The Blood of Abel

Growing up, there was a verse of scripture that was a staple in the family devotion prayers. It derived from Hebrews 12:24.

“And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.”

(Hebrews 12:24, KJV)

The “blood of Jesus that spoke better than Abel’s” was usually invoked over our affairs. I imagine it also featured (and probably still continues to feature) in the prayers of many a Nigerian family. The blood of Abel mentioned by the writer of Hebrews has its origins in the book of Genesis 4, and it’s quite the tragic story.

The events relayed in Genesis 4 happen not too long after the fall of Adam and Eve. The chapter opens with introducing us to how Cain and Abel came to be. It then fast-forwards to some indeterminate time in their lives where they both appear before God to give an offering. The Bible then tells us that God accepts Abel’s offering and rejects that of Cain.

I used to wonder why it happened that way. Why did God reject Cain’s offering? Someone once gave an answer saying it was because Cain produced crops from the ground God had cursed and tried to please God with his sweat. Well, the answer is in the story itself.

“…the Lord accepted Abel and his gift, but He did not accept Cain and his gift.”

(Genesis 4:4b-5a, NLT)

God did not accept Cain, and so He didn’t accept His gift as well. And why didn’t God accept Cain?

“’Why are you so angry?’ the Lord asked Cain ‘…you will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.’”

(Genesis 4:6-7 [Paraphrased], NLT)

Cain was harboring sin in his heart and was on the verge of letting it take control of his actions. Cain was very much up to date with his offerings and acts of service, but God loved him too much to overlook the state of his heart. That was what God was trying to draw Cain’s attention to: the raging mass of darkness in Cain’s heart.

God is more concerned about the state of your heart than about anything you could give Him or do for Him. His standards have remained the same throughout scripture (1 Samuel 15:22, Psalm 51:17, Acts 5:1-11, Romans 12:1), and they will continue to remain consistent even in this generation that is so fixated on optics rather than substance.

The wonderful thing is that God will always call His children to order. The question is whether they’ll be listening and responding to that call. Is your heart for God? Do your actions reflect a heart for God or do they attempt to cover up darkness within. If you’re in the latter category, God says you must not allow Sin control you. You must subdue it and be its master.

And that’s what life in Christ affords us: the ability to live a life of victory over sin.
Sadly, Cain didn’t listen to God and he allowed anger to further damage things. A deluge of consequences (that he may never have thought of) rained on him as his brother’s blood, leaking into the primeval earth, cried unto the God of justice.

Cain’s story was a sad one. But it’s a reminder to us of what happens when we allow sin rule our lives. If we would not end up like Cain, we must take God’s advice and subdue sin.

“Do not let sin control the way you live… do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life… Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s Grace.”

(Romans 6:12-14 [Paraphrased], NLT)