Cain and Abel — Faith, Worship, and the First Righteous Witness
Genesis 4:1–5 introduces the first children born outside Eden and the first recorded offerings brought to the LORD. Cain brings fruit from the ground; Abel brings from the firstlings of his flock and their fat. God has regard for Abel and his offering but not for Cain and his. Genesis itself does not explicitly explain the difference in terms of animal versus plant sacrifice.
Hebrews 11:4 supplies the clearest inspired interpretation: “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain.” Hebrews also calls Abel righteous and says that, though dead, he still speaks. The New Testament therefore places the decisive emphasis on Abel’s faith and righteousness rather than teaching that plant offerings were inherently unacceptable. That matters because the Mosaic law itself will later include acceptable grain offerings.