Abel and the Twelve Tribes

Abel, the slain son of Abraham, sits in judgment over all of creation—a vision of a human judge rather than a divine one. The Greek word parousia in this text means “presence” or “arrival.” In Christian apocalyptic contexts, the term usually refers to the second coming of an anticipated messianic figure (for example, in Matthew 24:27 and 1 Thessalonians 4:15).