Who was Abel in the BIble?

TL;DR:

Abel was a son of Adam and Eve who murdered, although he was innocent, foreshadowing Jesus’ death. His faith motivates us to follow God regardless of what others are doing.

Abel is the second named son of Adam and Eve and Cain’s brother. His offerings were acceptable to God, while his brother’s sacrifices were not. In anger, Cain killed Abel—the first murder in the Bible. God punished Cain for his sin, yet He also brought redemption through the son born to Adam and Eve after Abel's death—Seth. Abel is considered righteous, and his faith made him a true worshiper of God. His righteousness is an example to us, and his death foreshadowed Jesus’ innocent blood that was shed for us.

from the old testament

Abel was Adam and Eve's second named son (Genesis 4:2).
Abel was a shepherd. He brought the firstborn of his flock and of their fat as an offering to the Lord (Genesis 4:4). Abel gave God the best he had to offer, and his sacrifices were pleasing to God.
Abel’s brother, Cain, was a farmer whose sacrifices were not pleasing to God. God told Cain that his sacrifice could be acceptable if he did well (Genesis 4:7). Instead, Cain's anger and jealousy took over. He killed Abel, making Abel the first person to be murdered (Genesis 4:2–8).
After Abel was killed, God confronted Cain, and sentenced him to a life of wandering: "And the LORD said, 'What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth'" (Genesis 4:10–12).
Redemption came to the family line through Seth, Adam and Eve’s son born after Abel's death. He was appointed by God to replace Abel (Genesis 4:25). Seth's family was righteous and worshiped God rightly, as Abel had (Genesis 4:26). It was through Seth's lineage that Enoch, Noah, and all of humanity came (Genesis 5; 9:18–19).

from the new testament

Jesus labeled Abel as righteous and the first martyr (Matthew 23:35).
In Hebrews 11 Abel is listed as one of God's faithful followers who is an example to us: "By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks" (Hebrews 11:4).
First John 3:12 tells us that Cain’s actions were evil and that Abel’s were righteous.

implications for today

Abel was a righteous man who obeyed God. The genuineness of his faith in God was revealed by his actions. In the same way, our actions reveal the state of our hearts. By faith we please God (Hebrews 11:6) and worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Although we might experience persecution for our faith, as Abel did (John 15:20; 2 Timothy 3:12), we can trust that God knows our hearts (1 Samuel 16:7) and will judge evil rightly. Abel’s death and shed blood serves as a type and shadow of the death and shed blood of Jesus, who was also murdered as an innocent man.

Jesus’ blood "speaks a better word than the blood of Abel" (Hebrews 12:24). While Abel’s blood cries out for justice, Jesus' blood provides the justice for sins by rescuing mankind from the penalty of their own sins (Isaiah 53:5). The sacrifices Abel gave were temporary, but Jesus' sacrifice is permanent. Jesus did not stay dead; He was resurrected and lives today. Jesus has conquered sin and death, and His shed blood is the sacrifice that provided salvation, once and for all (Hebrews 9:14; 1 John 1:7).

Through the story of Abel, we see that even when things go horribly wrong, God's plan continues. God continued a righteous legacy through Seth and his offspring. God promised a Savior after Adam and Eve sinned (Genesis 3:15), and that Savior is able to bring redemption and justice to every dark situation (Romans 3:24–26; Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 1:14).

understand

Abel’s actions revealed his heart toward God.
God looks at the heart.
God punished Cain’s sin and provided redemption for Abel.

reflect

What can we understand about why Abel’s sacrifice was accepted but not Cain’s?
What can we learn about God in the way He responded to Abel’s death?
What do we learn about God in the redemption He brought despite Abel’s innocent death?

engage

We have enough information in the Old Testament to understand why Cain’s offering was not accepted, but the New Testament clarifies it.
God gave Cain the ability to see that sin was crouching at his door and to correct his sin. Sin brings death. Cain chose to kill his innocent brother, Abel, instead of responding to the opportunity God gave him to repent and choose good.
God is both just, punishing evil, and gracious, providing redemption.