The blood of Abel vs. the blood of Jesus

I heard this on a Coral Ridge podcast, and it was so good I wanted to pass it along. I can’t figure out who is speaking but it is an episode entitled “In the Beginning … Grace Part 13”. It doesn’t sound like Tullian Tchividjian, but whoever it is, it is worth your while to hunt it down and give it a listen! WOW!

In Genesis 4, we find this:

6 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?
7 “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”
8 And Cain told Abel his brother. And it came about when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.
9 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” And he said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
10 And He said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to Me from the ground.
(Genesis 4:6-10, NASB).

Abel’s blood cries out for vengeance. But the blood of Jesus is better than the blood of Abel, as we see:

13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh,
14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
(Hebrews 9:13, 14, NASB).

22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels,
23 to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect,
24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.
(Hebrews 12:22-24, NASB).

Jesus’ blood is better than the blood of Abel, because Abel’s blood cries out for vengeance, while Jesus’ blood cries out for mercy.

Amen. And thank you, wonderful and unnamed preacher on the podcast!