Gtcotr/ss022209
I’ve got this thing figured out. It only took me 54 years, but now I think I understand why and how God wants to work with us. You see, it’s like this.
My parents started teaching me the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, the rewards of obedience and the cost of disobedience when I was very young. Then when I grew a little and got to the place I could walk and talk, knew how to feed myself and was potty trained, they allowed to go off to school and sit under various teachers in a controlled environment hoping I would learn more.
As much as was reasonable and necessary my parents protected me, provided for me and guided me while they could, knowing that one day I would be out in life making my own way. They wanted me to be as prepared as possible and ready to handle my affairs when they could no longer control everything I encountered.
For that my parents did a great job. They protected me from every hurt they could and equipped me with the tools necessary to make it through the pressures of life they knew I might face on my own. My parents corrected me when they deemed it best but never for the sake of their pleasure and never did they attempt to hurt me. Rather in everything they did their aim was to make me a better and more capable person. They even spoke into my life to teach me things I never thought I would use. Now, at age 54, I wish I had learned more.
This is the same way God approaches His love and desire for us. God has never and will never hurt you. His aim is to instruct us, prepare us, correct us and equip us to handle life. The things which God may bring our way to stretch and strengthen us are never meant for our harm, and indeed will never harm us. God is attempting to prepare us for the those things which may come our way that He did not send, did not intend, but are either from the devil or of our own making.
It is imperative that we learn from the many teachers God sends us and allow ourselves to be under the yoke of learning for as long as the Lord wills. God knows the things we will face and He has a plan to prepare us with the grace sufficient to handle every problem of life. We cannot always choose what we go through but we can choose how we will go through it.
Such was the case with Abraham in Genesis 22. Jewish scholars observe that Abraham faced ten tests of life. These tests are not seen as God tempting Abraham but rather God leading Abraham on a journey to discover his faith. The last and greatest of these tests is recorded in Genesis 22 where we find both Abraham and his son, Isaac, on a journey of faith together.
Christian scholars easily see God using the life of Abraham, along with many other characters in the Old Testament, to dramatically reveal deeper spiritual truths concerning the Kingdom of Heaven. It is hard to miss the parallels here between Isaac and Jesus.
Let’s turn to Genesis 22 and see what we can learn from this story.
Genesis 22
1 ¶ Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."
At this particular time it seems most reasonable that Isaac is about 30 to 35 years old. The year is approximately 1860 to 1865 years before the birth of Jesus. Abraham and his family have been living in the southern part of Israel in the town of Beersheba.
2 Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."
Now remember, God is not tempting Abraham with evil as some would argue. Rather, God is leading Abraham and Isaac on a journey to discover and experience their faith in God and in the promise God had earlier made to Abraham.
Romans 4:22&23 “Now it was not written for his sake alone … but also for us …”
The Apostle Paul assured us that this account was not written for Abraham’s sake alone but for our sakes as well so that we might also come to trust God.
Genesis 22
3 ¶ So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.
Now notice who is going to be attending this sacrifice.
* Abraham who represents God the Father
* Isaac who is a type and shadow of Jesus, the Son of God
* The two servants, the two witnesses required for such an act, standing in for the two thieves on either side of the cross Jesus would one day be sacrificed on
* And the donkey … whoever could that be? Perhaps the devil or maybe … hmmm … I don’t know … but, I seem to remember an old song, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord? …”
Well anyway … back to the story before I get into trouble –
Genesis 22
5 And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you."
I like the thought of this: The Father and Son going away together for a while and then coming again!
6 So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together.
By the way, the place God told Abraham to go was the area immediately surrounding Jerusalem and the hill he is about to climb, many believe, is the Temple Mount which leads up to Mount Calvary.
Notice that the wood is laid on Isaac the son. Jesus too would one day have the wood of His own cross laid upon Him in this same place for perhaps this very same climb to the top.
Interesting to note that the Father kept the fire in his own hand and also the knife, this personal instrument of choice in which to slay the sacrifice. Then the two of them walked together.
7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." Then he said, "Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"
8 And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering." So the two of them went together.
This is a fair question. It’s alright to ask God questions but it is never right to quit on God because you don’t like the answer.
I love the way verse 8 reads in the King James Version: “God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” Indicated in the sentence structure is the thought that God will make Himself the sacrificial Lamb.
9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.
I think the answer to Isaac’s question is becoming a little more apparent by this point. It is possible he could be thinking that he has been deceived a little here. Abraham is about 145 years old here and I imagine this 30 something year old son, who was strong enough to carry all that wood up the mountain, could probably have given Abraham a run for his money. But he didn’t! Not only did Abraham trust God, but Isaac trusted Abraham. Sometimes our season of life demands that we trust God in others. Don’t get me wrong and don’t try to misunderstand me here … let this truth stand for what it is.
10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
11 ¶ But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am."
12 And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."
Don’t you know that Isaac was relieved … providing he actually heard the voice.
This is a place where Abraham could have easily begun to think that he was schizophrenic, hearing voices argue with one another. The first voice said ‘sacrifice your son’, the second voice said ‘don’t sacrifice your son’. Which one was God? Is God schizophrenic?
Which voice was God’s voice? Both of them were. Both words were words from God. If Abraham had have disbelieved either one or not obeyed both of them there could have been drastic consequences. We must always be ready for a fresh word from heaven.
Sometimes God sends us down a particular road to get to the end of that road and sometimes He sends us down a road to get to the fork in that road. We don’t always know until we get there. This is why we must know God’s voice and always be ready for a fresh word from heaven.
13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
Of course this is a type of Jesus and a shadow of things to come. Jesus, the mature male Lamb of God caught by is nobility and kingly crown in a thicket of lies and hypocrisy was offered up on that hill as a substitute sacrifice for the sins of all mankind including the two thieves on the crosses beside Him and both you and me.
14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, "In the Mount of The LORD it shall be provided."
Jehovah Jireh, The Lord will provide … In the Mount of The Lord it shall be provided. Provision is waiting for you to arrive at the place God desires you to be.
So, what have we learned from this journey of faith?
* God is always with you on every journey of life
* It’s ok to have questions but it’s not ok to quit on God
* Sometimes our season of life demands we trust God in others
* Always be ready for a fresh word from heaven
* The treasure of God’s best for your life is found in the field of God’s will for your life
Right now you may be in the greatest test of your life or perhaps someone you know is going through a problem which requires them to trust God or God in others. Let it be known that our God is a faithful God Who is only out to bless you, prepare you, position and ultimately prosper you as you journey with Him through life. Turn your life and circumstances over to Him and let Him guide you through. Give Him a chance today. Trust Him and see what He will do.
