Daily Devotional
How Did Abel Please God?
“By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.”
Hebrews 11:4
March 7, 2022
Ponder This
What did Abel offer? “Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock” (Genesis 4:4). Abel’s offering was based on a blood atonement and this pointed forward to Jesus. Religion is what sinful people do for a holy God. The Gospel is the Good News of what a holy God has already done for sinful man.
Where did Abel get the idea of bringing a blood offering to Almighty God? When Adam and Eve sinned against God, they tried to clothe themselves with fig leaves. What is that? The fruit of the ground. What did God do? God came into the garden of Eden and made them coats of animal skin. How do you get coats of skin? Blood must be shed. This sacrifice foreshadowed the blood of Jesus that would be shed as the ultimate sacrifice.
- Why was it necessary for Jesus’s blood to be shed?
- What other Old Testament examples can you think of that point forward to the shed blood of Jesus?
Practice This
Make a list of some Old Testament references to sacrifices. Consider the ways these accounts pointed to Jesus.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
