PASSING GOD’S TEST
Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” —Genesis 22:1-14
By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced 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 even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death. —Hebrews 11:17-19
What incredible faith and trust Abraham had in God. How would you and I respond if we were in Abraham’s shoes? Would we have that type of faith and trust in God? Would we be obedient? Will we be obedient in testing?
We won’t be put into the same exact situation as Abraham— not in the details, but our faith will be tested “because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance” (James 1:3) and so “that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (I Peter 1:7). How much trust do you and I have in our Lord God Almighty?
Again, our faith will be tested. Our trust in God will be tested. Just read the opening chapters of the Book of Job. In the verses above Abraham was in God’s will when he was being obedient to offer up his one son. It was a test of his faith. Job, said by God to be a blameless and righteous man, lost his livelihood, lost most of his employees to death, lost all his children to death at the same time, lost his health and lost the support of his wife. He still worshipped God and did not sin in all he went through. Here is what he said—“Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?” (Job 2:10) and “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised” (Job 1:21). Oh, that we would have this type of trust in God! Dear Father may it be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus! May I trust You regardless of what happens. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsQmsEE_2-s Wait on Him… He is faithful!
