This story is more than a rivalry between brothers. It contains an essential truth for us still today in how we approach God. They both brought an offering, but one pointed to faith and the other to works.
“Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favour on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering, he did not look with favour. So Cain was furious, and his face was downcast. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. (Genesis 4 2-8)
This wasn’t about animals being better than vegetables! It was about faith. Abel probably didn’t realize what his offering was pointing to. He hadn’t seen how everything in Bible history leads to the sacrifice of the Son of God on a cross. Neither had Cain.
They didn’t understand the Lamb of God, a title for Jesus Christ, who takes away people’s punishment for sin.
But when these two offerings were made, God accepted one and rejected the other. We do not know how this was determined, but perhaps it was by fire from heaven, which generations later would be experienced especially within the Temple.
Cain offered the work of his hands as a sacrifice. This practice still exists today. It was relevant for the author writing to a community of believers who were being tempted to return to a works-based system of worship, like Judaism. For us, it remains present as well. Cain trusted in his own reasoning and efforts, believing his work would impress God.
Abel offered his sacrifice by faith. What does that mean? It was a blood sacrifice—a substitute that pointed to Christ, of course. His offering had to die to bring worship to God. This wasn’t just about Abel, but about the animal. There was nothing in Abel that he could get, but his offering was acceptable because of the life in the blood of the sacrifice. Very early in history, Abel understood—even in a basic sense—that approaching God requires something to be sacrificed.
The main point is this: we cannot approach God through our own efforts or strength, but only by the blood sacrifice of another. Don’t go back to the Old Covenant; the New Covenant is much better because it is fulfilled by the superior sacrifice of Jesus Christ, not by our own works. We never approach God based on what we have done, but on what He has done for us. This hero – Abel – still speaks to us today.
Missions Paul 