Old Testament Characters

Abel

Text:  a breath, or vanity, the second son of Adam and Eve. He was put 
to death by his brother Cain (Gen. 4:1-16). 

Guided by the instruction of their father, the two brothers were 
trained in the duty of worshipping God. "And in process of time" 
(marg. "at the end of days", i.e., on the Sabbath) each of them 
offered up to God of the firstfruits of his labours. Cain, as a 
husbandman, offered the fruits of the field; Abel, as a shepherd, of 
the firstlings of his flock. "The Lord had respect unto Abel and his 
offering; but unto Cain and his offering he had not respect" (Gen. 
4:3-5). On this account Cain was angry with his brother, and formed 
the design of putting him to death; a design which he at length found 
an opportunity of carrying into effect (Gen. 4:8, 9. Comp. 1 John 
3:12). 

There are several references to Abel in the New Testament. Our Saviour 
speaks of him as "righteous" (Matt. 23:35). "The blood of sprinkling" 
is said to speak "better things than that of Abel" (Heb. 12:24); i.e., 
the blood of Jesus is the reality of which the blood of the offering 
made by Abel was only the type. The comparison here is between the 
sacrifice offered by Christ and that offered by Abel, and not between 
the blood of Christ calling for mercy and the blood of the murdered 
Abel calling for vengeance, as has sometimes been supposed. 

It is also said (Heb. 11:4) that "Abel offered unto God a more 
excellent sacrifice than Cain." This sacrifice was made "by faith;" 
this faith rested in God, not only as the Creator and the God of 
providence, but especially in God as the great Redeemer, whose 
sacrifice was typified by the sacrifices which, no doubt by the divine 
institution, were offered from the days of Adam downward. On account 
of that "faith" which looked forward to the great atoning sacrifice, 
Abel's offering was accepted of God. Cain's offering had no such 
reference, and therefore was rejected. Abel was the first martyr, as 
he was the first of our race to die.