God tested Abraham =
and called to him, “Abraham!” “Yes, here I =
am!” he answered. God said, “Take your son, your only son =
Isaac, whom you love, and go to Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt =
offering on one of the mountains that I will show =
you.”
Imagine Abraham =
cutting the wood for the sacrifice of his son. No slave did this; he cut =
it himself. How could he do this? How was it even possible that =
this old man could go about the job of cutting wood for a fire that =
would consume his son? This was a deliberate action. Consider what was =
going on in Abraham’s mind. He was not brooding in a regret filled =
with anger over what he was called upon to do…picturing the agony =
that was about to take place. This would have driven me mad! No, I =
believe Abraham was thinking, “How is God going to work this one =
out? How will God remain a God of honor?
It took three days =
to reach the area of Moriah. Three days are an eternity when walking =
slowly knowing what was about to take place. What was Abraham thinking =
about? He would look at his son…and think…what? Were there =
tears? He was thinking about how God was going to solve this situation. =
Why would I say this?
After he reached =
the area of Moriah, he told his men to “wait here with the donkey =
while the boy and I go over there. We will worship. After that we will =
come back to you.”
WE will come =
back. He intended to sacrifice Isaac just as God had instructed =
him to do. But he was sure that the end would be that Isaac’s life =
would not be ended. “We will come =
back”.
The New Testament =
Book of Hebrews tells us “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, =
offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up =
his only begotten son; it was he to whom God said, ‘In Isaac your =
descendants shall be called.’ He considered that God is able to =
raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as =
a type.”
Abraham was =
convinced of the power and promise of God. His concern was pleasing God =
above all else. This is where the Lord is leading us, if we continue to =
follow on to “know Him”. And this, my friend, is the =
deepest desire of the true child of God. “That I may know Him and =
the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, =
being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the =
resurrection from the dead.”
While Abraham =
deeply cherished and loved his son, his love for God exceeded all other =
affections.
(devotion adapted =
from writing of James Montgomery Boice by F.C. =
Goss)
~~
Dr =
Bob Griffin
[email protected] =
www.grif.net
"Jesus Knows Me, =
This I Love!"