Jesus in the Old Testament is a series of posts that will offer my readers a chance to consider pictures or shadows of Jesus in the Old Testament. As mentioned in the introduction to this series, some may be obvious, some may be not so obvious, and some may simply be a facet of the Lord those reading may not have considered previously.

I hope as we venture through this series, we will see the Lord in many wonderful pictures throughout the Old Testament.

Abel offered a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain. The sacrifice Abel offered was of a living animal, and not from the harvest of a field. The LORD has regard to the offering Abel provided. Not due to the type of sacrifice, that is, not simply due to it being of an animal, but that is was “by faith”.

Faith is the key element that made Abel’s offering acceptable. As a picture of Christ, Abel’s faith is quite revealing. Faith, and not the sacrifice itself was the key element that elevated Abel in God’s sight. How much more the faith of the Son of God in obeying the will of God, laying down His life, suffering the whipping and scourging, carrying the cross to a hill of shame, and finally hanging exposed for all to see, being associated with criminals and thugs.

God’s message did not get muddled or blurred in Jesus understanding. He knew the message and against all His internal desires, against any self preserving influences He experienced, He refrained from finding an escape route and obeyed the Father. The faith of the Son of God, in performing His work on the cross shines when we consider it in hindsight.

No one during that period of disillusionment and disappointment understood the necessity of the torture and murder of this itinerant preacher, except for One person, and it was His trust in understanding His Father’s voice that carried Him through the cross and out of the grave.

Abel exercised faith in bringing his sacrifice. Jesus exercised faith by becoming the Sacrifice. Jesus great faith was exercised greatly. Consider looking back at the situation. No one understood the plan, and all around Jesus, distractions and deceptions were swirling about. But Jesus heard His Father and He followed through. He followed through, despite all the possible arguments, all the logical reasonings, all the self saving thoughts that He may have had to reject.

He had the great faith.

May we have some faith to follow. And Lord, have mercy on those of us as we stumble, for we love you, but we are but flesh!

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