The Test of Faith
When we think about our carbon footprint and make a decision to live differently, it takes a sacrifice and we have to begin to prioritize things differently, believe it will make a difference, we have to actually do it
Abrahams life comes all together in this passage and we see what living by faith is about…
The test of faith is TRUST; trusting God with the big stuff
God blesses those who will trust him; how far will you trust him?
Observations from the text:
Sometime later God tested Abraham. - Very intentional test by God; like God tested Job, and Jesus– God will also test us, expect it. Test = temptation – placing us in an opportunity to prove our trust in God.
He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. - Abraham was available to God’s test
2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, - God knew exactly how important Isaac was to Abraham - A test is a test when it is significant & Abraham was not going to avoid God’s test
go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." - God told him what to do, - not where or WHY <A did not get the purpose just the assignment>
3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey – Abraham slept on it and wasted no time the next day
. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. – There is no evidence that Abraham spoke with Sarah about what God said or what he was to do; he knew this was his test and shouldered it alone.
When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, - A was prepared and serious about the sacrifice, he didn’t assume he could get wood wherever he was going; but he was going to make sure he was going to do what God had told him to do.
the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance - Abraham had 3 days to think about what he was doing;
When you see numbers in the Bible, they often mean more than what they say. On the third day, he was about to receive his son back from the dead.
he ‘looked up’ it captivated his thoughts and emotions –
We will worship and then we will come back to you." - Abraham was going to worship God, He was responding to God’s invitation and He anticipated God doing something. <when you go to worship God do you expect God to do something>
6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, Abraham obeyed fully
and he himself carried the fire and the knife. - – fire is the picture of judgment and the knife symbolizes sacrifice. he alone would be responsible for the sacrifice
Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" – Isaac had experienced burnt offerings before – Isaac was probably 12-14 yrs old
8 Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." Abraham anticipated God’s involvement and he was going to obey. .
God always provides the lamb – God is establishing the picture for Israel that would become the tenant of their faith of a substitutionary sacrifice
9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it.
the place – considered by archeologists and scholars to eventually become the Holy of Holies in the Temple. This is the place that sacrifices would be made for centuries and eventually where the curtain would be torn on that dark afternoon when Jesus was sacrificed on Golgotha – only a stone’s throw away from this place.
Today – it looks like this – the Dome on the Rock
He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. -
Abraham: Built an alter - prioritizing his allegiance
Bound his son - Anticipating God showing up – He was teaching his son to obey and trust his father and God – can you imagine that conversation?
Reached to slay - Obeyed fully
11 But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"
God was right on time
Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."
God acknowledged Abrahams allegiance to God; that his hope was in Him and he was willing to obey completely
Abraham was willing to sacrifice everything he held dear, his most valuable part of his life, his dreams, his promise, because God told him to. He trusted God to be good, the God he knew him to be.
James 2:23-24
"Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend. 24 You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
God did what only God would do…
13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided."
God provided the ram – 2000 years later He provides his only son, the lamb of the world
2 Cor 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The second time Abraham “looked up” - first to see the place of sacrifice, the test and then to see God’s provision
Jehovah will see (to it); Jehovah-Jireh, a symbolical name for Mount Moriah: GOD PROVIDES A SUBSTITUTE
This is where the curtain was torn when Jesus died on the cross – the second time and last time God provided the sacrifice for those who trust in Him.
"I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,
God also did not withhold his own son
The substitute was completed on Galgotha when the lamb of God was slain.
The place of sacrifice moved from the Holy of Holies to just outside the holy city where Jesus died.
Now the place of sacrifice is on the stone in our own chests, the place where God tests each of us with the things and people of our lives, with our very lives where God want to know “do you fear him?” “will you trust him”
17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."
Matt 28:19 – go into all the nations
God blesses those who trust him fully
Trust in God must be tested and demonstrated
For trust to be true it must be demonstrated
3 Ways Abraham (and we) demonstrate our trust in God
- 1. Prioritize
my allegiance
- a. Commit my ways to following him – go in his direction
- 2. Anticipate God’s activity
- a. Place my hope in Him above all others
- b. Heb 11:19 Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.
- 3. Obey Fully -
- a. He didn’t negotiate with God, he didn’t reason with God, Abraham trusted and obeyed God
The Blessing of living by faith…
- Made Righteous
- Leave a trail for others
- Life of impact