We see that Abel is slain.
Cain was filled with wrath against Abel because the Lord had respect unto Abel’s offering of the lamb, and not towards Cain’s offering of the fruit of the ground. Cain gave an offering from that which was cursed. His offering was of his works, and not of grace. Instead of repenting and bringing an offering of the firstling of the flock, Cain persisted in bringing an offering from the fruit of the ground. He became spiteful, and, out of wrath, he slew his brother. Abel became the first martyr. He died for what he believed in. The world and the devil desire to kill the message of the gospel. The message of salvation by works despises the message of salvation by grace. The Bible says, “Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
We see Abel, that he speaks.
“...By it he being dead yet speaketh." Abel is physically dead, but his message and witness for the Lord keeps on speaking. His testimony of the substitutionary sacrifice of a lamb for his sin points to “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”. Abel did not die in vain. Abel did not die a hopeless man. Abel’s sins were forgiven, and he went to Heaven because of his faith. Our life lives on through our message. Make your life count as a fervent witness of the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Whenever I have the privilege of doing a memorial service for a saved person, I give a strong gospel message. It is my prayer that unsaved attendees will get saved at this service. It is my prayer that “he being dead yet speaketh.” Be a living witness while you are alive, but remember that a strong testimony for Christ can live well beyond you. Let your life speak for the Lord.
Have a soulwinning God Morning!
Bible Reading Schedule: Leviticus 11-13
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