We have spent many days in this study of God’s covenant with mankind looking at the life of Abraham and how God’s covenant remained and stood firm because of God’s faithfulness. We have watched while God demonstrated His Grace, His Love, and His Glory to Abraham. It was God who had taken Abraham by the hand and taught Abraham to trust in God’s faithfulness and God’s plan. God now wished to symbolically demonstrate in a spectacular manner the plan of redemption and at the same time demonstrate the faith that Abraham had learned.
photo used courtesy of @istock
God’s Glory shines brightest when His children trust Him against all odds, waiting through difficult trials, obeying when man’s logic would say no, and dying to one’s own desires; that God’s magnificent Glory might be reflected back to Him as sunlight brilliantly reflects from a mirror. There in the midst of all that surrounds, the child is enwrapped with God’s abiding love, joy, hope, and redemption.
There is no greater place of ecstasy for God’s child while a mystified, unbelieving world looks on. That was the case when, now God asked Abraham as recorded in Genesis 22 to take his son, Isaac and sacrifice him on the altar. The very command would seem so unreasonable and so unimaginable. Surely, Abraham had heard wrong—but in that time with Abraham God had spoken very clearly and there was no doubt what God had said. Yet, all the years of Abraham’s life had taught Him to trust in God’s Faithfulness to complete all that He had promised within His covenant with Abraham. God was faithful and Abraham set out to do as he was commanded. If you have read the story, you know that God at the last moment provides a ram to be the substitute. Look at
the description. Genesis 22: “6 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.7 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?8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.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.10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.13 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.” We are given a clue as to Abraham’s learned faith and trust in God when we look at Hebrews 11: “17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.” So perhaps we could understand Abraham’s faith but what about Isaac’s faith? Read this once more and note that Isaac obeyed and laid down allowing Abraham to tie him to the altar. Think about that—Isaac willingly obeyed his father. From birth, Abraham must have told Isaac of the stories of God’s Faithfulness. How important it is that we recall and pass on all the stories of God’s Faithfulness to our Children and our Grand Children. There is another important message to be found here as the scriptures of the Old Testament stand with clear portraits of Christ. How symbolic of Christ’s obedience to be the sacrifice willingly was seen in Isaac. Yet, in the case of Isaac; God sent the Ram to be the substitute; just, as Christ is our substitute. Once more, God had demonstrated:
1. God’s Covenant Plan of Redemption by Grace through faith
2. God’s Covenant of His Own Faithfulness
How you enjoy this song from the late Nick Nixon, a country western songwriter and singer originally from Poplar Bluff, MO in a recording I found on Youtube. Faith of Abraham by Nick Nixon.
© 2014 Effie Darlene Barba
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to any brands, products or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides regarding the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”