Abel

Abel was the second son of Adam and Eve. He was a shepherd and when he brought an offering to the Lord from his flock God respected it. But when his brother Cain's fruit of the ground offering was not accepted Cain became so angry and envious that he killed Abel. He was the first martyr for truth. The blood of Abel cried out to God for vengeance.

Lessons from the life of Abel:

• We must obey God regardless of the cost.
• God hears the cries of the innocent and the guilty will eventually be punished.
  

Abel's story is told in Genesis 4:1-8. He is also mentioned in Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:51; Hebrews 11:4; and Hebrews 12:24.

REFERENCES
	Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary Ronald F. Youngblood, General Editor, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995, Nashville/Atlanta/London/Vancouver Who's Who in the Bible Joan Comay and Ronald Brownrigg, Wings Books, 1993, New York/Avenel/New Jersey Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1996, Wheaton, Illinois