Abraham's Test, Obedience and Blessing
Abraham’s test, obedience and blessing.
Genesis 22
Verses 1-2 The Lord presents Abraham with a fundamental test of his
willingness to obey all of God’s commands.
Verses 3-6 Abraham immediately sets about to obey the command of
God.
Verses 7-8 Isaac questions Abraham regarding the availability of the
sacrifice and Abraham points to the provision of God.
Verses 9-10 They arrive at the place and Abraham proceeds the act of
sacrifice.
Verses 11-14 The angel of the Lord prevents Abraham from harming Isaac
and provides a ram for the sacrifice.
Verses 15-18 The lord speaks to Abraham a second time and promises to
bless him for his obedience.
Verse 19 Abraham returns and dwells in Beersheba.
Verses 20-24 Abraham’s brother is blessed with many children.
=====================================
Verses 1-2 The Lord presents Abraham with a fundamental test of his
willingness to obey all of God’s commands.
willingness to obey all of God’s commands.
Verses 3-6 Abraham immediately sets about to obey the command of
God.
Verses 7-8 Isaac questions Abraham regarding the availability of the
sacrifice and Abraham points to the provision of God.
Verses 9-10 They arrive at the place and Abraham proceeds the act of
sacrifice.
Verses 11-14 The angel of the Lord prevents Abraham from harming Isaac
and provides a ram for the sacrifice.
Verses 15-18 The lord speaks to Abraham a second time and promises to
bless him for his obedience.
Verse 19 Abraham returns and dwells in Beersheba.
Verses 20-24 Abraham’s brother is blessed with many children.
=====================================
Verses 1-2 The Lord presents Abraham with a fundamental test of his
willingness to obey all of God’s commands.
Gen 22:1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
Gen 22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
Q. What does it mean that God did “tempt” Abraham.
The most common English translation of the Hebrew word “NAWSAW” which is here translated “Tempt” is PROVE.
For example:
Exo 16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
Deu 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
===============
Note:
ISAAC {meaning}
H3327
יצחק
yitschâq
yits-khawk'
From H6711; laughter (that is, mockery); Jitschak (or Isaac), son of Abraham: - Isaac. Compare H3446.
Isaac might have been tempted to think that God was mocking him.
This is never the case!
Illustration:
The Value of Afflictions
There is a legend about a grandfather clock that stood in a corner for three generations, faithfully ticking off the minutes, hours and days-its means of operation was a heavy weight suspended by a double chain. One of its new owners, believing that an old clock should not bear such a load, released the weight. Immediately the ticking stopped. According to the legend, the clock asked, "Why did you do that?" The owner replied, "I wanted to lighten your burden." "Please put my weight back," replied the clock. "That is what keeps me going."
Moriah {Meaning}
H4179
מריּה מוריּה
môrîyâh môrîyâh
mo-ree-yaw', mo-ree-yaw'
From H7200 and H3050; seen of Jah; Morijah, a hill in Palestine: - Moriah.
Application:
God was sending him to a place where he would be in full view of his God.
Verses 3-6 Abraham immediately sets about to obey the command of
God.
Gen 22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
Q. What does it mean that God did “tempt” Abraham.
The most common English translation of the Hebrew word “NAWSAW” which is here translated “Tempt” is PROVE.
For example:
Exo 16:4 Then said the LORD unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.
Deu 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
===============
Note:
ISAAC {meaning}
H3327
יצחק
yitschâq
yits-khawk'
From H6711; laughter (that is, mockery); Jitschak (or Isaac), son of Abraham: - Isaac. Compare H3446.
Isaac might have been tempted to think that God was mocking him.
This is never the case!
Illustration:
The Value of Afflictions
There is a legend about a grandfather clock that stood in a corner for three generations, faithfully ticking off the minutes, hours and days-its means of operation was a heavy weight suspended by a double chain. One of its new owners, believing that an old clock should not bear such a load, released the weight. Immediately the ticking stopped. According to the legend, the clock asked, "Why did you do that?" The owner replied, "I wanted to lighten your burden." "Please put my weight back," replied the clock. "That is what keeps me going."
Moriah {Meaning}
H4179
מריּה מוריּה
môrîyâh môrîyâh
mo-ree-yaw', mo-ree-yaw'
From H7200 and H3050; seen of Jah; Morijah, a hill in Palestine: - Moriah.
Application:
God was sending him to a place where he would be in full view of his God.
Verses 3-6 Abraham immediately sets about to obey the command of
God.
Gen 22:3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
Note:
1. The manner of his obedience.
“And Abraham rose up early in the morning”
Illustration.
Obedience
Man's Great Power
When J. Wilbur Chapman was in London, he had an opportunity to meet General Booth, who at that time was past 80 years of age. Dr. Chapman listened reverently as the old general spoke of the trials and the conflicts and the victories he had experienced.
The American evangelist then asked the general if he would disclose his secret for success. "He hesitated a second," Dr. Chapman said, "and I saw the tears come into his eyes and steal down his cheeks," and then he said, "I will tell you the secret. God has had all there was of me. There have been men with greater brains than I, men with greater opportunities; but from the day I got the poor of London on my heart, and a vision of what Jesus Christ could do with the poor of London, I made up my mind that He would have all of William Booth there was. And if there is anything of power in the Salvation Army today, it is because God has all the adoration of my heart, all the power of my will, and all the influence of my life."
Dr. Chapman said he went away from that meeting with General Booth knowing "that the greatness of a man's power is the measure of his surrender."
2. The groundwork of his obedience.
“and saddled his ass”
All we do fits into the bigger picture of obedience.
3. The preparation of his obedience.
“and took two of his young men with him”
Maybe in the back of Abrahams mind was the possibility of a struggle. Though in the end they were not taken up the mountain.
4. The measure of his obedience.
“and Isaac his son”
5. The difficulty attending his obedience.
“and clave the wood for the burnt offering”
Let us in view of this scripture never say it is to difficult what God is asking me to do.
6. The focus of his obedience.
“and rose up”
Not went with his head bowed!
7. The Perfection of his obedience.
“and went unto the place of which God had told him”
8. The unwavering nature of his obedience.
Read verse 4.
For three days he had time to change his mind but did not.
Gen 22:4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
Gen 22:5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.
Gen 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.
9. The Personal nature of his obedience.
Read verse 5.
Note;
They would look after the Donkey.
He would, Alone, deal with Isaac.
10. The Atmosphere and Attitude of his Obedience.
It was an Attitude of Worship.
“and I and the lad will go yonder and worship”
11. The confidence of his obedience.
“and come again to you”
and come again to you, both he and Isaac; this he said under a spirit of prophecy, as Jarchi thinks, or in the faith of Isaac's resurrection from the dead, Heb_11:19.
Heb 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,
Heb 11:18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
Heb 11:19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
12. The practical implimentation of his obedience. Verse 6.
Gen 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.
Note:
1. The manner of his obedience.
“And Abraham rose up early in the morning”
Illustration.
Obedience
Man's Great Power
When J. Wilbur Chapman was in London, he had an opportunity to meet General Booth, who at that time was past 80 years of age. Dr. Chapman listened reverently as the old general spoke of the trials and the conflicts and the victories he had experienced.
The American evangelist then asked the general if he would disclose his secret for success. "He hesitated a second," Dr. Chapman said, "and I saw the tears come into his eyes and steal down his cheeks," and then he said, "I will tell you the secret. God has had all there was of me. There have been men with greater brains than I, men with greater opportunities; but from the day I got the poor of London on my heart, and a vision of what Jesus Christ could do with the poor of London, I made up my mind that He would have all of William Booth there was. And if there is anything of power in the Salvation Army today, it is because God has all the adoration of my heart, all the power of my will, and all the influence of my life."
Dr. Chapman said he went away from that meeting with General Booth knowing "that the greatness of a man's power is the measure of his surrender."
2. The groundwork of his obedience.
“and saddled his ass”
All we do fits into the bigger picture of obedience.
3. The preparation of his obedience.
“and took two of his young men with him”
Maybe in the back of Abrahams mind was the possibility of a struggle. Though in the end they were not taken up the mountain.
4. The measure of his obedience.
“and Isaac his son”
5. The difficulty attending his obedience.
“and clave the wood for the burnt offering”
Let us in view of this scripture never say it is to difficult what God is asking me to do.
6. The focus of his obedience.
“and rose up”
Not went with his head bowed!
7. The Perfection of his obedience.
“and went unto the place of which God had told him”
8. The unwavering nature of his obedience.
Read verse 4.
For three days he had time to change his mind but did not.
Gen 22:4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
Gen 22:5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.
Gen 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.
9. The Personal nature of his obedience.
Read verse 5.
Note;
They would look after the Donkey.
He would, Alone, deal with Isaac.
10. The Atmosphere and Attitude of his Obedience.
It was an Attitude of Worship.
“and I and the lad will go yonder and worship”
11. The confidence of his obedience.
“and come again to you”
and come again to you, both he and Isaac; this he said under a spirit of prophecy, as Jarchi thinks, or in the faith of Isaac's resurrection from the dead, Heb_11:19.
Heb 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,
Heb 11:18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
Heb 11:19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
12. The practical implimentation of his obedience. Verse 6.
Gen 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.
Note:
Where did Abraham put the wood?
“and laid it upon Isaac his son”
Joh 19:16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.
Joh 19:17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:
Verses 7-8 Isaac questions Abraham regarding the availability of the
sacrifice and Abraham points to the provision of God.
Gen 22:7 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?
Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
Note:
The response to Isaac’s question.
“God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering”
(Romans 3:25)
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
(1 John 4:10)
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Verses 9-10 They arrive at the place and Abraham proceeds the act of
sacrifice.
Abraham’s act of Worship.
Note:
1. The distinctness of his Worship.
“And they came to the place which God had told him of”
2. The devotion of his Worship.
“and Abraham built an altar there”
3. The discipline of his Worship.
“and laid the wood in order”
4. The deciseveness of his Worship.
“and bound Isaac his son”
5. The dedication of his Worship.
“and laid him on the altar upon the wood”
6. The delivery of his Worship.
Read verse 10.
Gen 22:9 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.
Gen 22:10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
Verses 11-14 The angel of the Lord prevents Abraham from harming Isaac
and provides a ram for the sacrifice.
Gen 22:11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
Gen 22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
Gen 22:13 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.
Gen 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
Verses 15-18 The lord speaks to Abraham a second time and promises to
bless him for his obedience.
Gen 22:15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
Gen 22:16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
Gen 22:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
Gen 22:18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Verse 19 Abraham returns and dwells in Beersheba.
Gen 22:19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.
Verses 20-24 Abraham’s brother is blessed with many children.
Gen 22:20 And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor;
Gen 22:21 Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,
Gen 22:22 And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.
Gen 22:23 And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother.
Gen 22:24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.
Where did Abraham put the wood?
“and laid it upon Isaac his son”
Joh 19:16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.
Joh 19:17 And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:
Verses 7-8 Isaac questions Abraham regarding the availability of the
sacrifice and Abraham points to the provision of God.
Gen 22:7 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?
Gen 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
Note:
The response to Isaac’s question.
“God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering”
(Romans 3:25)
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
(1 John 4:10)
Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
Verses 9-10 They arrive at the place and Abraham proceeds the act of
sacrifice.
Abraham’s act of Worship.
Note:
1. The distinctness of his Worship.
“And they came to the place which God had told him of”
2. The devotion of his Worship.
“and Abraham built an altar there”
3. The discipline of his Worship.
“and laid the wood in order”
4. The deciseveness of his Worship.
“and bound Isaac his son”
5. The dedication of his Worship.
“and laid him on the altar upon the wood”
6. The delivery of his Worship.
Read verse 10.
Gen 22:9 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.
Gen 22:10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
Verses 11-14 The angel of the Lord prevents Abraham from harming Isaac
and provides a ram for the sacrifice.
Gen 22:11 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
Gen 22:12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
Gen 22:13 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.
Gen 22:14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.
Verses 15-18 The lord speaks to Abraham a second time and promises to
bless him for his obedience.
Gen 22:15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
Gen 22:16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
Gen 22:17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
Gen 22:18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Verse 19 Abraham returns and dwells in Beersheba.
Gen 22:19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.
Verses 20-24 Abraham’s brother is blessed with many children.
Gen 22:20 And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor;
Gen 22:21 Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram,
Gen 22:22 And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel.
Gen 22:23 And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother.
Gen 22:24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah.
posted by Mark Fitzpatrick at 11:52 p.m.
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