PARENTS: Give Your Children to God so You can have them Forever!
(Genesis 22 with Romans 12:1-2)
Imagine yourself having been intrusted with the greatest gift in all of history: and then loosing it! Wow that would be a scary thought. But did you know that Mary and Joseph actually "lost" Jesus, the Savior of the World? In Luke 2:43-45 we read how they had lost him in Jerusalem! How fortunate for all humanity they only lost him for a short time. As tragic as it is that we could loose our children for a while, how great would the tragedy be if we lost our child or children for all eternity? But by God’s grace made available to us by faith, no parent ever has to experience that tragedy if they will learn the lessons of faith and parenting God is trying to teach us through this amazing event in the life of Abraham and Isaac. This passage of Abraham offering up his only son in sacrifice to God has proven to be one of the most troublesome in all of scripture to many people. Who wouldn’t ask, "How could a good God require Abraham to offer up his own son in sacrifice."
However, it is impoartant to realize that Abraham himself saw nothing wrong with this test of his faith. If we knew what Abraham knew, and if we had faith like Abraham had faith, (and we are supposed too – Rom. 4:12), then this test of faith would not be troublesome to us, but a life saving inspiration to us. It would cause us to cry out in prayer: “O LORD, make me a father of faith like Abraham!”
You see this was a test of faith for which God had been preparing Abraham for many years. And this was a test for which Abraham had prepared himself by his faithful continual obedience to the revealed Word of God.
For someone who doesn’t hear the Word of God, and doesn’t have a promise from God about their family,
we can understand how Abraham offering up Isaac as a burnt offering to God, would be shocking and seem to be morally questionable.
But Abraham didn’t see it that way at all and neither should we. In fact, if Abraham was here today and saw what the average parent is doing with their children, He would be shocked at us and justly accuse us of being morally unfit as parents.
You see Abraham knew for sure without a doubt that His son would be given back to him alive and they would spend eternity together in God’s promised land (Heb. 11:19; Rom. 4:20-21; “everlasting covenant” Gen. 17:7-8). Many parents today do not know for sure without a doubt if they will get to spend eternity with their children. If you are a parent in that situation then read on for you are about to learn the best news a parent could know!
Parents are always making great sacrifices for their children. This every parent is well aware of. But what most parents don’t realize is that we are all offering up our children as living sacrifices! The important question becomes, “To who or what are we sacrificing our children?"
Most parents end up offering their children up in sacrifice to the world on its altars of self, wealth, education, lust and pride. On these altars of temporal values, the sacrifice is eventually totally consumed never to be seen or heard of again. (I John 2:16-17)
But then there are those parents of faith like Abraham who learn to offer up their children on the altars of faith to the one true Eternal God. Like Abraham they realize their children are a gift from God and really belong to Him (Ps. 127:3). We are just stewards. And some day the owner will come back and demand an accounting of how well we have done in our stewardship (Matt. 18:5-6). Like Mary and Joseph we are entrusted to take care of these precious little lives until their real father calls them into His service. (Luke 2:49)
The question we will all be challenged with as we study Genesis 22 is: “To whom or what are we offering up our children?" "Who will they spend their lives serving?" Self, Satan, or the World? Or will they spend their lives serving the one True Eternal God who created us all? Will we end up kidnapping God’s children to fulfill our temporary selfish purposes or will we surrender them into God’s custody to fulfill His glorious eternal purposes?
Will you have the blessing of eternal fellowship with your children in the joys of heavenly sinless perfection? Or will you just have the blessing of their presence a few short earthly years never to see them again? The answer depends on "to whom or what are you offering up your children in sacrifice?"
Let’s look at a few of the truths from Abraham’s finest moment that are important for Parents of faith.
I.) Times of Great Trial will come into every
Parents life. (Genesis 22:1-2)
It is important to make sure we are well prepared for life’s trials. From Abraham’s preparation we learn how we must prepare for the tests of life. And from Abraham’s triumph through faith we learn how we too can be “more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Rom. 8:37-39). Let’s prepare well, so that many will see our faith manifested by our works of faith and thus come to believe in our LORD.
A.) God did not tempt Abraham to sin but
tested him to reveal God’s redemptive
plan(22:1). The Gospel is being preached through
this historic event (Gal. 3:8; Rom. 4:23-24)
1.) The Word of God makes it
perfectly clear that there is
no temptation to sin here. There is
simply a dramatic, life changing, world
changing test of faith. James 1:13-14
tells us “God cannot be tempted with
evil, neither tempteth he any man.”
Hebrews 11:17 (KJV) reveals the
word “tempt” in Genesis has the idea of
tried. For Abraham this will be a trial
of his faith much more precious than
gold that will be found to the praise
and honor and glory of God
Rom.4:20)
2.) This kind of faith testing is
something every believer will go
through (I Pet. 1:7). The heat is being
turned up in order to purify the precious
golden faith that is already there. The
genuineness and purity of Abraham’s faith is
about to be manifested to the entire world.
(Genesis 15:5-6)
i.) This can only be done by
manifesting the work of faith
(James 2:18-24).
ii.) Real faith obeys God! (Romans
1:5; 6:16; 16:26). We are
not saved by works, but the
faith that saves, works!
iii.) We must "work out our
salvation with fear and
trembling" (Phil.2:12-13). You can
only "work out" in your life what has
first been "worked in" your heart.
B.) Abraham was well prepared for this
test. We must make sure we are ready
for life’s trials! Look at how God had been preparing Abraham for this trial and how Abraham had been praparing himself for just such a trial like this.
1.) Abraham was a man who had been hearing (and
listening to) the word of God: “The LORD had said unto Abram” (Gen. 12:1); “The Word of the LORD came unto Abram” (Gen. 15:1, 4); “God said unto him, Abraham. . .” (Gen. 22:1).
a.) Any parent today has the opportunity
to grow in faith by hearing God’s
Word. We like Abraham must listen carefully
for and to the Word of God (Rom. 10:17).
2.) Abraham had been given some specific Promises
for his own life and his family (Gen. 12:1-3)
a.) Every parent today needs to search
the scriptures for the Promises of
God that they can claim for their own
families. There are so many of them! (Gal.
3:14)
3.) Abraham had decided to enter into a blood
covenant relationship with the LORD (Gen.
15:4-18).
a.) Any parent today can decide to enter
into a blood covenant relationship
with the LORD through faith in Jesus Christ.
Christ cut the New Covenant when He was
crucified and shed His blood on the cross of
Calvary. In fact it is impossible to any
kind of meaningful life changing relationship
with God without entering into a blood
covenant relationship with God through faith
in Christ. (Matt.26:27-28; I Cor 11:25-26).
4.) Abraham had already learned by experience
that God can give life to the dead (Heb.
11:17) Sarah was too old to have children. Her body was “as good as dead” as far as having children was concerned (Gen.18:11-12). Abraham’s own body was also as good as dead. We are told “he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb” (Rom. 4:19). But Abraham had faith in God’s Word, God’s promise. He was “fully persuaded that what God had promised, he was able also to perform” (Rom. 4:21; 4:3; Gen. 15:6). By faith he had come to understand and know God as He “who quickeneth {gives life to} the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were” (Rom. 4:17). So Abraham now has a strong faith based on God’s Word that God can raise the dead.
a.) Abraham fully believed God
wouldraise Isaac from the dead if
he did have toliterally sacrifice him. He
told his 2 servants, "I and the Lad will
come again to you." (Gen.22:5). His faith had
grown through his previous trials.
His faith was perfected because he
responded with obedience to the revealed
word of God(James 2:21-22; Rom.4:21; 4:3;
Gen. 15:6)
b.) Any parent today can have such a
faith if they will just study the
Gospel accounts of the death burial and
resurrection of our LORD Jesus Christ. Why?
Because Jesus was "declared to be the Son of
God with power; according to the spirit of
holiness, by the resurrection from the dead”
(Rom. 1:4).
Are you responding with obedience to God’s Word when you encounter various trials so God can perfect your faith? (I Pet. 1:7). God always prepares us for what He has prepared for us. We must pass each test of faith so we can move on to greater and greater things for the glory of our God. Abraham is well prepared for this test of having to offer up Isaac. Most of us are not even in the same ballpark as Abraham, and that is why we have such a hard time understanding the moral sanity of this “test.” God had prepared Abraham by allowing him many faith building opportunities. They were stepping stones in his relationship with God. Abraham had been preparing himself by faithfully responding to each faith challenge. Abraham’s trial is not our trial. Everyone’s trials will be different. But Abraham’s life and trials are a pattern for every believer (Rom. 4:11, 16; Gal. 3:7). From Abraham’s life revealed in Scripture we learn the principles of faith that will make us the friend of God that can trust God in everything! (James 2:23)
Look at God’s promise to the parent who would not with hold their Child from God’s purposes. God says,
“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. . .And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice” (Gen. 22:16-18).
Greater trials lead to greater blessing. So let’s learn from Abraham’s testing so we will be able to pass our “tests of faith” for the glory and blessing of God.
II.) The Time comes to everyone when we are confronted with the awesome reality that all Life belongs to the Creator God and He can do with it what He wants. Gen. 22:2-10)(see Acts 17:24-25; I Sam 2:6)
A.) In the Scripture this sovereignty of
God over life and death is known as
God’s MAJESTY!
“And for the majesty that he {God} gave him, all people, nations, and languages, trembled and feared before him: whom he would he slew; and whom he would he kept alive; and whom he would he set up; and whom he would he put down” (Daniel 5:19).
1.) It is in the context of God’s revelation of
His Majesty to Abraham that Abraham is led to
offer up genuine worship! (Gen. 22:5)
a.) This is the 1st mention of the
word "worship" in the Bible. And it
comes in context of the awe inspiring
revelation of God’s Majesty. Life is in
God’s hands!
2.) It is in the context of God’s revelation of
His Majesty to Abraham that we are given a
revelation of the greatness of God’s love to
us.
a.) This is the 1st mention of the
word "love" in the Bible. (22:2)
i.) The first use of the
word “love” in each of the
Gospels is also associated with the
Father’s love for His Son (Matt. 3:17;
Mk. 1:11; Lk. 3:22). It is the love of
a father for his "only son" who was the
son of promise! (John 3:16!!!!!)
3.) It is in the context of God’s revelation of
His Majesty to Abraham that he will find out
about God’s provision for salvation by the
blood of the lamb! (22:7, 8, 13)
a.) This is the 1st mention of the
word "provide" (22:8) and the 1st
mention of the word "lamb" (22:7). "ram"
first mentioned with God’s covenant with
Abraham (15:9)!
i.) Jesus is "the lamb of God
that takes away the sin of
the world"(John 1:29) JESUS IS GOD’S
ONLY PROVISION FOR SALVATION
b.) There is only one designated place
where the provision can be offered
for the salvation of mankind.
i.) This is the 1st mention of
the land of "Moriah". (Gen.
22:2) "Moriah" means "my teacher is
Jehovah" or "seen of Jehovah" (22:14)
ii.) The land of Moriah is where
the Temple of Solomon was
built 1,000 yrs. later (2 Chron. 3:1)
and where Jesus was crucified 2,000 yrs.
later!
III.) The Time Comes to Everyone when we realize
all Life is sacred to God. (2 Peter 3:9) Because every human being is under the sentence of death for their sins God does everything He can within the unflinching Justice of eternal Law and Saving Power of Redeeming Grace to save as many as possible! (Romans 3:23-26) This is God’s Glory!
A.) Abraham knew that "God will provide himself a
lamb for a burnt offering" (Gen. 22:8)
1.) Abraham found out that Isaac must be
offered in sacrifice but he doesn’t
have to die in sacrifice! There is a lamb to
take his place!
a.) Isaac becomes a living
sacrifice unto God from that
time on. (Romans 12:1-2)
b.) In the same way we must all
become living sacrifices for
God (Luke 9:22-23)!
B.) Because Abraham did not "withold his son"
from God (22:16) God is able to give him back
his son forever! (Hebrews 11:19) (Matthew
8:10-11)
1.) Thus Isaac becomes a prophetic
picture of all those who are given
new life because they accept the Lamb of God
that died in their place on the cross of
Calvary
2.) Teach your children to believe in and
accept the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ,
and you will have the assurance of spending
eternity with them (John 1:29).
Today as parents, before we can offer our children up to God, so that we may have them back forever, we must first “present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1). We must live out the reality of our faith before our children like Abraham did before Isaac. Our children must see the works of faith in our life. Be faithful in going to church. Genuinely rejoice in the opportunity to worship God and study His word. Tithe! Teach your children to tithe. Love your neighbor. Witness to other people. Give out gospel tracts. Do it with your children. Teach them the plan of salvation and pray with them to accept Christ into their hearts by faith! Teach them about repentance and faith. Teach them that salvation is not a one time decision but a life time commitment of faith. A life time of hearing God’s word and responding in faithful obedience to His revealed will for our lives. Fall in love with Jesus yourself. Then teach you children to fall in love with Jesus. Offer your entire family up to God as a living sacrifice and you will have eternity to love and serve God together as a family! (I Thess. 4:13-18)
From Abraham’s preparation we learn how we must prepare for the greatest tests of life. And from Abraham’s triumph through faith we learn how we too can be “more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Rom. 8:37-39). And as Abraham knew he would have his child back forever so we can know we will have our children in resurrection glory forever. Let’s prepare well. Let’s triumph over life’s trials through faith in Christ. Lets live in the full assurance of faith that though our loved ones will someday die we will receive them back again in resurrection glory! For ever and ever!
“O LORD, make me a father of faith like Abraham!”
