Jump Start # 3423

Hebrews 11:4 “By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks.”

Cain and Abel—the first children born on the planet. They were the first to have earthly parents. And, as good Bible students know, the first murder and the first physical death of a human came through the wicked hands of Cain.

There is a thought about Abel that I had not realized until just now. Not only was he was the first person to die and the first person to be cast into eternity, but he was the first person in Hades, the unseen realm of the dead. Was he alone in Hades? How long was it until another righteous person joined him? Likely he did not have much of an understanding about what happens beyond death. You and I have Luke 16 and the rich man and Lazarus. Abel didn’t have that. You and I have Paul’s words about what happens in the resurrection, as the Corinthians were told. Abel didn’t have that. You and I understand that death and hades will be thrown into the lake of fire. Not sure if Abel got that before he died.

Now, here are some thoughts for us:

First, there are many curious things like this that one can speculate about from the Bible. One can chase down what the ancients wrote about this. One can spend a ton of time seeing if Luther or Calvin had much to say about this. One could even write a research paper on Abel in Hades. But at the end of the day, it’s just a curiosity shot in the dark. And, as we exhaust hours chasing down ideas, leads, thoughts, it doesn’t really help us in our daily walk with the Lord. What was it like being the first person on the other side doesn’t help me to be closer to the Lord or more righteous. What was it like being the only person in Hades, doesn’t really help me make the best choices today.

A person can spend a lifetime studying the Bible, but what is he studying? Is he finding ways to be more pure, more like Christ and more righteous or is he just chasing rabbits through the field of curiosity? We need to know how to navigate through this broken world and be the disciples that the Lord wants. There is a wonderful place for depth and academia in Biblical research, but at the end of the day, does it help me with the Lord? I fight this with my fascination with church history. Love to spend time learning about old congregations, long ago preachers and all their stories. But, does any of that help me with the Lord? That’s what we must remember.

Second, the nature of God and what we learn about Him from the Scriptures, assures us that Abel was ok being the first one in Hades. God will take care of us is such a comforting thought. Later on, Hades would be filled with many heroes such as, Noah, Abraham, David and the prophets. Abel may have been the first, but he wouldn’t be the last.

God has always been with His people. When that lion’s den was sealed and Daniel was alone, God was with him. When those prison doors shut tight, and Paul was alone. God was with him. Even disobedient Jonah, in the belly of the fish, was not alone. God was with him. And, the Lord will be with us.

Third, as Cain had to live the rest of his life knowing what he did, Abel was on the other side and was taken care of by God. Abel would no longer be tempted. Abel would no longer be plagued with the things we that bring misery and heartache to our lives. Pain. Sorrow. Disease. Disappointments. Abel was finished with those things and he rested in the comfort of God.

The faith of believers ought not to fear, nor even dread death. We do all that we can here, but we long to be clothed on the other side as the apostle put it. We desire to be with the Lord. Death is just the doorway, the passage, that takes us from here to there. Abel died violently. Abel died innocently. Abel was killed because he did something right. And, in many ways, Abel’s death points to a similar death that took place on the Cross at Calvary. The Lord died violently. The Lord died innocently. The Lord was killed for something He did that was right.

The first in Hades. Someday, someone will be the last.

Roger