I don't much like tests anymore. I've taken so many tests in my life that the challenge of doing well has lost a bit of its luster. But there is one thing tests do, and that's prove to ourselves and to others that we can demonstrate what we claim.
I guess one of the hardest tests I've ever taken was the National Professional Engineers exam. The first part of the test is an 8 hour written exam with multiple choice questions, problems, etc. You then have to spend four years in practice, get three recommendations from your peers, and sit for another 8 hour written exam in which you have to work out multiple problems from within your field or specialty. Mine was mechanical. I studied for months to take that exam and failed it by a few points. I didn't feel too bad because there is only a 30% first time pass rate, but still I failed, and I was disappointed. I waited 6 months and took it again. That time I passed and was very relieved. I suppose passing that test didn't make me a great engineer, but it did test my ability to persevere and not give up.
When God finally gave Abraham a son at 100, you would think Abraham could sit back and cruise. Life was good! Sarah was happy, (although Haggar and Ishmael didn't have such a good time, but that's another story), Abraham was rich and successful, and the child of promise was growing up healthy and strong. Then God says the most remarkable thing. "He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” (Genesis 22:2 ESV)
What?! Are you kidding me? Could God possibly want Abraham to take Isaac and kill him? A whole burnt offering is, well, burned. That means totally consumed, nothing left but ashes. No way am I going to do that. That's what I would have done. Here's what Abraham did, "[3] So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him." (Genesis 22:3 ESV) Abraham wasted no time, but immediately obeyed God.
Isaac carried the wood for the fire and Abraham carried the fire and the knife. Walking to the appointed place Isaac asks his father, "Here's the wood, and here's the fire, but where is the lamb?" Abraham's reply? "God will provide for himself...."
You know the rest of the story,
"[9] When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. [10] Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. [11] But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” [12] He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” [13] And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. [14] So Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.” (Genesis 22:9-14 ESV)
I remember about 13 years ago sitting in an Old Testament survey class with Dr. Gary Galeotti, a gravely voiced old guy from Oklahoma, who was walking us through the OT book by book. When we came to Genesis 22, I sat and listened mesmerized as Dr. Galeotti recounted the faith of Abraham. Anne was little at the time and John had just been born, and I just sat there and started to cry, just like I am starting to do as I write these words.
So often we read the stories of Scripture and they touch our minds, but somehow we do not allow them to touch our hearts or change our lives. The truth of this story touched my heart that day just as it does now. How could a man kill his own son, his only son from the wife of his love? Answer, if God required it. Having been in the Marines I've thought about what it would be like to give my own life. I don't know for sure if I could do it, but I've at least thought about it. But if you ask me whether or not I could give the lives of my children, man I can't even think about that. I pray to God He would never ask me to do such a thing. I can't even bear the thought of it.
Last night we sat together as we do every night before bed, with Anne, John, and James sitting on the couch together. Anne read "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" out loud to us as John and James wrestled next to her. I just sat and looked at them, treasuring the moment, and thinking how blessed I am. Each one is so different, so unique, and so special. My love for them does not have words to describe it. Can I imagine the old man Abraham binding his son and laying him on a pile of wood to be burned, then lifting his own hand to plunge a knife into his body, taking his life to spare him the pain of the fire? No, I cannot imagine that.
James writes, "[18] But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. [19] You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! [20] Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? [21] Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? [22] You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; [23] and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. [24] You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone." (James 2:18-24 ESV)
Remember what I said a few posts ago about faith? Christian faith involves three aspects, knowledge (notitia), belief (assensus), and trust (fiducia). You must have all three to exercise true faith. Abraham knew exactly what God wanted him to do. Abraham believed it was God who had commanded him to go. And Abraham actually trusted God enough to raise his hand to kill the boy.
When James says that faith without works is dead, he is simply saying that knowledge or belief without trusting action is no faith at all. Even the demons believe and tremble. Abraham certainly trembled, but he also trusted God enough to do exactly as God said.
God tested Abraham in this trial, not to prove something to God, but to prove something to Abraham. God knew what was in Abraham's heart, but Abraham also needed to know, the nation of Israel needed to know, and we also need to know. We need to know that faith acts, and that it is by faith that we are accounted as righteous.
To God's praise, He did not have Abraham kill Isaac. God did provide the ram for a burnt offering. In this we see the substitutionary atonement of Christ for us. Even as God substituted a ram for Isaac, so God substituted Jesus for me and for you. Again, I have no words to describe the depth and glory of our God who gave His only begotten Son in a cruel death so that I might live. That's just simply beyond my grasp. I am amazed that so many seem to take it for granted, as if God owed it to us. How presumptuous!
I'm also amazed at the number of people who claim to know Christ, and even to believe, but yet they have no demonstrable trust in Him. I guess I shouldn't be amazed considering the number of times I have failed to trust God, but still I mourn the lack of faith in the church today. We are very religious, but have denied the power of God within. I am pursuing that right now in my own life, and ask for your prayers as the Lord speaks to me about it.
There's so much that could be said from Gen. 22, but the main thing I wanted to share with you is the encouragement to trust God and do whatever the Spirit of the Lord is leading you right now to do. Maybe it's something almost as difficult as God asked of Abraham. I don't know. You know. But whatever it is, trust in God.
"He will provide."
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