Hebrews 12: A Better Word

"For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel."  Hebrews 12.18-24

The difference between Mount Sinai and Mount Zion was elaborated in the last post, but I was so intrigued by this section's final comparison I felt it warranted its own post: Jesus's blood speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.

Abel was the brother of Cain, the first children born to humankind in scripture. Cain and Abel are raised by their parents to worship the creator God, and they do so by offering sacrifices to him, Cain from the field and Abel from the flock. For reasons we are not told, the Lord 'regards' Abel's sacrifice of a firstborn lamb but not Cain's grain offering. Cain is infuriated, and though the Lord counsels him to beware his anger, Cain invites his brother into the field and kills him. Abel's blood mingles with the soil of the field, is swallowed in the furrows of Cain's plow.

God comes to Cain, 'Where is your brother Abel?' 'Am I my brother's keeper?' Cain replies. But God is not fooled. He responds.

"What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand." Genesis 4.10-11

Justice falls on Cain. For his sin he is cursed, rejected by the earth and by the rest of humankind. The blood of his brother cries for justice, for punishment. Abel's blood speaks the word of condemnation for murder, as the earth bears witness to creation's first fratricide. It would not be the last it sees.

For another brother is to be killed. Another man who brings a perfect and acceptable sacrifice is to be murdered by those whose offerings fall woefully short. This newly shed blood will again cry out from the ground.

But what will it cry? What word will it speak? It will speak a better word than that of Abel. For this murdered brother dies not demanding justice but to fulfill it. He does not die crying, 'Father, punish them!' but instead, 'Father, forgive them!' The blood of Jesus speaks a better word than the blood of Abel, for while Abel's blood cries for justice, Jesus cries 'It is finished! Justice has been paid, your condemnation born.' Mystery of grace, the murderer is made acceptable by the very death he causes.

It was the offering of a lamb that rendered Abel acceptable- it was this sacrifice that quickened Cain's pride and jealousy. Yet by the offering of Jesus, the Greater Lamb, both Abel and Cain are made acceptable. The blood of the messiah speaks a better word indeed.