Skip to main content

10. UNTHINKABLE


Genesis 22:1-19;  Hebrews 11:17-19
Key verse:  Abraham answered, "God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together.
Genesis 22:8

 What has God promised you? Would you be willing to lay it on the altar and kill it forever if he asked?  Might you be tempted to protest, "But God, you said I could have it!"
Abraham was being asked to sacrifice his future, and his hope through all the promises that God had made. Also, God was putting His own future on the line here. How could Messiah come if Isaac died?

We see here, in Abraham, the example of a man who has truly become mature in the Lord. Nothing was too important to be held back any more. The Lord had demonstrated his faithfulness to Abraham over the years and now it was Abraham's turn to reflect back all that he had learned. Would he really believe that what he believed was really real? His actions show that in fact, he does.

"By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from the dead." (Hebrews 11:17-19

Somehow, Abraham understood that, even though he was giving up everything that the Lord had ever promised him, God, true to character, would make it up to him.  

God had always done so over the years as Abraham and He had walked together. Perhaps, this sacrifice wasn't as hard for Abraham as we often imagine because of the steadfast faith that Abraham had been taught to have in the wholly reliable God of creation. Somehow, as far as we know, Abraham did not question. He was asked to sacrifice his only son and he simply obeyed. He did not argue or reason or try to negotiate. He got up early the next morning to obey immediately, took Isaac and he prepared to do the hardest thing that God could ask of any parent. He stepped out in obedience to God's call.

What Abraham did not know, though we do, is that God would do the same thing Himself, 2,000 years later, but there would be no ram in the thicket for Him.  We may never be tested the way that Abraham was in this moment. That is not the point. The question is, how willing are you to sacrifice everything, or anything, if the Lord asks you to do so. True, Abraham was spared from going through with the sacrifice of Isaac, but he didn't know that he would be spared at the time. 

We also may not know the outcome of our obedience to Christ. The big question is, are you willing? God is asking us, as he so often asked Abraham, "Do you trust me?" As with Abraham, God may not stop at hearing our words, but may ask for our action, to back up our words, as well.
  

Hymn: "My Savior My God" by Aaron Shust &
 God Will Provide the Lamb by Michael Card 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

October 27 Save the Glaze for the Bunny

Like a coating of glaze over earthenware are fervent lips of an evil heart. A malicious man disguises himself with his lips. But in his heart, he harbors deceit. Though his speech is charming, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. If a man digs a pit, he will fall into it. If a man rolls a stone, it will roll back on him. ~Proverbs 26:23-28 For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. Even one of their own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.” This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth. T...
Post a Comment
Read more

July 16 Thick Skinned Love

Whoever covers over an offence promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends. ~Proverbs 17:9 If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. ~Matthew 18:15  The end of all things is near. Therefore, be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. ~1 Peter 4:7-8  Being offended seems to be the battle cry of the day. Instead of freedom of speech, everyone has the right not to be offended. If one is offended, then one has the right to exact vengeance on the offender because, of course, the offender KNEW that he or she was being offensive and just didn’t care. Is that how you see much of society behaving today?  There seems to be all of this offending and finger pointing that just keeps growing and growing. Nothing is being resolved, just more blame that grows louder a...
Post a Comment
Read more

174. Pleading for the Fig Tree

Proverbs 27:18 , Luke 13:6-9 Key Verse: He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honored. Proverbs 27:18 We have here three main characters: a master, who acquired the tree in hopes of eventually enjoying its fruit, a servant, who looks to the tree to reflect his care and attention, and lastly, the tree itself. The master has the right to expect his investment to pay off. The servant, who has obviously put much effort into the tree, would also like to see fruit. The servant's interest is not only to show his own talent in gardening, but because he wants to please his master. Both the servant and the master are dependent upon the tree to do what it was designed to do. Their little parable is an interesting way for Jesus to finish off His exhortation to, "repent or perish."  God is the Master. He had a purpose for you before you were even born. ( Jeremiah 1:5 & Psalm 139:16 ) He planted you on this earth to ful...
Post a Comment
Read more