Monday, December 3
ABEL
Genesis 4:1-15
Abel, the
first recorded man of faith, was righteous in the sight of God. He bowed to God’s righteous judgment on sin,
and trusted in God’s righteous deliverance from
sin through sacrifice. Let’s look at
Genesis chapter four.
Cain and
Abel were brothers, born to Adam and Eve.
Abel kept flocks. He brought fat
portions from the first born of his flock as an offering to God. According to Leviticus chapter three, all the fat is the Lord’s. “Fat” is described as the richest or choice
parts. The best. The innermost part. Abel dedicated his life to God, even unto
death. The name Abel means to be vain in
act, word, or expectation. Is this not the first of man’s innermost
self that needs to be sacrificed? To die?
To be let go? To be given to God
to be burned on the altar as the “fat.”
Abel also means to be emptied. To
be emptied of unrighteousness.
The offering Abel dedicated was an aroma pleasing to God. Once emptied of our own acts, words, and expectations,
Jesus can fill us with His. Today, our
life in Christ can be pleasing to God.
Offerings in the Old Testament translate into enacted prayers in the New
Testament. Fellowship Offerings, as Abel
demonstrated, represents expressions of thankfulness to Christ and involves a
commitment to the New Covenant. Abel
revealed a desire to be drawn near to God, to have fellowship with God, to have
communion with God. This can only be
accomplished today through the resurrected power of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus. The
resurrected power of Jesus is available to you and me today. This is good news! (Hebrews 9:11-18)
Now Cain worked the soil. He
brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to God. Cain randomly gave to God. “The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his
offering, but on Cain and his offering He did not look with favor. God spoke to Cain, ‘Why are you angry? Why is your face down cast? 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…” Cain chose not to repent, not to humble himself, and separated himself
from the presence of God.
Cain was vain in action, vain in word, and vain in expectation. His punishment, to be driven from God and
hidden from His presence, was more than he could bear. The innermost heart of Cain remained centered
on himself and not on receiving God’s heart.
God is amazing and merciful. If
by faith, Abel still speaks, even though he is dead, how much more is available
to us today. Because of the death and
resurrection of Jesus, the ability to receive all God’s promises and truths are available for all to receive now. Romans 6.
“God had planned something better for us...” It’s found in Jesus. Psalm 40:1-10
~
Cheryl Helgert