Day 21 Chronological Bible Study Timeline. Map. Go to today's Bible reading (use your browser arrow to return): Genesis 22–24
Gut-Wrenching Tests of Faith
Here is a link if you want to listen to the audio version
Has God ever asked us to do something difficult to test our faith? Were we tied up in knots, wondering what to do? Perhaps some of us, like the Biblical Patriarch, Abraham, moved to another country or another area with no family or friends. Maybe financial resources were scarce, or our crops failed, and we didn’t know how to pay our bills and put food on the table. Perhaps we felt the pressure to lie or otherwise compromise our integrity because of circumstances. Maybe you are facing one or more of these circumstances today. These are monumental challenges to our faith. In today’s Bible reading, God presents Abraham with a gut-wrenching test of his faith. Examples from his life will encourage us to keep trusting the LORD through our circumstances.
God promised a baby to Abraham and Sarah. This seemed unlikely because Abraham was seventy-five and Sarah was seventy—they were too old to have children. But they waited…and waited…and waited… Still, no child.
A Miracle Son
After fifteen more years, at last, Sarah becomes pregnant and has a baby boy. They name him Isaac, meaning “laughter.” Abraham and Sarah laugh in delight that Sarah bears a child, a son, to become their natural heir, although they are senior citizens!
A Gut-Wrenching Test of Faith
Abraham and Sarah dote on their new son. Imagine Abraham’s shock, when many years later, God tells him to offer his beloved son, the son of his old age, his only natural heir, as a burnt offering upon Mount Moriah.
What? Why is the LORD making such an outrageous request? Has God suddenly changed his nature? Has he forgotten that Isaac is the promised heir? What the LORD tells Abraham to do makes no sense. What is God doing?
Perhaps some of us face perplexing situations and wonder the same thing.
What is Abraham’s response to God? Does he stubbornly refuse, try to run from the LORD, or hide his son? That would be understandable. Does he tell his wife what God said? We aren’t told that he did. No, Abraham gets up early in the morning, saddles his donkey, takes wood and a torch for the sacrifice. Then he, his servants, and his son Isaac start out for Mt. Moriah (Genesis 22:2).
Does Abraham change his mind along the way and back out? We would understand if he did. How many of us would sacrifice one of our children?
He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” (Gen. 21:12, NIV)
How could Abraham do it? What is he thinking?
Our first clue to these questions is the instruction he leaves with his servants. “He said to his servants, ‘Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you’” (Genesis 22:5, NIV, emphasis mine).
Our second clue is from the book of Hebrews. "Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death." (Hebrews 11:17-19, NIV)
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied.
"Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” (Genesis 22:9-12, NIV)
God stops Abraham from sacrificing his son—the LORD is consistent with his nature—he deplores human sacrifices (Leviticus 18:21; Jeremiah 7:31). It was only a test of his loyalty and a way to approve him for future blessings (Genesis 22:15-18).
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.
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.” (Genesis 22:13-14, NIV)
A Monumental Sacrifice
On that same mountain, a couple of thousand years later, Jesus would offer himself as a sacrifice for our sins on the cross. He would provide forgiveness, peace, and eternal life for the entire world, all who trust in him.
Abraham’s obedient faith proves his love and loyalty to God (Genesis 22:15-18). It also gives us a beautiful picture of how God did not withhold his only beloved Son Jesus Christ from being sacrificed for us (more...).What do we do when God’s directions don’t make sense? We need to trust him anyway and keep following him. Perhaps he is testing our loyalty. Will we be loyal to the end?
Burying Faith
Forty-seven years after Isaac is born, Abraham’s wife, Sarah, dies. Burials were usually done in a person’s native land. Yet, Abraham doesn’t take her back to the city of Ur, from which they came. Instead, as a quiet testimony of his faith that God will eventually give him the land of Canaan (Genesis 23), Abraham buys land there for her burial. He purchases a part of the Promised Land and claims it as his new native land.
What do we do to lay claim to God’s promises? Will we act in faith?
Burying his mate was a sad time in Abraham’s life, but soon, as a patriarchal father, he would have another obligation to fulfill.
Marrying Faith
Choosing a mate is a challenging test of faith for many of us. Are we willing to let God choose for us, or do we think we can handle this decision ourselves? In Abraham’s day, parents arranged marriages for their children. Sarah is dead and her son is still single, so Abraham acts in faith, selecting a bride for his son Isaac.
Abraham knows it wouldn’t be wise to get a wife from Canaan—they're evil people. So, acting in faith, he sends his servant to the house of his near relatives in Northwest Mesopotamia. Abraham believes God will help his servant find a wife for Isaac, and, through providential circumstances, he does. You can read about it in Genesis 24 if you haven't already.
Perhaps getting a spouse is not what we desire or the decision we need to make. Whatever it is, and no matter how difficult the choice may be, are we willing to trust God to lead us?
The Bible Knowledge Commentary of the Old Testament, edited by Walvoord and Zuck, © 1985, p. 66
In many cultures, we choose our own mates, but in their culture, the parents decided.
Discussion
What should we do when God’s instructions don’t make sense?
Why might God ask us to sacrifice something important to us?
Have you had a monumental test of faith? How does this story encourage you?
Focus Verse
Galatians 3:6 (NIV) “Consider Abraham: ‘He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.’”
You can watch a video of today's lesson here. Start at 25:36 and end at 35:28
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Looking Ahead: Having passed the difficult faith test, Abraham soon faces another challenge—how to get along with his neighbors. How do we have peace with our neighbors? Find out in our next lesson.
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