Description
Abraham’s Proving
Abraham wanted a son, and finally in his old age, miraculously, that covenant son, Isaac, was born. Abraham rejoiced in his birth.
Then came the day when the voice of the Lord commanded Abraham to “…Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him [up] there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will [shall] tell thee of.”
Apparently, without a hint of procrastination, Abraham rose early the next morning and made his way to the mount where he built the altar, laid the wood, bound Isaac and placed him upon it. Abraham then raised the knife to kill his beloved son. Can you even imagine what his feelings must have been? How hard this must have been for him?
Now, at first glance this command of God seems cruel and illogical. Why would God ask such a thing, especially since His promises to Abraham concerning posterity depended on Isaac? Could God have asked of a father anything more difficult than to kill his long-awaited son, a son for whom Abraham had such a love that even God mentions it? And to ask such a thing would have been especially repugnant to Abraham who himself had once been laid upon an altar and nearly sacrificed because of his idolatrous father.
Why then did God ask for such a thing? Is He testing this man who has already given his all, just to test him? Is there something an omniscient God wants to learn about Abraham? No! No, such a thought is ridiculous!
By this act, Abraham proved before all heaven and angels that he would do all that God commanded. The angel then intervened, stopped Abraham, and offered him the ram in the thicket. It is telling what the angel said on the Lord’s behalf. “…now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.”
To me the key word is ‘withheld.’ God has promised us all that He has. He has designed to crown each of us with more glory, honor, and power than we can possibly comprehend at the present time. But He can only do this if we are willing to trust Him completely and not withhold anything from Him. How can He give us all that He has, worlds without end, if we hold onto the trivial things of this world?
Abraham’s quick obedience brought forth a quick response from heaven and the Almighty renewed a covenant in Abraham that encompasses all the human family past, present, and future. Abraham became the father of the faithful. Anyone who receives celestial glory will be the children of Abraham.
When we come before the altar of God and covenant to consecrate all that we have and are, the covenant of Abraham is renewed in us. If we honor that covenant now, withholding nothing from God, the day will come when He will withhold nothing from us.
Sources:
Genesis 22:2, 12
