“THE LIFE OF ABEL” (GEN 4:2; Heb 11:4))

Jan 20^th, 2008

Int. Abel is mentioned 16 times in the Bible. ( Consider this evening, his worship, his witness and his work)

1. (Gen 4:2) "And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground."

2. Abel means "Mourning" (Mt. 5:3) “Blessed are they that mourn”

3. (Mat 23:35) "That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar."

I. ABEL’S WORSHIP– (He offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice)

A. ABEL’S WORSHIP CONSISTED OF A SACRIFICE TO GOD

1. (Gen 4:4) “And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof”

2. Abel's action here “brought” is in sharp contrast from his parents in (Gen 3:8), who “hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God.”

a. A consciousness of guilt caused Adam and Eve to flee;

b. A sense of need moved Abel to seek the Lord.

3. (Jn 8:9) “And they which heard, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one... and Jesus was left alone”

a. A guilty conscience will not bring a man to God; only grace.

B. ABEL’S WORSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED FIVE THINGS

1. Abel acknowledged that God was righteous in driving fallen man out of Eden

a. Gen 3:24 So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

2. Abel acknowledged that he was a guilty sinner, and that death was his just desert.

3. Abel acknowledged that God was holy, and must punish sin.

4. Abel acknowledged that God was merciful, and willing to accept the death of an innocent substitute in his place.

5. Abel acknowledged that he looked for acceptance with God in Christ the Lamb.

6. Abel by faith placed the blood of the firstlings of his flock, (which were a type of Him who is “the Firstborn” or Head “of every creature” (Col 1:15)

C. ABEL’S OFFERING WAS OFFERED TO GOD BY FAITH.

1. He was the first man to ever offer unto God a sacrifice by faith.

2. He had no established precedent to follow, no example to emulate,--- no outward encouragement to stimulate.

D. CONSIDER WHAT PROMPTED HIM TO OFFER THIS SACRIFICE BY FAITH.

1. (Rom 10:17) “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

a. Abel no doubt was instructed by his parent’s in the need for a sacrifice.

2. (Gen 3:21) "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them."

a. John Trapp said: "Clothes are the ensigns of our sin and covers of our shame. As the prisoner looking on his irons thinketh of his theft, so we looking on our garments, should think on our sins."

E. CONSIDER THE CONDITION OF HIS SACRIFICE.

1. He brought unto the Lord “of the firstlings of his flock,” (Gen 4:4)

2. Which God afterwards took as His portion. (Ex 13:12).

a. (Exo 13:12) "That thou shalt set apart unto the LORD all that openeth the matrix, (or womb) and every firstling that cometh of a beast which thou hast; the males shall be the LORD'S."

F. CONTRAST HIS OFFERING WITH THAT OF HIS BROTHER CAIN.

1. (Gen 4:3) "And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD."

2. Cain was no Athiest, for he acknowledged the existence of God.

3. Cain, like a lot of folk today, was a religious person, because he came before God as a worshiper.

4. His problem was that he refused to conform to God’s Divine Instructions.

G. CONSIDER SEVERAL THINGS ABOUT CAIN’S OFFERING

1. His was a bloodless offering, and “without shedding of blood is no remission” (Heb 9:22)

2. His offering was merely the fruit of his toils, and the product of his labors.

3. Cain deliberately ignored the sentence of God in (Gen 3:17): “Cursed is the ground.”

4. Cain despised the grace made known to Adam and Eve in (Gen 3:21)

a. (Gen 3:21) "Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them."

b. Thus, we read about many who like Cain, try to worship God with “self-will -worship.

5. (Jude 1:11) “Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain,”

a. They disobediently devised their own ways of worship.

b. They were envious of others, such as Cain was of Abel.

c. They hated others with a murderous spirit.

6. (1 John 3:12) "Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

a. Trapp says: "The very first man that died, died for religion; so early came martyrdom into the world."

II. ABEL’S WITNESS.... “By which he obtained witness that he was righteous.”

A. CONSIDER THE KIND OF A WITNESS ABEL WAS.

1. Every man is a witness of some kind.

2. Herein we are supplied with an illustration of “For them that honor Me, I will honor” (1 Sam 2:30).

3. David said: “In keeping God’s precepts there is “great reward” (Ps. 19:11).

4. Noticed the phrase: "He obtained witness." (literally, was witnessed of)

5. A. W. P. said: “Abel foreshadowed that “little flock,” who feel their sinner-hood, bow to God’s will, comply with His commandments, fly to Christ for refuge, and are accepted by God."

B. THE LORD HIMSELF GAVE WITNESS OF ABEL’S WITNESS.

1. (Gen 4:4) says: And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

2. John Owens said: "Our persons must be first justified, before our works of obedience can be accepted with God; for by that acceptance He testifies that we are righteous."

3. This is that "good report" that the elders received in (Heb 11:2)

4. A. W. P. said: "Abel's worship and the fruits thereof are registered in the everlasting records of Holy Scripture..."

5. “God testifying of his gifts.” (Heb 11:4)

6. We are not told in (Gen 4) in so many words how He did so, but the Analogy of Faith leaves little room for doubt.

a. In (Lev. 9:24) we read, “And there came a fire out from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat.”

b. (1 Kings 18:38). Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice”

c. (Judg 6:21) "Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock , and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight."

d. (Judg 13:19-20) "So Manoah took a kid with a meat offering, and offered it upon a rock unto the LORD: and the angel did wonderously; and Manoah and his wife looked on. {20} For it came to pass, when the flame went up toward heaven from off the altar, that the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar. And Manoah and his wife looked on it, and fell on their faces to the ground."

III. ABEL’S WORK FOR THE LORD. (He being dead, yet speaketh)

A. ABEL’S SPEAKING REMINDS US OF HIS SERVICE TO GOD.

1. It reminds us of his faith, his service and his sacrifice, and his testimony.

B. ABEL’‘S SPEAKING REMINDS US OF THE STUBBORNESS OF CAIN.

1. Though born of religious parents; they could not save him.

2. Though instructed by them in religious matters, he refused instruction.

3. Though he had a good brother, yet he was jealous and killed him.

C. ABEL’S SPEAKING REMINDS US OF THE PROPER SACRIFICE TO GOD.

1. Abel brought the firstlings of his flock. a male in sacrifice.

2. Abel brought a blood sacrifice. (Heb 9:27)

3. Abel approached God by faith. (Eph 2:8-10)

CONCLUSION: Consider the blessedness of speaking after death.

1. Joseph, while he lived, saved much people alive. (Gen 50:20) "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive."

a. But in the providence of God, because of his untarnished character; Joseph dead, is spoken of more than Joseph living.

2. David, the sweet singer of Israel, while alive, taught many to handle the harp, but

a. David being dead, you can hardly name a Psalm or hymn or spiritual song, of which the lesson was not learned from the son of Jesse.

3. The Apostle Paul preached many a sermon while living and converted not a few to the faith which he once sought to destroy.

a. But Paul being dead, yet preaches the gospel today in his Epistles.

a. And is used to convert thousands each year around the world.

4. John Wycliffe, converted to Christ through the writings of Paul, translated the Scriptures and from his work our K. J. V. was distributed all over Europe.

5. Bunyan is dead, and yet he still speaks through his work, Pilgrim Progress and Holy War.