In His ImageSample

Day 19: The Better Abel

Discover: While much of this week focused on the sin and image of Cain, it is crucial to remember that God is still at work to restore His people back to the Garden. At the beginning of the week, we learned that when Eve gave birth to Cain, she likely believed he would be the one to save them from the curse of sin they were living under. However, we quickly realized that her hope had been misplaced. While we too often experience this same disappointment, Eve is given a glimpse of future hope through the birth of Seth, which is the line from which Jesus comes. We also see how God even uses sin to bring about His purposes and teach us what His saving work truly looks like. On this final day, we will take time to focus on Abel's character. Although Abel's presence in Genesis 4 is brief, his legacy is echoed throughout Scripture. Abel provides us with an early picture of Christ, showing how God's redemption will come to fruition even amidst human sinfulness. Abel’s life and sacrifice foreshadow the coming of Christ, emphasizing the continuity of God’s plan and His unwavering commitment to humanity.

Learn: However, we learn that God uses Cain's actions to foreshadow what Christ will endure for us. Abel, as a shepherd, reflects Jesus, the Good Shepherd who willingly sacrifices His life for His sheep, as described in John 10:11. Abel's experience of unjust hatred from his brother parallels Christ's own experience of being hated without cause, as we see in John 15:23-25. Just as Abel is the target of his brother's jealousy, Jesus faces great jealousy from the Pharisees. Unfortunately, for each of them, that jealousy results in a violent death at the hands of their adversaries. Also, we see Abel acts as a priest who offers a sacrifice pleasing to the Lord. This points to our ultimate fulfillment in Jesus, who becomes the Great High Priest who offers Himself as the perfect sacrifice, as described in Hebrews. These parallels show Abel's role as a foreshadowing of Christ, which demonstrates the continuity of God's redemptive plan throughout Scripture, often revealed in unexpected ways.

Apply: Despite the gravity of Cain’s sin, Cain's story reveals to us who Christ is. In our sin, we, like Cain, harm our "brother." Yet Christ came to be crushed for our sins, a picture beautifully displayed in Isaiah 53. His grace continuously covers us, regardless of how often we fail, how severely we sin, or how many times we fall—He is there. Repeatedly, Christ’s grace covers us. In the depths of our temptation and during the greatest moments of our struggle, we can remember that we do not serve an unfeeling high priest. Since Christ endured everything we endure, we can confidently approach Him to receive mercy and find grace in our times of need. How can you start to see Christ as the better Abel and trust in His help during your times of need? He is the true offspring of the woman who defeated the serpent, who invites all sinners to approach Him with great boldness.