Abraham - 2) Passing the Test
In Genesis 22, we find the Old Testament account of
Abraham preparing to offer his only son Isaac as a sacrifice to God. Of
course, while Abraham was prepared to obey God’s command, he is relieved
from such a difficult task.
Yet, the lesson of Abraham and Isaac is revived as an heroic example of
faith in Hebrews 11:17-19, “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.”
The willingness of Abraham to sacrifice Isaac must have been especially
hard. First of all, because it was Abraham’s son. Second, because it was
his only son. Third, because God had previously made a promise to
Abraham that would be fulfilled through his children or “seed.” It must
have seemed puzzling to Abraham to be told to sacrifice the very child
needed to fulfill God’s promise!
Abraham teaches us a valuable lesson in his actions.
The lesson is this—we must be willing to obey God no matter how great
the sacrifice might be. So often, we are only willing to sacrifice the
easy. God does not just want the easy sacrifices, he wants us to
sacrifice all that is necessary to be obedient.
The weekend drunkard may find it very easy to be professional and polite
during the week, but God demands we avoid “drunkenness” and
“drinking parties” (Galatians 5:19-21; 1 Peter 4:1-4). The wealthy
person may avoid a whole host of sins, but if we fail to help the needy
with our riches we have failed the test (Acts 11:27-30). Fornicators,
homosexuals and adulterers may be successful in many areas of life, but
God demands we “flee sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18). A
person may believe in Jesus Christ and may live a moral life, but if we
refuse to be baptized, as He commanded, then we have rejected God’s
commands (Mark 16:15-16).
We are not allowed to pick and choose which commands we will or will not
obey. If God commands it, we must obey it knowing that God is in
control. As an antitype to Abraham, God sent His only Son to become the
sacrifice for our sins on earth. As Jesus was nailed to a cross, it may
not have made much sense. Yet, three days later, as the tomb was empty,
God’s plan made perfect sense. We must die to ourselves, if we expect to
rise in eternity.
November 2006