Hebrews 11:4

‘By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had witness borne to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness in respect of his gifts. And through it he being dead yet speaks.'

The first to reveal his faith was Abel. He was a ‘righteous one' (Matthew 23:35) who ‘lived by faith', and because he was righteous he offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain who did not ‘do well' (Genesis 4:7). Abel offered the firstlings and the fat. He made his many offerings as soon as he received blessing, and he offered much and of the best. His heart was right towards God. Cain's life on the other hand was not satisfactory to God, and we are probably to see his offering as grudging in the same way as his attitude towards God was seen to be. He was a schemer who brought what he offered to God with a view to how it would benefit him, but he did not ‘do well'. His life was not pleasing to God. And when he did not receive what he thought he ought to have done, he turned sour.

It was not the content of Abel's sacrifices that was more excellent. Meal offerings were as welcome as blood offerings, and a meal offering could also in fact be a sin offering (Leviticus 5:11). Furthermore the word used of Abel's offering is that usually applied, not to sacrifices, but to the meal offering. But it was the spirit of loving faith and gratitude in which they were offered, thus testifying to his righteousness. God bore witness in respect of his gifts by prospering Abel. And the point made is that because of his faith, even though he died at the hands of a persecutor, his offering and his faithful life speak on because God has borne witness to him. He lived on as a witness, and he is a witness even today in many pulpits, as his life is used as an illustration of a true and righteous man, one who was acceptable to God through his faith, and through his offerings offered in faith, with that faith an inspiration to all.

It should be noted that both offered an ‘offering' (minchah - gift). This is the regular word used for the meal offering and rarely for burnt offerings and sacrifices. Abel's was thus a primitive offering under this name. An official cult did not commence until Genesis 4:26. ‘Minchah' can be used of a gift or token of friendship (Isaiah 39:1), or as an act of homage (1 Samuel 10:27; 1 Kings 10:25), or as payment of tribute (Judges 3:15; Judges 3:17 ff), or as appeasement to a friend wronged (Genesis 32:13; Genesis 32:18), or for procuring favour or assistance (Genesis 43:11 ff; Hosea 10:6), any or all of which ideas might be seen as included in Abel's offering. But there is never any suggestion anywhere that Abel's ‘gift' was more acceptable because it included the shedding of blood. One might feel that to anyone who accepts the nuances of Scripture it could not have been made more clear that Abel's offering was not to be seen as similar to later blood offerings such as burnt offerings or sin offerings. It was a freewill love offering.

‘And through it he being dead yet speaks.' But Abel's life was abruptly cut short by a persecutor, representing the unbelieving world. He should because of his righteousness have lived long and prospered. But he did not. For we are to see that even from the beginning the unrighteous persecuted the righteous.

However, for him death was not the end. His life continued to speak on. Persecutors cannot destroy those who are God's. And so his life speaks on now to those who are being similarly dealt with. He is the first of many who witness to God's people (Hebrews 12:1). His death says, ‘Do not be afraid of what the world can do to you. For you are God's and your usefulness will live on. Death is not the end. God is in control'

So death did not prove that he was displeasing to God. Rather it proved, because it was at the hand of a persecutor, that God was with him. Thus can all who face persecution look to Abel, who was faithful unto death.

‘He being dead yet speaks.' There may be a hint here that to the writer he lives on in fact, for he is seen as having a message for the present generation.

The bearing of witness may also refer to the shedding of his blood, seen as acting as a witness to the fact that all martyrdoms will finally bring down God's vengeance on their perpetrators, for we are told that his blood cried from the ground for justice, and it is elsewhere seen as acting as a witness to the necessity for justice (Genesis 4:10; Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:51; Hebrews 12:24). But that is not the stress here. The thought is rather that his faith speaks out to all. So Abel was from the beginning a witness to true righteousness, a righteousness which springs from faith (Genesis 15:6), and to true justice, and now speaks through the ages.