And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Abel cared for flocks and Cain worked the soil, continuing after the fall God's Eden plan for healthful physical employment for the wise use of human physical powers. This was the same tilling of the ground appointed to Adam and Eve when sent from Eden, made harder when the cursed earth brought forth thistles. The verse stands in the fourth chapter of Genesis which tells the whole story, leading to later chapters where God destroys the world with a flood because departure from His plain commands filled the world with transgression and sin.
The verse presents the beginning plan of life as tillers of the soil and keepers of flocks and herds. Those who held fast God's principles continued this country life among fields and hills through the days of the patriarchs. God provided in it the conditions most favorable for development of character. This free, independent life gave opportunities for labor and study and meditation, in which men learned of God and taught their children of His works and ways, in contrast to those who departed from God and built cities.
Their different work is connected with the offerings they brought, since each brought his offering to the Lord from his own work. Both brothers had been taught to offer the firstlings of the flock with blood, as humble obedience and reverence, faith and entire dependence on Christ and on power outside themselves and on the promised Redeemer. The sacrifice kept their sin and Adam's sin and expulsion from Eden continually before the mind. Abel's offering of the firstlings was correct and valuable because it prefigured God's redemption plan in the costly offering of His only begotten Son as the hope and salvation of the fallen race and the great sacrifice for humanity and the true figure of the world's Redeemer. Cain's fruit offering was in itself very acceptable but left out the blood of the slain lamb that alone made an offering required.
Abel feared God and steadfastly carried out God's directions, determined to worship according to what God had given and refusing to turn to Cain's way. God blessed his loyalty and obedience, proving his righteousness and showing he was born of the righteous One. Cain rebelled and murmured over the curse on the ground, insisted on his own plans, and did not acknowledge dependence on Christ. He thought Adam had been treated harshly in being expelled, thought his own plans were best and that the Lord would come to his terms, and as the eldest thought his methods and plans should have supremacy and that Abel should follow his example. He was disloyal and determined to have his own ideas prevail.
The Lord showed respect to Abel and his offering by holy fire consuming the sacrifice but gave no sign of recognizing Cain's offering that left out the Redeemer. When Cain became exceedingly angry the Lord condescended to reason with him rather than give up His way and will to conciliate him, but Cain would not be reconciled. There could be no harmony between obedience and disobedience, so contention had to come because Abel could not concede without disobeying God's special commands. When Abel protested disloyal principles and would not follow Cain's example or concede to his views, Cain hated him because God favored him and rose against him in the field and slew him with anger burning hot.
The verse shows the human family becoming divided in the second generation, although Adam and Eve sorrowfully told their children the fall, since the evil begun in Paradise extended by influence. Cain chose to serve Satan and came under Satan's influence and became selfish instead of reflecting the moral image of the Creator, while Abel chose to serve God and remained under God's influence. Cain and Abel head and represent the only two orders and classes in humanity and the two principles of right and wrong, with Abel faithful and loyal to God and therefore preferred by God, and Cain disloyal and determined to have his own ideas prevail. Abel stands for those who do righteousness and steadfastly adhere to the commandments of God, rooted and grounded in truth and standing together in defense of the law of Jehovah including the Sabbath of creation, while Cain stands for those who refuse to obey God and support falsehood against truth on the side of the prince of darkness.
As Cain hated, persecuted, oppressed and killed Abel for his obedience, so from that persecution the same two characteristics have continued. Those yielded to Satan strive to oppress God's servants, those who keep the law are out of favor with the world and with professed Christians who make void the law, and this history will be repeated in those who have outgrown advent faith and live for the world while saying in their hearts that the Lord delays His coming and mistreat fellow servants. The murder proves sin a universal and dreadful evil that required God to undertake His great work of salvation by sending His Son to redeem mankind lest the world be destroyed for moral pollution.
Abel cared for flocks and Cain worked the soil, continuing after the fall God's Eden plan for healthful physical employment for the wise use of human physical powers. This was the same tilling of the ground appointed to Adam and Eve when sent from Eden, made harder when the cursed earth brought forth thistles. The verse stands in the fourth chapter of Genesis which tells the whole story, leading to later chapters where God destroys the world with a flood because departure from His plain commands filled the world with transgression and sin.
The verse presents the beginning plan of life as tillers of the soil and keepers of flocks and herds. Those who held fast God's principles continued this country life among fields and hills through the days of the patriarchs. God provided in it the conditions most favorable for development of character. This free, independent life gave opportunities for labor and study and meditation, in which men learned of God and taught their children of His works and ways, in contrast to those who departed from God and built cities.
Their different work is connected with the offerings they brought, since each brought his offering to the Lord from his own work. Both brothers had been taught to offer the firstlings of the flock with blood, as humble obedience and reverence, faith and entire dependence on Christ and on power outside themselves and on the promised Redeemer. The sacrifice kept their sin and Adam's sin and expulsion from Eden continually before the mind. Abel's offering of the firstlings was correct and valuable because it prefigured God's redemption plan in the costly offering of His only begotten Son as the hope and salvation of the fallen race and the great sacrifice for humanity and the true figure of the world's Redeemer. Cain's fruit offering was in itself very acceptable but left out the blood of the slain lamb that alone made an offering required.
Abel feared God and steadfastly carried out God's directions, determined to worship according to what God had given and refusing to turn to Cain's way. God blessed his loyalty and obedience, proving his righteousness and showing he was born of the righteous One. Cain rebelled and murmured over the curse on the ground, insisted on his own plans, and did not acknowledge dependence on Christ. He thought Adam had been treated harshly in being expelled, thought his own plans were best and that the Lord would come to his terms, and as the eldest thought his methods and plans should have supremacy and that Abel should follow his example. He was disloyal and determined to have his own ideas prevail.
The Lord showed respect to Abel and his offering by holy fire consuming the sacrifice but gave no sign of recognizing Cain's offering that left out the Redeemer. When Cain became exceedingly angry the Lord condescended to reason with him rather than give up His way and will to conciliate him, but Cain would not be reconciled. There could be no harmony between obedience and disobedience, so contention had to come because Abel could not concede without disobeying God's special commands. When Abel protested disloyal principles and would not follow Cain's example or concede to his views, Cain hated him because God favored him and rose against him in the field and slew him with anger burning hot.
The verse shows the human family becoming divided in the second generation, although Adam and Eve sorrowfully told their children the fall, since the evil begun in Paradise extended by influence. Cain chose to serve Satan and came under Satan's influence and became selfish instead of reflecting the moral image of the Creator, while Abel chose to serve God and remained under God's influence. Cain and Abel head and represent the only two orders and classes in humanity and the two principles of right and wrong, with Abel faithful and loyal to God and therefore preferred by God, and Cain disloyal and determined to have his own ideas prevail. Abel stands for those who do righteousness and steadfastly adhere to the commandments of God, rooted and grounded in truth and standing together in defense of the law of Jehovah including the Sabbath of creation, while Cain stands for those who refuse to obey God and support falsehood against truth on the side of the prince of darkness.
As Cain hated, persecuted, oppressed and killed Abel for his obedience, so from that persecution the same two characteristics have continued. Those yielded to Satan strive to oppress God's servants, those who keep the law are out of favor with the world and with professed Christians who make void the law, and this history will be repeated in those who have outgrown advent faith and live for the world while saying in their hearts that the Lord delays His coming and mistreat fellow servants. The murder proves sin a universal and dreadful evil that required God to undertake His great work of salvation by sending His Son to redeem mankind lest the world be destroyed for moral pollution.