# 12 2023 Dev. Gen.22:2 God’s Test! Read all of chapter twenty two, first. We invite you into God’s space, to read His Word, to think on and interact with. This is God’s story. Do you believe that this is also part of our story, in our time? All passages are taken from The NIV.
Gen.21:2 “Then God said, ‘Take your son, whom you love – Isaac – and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.’”
Gen.22 is a pivotal chapter, first of all the chapter foreshadows God’s plan for salvation, moving past “believing the promises of God” by faith in what is not yet seen to seeing and believing in the promise Himself. Further, there is testing in this life, God is forming us as He did with Abraham and Sarah. This event and former promises formed Abraham and Sarah into who God wanted them to be. In the same way God forms us into who He wants us to be today. Thirdly, it lays out for us what it means to sacrifice your own son, the Son of the incarnation, human like us, as God did in Christ for all the people of the world.
Vs.1-3 God tells Abraham what he must do. There appears to be no negative reaction, no pleading, no anger, no rebellion. What would any one of us say or do?
Vs.3-5 “Early the next morning,”Abraham prepares to leave. Do we think he told Sarah about God’s request, very unlikely. They travel for three days, with this request hanging over him, he had not told Isaac, nor his servants. Three days of anguish, of hoping, of looking for something that would indicate that God would relent. Nothing, nothing, as far as Abraham understood.
Vs.6-8 Abraham put the wood on Issac, Abraham had the fire and the knife. Going up the mountain together Isaac asks the obvious question. Father, we have no lamb! “Abraham answers, ‘God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’” Imagine the scene, Abraham proves true to his name; a man of faith, against all odds he believed that God would provide. An example for us, o ye of little faith!
Vs.9-14 Abraham built an alter, put on wood and bound Issac for the sacrifice. As he was about to sacrifice his son, at the last minute the angel stoped him. ‘Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.’” Immediately, Abraham saw a ram stuck in the bushes that he sacrificed instead of his son Issac. That sacrifice foreshadows Jesus Christ who took our place on the cross, a place we deserved. “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” When we come to Jesus it will be provided, whatever it is you need according to God’s will, Amen.
Vs.15-19 “The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time.” He said; ‘I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand of the seashore…and through your offspring all the nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.’” Obedience to God has ramifications for the whole earth, and disobedience, as we see in our time will have negative ramifications, as we are starting to experience.
Vs.20-24 This information about Abraham’s brother is an editorial note (Rebecca) on Isaac’s future, as well as indicating God’s blessings on this family. Ishmael established twelve tribes, Nahor established twelve tribes, and Jacob established twelve tribes. God keeps His promises, praise be to God!
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