Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” (Genesis 22:1-2 NASB).
As Abraham obeyed God and made his way to Mount Moriah to sacrifice Isaac, he’d already been on quite the adventure.
The Back Story
He used to be Abram (father of many). At 75 years of age, God called him to leave his native land and travel to a unknown place. He was called to “be a blessing” and to be the father of a great nation. [1] But his wife, Sarai, was barren.
He pitched a tent between Bethel (house of bread) and Ai (house of ruin). There he built an alter to the Lord (Jehovah – the Existing One) and called upon His name. [2]
God brought a famine, leading Abram to Egypt. Out of fear, he offered up Sarai to Pharaoh, calling her his sister. [3]
From Egypt, Abram returned and pitched his tents again between Bethel and Ai. But there was strife between his herdsmen and those of his nephew Lot. He and Lot separated. Abram took a humble posture and allowed his nephew to choose his spot. So, Abram moved his tents and dwelt by the oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to the Lord. [4]
Next there was war. Lot was taken away. Abram fought back. He battled and defeated the kings. He rescued Lot and all his possessions. Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of the Most High God, brought out bread and wine and blessed Abram. [5]
The then Lord said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward” (Genesis 15:1b NIV). God reassured Abram that, in spite of the circumstances, a nation as numerous as the stars would be born from him. Abram believed God and his faith was credited to him as righteousness. [6]
As time went on, Abram’s trust in God’s promise waned. Sarai was still barren. Listening to his wife, Abram took matters into his own hands and fathered Ishmael. This wasn’t God’s design and there were consequences. [7]
But God remained faithful, even when Abram was not. He expanded the vision, changing Abram’s name to Abraham (father of many nations). He commanded circumcision as a sign of the covenant between them and as an assurance of God’s faithfulness. God changed Sarai’s name to Sarah and promised she would soon have a child named Isaac. Since Sarah was 99 years old, Abraham’s trust in God’s promise waivered again. He asked if Ishmael could be the child of the promise. [8]
Abraham journeyed toward the land of the Negev and settled in Gerar. Still fearful and concerned about his safety, he lied again about Sarah being his sister to King Abimelech. [9]
When Abraham was 100 years old, Isaac, son of the promise was born. As God had commanded, Abraham circumcised Isaac when he was eight days old.
Intense family strife developed because of Ishmael and his mother, Hagar. Abraham was greatly distresses, but God spoke peace to him. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba and called upon the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God. [10]
Relating to Abraham’s Story
Before we pick back up on Abraham’s journey into deeper surrender toward the heights of Mount Moriah, let’s look at how we might relate to his story so far.
Like Abraham, as believers, we’ve been called to leave our familiar ways to travel with God to unknown places.
Like Abraham, we’ve been blessed to be a blessing.
Like with Abraham, God is at work in our lives to build unwavering trust and deeper intimacy.
Abraham faced barrenness, famine, strife, separation, war, distress and family tension, some of his own doing. Like Abraham, we face loss and lack, which God uses in powerful ways to fashion and stretch our souls. The Master has unique trials for each of us in order to free us from ourselves and our own devices and give us true joy.
Like Abraham, we become afraid. Sometimes our faith is weak. We choose poorly, often even repeating our foolishness. We throw our loved ones “under the bus.” We care too much about us. We take matters into our own hands. We cling to our ways, even when God shows us a better plan.
The same God who walked with Abraham, walks with us. Nothing we go through is a surprise to Him. Like Abraham, our journeys are filled with missteps, but, through it all, God is faithful. He upholds His end of the covenant, even when we don’t.
Abraham’s Test
In Genesis 22, when God called, Abraham said, “Here I am.”
When God gave His surprising command to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham obeyed quickly. No arguments. By then, he was probably 120 years old. His faith had grown strong, forged by famine, war and strife, undergirded by God’s grace, even in the midst of Abraham’s sin.
In full faith, Abraham walked on because he considered God to be able to raise Isaac from the dead. [11] After the third day, he could see Moriah rising up in the distance. On that same mountain, Jerusalem would be built and, years later, Jesus, God’s only Son, would be sacrificed as the Perfect Lamb.
Climbing up the mountain, Isaac asked where the lamb was for the sacrifice. Abraham replied, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering my son” (Genesis 22:8b NASB).
When they came to the place for the sacrifice, Abraham built the altar, bound his son and placed him there. But in the process of slaying Isaac, an angel said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me” (Genesis 22:`12b NASB).
Our Response
Do we fear God in the ways Abraham displayed?
Are there things we withhold from God?
Do we trust God’s love for us and His plan for our lives?
Is our emotional wellbeing anchored around people or things?
Is our faith deep enough to withstand unimaginable circumstances because we know God is at work, especially in our trials?
Are we willing to surrender even the most precious parts of our hearts to God because we trust Him?
Like me, you probably find yourself somewhere along Abraham’s journey leading up to his test. We worship, we love, we seek to obey. But sometimes we stumble. Too often, we choose what we want ahead of the interests of others. We try and solve problems on our own, using our limited strengths and abilities. We fear. We fall back to familiar lies and worn out patterns of trying to make life better.
Is a better life the point?
But know this. The same loving, merciful God who kept His promises to Abraham, in spite of his weak faith and sin, keeps His promises to us.
Challenge
Thinking about your journey, have there been similar sacrifices required of you, like Abraham with Isaac?
Are there things you are withholding from God, though He’s asked you?
What is God asking of you right now?
Where do you need to trust God more in a particular area?
Are there lies you believe and even defend, creating strongholds in your life?
Talk to Him about these things.
Prayer
O Lord, I’m so amazed at Abraham’s journey. Like him, You’ve chosen to love me. You’ve blessed me with every spiritual blessing. You are Jehovah-Jireh. You see what I really need and You provide.
Thank you for the freedom and joy which awaits me, as I surrender more and more of my life to You. Only You can enable and direct my surrender. Please carry me along Your road of freedom.
May I give every one and every thing to You along the way, returning to Mount Moriah every day.
Amen.
[1] Genesis 12:2
[2] Genesis 12:4-9
[3] Genesis 12:10-20
[4] Genesis 13
[5] Genesis 14
[6] Genesis 15
[7] Genesis 16
[8] Genesis 17
[9] Genesis 20
[10] Philippians 2:7b
[11] Hebrews 11:17-19
Previous posts in the series – Our Highest Joy:
Dealing with sadness and disappointment
.Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
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