“Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith” (Genesis 22:1).
God doesn’t tempt us, but He does test us. Faith isn’t faith until it has been tested, and Abraham’s day of testing had come. God called out to Abraham and asked him to take Isaac, his only son, and offer him as a sacrifice to Him on Mount Moriah.
How hard it must have been for Abraham to hear this command from his Lord—to go and sacrifice his promised son as a burnt offering to the Lord. I’m sure for a moment it brought confusion to Abraham’s mind, but Abraham had learned who God was, and so he obeyed.
Abraham went up to Mt. Moriah to worship the Lord. We see Abraham’s faith when he turned to his young servants and said, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you” (Genesis 22:5). Abraham expected Isaac to return with him, and he declared it to be so. He went to be obedient and to offer his son on the altar, as God had commanded. This was a huge step of faith for Abraham, but he knew God had said that through Isaac he would become a great nation.
Hebrews 11:19 says that “he considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.” Abraham had contemplated his own body when God said that he—even at the age of one hundred—would have a son. Now he contemplated the resurrection of Isaac’s body because of the promise given to him by God.
Once again Abraham worshipped God through obedience to His Word. Abraham didn’t argue or delay. And God honored Abraham’s obedience at the moment the knife was raised in total abandonment and full devotion to Him. Then, an angel stayed the hand of Abraham, and a ram was provided for the sacrifice.
In Matthew 5:28 Jesus declares, “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
With God it is always about the heart.
In Isaiah 29:13, God says, “This people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote.”
God doesn’t judge us by our outward actions, as man does; He judges our hearts.
Abraham didn’t have to physically sacrifice his son for God and have God prove He could raise Isaac from the dead. God knew Abraham already believed in his heart that He would raise Isaac from the dead. It’s said that actions speak louder than words, but in God’s world, the heart speaks louder than both.
O Father, true worship is about sacrifice and obedience; sacrifice of self—of my wants and my desires. Sacrifice of anything that comes between me and You. Sacrifice of anything I put before You in my life. True love only comes with the sacrifice of self. I can sacrifice all for You only because You first sacrificed all for me. I can live in complete obedience to You and Your Word because I can trust that You will keep Your Word. You have proved Yourself to me countless times, just as You proved Yourself to Abraham. Thank You, my Father God, for being my God. My Jesus, it is in Your name I pray, Amen. —submitted by Nicole Vaughn, US
tom felten on October 13, 2011 at 12:05 pm
Thanks for these insights, Nicole. Abraham is a great example of someone who live out a genuine faith. Jesus, as the Sacrificial Lamb who died for our sins, presents another remarkable view of faith. As He considered the imminent pain and suffering of the cross, He chose to trust in His Father and His will (Luke 22:42). What faith!
pastorasa on October 13, 2011 at 1:56 pm
Nicole, thank you for sharing a great message of faith. Wonderful insights.
mike wittmer on October 14, 2011 at 2:30 pm
Thanks, Nicole. I appreciate your emphasis that our faith is not in itself but in the promises of God. We must believe whatever he has promised, and must not believe where he hasn’t.