So we continue to see this beautiful story weave it’s way through the life of Abraham. Abraham was clearly a man of obedience – simply by the fact that when God spoke to him, he listened and obeyed without even knowing the outcome. That is faith! Abraham had no reason to believe that what God had told him would come to pass then simply the fact that God had told him!

You and I have the same opportunities for faith.

In Genesis chapter 22 – God gives Abraham an opportunity to really put his faith into action. Why did God test Abraham with his son Issac? From one perspective this can seem like God is being cruel – forcing Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son, yet if we look at the bigger picture we get more insight into what is really going on.

God knows what the plan is – the rescue mission. He is going to bring the Redeemer through Abraham’s seed – and Abraham will need to walk in faith for the rest of his life – believing and obeying God in His Promise to him. Not only that – Abraham will need to teach Issac this as well – passing it along through the family lines. So the test wasn’t really to convince God that Abraham will not fail Him– it was to convince Abraham that God will not fail him.

But even more is going on then that! You see – Abraham showed that he was walking in the confidence that God had promised him the Blessing through Issac – and so God would work everything out according to that promise (even if it meant bringing Issac back from the dead!). That was why Abraham kept answering Issac’s questions with “God will provide”. But Issac was walking in a level of faith as well! According to the Jewish historian Josephus, Issac was about 25 years old by this time… a strapping young man would could have easily defied his father and resisted when being bound on that altar – yet he didn’t. He trusted not only his father, but the Promise that God had given his father.

You and I have the same opportunities for faith.

In the end, the Angel of the Lord (Jesus) comes and stops Abraham before the deed is done. Then we see that God has indeed provided a lamb caught in the thicket.

He would later provide the Lamb for us all – beautiful imagery here!

The story continues – Sarah dies – and Abraham purchases a field from the Hittites in which he buries his wife (and eventually himself and other family members). This field would later become a major city in Israel – Hebron. It would be a city of refuge – where anyone being falsely accused can run and find safety, and much later it would be the city from which King David would rule Israel for 7 years.

So we see even the small details actually mean much more in the large scope of the story. That is how it works when walking with God – even the small moments of faithful choices play a huge role in the larger picture.

You and I have the same opportunities for faith.

 

Be Fruitful & Multiply,

PK