Genesis 21:1-3, 5- And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
Can you imagine the joy of these two people. Abraham had waited so long for a son, and now he was able to hold a beautiful little baby boy. And Sarah! How do you think she felt?
We all know that God knows what will happen in our lives, and he gives us the strength to go through what we do. But there are times when God allows things to happens so that we can see what is in our own hearts. And God let this happen to Abraham.
Genesis 22:1-2- And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
This must have been very hard for Abraham to hear. Even God acknowledged that Abraham loved his son. The heathen around Abraham were known for the sacrifice of their children to their false gods. Do you think Abraham wondered why God would ask this of him?
Genesis 22:3- And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
Abraham was willing to obey God! Did you know that God wants you to obey even when you don't understand? God has made some promises to you and you should obey him by faith even when you don't understand. Abraham had faith and he rested on God's promises.
Hebrews 11:17, 19- By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
Abraham remembered that God promised to give him children as the stars of heaven and as the sands on the sea shore. And that promise was made about Isaac. Abraham rested in the promise and believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead to fulfill that promise because he knew that God never lies.
Genesis 22:5- And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.
He told the servants to stay put and that both he and Isaac would come back. He knew God would keep his promise, so he would obey God no matter the cost!
Genesis 22:6-8- And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
The words of God are very important. God's words to Abraham promised that Isaac would have children. And the words that Abraham spoke that God put in the Bible are very important. Abraham said that God would provide himself a lamb. Do you know what that means? Abraham was prophesying that God would become the sacrifice for the sin of the world. He was saying that Jesus Christ was the Son of God!
Genesis 22:9- And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
We know that Abraham was an old man. And Isaac was a child. Isaac could have easily run away when Abraham tried to bind him and put him on the altar. But Isaac allowed his father to bind him. Not only was Abraham willing to obey God, but so was Isaac. Isaac was willing to die on the altar. Just like Christ was willing to die for us!
Genesis 22:10-12- And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
Now, both Abraham and God knew what they meant to each other. God knew that Abraham would obey Him no matter the cost. And Abraham knew that God would bless him and keep his promises!
Genesis 22:13-14- And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
Abraham named the place "It shall be seen". Do you know what that means? Again, Abraham was prophesying about Christ. He was saying that in the future Christ would be the substitute sacrifice. Abraham sacricficed a ram instead of Isaac, not a lamb! The Lamb of God would come some years later.
Genesis 22:15-19- And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
This story teaches us that if we obey God, no matter how hard it is, that we will be blessed! God said because thou has obeyed my voice. Do you wonder what would have happened had Abraham said, "No! I love my son more than I love you!"
Many times we like to tell God, "No! It's my life and I'll live it like I want to!" And we not only throw away the blessings of God, but we bring God's chastening on us.
Deuteronomy 30:19- I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Would you rather obey God and be blessed, or disobey God and be cursed?
