Part 1: Abel & His Superior Sacrifice Hebrews 11/Genesis 4
Hebrews 11:1-3 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.
A). Faith Accepts God s Word. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Faith is man s response to what God has said...it anticipates the future. - Raymond Brown.
B). Faith Wins God s Approval For by it the men of old gained approval. Hebrews 11:6 - Without faith it is impossible to please God
C). Faith Recognizes God s Power By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. God s incomparable power is such that he can call the universe into being when there is nothing from which it can be fashioned. He simply declared that it was to be, and once he said it, it was done. - Raymond Brown
Hebrews 11:4-5 4 By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.
Who was Abel? Adam and Eve s Children: Cain, Abel, and Seth. Was born outside of Eden (i.e. born in sin) Cain was a farmer, and Abel was a shepherd. Genesis 4:2b, Able was a keeper of flocks, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Genesis 4:3-7 says, 3 So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground. 4 Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; 5 but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his
countenance fell. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.
When Cain made the offering, his heart was not in the right place. His actions that followed God s rejection of his offering were an indicator of what s going on the inside of his life. When you get to the place where God s word goes in your ear and out the other, you are in a dangerous place!
The Result Genesis 4:8, Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
Genesis 4:9-16, 9 Then the LORD said to Cain, Where is Abel your brother? And he said, I do not know. Am I my brother s keeper? 10 He said, What have you done? The voice of your brother s blood is crying to Me from the ground. 11 Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother s blood from your hand. 12 When you cultivate the ground, it will no longer yield its strength to you; you will be a
vagrant and a wanderer on the earth. 13 Cain said to the LORD, My punishment is too great to bear! 14 Behold, You have driven me this day from the face of the ground; and from Your face I will be hidden, and I will be a vagrant and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me. 15 So the LORD said to him, Therefore whoever kills Cain, vengeance will be taken on him
sevenfold. And the LORD appointed a sign for Cain, so that no one finding him would slay him. 16 Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Why was Abel considered a Hero of faith? His offering was given out of righteousness. Its acceptability was not simply that he made a blood offering and a valuable offering ( the firstlings of his flock ), but also that he gave a sincere offering. Abel offered from a pure heart as well as the best gift.god sees not only the value of the sacrifice, but the heart of the giver. - Raymond Brown
Matthew 23:35 so that upon you may fall the guilt of all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar.
1 John 3:11-12, 11 For this is the message which you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another; 12 not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother s were righteous.
Hebrews 11:4, By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous It was not about the sacrifice itself that they offered it was the heart from which it was given.
Hebrews 11:4b,..through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks. Although Abel was murdered by his evil brother, He is still speaking; the story of his faithful accomplishment speaks to people in every generation, not only about the quality of their offering to God, but also their motivation. - Raymond Brown
Abel was a hero of faith, and he ended up being the first martyr. Life eternal is the reward of those who live and die for God. His sacrifice was superior because he offered his life completely to God.
Part 1: Abel & His Superior Sacrifice Hebrews 11/Genesis 4