These past two weeks, I've had the privelege of teaching the junior high Sunday School class at church. The lessons have been focusing on Abraham and how God challenged and developed his faith while keeping His promises. This week's lesson was on God testing Abraham and I wanted to share a few thoughts this Monday that God shared with me.
In Genesis 22 we get a front-row seat to an interesting event in the life of Abraham. God, who up to this point promised to Abraham that he would have a son and that his descendants would inherit the land, has now provided that promised son to Abraham, even in his old age. Who of us has not marveled at the idea of a one hundred year-old man receiving a son after waiting for twenty-five years? Now here's where things get really interesting: the son that God has promised and provided is now possibly in his late teens or in his twenties and God asks this of Abraham "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I will tell you." (Genesis 22:2 (AMP). In the words that the youth and I said together this morning: "Say what?"
Now, many of us could say that we have gone through periods of testing with God. Maybe you've had to seek His face for an extended length of time before receiving an answer to a prayer. Maybe circumstances, such as sickness, loss of a job or relocation, financial stress, or spiritual burdens have arisen in your life that, as you have sought God, have been revealed to be tests that God has allowed or is allowing in your life. I think sometimes during these times as much or more than any other, we can tend to question God. And while I don't think God is intimated or even put out with our "Why's", I am always astounded at Abraham's response in v. 3: "So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac, and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and then began the trip to the place of which God had told him." (AMP) How many of us, if asked by God to sacrifice the biggest blessing He has ever given us, would be able, with such fortitude, and singleness of mind not only agree to do it, but then follow through with it? I don't know if I'm to the level of Abraham yet; I might at least have to talk it over for a while with God. But, if that's what He called me to do, it is my desire that I would be able to do that which was asked of me.
Before I sound too out there, I think we can all agree that if we literally think we are hearing God telling us to sacrifice one of our children, we need to do several things: 1. Seek Him earnestly in prayer for clear understanding, 2. Read the Scriptures where He forbids the taking of life in murder, 3. Seek professional help. But I wonder, how many of us have an area of our life that has been blessed visibly by God? Maybe it's a ministry that we've waited many years for Him to provide. Maybe yours is a literal fulfillment of Abraham's promise in that you recieved a child after waiting for many years. Now the next question: How many of us are afraid that God might ask us to surrender that area wholly and completely to Him? That might mean giving him every area of our job, ministry, or family. It might mean surrendering our own hopes and dreams for that little boy or little girl and letting God's unfold, even if they don't fit within our schema. For those of us who like to maintain some degree of control over our lives, this can be a very real fear. It can be during these times of testing that we need to ask ourselves: What do I really believe about God and what does His Word reveal about His character and His promises?
Just as Abraham had to learn that God could protect him and Sarah (that he didn't have to lie two different times about her being his sister (can you imagine asking your wife to go along with that one?!)) and that God didn't need him and Sarah to bring Hagar into the picture to bring about the promised one, so we need to learn that God's character is love and that no matter what He allows us to go through, two things are always true: 1. He is going to always act according to His character and His promises, 2. It is ultimately for our good as His children (He wouldn't allow it if it wasn't). Let's look back at the verses. In verses 5 - 10, we see Abraham putting hands and feet to his faith. In verse 5, he speaks in faith that "we (he and Isaac) will come again to you" and in verse 8, he tells Isaac, "God Himself will provide a lamb for the burnt offering". Abraham trusted what God had spoken and knew that His promise was to bring about a nation of descendants through Isaac. Hebrews 11: 17 - 19 reveals that Abraham, because he had received this promise, reasoned that God was able to raise Isaac from the dead if need be. Whether he had to actually kill Isaac and then watch as God raised him from the dead or see God provide something to sacrifice in Isaac's place, Abraham's faith was founded on his relationship with his Father and the promises he had recieved from him.
Some very interesting things happen in verses 11 - 18. As Abraham stretched forth his hand and took hold of the knife to slay his son, I believe personally at the point of him having the knife poised above his son ready to deliver the killing blow, the Messenger from Heaven, the Lord Jesus Himself in preincarnate form, speaks from heaven, "Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear and revere God, since you have not held back from Me or begrudged giving Me your son, your only son." (v. 12 (AMP)) Then in verse 12, Abraham looks up and glances around, and there is a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. Why didn't Abraham see the ram when he first came to the place? I wonder if it was there yet, or the Lord placed it there after He saw the Abraham was willing to surrender the son of the promise back to him? I find it interesting that some translations actually say the ram was behind Abraham. Isn't it interesting that he didn't notice it as he walked by? Maybe it wasn't there yet, and was only revealed as the Lord said,"now I know that you fear and revere God." Following this, Abraham is able to offer the ram for the burnt offering and God reaffirms to him the covenant (verses 15 - 18).
Is there something God is asking you to sacrifice, to surrender to Him right now? Maybe a relationship, a vision, a situation? Are you offering it without question, or are you holding back and begrudging giving it to Him? Are you trusting the One Who gave it to you in the first place, or are you doubting His character and promises right now, doubting that He will give it back to you in a way that you want or replace it with something else? Remember, he may not reveal the "something else" until you have that promise, that blessing on the altar and are stretching forth your hand to "put it to death" and trust it to His keeping. The very substitute may be right behind you, but you won't see it unless you are willing to give everything to Him.
Please pray with me: Father, Your Word says you know how to give good gifts to Your children, and You have done just that in so many ways. But Father, there may be some of us that You are calling to surrender one, or even more than one, of those blessings to You. It is difficult Lord, because sometimes we are afraid of losing it, in fact, we have become so attached to that blessing that we don't want anything to happen to it and we're afraid You won't return it, or at least, that You won't return it looking the way we think it should. Please help us to trust You with everything You've given us. You've trusted us to take care of it and to give it to You if need be. Help us to remember that You are Perfect Love, and that perfect love casts out all fear. Help us to trust You, knowing that Your plans are to give us a hope and a future and You are always working everything together for the good of those who love You and who are called according to Your purpose. In Christ's Name I pray, Amen.
Have a great week!
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