Abraham was to be the father of many nations, but it was a hard road to get there. Abraham’s life was to include four crises that would take any person’s faith to the brink. 1. He was asked by God to leave his country and his kinsman. 2. His nephew Lot, who was very dear to him, chose to move into a place that would cost him his family. 3. His plan for Ishmael. 4. And Isaac “thy only son whom thou lovest.”
God has made a Covenant with Abraham and up to this point in Chapter 22, there have been many tests of his sincerity, loyalty and faith. In verse one God calls for Abraham and as many times before, He calls “ I am here”. If God called today would he find us listening or would we instead be tangled with the affairs of this life?
In verse 2, “And he (God) said Take now thy son, thy only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains I tell thee of.”
Verse 3, Abraham rose up early and took two of his young men and his son Isaac, and when enough wood was cut they went to the place he had told them.
Verse 4-5, “On the third day he saw the place they must go, so he let the two young men stay behind and he and Isaac went to the mountain to worship and then return.”
Verse 6 Isaac carries the wood as Abraham brings the fire and the knife.
Verse 7 is the first time we hear from Isaac. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and he said, “Here I am, my son. Isaac said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for the offering?”
Abraham then spoke words that he may not have known how far they would reach. Just as God would give his only Son for the forgiveness of all man’s sin, he was prepared to give his son to God. Abraham said God will provide himself a lamb.
I know this is a little complicated, because he then built an altar, lay the wood on it, bound Isaac, and lay him on the altar. As he stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his son, an angel of the Lord called him, and again Abraham was listening and said, “here I am.”
The angel told him, “Don’t lay a hand on Isaac, now he knows that he fears the Lord. He has now after all this time proven he would withhold nothing from God.”
Then He looked up and saw the ram entangled in the thicket and he took him and offered him as a burnt offering instead of his son. Abraham then called the place Jehovah-jireh which is to say The Lord will provide. Isaac was obedient unto death, but God had other plans.
Obedience, Faith, and Worship are all tied together. Obedience is worship, and the modern church sometimes forgets that. We get so caught up in the emotional things we call worship, that we miss out on God.
Abraham was obedient because he had faith in God. What better way to show God you love him and are faithful.
God made a covenant with Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, but it wasn’t just thrown out there. He had to be tested, just as Jesus was in the wilderness.
We cannot have our Mount of Transfiguration without having our night in the Garden of Gethsemane. Our culture has become entitled and this flies in the face of scripture, to get what you want whether you work for it or not.
Sometimes it seems unfair when you are going through tough times and it seems others get through life unscathed. The Bible talks about rejoicing during times of trial. There is a reason why his children are brought through the fire. He promises when the fire comes you will come through it as pure gold.
The three Hebrew children were not delivered from the fire of the furnace, they were delivered through it. Daniel was not rescued from the lion’s den. God protected him in the lion’s den.
No matter what your lion’s den, furnace or altar of sacrifice, you are not alone. God will always provide a lamb. Yes Abraham was ready to give his son to God, but he knew his God would ultimately provide the lamb.
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