We're Coming Back Series

Title: Abraham and Isaac

Text:

Theme

Introduction

Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." (Gen 22:1)

There are at least four times in the Bible where we read that Abraham’s faith was tested.

First was his call. God called him out of the Ur of Caldees and just go

Second was a promise. God made a promise. To make him a great

nation. To give him a great heritage. This was before any

child was ever born. It was a promise that he would not see

for another 25 years.

Third he changed his name. It’s a promise of the scripture.

When you come into that covenant relationship with Christ

You are a new creature. With that you receive a new name.

You can shake off the labels of the world.

Fourth was here when he tested him. God fulfilled His promise

to Abraham but He testing him on his greatest

accomplishment.

1 Peter 1:6 NLT So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. 7 These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

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." (Gen 22:2)

This would be the greatest test of Abraham’s life. There is nowhere in scripture where we read that God condones human sacrifice. Yet this was a true test. What would Abraham do?

Who was Isaac? Isaac was the promise child of Abraham. This was the child that God has promised to him when he was 75 years of age. This is the child that the Lord said he was going to bless him through. Yet the Lord is telling him to sacrifice him.

Why would God test Abraham on this?

Full Life Study Bible Genesis 22:2:

The question had to be answered "was Abraham's hope of the fulfillment of the promise still in God, or did he now hope in something else, i.e. in Isaac?" Now that you have received the blessing do you no longer need God, or faith in God?

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. (Gen 22:3) Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. (Gen 22:4)

“he split the wood” – he made the preparation. Nobody can sacrifice your Isaac for you.

For three days they took the journey to the mountain. Could you imagine what was going through Abraham’s mind? I believe this was a quite lonely trip. What was Abraham going to tell his people? What was he going to tell Isaac?

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." (Gen 22:5)

This has to be a true testament of faith.

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. (Heb 11:17-19)

If we could only get this kind of faith in our spirit. The kind of faith that trust God no matter the circumstances. The kind of faith that says I may be down but I won’t be down forever. The kind of faith that says I may be going through something but that is the good news I don’t have to reside here, I don’t have to stay here it is just a blip on the map it is just a stopping off point.

“We will come back” Me and my promise. We are coming back. Why? Because I have faith in God.

He had a heritage to watch out for:

Genesis 22:16-18 and said: "By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son-- (17) blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. (18) In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."