Exploring Devotion ~ Genesis 22:1-14, 17-18
Friday August 01, 2008
Biblical Truth
God tests His people’s devotion to Him.
Tested Faith ~
Gen. 22:1-2
v.1
After these things God tested Abraham and said to
him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he answered. v.2 “Take
your son,” He said, “your only son Isaac, whom you
love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there
as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will
tell you about.”
Hard Obedience ~
Gen. 22:3-10
v.3 So early in the morning Abraham got up, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about. v.4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. v.5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.” v.6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac. In his hand he took the fire and the sacrificial knife, and the two of them walked on together. v.7 Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father.” And he replied, “Here I am, my son.” Isaac said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” v.8 Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of them walked on together. v.9 When they arrived at the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar, on top of the wood. v.10 Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
Obedience Rewarded ~ Gen 22:11- 14, 17-18
v.11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He replied, “Here I am.” v.12 Then He said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld you only son from Me.” v.13 Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. v.14 And Abraham named that place THE LORD WILL PROVIDE, so today it is said: “It will be provided on the Lord’s mountain.”
v.1-2 The phrase after these things refers to the events prior to God’s test of Abraham’s devotion, such as the birth of Isaac, the dismissal of Hagar and Ishamel, and the covenant with Abimelech for water rights in the region of Beersheba (Gen. 21:1-9) Each of these incidents generated tough situations that revealed both strengths and deficiencies in Abraham’s faith. God tested Abraham to discern the quality of his faith and devotion. The test had several important characteristics. First, requiring great faith, such as moving from Ur to Canaan or giving Lot first choice of prime grazing land. Now God initiated a test that demanded of Abraham radical devotion to Him. Second, the test was personal. God called Abraham by name. Abraham responded by saying, “Here I am” a phrase indicating Abraham’s readiness to follow wherever God called. God wanted Abraham to take his only son Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice of burnt offering to God. The burnt offering was one in which the sacrificial animal was totally consumed. Thus God was asking Abraham to take the son he loved and give him to the Lord completely. For him to pass the test, Abraham’s love for God had to exceed his love for Isaac.
Question: Why do you think that the test involved Isaac, when God clearly was so displeased with child sacrifice?
v.3-10 This passage takes us from Abraham’s first steps of obedience in Beersheba where he rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey to the final decisive step of obedience of reaching out and taking the knife to slaughter his son. Abraham’s split wood for the burnt offering, as he no doubt had done many times before. This time was different, however. Previously, Abraham split the wood with joyful anticipation of worshiping God; this time, the sacrificial animal was to be his beloved son! Abraham set out to go to the place God had told him about. reminiscent of his journey to Canaan. His leaving Haran for Canaan probably caused some anxiety, but this journey to Moriah no doubt caused sadness and heaviness of heart. Never was obeying God more difficult!
Abraham’s obedience to God was demonstrated in his faith to his young men by saying he and Isaac would worship and then come back to them. Though obedience was hard, Abraham was determined to obey God, believing He could give Isaac back to him from the dead (Heb. 11:17-19)
As we read the story, it seems grimly ironic that Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son. Isaac would have to carry the wood for his own sacrificial death up the hill. In the simple narrative of events, it could not have been otherwise. Isaac was young and vigorous, and Abraham was very old. It would have been strange for Abraham to volunteer to carry the wood himself. Even this, however, is a kind of hidden prophecy. Jesus, too would drag the wood for his own execution up a hill until He collapsed under the load. Abraham bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar, on top of the wood. Obeying God was never harder than at this precise moment. What about Isaac? For the first time, he realized he was the sacrifice! Did he scream in horror, protest, or plead for his life? The text does not provide an answer. We can imagine that Isaac was afraid as any child would be, making Abraham’s compliance to God’s request all the more difficult. In the final detail of Abraham’s obedience, he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
v.11-14, 17-18 God had seen enough: Abraham had passed the test. Seeing Abraham’s determination to follow His instruction, God prevented him from taking Isaac’s life. God commanded Abraham to not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. Then God stated His reason for the test. He said, For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from Me. The statement seems puzzling at first since presumably God knows everything all the time. The puzzle is solved when we realize that the term know in this instance means “to experience,” and the term fear refers to a deep reverence. The test did not teach God something about Abraham’s faith He did not know previously. Rather, the test gave Abraham the opportunity to show God his devotion firsthand. Seeing Abraham’s determination to follow His instruction, God provided a substitute sacrifice. Abraham subsequently saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. Some of the most powerful words in Scripture are when Abraham took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham learned in that moment that full obedience to God, no matter how hard did not necessitate the death of Isaac. Going to the land of Moriah, Abraham could not see how God would work things out: but returning home he saw clearly that God provides for His people’s needs. Therefore, Abraham named that place the Lord will provide. God was so pleased with Abraham’s obedience, even to the point of letting go of the one he held dearest, that God reaffirmed His promises and covenant with him. The phrase I will indeed bless you literally is “blessing I will bless you” and thus emphasizes the idea of blessing. Abraham’s obedience secured the blessings of God on his life. God promised to make Abraham’s offspring as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, a reiteration of the promise to make of him “a great nation”. God would enable Abraham’s offspring to possess the gates of their enemies, a refining of the promise to “bless you” and “curse those who treat you with contempt”. Finally through Abraham’s offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, a replication of the promise to Abram, Isaac, and Jacob.
How could God make of Abraham “a great nation” if He required the sacrifice of his “only son’? When God tested Abraham by commanding him to offer up Isaac as a burnt offering, He was testing Abraham’s faith in God’s promises. God rewarded Abraham because he passed the test. Abraham passed the test because he obeyed God, though such obedience threatened the one he loved the most. Believers today can maintain confidence that God rewards obedience, whether that obedience is in response to simple or difficult tests of faith. Believers are to “walk by faith, not by sight”. Let us always remember that God can provide even when we see no help in sight.
Be Blessed!
v.3 So early in the morning Abraham got up, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about. v.4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. v.5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.” v.6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac. In his hand he took the fire and the sacrificial knife, and the two of them walked on together. v.7 Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father.” And he replied, “Here I am, my son.” Isaac said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” v.8 Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of them walked on together. v.9 When they arrived at the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar, on top of the wood. v.10 Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
Obedience Rewarded ~ Gen 22:11- 14, 17-18
v.11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He replied, “Here I am.” v.12 Then He said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld you only son from Me.” v.13 Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. v.14 And Abraham named that place THE LORD WILL PROVIDE, so today it is said: “It will be provided on the Lord’s mountain.”
v.1-2 The phrase after these things refers to the events prior to God’s test of Abraham’s devotion, such as the birth of Isaac, the dismissal of Hagar and Ishamel, and the covenant with Abimelech for water rights in the region of Beersheba (Gen. 21:1-9) Each of these incidents generated tough situations that revealed both strengths and deficiencies in Abraham’s faith. God tested Abraham to discern the quality of his faith and devotion. The test had several important characteristics. First, requiring great faith, such as moving from Ur to Canaan or giving Lot first choice of prime grazing land. Now God initiated a test that demanded of Abraham radical devotion to Him. Second, the test was personal. God called Abraham by name. Abraham responded by saying, “Here I am” a phrase indicating Abraham’s readiness to follow wherever God called. God wanted Abraham to take his only son Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice of burnt offering to God. The burnt offering was one in which the sacrificial animal was totally consumed. Thus God was asking Abraham to take the son he loved and give him to the Lord completely. For him to pass the test, Abraham’s love for God had to exceed his love for Isaac.
Question: Why do you think that the test involved Isaac, when God clearly was so displeased with child sacrifice?
v.3-10 This passage takes us from Abraham’s first steps of obedience in Beersheba where he rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey to the final decisive step of obedience of reaching out and taking the knife to slaughter his son. Abraham’s split wood for the burnt offering, as he no doubt had done many times before. This time was different, however. Previously, Abraham split the wood with joyful anticipation of worshiping God; this time, the sacrificial animal was to be his beloved son! Abraham set out to go to the place God had told him about. reminiscent of his journey to Canaan. His leaving Haran for Canaan probably caused some anxiety, but this journey to Moriah no doubt caused sadness and heaviness of heart. Never was obeying God more difficult!
Abraham’s obedience to God was demonstrated in his faith to his young men by saying he and Isaac would worship and then come back to them. Though obedience was hard, Abraham was determined to obey God, believing He could give Isaac back to him from the dead (Heb. 11:17-19)
As we read the story, it seems grimly ironic that Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son. Isaac would have to carry the wood for his own sacrificial death up the hill. In the simple narrative of events, it could not have been otherwise. Isaac was young and vigorous, and Abraham was very old. It would have been strange for Abraham to volunteer to carry the wood himself. Even this, however, is a kind of hidden prophecy. Jesus, too would drag the wood for his own execution up a hill until He collapsed under the load. Abraham bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar, on top of the wood. Obeying God was never harder than at this precise moment. What about Isaac? For the first time, he realized he was the sacrifice! Did he scream in horror, protest, or plead for his life? The text does not provide an answer. We can imagine that Isaac was afraid as any child would be, making Abraham’s compliance to God’s request all the more difficult. In the final detail of Abraham’s obedience, he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
v.11-14, 17-18 God had seen enough: Abraham had passed the test. Seeing Abraham’s determination to follow His instruction, God prevented him from taking Isaac’s life. God commanded Abraham to not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. Then God stated His reason for the test. He said, For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from Me. The statement seems puzzling at first since presumably God knows everything all the time. The puzzle is solved when we realize that the term know in this instance means “to experience,” and the term fear refers to a deep reverence. The test did not teach God something about Abraham’s faith He did not know previously. Rather, the test gave Abraham the opportunity to show God his devotion firsthand. Seeing Abraham’s determination to follow His instruction, God provided a substitute sacrifice. Abraham subsequently saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. Some of the most powerful words in Scripture are when Abraham took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham learned in that moment that full obedience to God, no matter how hard did not necessitate the death of Isaac. Going to the land of Moriah, Abraham could not see how God would work things out: but returning home he saw clearly that God provides for His people’s needs. Therefore, Abraham named that place the Lord will provide. God was so pleased with Abraham’s obedience, even to the point of letting go of the one he held dearest, that God reaffirmed His promises and covenant with him. The phrase I will indeed bless you literally is “blessing I will bless you” and thus emphasizes the idea of blessing. Abraham’s obedience secured the blessings of God on his life. God promised to make Abraham’s offspring as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, a reiteration of the promise to make of him “a great nation”. God would enable Abraham’s offspring to possess the gates of their enemies, a refining of the promise to “bless you” and “curse those who treat you with contempt”. Finally through Abraham’s offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, a replication of the promise to Abram, Isaac, and Jacob.
How could God make of Abraham “a great nation” if He required the sacrifice of his “only son’? When God tested Abraham by commanding him to offer up Isaac as a burnt offering, He was testing Abraham’s faith in God’s promises. God rewarded Abraham because he passed the test. Abraham passed the test because he obeyed God, though such obedience threatened the one he loved the most. Believers today can maintain confidence that God rewards obedience, whether that obedience is in response to simple or difficult tests of faith. Believers are to “walk by faith, not by sight”. Let us always remember that God can provide even when we see no help in sight.
Be Blessed!
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