Abel, the keeper of the sheep; and Cain, the tiller of the ground!!
Gen 4:2 has the names of these two brothers listed for us in one place. These two brothers in the first family represent two groups of people in humanity in general. Some are keepers of the sheep while others are tillers of the ground even today. It does not merely talk about what they did for a profession. It talks about their attitude towards life in general.
We know from Gen.1:29 that the Lord gave herbs yielding seeds and fruits as their food for men in those days. Cain knew that if he tilled the land and cultivated the herbs he would have plenty to eat and so he turned his attention towards that. We can imagine that he would have been quite successful in his career and that he made huge profits out of it as well. Because we read in Gen.4:17 that he built a city and called it by the name of his son. Cain was the first ever brilliant and successful entrepreneur in the history of humanity! Though he was the first ever man to be cursed by the Lord (Gen.4:11), no one could ever imagine that that indeed was the case. Every one knew him as the most successful man around! What a paradox?!! But we know from Ps.17:14 that God gives to the people of the world their portion in THIS life!!
But look at Abel now. He chose keeping the sheep as his career. We know that meat was allowed to be eaten only after the flood (Gen.9:3). But why was Abel keeping sheep if it was not for his food? Of course we know that he could make clothing out of the skin of the sheep. But Abel had a completely different reason to become a keeper of the sheep. Both these brothers and other siblings knew from Adam and Eve that when they had committed sin, God had made a sacrifice of an animal to clothe them. From their parents all these children knew that if they had to approach the living God, it was only possible through a blood sacrifice. God had made it very clear to humanity later on in His Word (Heb.9:22). But Adam and Eve had told the same truth to their children without a doubt. And so here was Abel, his only desire in life was to present to God an acceptable sacrifice. He did not bother much about what he ate or drank. He ate whatever was available to him. His motto in life was not how best to eat; but how best to please God. Thus he obtained a certificate later from God that he was righteous (Heb.11:4). Are you a tiller of the ground or a keeper of the sheep? Jesus, our Lord, said in Joh 6:27 “Work not for the food which perishes, but for the food which abides unto eternal life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him the Father, even God, hath sealed”. Let us have our priorities set right as we begin this New Year!! To His Name be all glory!!
