Cain was a server of the ground that he might earn a living for himself, whereas Abel was a feeder of sheep (Gen. 4:2, lit.) that he might have an offering to present to God. At that time, before the flood, man ate only vegetables and fruits (Gen. 1:29), for God had not yet ordained that man should eat of the cattle, whose blood could be shed (Gen. 9:3-4). Therefore, what man gained by feeding sheep was for presenting offerings to God and not for earning a living for himself. Moreover, in the sense of man’s need for covering because of the fall, the skin that was left from the sacrificial lamb was for the covering of man’s shame before God so that man could be acceptable to God and thereby could contact God. Therefore, Abel’s occupation indicates that Abel did not live mainly for himself; he lived according to God’s desire primarily for the accomplishing of God’s purpose in His redemption. Likewise, all who believe in God and take the way of God’s redemption should care for God’s purpose more than they care for their livelihood. Everything they do should be for the purpose of serving God.
In Abel’s living, his occupation indicates that he cared for taking the way of God’s redemption. Everything he did was according to God’s revelation and by faith. To present offerings with the shedding of blood according to God’s revelation and thereby be justified and accepted by God is to act by faith, doing something that man cannot perceive by his natural senses. The way of faith taken by Abel (Heb. 11:4) also became a model representing God’s way of redemption and life taken by all those who have believed into Christ through the ages. Therefore, in the divine revelation of the Bible, Abel and Cain represent two categories of people, the believers and the unbelievers. Furthermore, the two opposite ways taken by them represent the two opposite ways taken by mankind, the way of life and the way of death. Abel and all those who believe and take the way of life will ultimately be in the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and new earth, where they will express God’s life and glory for eternity. On the other hand, Cain and all those who do not believe but take the way of death will end up in the lake of fire, which also is in the new heaven and new earth (Rev. 20:15; 21:8; 22:15), where they will be a sign of God’s condemnation, righteousness, and holiness for eternity (John 5:29).
Because Abel presented offerings with the shedding of blood according to God’s revelation and was accepted by God, he incurred Cain’s hatred and was killed by Cain (Gen. 4:4-5, 8). Thus, he became the representative of all those throughout the ages who take God’s way of redemption and life and who because of this are martyred. The Lord Jesus said to the Pharisees, “I send to you prophets and wise men and scribes: some of them you will kill...and some of them you will scourge...that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar” (Matt. 23:34-35). This word indicates clearly that in both the Old Testament and New Testament ages, all those who take God’s way of redemption and life will suffer persecution. Therefore, like Abel, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Tim. 3:12). They all are Abel’s followers.
Cain and Abel as a pair represent the two categories of Adam’s descendants: one rejecting God and taking the way of death, and the other receiving God and taking the way of life. The name Cain means “acquired”; it was given because Eve believed that Cain was the seed of woman promised by God, the one who would bruise the head of the serpent. In fact, Cain would be a follower of the old serpent. Although Cain came to know God through his parents, he refused to take God’s way. On the contrary, according to his own preference he presented of the fruit of the ground an offering without the shedding of blood. As a result, he was not accepted by God and he lost God. As a server of the ground, Cain cared only for his own existence and not for God’s purpose. He became the representative of all those throughout the ages who refuse to take God’s way of redemption, and by murdering Abel he became the representative of all those who murder because of religious jealousy.
The name Abel means “vanity, like a breath.” This name indicates that Abel felt that the life of fallen man was vanity. He not only knew God but also took God’s way. He presented the firstlings of the flock as offerings with the shedding of blood and was thus justified by God. As a feeder of sheep, he cared only for presenting offerings to God and not for his own existence. He became the representative of all those who take God’s way of redemption and life, and in being slain by Cain he became the representative of all the martyrs throughout the ages who take God’s way of redemption and life.