Cain and Abel, two lineages

Tuesday January 25, 2022

Cain and Abel, two lineages

Abel was a shepherd and Cain was a farmer. After some time, Cain made an offering of the produce of the earth to the Eternal. For his part, Abel made her one of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. The Eternal looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but not on Cain and his offering. Genesis 4:2-5

Cain and Abel, two brothers, will be the start of two lines of men, those who are unbelievers and those who are believers. These two lineages will continue until the end of human history.

Cain and Abel are religious. Cain's religion leads him to offer to the Eternal the fruit of the soil, of his efforts. Good intentions, but unacceptable, because the ground is cursed since the revolt of his parents. What can cursed soil do for God ? Nothing he can accept. So God has no regard for Cain's sacrifice.

In his patience and mercy toward him, the Eternal speaks to Cain of a sacrifice (v. 7) necessary for his state, but the latter becomes hardened, cultivates feelings of jealousy and kills his brother, Abel the righteous. Cain was the Wicked, the New Testament tells us (1 John 3:12). Cain is the first of the line of people who think they can approach God and be accepted because of their good works.

Abel offers lambs from his flock to God, a bloody sacrifice. He knows that his parents, after their disobedience, were preserved from immediate death because the Eternal sacrificed animals, in order to cover them with their skins. Animals had died in their place. Abel has faith in God, and by faith he offers a better sacrifice than his brother.

He pays with his life for his faithfulness to God, but his faith crosses the ages and testifies that he belongs to the lineage of Christ, that of faith.

Christian brothers and sisters, we are of the lineage of Christ, only by faith in his sacrifice. What grace, but also what dignity ! It should commit us to live for him soberly, righteously, and godly (Titus 2:12).

Source (Pleasing the Lord)