Abel's Faith

In Paul’s list of examples of those who showed great faith he included Abel, one whom we don’t typically use as a prototype of faith.  He said this, “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh” (Hebrews 11:4).  Many of the other examples of faith that he wrote of were of those who did incredible things, including Enoch being translated, Noah building an ark, Abraham offering Isaac, Moses parting the Red Sea, and making the walls of Jericho come down.  And in case that list isn’t impressive enough, he also mentioned that there were those who “through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword” (Hebrews 11:33-34).  There were awe-inspiring examples of those who had the faith and power to work miracles.  And yet it’s easy to think that this kind of superhuman faith is out of reach for us who struggle just to get through our daily responsibilities.  And that’s why I like this example of Abel as one who showed faith.  He offered to God a sacrifice according to God’s commandments—and that is something even I can do. 

                The account in Moses 5 helps us understand why Abel offered “a more excellent sacrifice than Cain.”  We read that “Abel hearkened unto the voice of the Lord” and that he “brought of the firstlings of his flock” as an offering to the Lord (Moses 5:17, 20).  Cain, on the other hand, “brought of the fruit of the ground” as his sacrifice to the Lord (Moses 5:19).  The difference was that Abel offered the sacrifice in the way the Lord required; Cain did not.  The Lord had commanded them that they “should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord” (Moses 5:5).  Abel was offering it exactly as the Lord commanded; Cain was doing it his own way.  So that was, I think, the great faith of Abel: obedience and sacrifice.  And if even if we never have the faith of a Moses to part the Red Sea or a Daniel to stop the mouth of lions, we can choose to have faith like Abel to show obedience to the Lord’s commands. 

                Joseph Smith had something to say about this verse, and as usual he saw in it teachings that most of us would never think of.  He said this about the last phrase of Hebrews 11:4: “How doth he yet speak? Why he magnified the Priesthood which was conferred upon him and died a righteous man, and therefore has become an Angel of God by receiving his body from the dead, therefore holding still the Keys of his dispensation and was sent down from heaven unto Paul to minister consoling words and to commit unto him a knowledge of the mysteries of Godliness” (see here).  In other words, after his death Abel visited Paul and taught him the “mysteries of godliness”.  I simply thought that Abel’s speaking after his death was reference to the fact that his life and story are still known through the Bible today, but Joseph taught that he literally came and ministered to Paul.  And of course that was normal for Joseph to see that in the text, for he had received so many heavenly visitations himself!