Abraham Believed God
Faith That Saves:1. God had made an everlasting covenant with Abraham and with his seed (descendants) forever. Now God would test Abraham's faith and trust - to the core. How would you respond if God (Who is love), told you to sacrifice your only son?
Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." Then He said, "Take now 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 22:1-2
When God told Abraham to sacrifice his one and only begotten and beloved son, it must have been the greatest shock of Abraham's life! I cannot imagine anything more emotionally destructive. What great conflict must have raged in Abraham's mind. How could he possibly obey such a commandment? Yet Abraham did not hesitate. The Bible says he rose up early in the morning to obey God's command!
2. I have two sons who are both beloved to me. I cannot think of offering up either one of them. But Abraham had only one son, Isaac, and he was the child of promise! For God had promised that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through Isaac. The Messiah, Jesus - the Savior of the World, would come through him! For God had said,
...Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him. Genesis 18:18
3. But Abraham did not hesitate!
So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. Genesis 22:3
4. Abraham did not question God. This unhesitating obedience is not understandable to those who do not know God.
5. After three days, Abraham and Isaac reached the place where the sacrifice was to take place. Isaac was tied up and laid upon some wood on an altar of stone. And then Abraham took up a knife to kill his only son... And Abraham stretched out his hand to slay his son. Genesis 22:10
6. But God intervened.
But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, 'Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am." And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God; since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." Genesis 22:11-12
7. Then Abraham looked, and saw a ram caught in a thicket and offered it up in the place of his son Isaac.
8. But God was not done talking...
Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said, "By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son... 'blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies, In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because you have obeyed my voice." Genesis 22:15-18
note: "The Angel of the Lord" is probably an Old Testament name for the Holy Spirit.
note: Notice that God sealed the covenant with an oath. Covenants are usually sealed with an oath, or with vows. The oath that God made to Abraham is the same oath that seals His covenant with us. For we are children of Abraham by faith in Jesus. (see Hebrews 6:13-18)
9. That's how Abraham became the "Father of all who Believe."
10. But what did Abraham actually believe?
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. Hebrews 11:17-19
11. So what did Abraham believe? Abraham believed GOD.
...just as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." Galatians 3:6
And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. Genesis 15:6
note: The Hebrew word "aman" (believe) is actually closer to the English word trust. Believing is not just a matter mental assent. It is complete childlike trusting in God. Abraham had that kind of faith. This is a faith of the heart, for with the heart one believes unto righteousness. Romans 10:10
Abraham believed that what God had promised He was able also to perform - even if He had to raise Isaac from the dead in order to do it! Abraham trusted God. That is why he was not weak in faith. And that's why he did not hesitate to offer up his only beloved Son, Isaac upon the mountains of Moriah. Abraham knew that GOD would keep His word.
Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace; so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, (all believers), not only to those who are of the law (Jews born under the law, but converted to Christ), but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. (as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed - GOD, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did; who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be." And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb. He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness." Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him; but also for us, It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised up for our justification.
Romans 4:16-25Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God. Romans 5:1
12. To sum up: Abraham believed God was good and would not lie to him. God had promised him a son when he was nearly 100 years old - and God had given him a son! (Genesis 15:1-6 and Genesis 21:1-2) Now God could also raise that son from the dead - in order to keep His word. God always keeps His word. Every word of God is a covenant promise. Abraham believed GOD!
P.S. What has God spoken to you? God will keep His word.