Types are mentioned in the Bible in Romans 5:14 whereby "Adam who is a type of Him to come" and also in 1 Peter 3:21 where "there is also an antitype which now saves us baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
Therefore, there is justification for using using biblical precedents in the form of types as illustrations that parallel the lives of God-fearing believers from the book of Genesis.
Adam a Type of Jesus
As Adam is the first man and is referred to in Romans 5 as a type of Christ, this study shall commence with a comparison with him and the Messiah. 1 Corinthians 15 contrasts the first man Adam a living being with the second Man Jesus who became a life giving Spirit. Adam was made of the earth and of dust and his name means exactly that because he was created by God from dust.
In Psalm 8 it is noticeable that man was created a little lower than the angels. Also, Adam was given dominion over the works of His hands including the beasts of the fields and the air. However, Adam was an imperfect type as it was through Adam that sin entered the world.
1 Corinthians 15 summarises that "for in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." The difference between Adam and Christ though was that Adam lived and as a consequence of sin his life resulted in death, though the death of Jesus on the cross resulted in Him giving life.
Furthermore, after the fall Adam is not involved in God’s act of redemption. Genesis 3:15 prophesies about the seed of the woman crushing Satan completely. The theme of the seed traces its way through the Bible and the Last Adam destroys the power of sin through his death and resurrection, providing a way of salvation.
Abel a Type of Jesus
By occupation Abel was a shepherd. Jesus said "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep." (John 1:11) Also, Jesus is the "Lamb who was slain" (Revelation 5:14) for sins. In addition, Hebrews 12:24 ties the two together. "Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of the sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel."
Therefore both Abel’s offering and death is a picture of the redeeming work of the Messiah. The theme continues throughout Scripture where sin offerings were provided whereby blood was sprinkled on the ground. This represented forgiveness and cleansing as a foreshadow of the blood that would be shed at Calvary that the good shepherd would give His life for the sheep. His blood was poured out in the same way that the blood would be poured out on the altar.
Abel was the first shepherd and John the Baptist immediately recognised the good shepherd, "Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) Hence Abel had offered a lamb from his own flock for his sin. At Calvary though, the good shepherd died for all the lambs.
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