FATHER ABRAHAM

I'm still reading in Genesis about Abraham and came across a very familiar part of his story. GENESIS 22:1-18 You know the one where God tells Abraham to go up on the mountain and sacrifice his only son, Isaac. Abraham and Sarah had waited so long for this son. Sarah even laughed when she heard she would have a son because she and Abraham were so old. But like usual...God is faithful to His promises.

So now God tells Abraham to take this long awaited son up on the mountain and sacrifice him. Abraham does as instructed. He takes Isaac, a couple of servants, and cut the needed wood for the burnt offering sacrifice. He goes to the place God had told him. When they arrive, Abraham tells his servants to stay behind while he and Isaac go the rest of the way by themselves. Can you imagine what Isaac is thinking? (ISAAC: Dad, I know God told you to do all of this but where's the lamb for the sacrifice? Something's not just right here. ABRAHAM: Don't worry, son. God will take care of all the details.) So they head on up the mountain. Abraham builds the altar, puts the wood down, ties Isaac up, lays him on the wood and raises the knife. Abraham has every intention of going through with the instructions God gave him. But an angel of the Lord stops him and says he sees how Abraham trusts God. Then just like Abraham knew God would, He provided the lamb. It was in the bushes.

Why does God do all of this if He never planned on Abraham having to actually kill his son? You can find the answer in Genesis 22:1. It was a test - a really big, important test. Some times the things we go through or have to experience is nothing more than God testing our faith, just like He did with Abraham. If Abraham was going to get graded on THIS test, what would it be? I think he would receive a huge A++. He did exactly what God asked him. He never wavered or 2nd guessed God. His faith carried him all the way through, all the way up to raising the knife. IF he had to kill Isaac he believed God would raise him from the dead.

A couple of years back when I was studying this same story to teach SS, this verse jumped out at me. Genesis 22:5 "He said to his servants, 'Stay here with the donkey. My son and I will go over there and worship, and then we will come back to you.'" Have you ever noticed that verse? What did Abraham mean when he said "we will come back to you?" I think Abraham's faith that God would provide never failed. He knew he would come back down that mountain with his son. He didn't know how but he had absolute belief that God would not have given him Isaac, made the promises He did, only to have it end up this way. BUT...just incase he was wrong, he was also determined that he would be faithful to do whatever God was asking, even if it made no sense or was going to break his heart.

This is one of my favorite OT stories. What an awesome example for us!! Will we be willing to go the distance, whatever God asks of us? Even when it makes no sense or is going to be really tough, will we be willing to keep the faith all the way till the end? Could we be listed in the "Faith Hall of Fame"? Check it out...Hebrews 11:17-19. Just saying...