A Father/Son Story
Text: Genesis 22:1-18
Introduction.
A man was telling of an incident that happened with his oldest son. The boy was only 4 ½ years old at the time. The father said, “He was upstairs when I heard him fall, and he was screaming!”
The father said he ran upstairs in an instant, picked the boy up, and cuddled him against his shoulder. The little boy had hit a metal bedrail and cut his forehead. The child was bleeding and the blood got all over his shirt.
The child was rushed to the emergency room and the doctor proceeded to sew him up. The father sat all the time the doctor was working on his son and held his hand to comfort him. He said, “I will never forget those little eyes that were fixed on me. He trusted me to make sure he was all right. He trusted me to make sure everyone did the right things for him and to protect him—that’s what daddies do. It was the look in his eyes.”
This morning we’ll continue with our series from the Book of Genesis—the first book of the Bible—“The Book of Beginning”. Last week we learned, in the history of mankind, God turned His attentions to a man named Abraham.
We learned God made a covenant with Abraham that all mankind would be blessed through him. We also learned Abraham was a great man of faith; but he was not a perfect man of faith. Abraham had a few bad episodes during his life; but, he had faith in God. Though Abraham occasionally failed, he was not a TOTAL failure. God used him to bless us all through Christ and the Church.
Romans 4:3 and 6
---3---“For what does the Scripture say?”
---6---“And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.”
Galatians 3:6-7
---6---“Even so, Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.
---7---Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.”
Galatians 3:26-29
---26---“For you are all sons of God through Faith in Christ Jesus,
---27---For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
---28---There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus;
---29---And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”
When we consider the father’s account of his trip to the emergency room and the look of total trust in his son’s eyes, it makes us wonder about the look in Isaac’s eyes as he looked up at his father, Abraham.
Did Isaac’s eyes look startled? Or pleading? Or were his eyes tearful on that incredible day Abraham led him to the top of Mount Moriah, built an altar, tied him up, placed him on the altar, and drew back his hand with the knife in it as he prepared to sacrifice his son to God?
If you think about it, there’s another pair of eyes we should also consider when we think about that day in the lives of Abraham and his son Isaac. Think about the look in Abraham’s eyes. What were his eyes saying as he looked toward heaven and raised the knife to strike his son with, what he had already accepted would be, a deathblow?
I wonder if Abraham—or God—might have felt the longing to trade places with their sons and spare them from this. This must have also been the longing of the father with his son at the emergency room. We always want to spare our children from pain—from hurt.
How did God feel, many generations later, when His Son faced the cross?
In Genesis, chapter 22, I think we find the high point in Abraham’s life of His faith. In this dramatic father/son story, we learn the meaning of one man’s trust in God. It also confronts us with a critical question. What do we value most in life?
The Abraham/Isaac Story.
Genesis 22:1-2
---1---“Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, ‘ABRAHAM!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’
---2---And He said, ‘TAKE NOW YOUR SON, YOUR ONLY SON, WHOM YOU LOVE, ISAAC, AND GO TO THE LAND OF MORIAH; AND OFFER HIM THERE AS A BURNT OFFERING ON ONE OF THE MOUNTAINS OF WHICH I WILL TELL YOU.’
The text says this command was a “test” of Abraham. A “test”?? It was the ultimate examination of the depths of one man’s faith in God. It was the exploration of Abraham’s soul to see whether there was a single fiber of his being still reserved to himself rather than yielding completely to God. A “test”? It was Abraham’s final exam!
The History of the Promised Child.
Abraham and Sarah had been childless throughout their marriage. They prayed and, probably, consulted a physician. They even tried surrogate motherhood with Sarah’s handmaid, Hagar (Genesis 16). That action proved to be a mistake and one which took away the peace in Abraham’s family—and subsequently, for peace in the world!
God had promised Abraham and Sarah a son—but he would be provided in God’s time!
Fifteen years after the birth of Ishmael to Hagar, Sarah thrilled her husband with the good news that he had a son. And Abraham name this son “Isaac”. Isaac was the “child of promise” for us all, and Abraham and Sarah loved him more than life itself!
Then came the command from God to Abraham—a command that was never given to anyone else before or after this time. We think, “How could a holy God command something that sounds so typical of pagan gods?”
It was typical in the worship of pagan gods for these “supposed” gods to demand, of the people who worshipped them, the sacrifice their children—to force their children to walk through the fires of Molech.
As I prepared this sermon, I thought about past sermons I’d heard about this event in the lives of Abraham and Isaac. To my best recollection, I’ve never heard a sermon totally about this event. I heard many preachers refer to the event, but they never seem to explain it from beginning to end.
Now you may say you’ve heard many sermons about Abraham being told to sacrifice his son—but I haven’t. Maybe they couldn’t explain God’s bright promise in light of this dark command—a command they thought was too demanding of a person’s faith….even the faith of Abraham.
When I thought about the lesson, two thoughts crossed my mind. The first is this: Do we really believe God cares about us and ours? Do we really believe—whatever God does—will always be the best for us?
The second thought is this: We know that nothing is to come between us and our Creator. But the question is, could the son Abraham loved so much come between him and God? This made me question myself. Do I—do we—have an Isaac in our lives that comes between us and our Creator?
Abraham’s Reaction.
The only thing more incredible than the command in this story is Abraham’s response to the command.
Genesis 22:3
---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 wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.”
There is absolutely no hint of reluctance or hesitation on Abraham’s part! Can you imagine? There is only Faith-confirming obedience. Abraham’s faith and his actions were working together. James later said of this event (James 2:22)—
James 2:22
---22---“You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected…”
So father and son traveled together for three days. We have to wonder what was going through Abraham’s mind as he watched Isaac and listened to his voice. What kind of conversations went on during this trip? Abraham couldn’t tell Isaac what lay ahead, because he did not know.
Genesis 22:4-5
---4---“On the third day, Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance.
---5---And Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship and return to you.”
The place the patriarch saw in the distance was Mount Moriah, and it’s mentioned only one other time in the Bible. The place Abraham saw was the same as where Israel’s temple later stood.
2nd Chronicles 3:1
---1---“Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah…”
On the very same elevated spot where that altar would someday stand, Abraham would build his altar. Isaac would be prepared for his death in this place—very near the spot where, in future generations, Jesus Christ would be raised on His cross.
When we read these scriptures carefully, we should be struck with the pronouns Abraham used when addressing his two servants as he and his beloved son left them. Abraham said, “We will worship and we will come back to you.”
Abraham had no doubt that he would do exactly what God had told him; but, for three days he had tried to sort this out in his own mind. He had come to the conclusion that God could do the unprecedented and raise Isaac from the dead. Years later, the Hebrew writer in the NT would explain this.
Hebrews 11:17-19
---17---“By Faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac; and he who had received the promise was offering up his only begotten son;
---18---It was he to whom it was said, ‘IN ISAAC YOUR DESCENDENTS SHALL BE CALLED.’
---19---He considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead; from which he also received him back as a type.”
Abraham knew beyond what was known and familiar—even that what beyond his wisdom—that God would find and honor His word and bring life out of death.
I find Isaac and Abraham’s comments found in Genesis 22:7 & 8 to be very interesting.
Genesis 22:7 & 8
---7---“And Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, ‘My father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am my son.’ And he said, ‘Behold the fire and wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?’
---8---And Abraham said, ‘God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son’, so the two of them walked on together.”
“God will provide…”! What a marvelous way to summarize the Faith perspective about all of life.
In Genesis 22:9-12, we’re told Abraham lifted his knife to present his son as a sacrifice, but an angel of the Lord said, “Don’t harm him. Now I know that you fear God…”. Then he said, “…because you have not withheld from Me your son, your only son…” (Genesis 22:12).
God never wanted Isaac’s life. What He wanted that day was Abraham’s complete allegiance. He tested Abraham to the ultimate limit. As awful as that test was, perhaps we can see God’s point in retrospect.
Before God could do a supreme work of grace in the life of Abraham, He first wanted to know there was nothing that stood between Abraham and his Creator.
The Issue Is “Trust”.
The ultimate issue in every human life is “Trust”.
· Do I trust my skill and ingenuity?
· Do I trust fate to decide my future?
· Do I place myself in the center of God’s will by obeying all of it I understand?
It is testing—usually sudden and unexpected testing—that reveals our priorities to us.
Testing comes to everyone! In our world of shallow theology and pat answers, we don’t like to think of God’s having created a world that can stretch us to our physical, emotional, and spiritual limits and test our Faith.
James 1:2-3, 12
---2---“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,
---3---Knowing that the testing of your Faith produces endurance.”
---12---“Blessed is a man who preservers under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the Crown of Life, which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
Faith is made strong through a variety of tests and challenges in much the same way a mind is made strong through disciplined study—or a body is made strong through taxing exercise. The phrase, “No pain, no gain”, is also true of Faith.
What God wants to happen, during our times of testing, is for us to trust Him. God is sovereign over all creation and will never allow anything to happen to you that is greater than you can bear.
1st Corinthians 10:13
---13---“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, Who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation, will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.”
The thing people of faith learn is that, “God will provide…”, whatever we need. Abraham told his son, Isaac, “God will provide…”. This was the father’s answer when his son asked about the absence of a sacrifice as they were climbing Mount Moriah.
When the angel called Abraham’s name and told him not to harm Isaac, “Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns…” (Genesis 22:13). Abraham made a confident statement of faith, and God “provided” the ram as a substitute for Isaac.
The God who tested Abraham from His sovereignty resolved the test by His Grace. In God’s act of substitution, we see a foreshadowing of Calvary.
In Genesis 22:14, we’re told Abraham named that place “Jehovah-Jireh” (KJV), or “The Lord will provide”. The God who tests us, is the same God who provides.
What Is Your Isaac?
Do we think the point of God’s testing that comes into our lives is, essentially, different from what happened with Abraham on Mount Moriah? God wants our hearts and our loyalty—He wants us to pass the test and obey Him at the crucial junctures in our lives.
What was true for Abraham is, therefore, true for you and for me: Before God will do a supreme work of Grace in our lives, He wants to know there is nothing in our hearts that we love and trust more than Him.
This is the meaning of Jesus’ words recorded in Matthew 10:37-39.
Matthew 10:37-39
---37---‘HE WHO LOVES FATHER OR MOTHER MORE THAN ME, IS NOT WORTHY OF ME;
---38---AND HE WHO LOVES SON OR DAUGHTER MORE THAN ME IS NOT WORTHY OF ME.’
---39---‘HE WHO HAS FOUND HIS LIFE SHALL LOSE IT, AND HE WHO HAS LOST HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE SHALL FIND IT.’
This is demanded of us, not because of God’s vanity; rather, it is for our survival. We must make a definitive choice between God and our “Isaac”.
So—what is our “Isaac”? What is it that means more than anything to us in our life?
· Is it our career or present job?
· Is it a position we waited years to attain?
· Is it our house? Our car? Our investments? Our health?
I don’t believe God is going to speak to us directly as He did to Abraham or that he will ask us to do what he asked of Abraham. But, I do believe He will allow our faith to be tested.
God never tempts us with evil.
James 1:13
---13---“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He, Himself, does not tempt anyone.
---14---But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.”
Our test will be one of trust and loyalty. During the crucial times of our lives, will we put our faith on our “Isaacs”, or will we put our trust in God?
During the times that test us, we might feel our heads whirl with feelings of confusion and pain. The joy goes out of our existence. We may feel broken and empty or a sense of helplessness may descend upon us.
Then we choose what to reach out to. This is when God’s love should become visible to us—in the midst of our suffering. God’s love will teach us something no sermon or theology course ever could.
These experiences of life humble us and make us more sensitive. They have a purifying effect on us, and we can see God more clearly. These experiences will change our priorities about everything! These experiences will teach us this passing world is not to be trusted, and, keeping faith in God means everything!
This becomes a point of reference for our lives when we’re willing to trust and obey God above everything! It is a total surrender of everything in our lives on God’s altar.
If your moment of decision about what’s most important in your life hasn’t come yet….just wait….it will come! The tragedy is not that these times of testing come to us. The tragedy comes if we fail to keep the Faith! If we lose faith, we’ll miss all the things these times are designed to produce in us as Christians.
Jesus said He was the light of the world, and He will always provide that light for us to follow. The question for us is this: Are we willing to follow that light one step at a time?
A missionary to the Congo once told a story about how older men would serve as night sentries for the Christian workers among them. They were very much the living telephone lines from house to house, from compound to compound.
One evening, the missionary went to the door to receive a note that had been brought to her by a man everyone called “Papa Jean”. There was neither moonlight nor streetlight at their station, and the woman could barely make out “Papa Jean” by the light from his six-inch kerosene lantern with its smoking chimney.
Thinking about the amount of light on that dark tropical night, the missionary said, “That lamp doesn’t give you much light, does it, Papa Jean?”
“No, it doesn’t”, he replied, “but it shines as far as I can step.”
Trust God for today, though you cannot see the future. He will always give us as much light for as far as we can step now. So, believe this much—obey all that you know—and do what is right according to His will.
We should commit our way to the Lord and He will direct our path. God did it for Abraham and He will do it for us also. Abraham was a great man of faith—are we?
Invitation.
