Crumbs 56

 

Crumbs from the Master’s Table 56

In the Wilderness : Abraham

Scripture Genesis 22:1-19New International Version

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”“Here I am,” he replied. 2 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.” 3 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. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 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.”6 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,  7 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?” 8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together .9 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. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.  11 But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”“Here I am,” he replied.12 “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,ur only son.” 13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram[a] caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 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.” 15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as thesand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring[b] all nations on earth will be blessed,[c] because you have obeyed me.” 19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.

Crumbs

Two events precede the experience of Abraham in this chapter; the rejection of Ishmael as the bearer of promise and the accord with the Philistines ( chp 21 ) Through Hagar Abraham had tried to fix the promises himself. Did this reliance on human effort still persist in the heart of Abraham ? This passage assures us that any such misplaced faith had gone.

There are several approaches to this account. One is to see Abraham being taught that God did not require child sacrifice, as local idols did. Another is to see God testing the affections of Abraham. Which comes first, family or God ? Is this a test and opportunity for Abraham to exercise faith?

When several view points about Scripture are presented I tend to seek value in all; but here there is an over riding factor. Hebrews 11 : 17-19 helps us understand. With the Old Testament we must ever turn to the New Testament for understanding. Abraham showed faith that even if Isaac was sacrificed God would still deliver on His promises.

Moriah is where Solomon built the temple. It is close to Calvary. Here in the first chapter is fore shadowed our salvation and we see an act of worship in which the instruction and the sacrifice both come from God.

Questions

1. How does the experience of Abraham inform our knowledge of salvation?

2, Which aspects of Abraham’s attitude should we imitate?

3. What does this passage guide us about our relationship with God and our worship of Him ?