The Commitment of God to Abraham

Now this is familiar territory, as is most of the story of Father Abraham. Though it is familiar it is also far-reaching in its illustration of Abraham’s faith in God’s covenant.

I want you to take notice of these things in the narrative.

Vs. 1 God did tempt (test, try, prove) Abraham. God in His infinite wisdom and unknowable purpose puts Abraham’s faith to the test. Like Job that test has more to do with those who would come after Abraham than with Abraham himself.

“A testing that would reveal Abraham’s faith as nothing else had done. He must give evidence of absolute obedience and unquestioning trust in Jehovah, must even obey blindly, proceeding step by step until the faith stood out as clearly as the noonday sun. Abraham passed through the fiercest fires, stood up under the mightiest pressure, and endured the most difficult strain, to emerge from the trial in complete triumph.” - Charles F. Pfeiffer, The Wycliffe Bible Commentary: Old Testament, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1962), Ge 22:1.

Vs. 7 “And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.” This is an incredible example of the power of faith working in Abraham. We don’t know exactly what he is thinking but we know what he says and what he says to Isaac is a statement that is made based up the experiences of a man who has walked with God throughout his life. “God will provide.” He doesn’t know how, he doesn’t know when but he does know that whatever may happen God has already made provision. He told the men with him, “I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.” I and the lad will come back. How could he know that? Only by faith.

Vs. 10  And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.

The phrase here Jehovahjireh means Jehovah will see (to it). This is Abraham’s statement of faith. God will see to it. God will take care of it. God has made provision for it. God has committed himself and I believe in that commitment.

The Commitment of God to Us

Once again this is familiar territory for most of us as Christians. God tested Abraham in order to foretell a message to us. To prove by this foreshadowing His commitment to us.

Hebrews 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

Romans 4:20-21 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.

God proved Abraham, as he had Job and so many other of his saints, not just for the purifying of their faith but for our faith. The act of Abraham sacrificing his only son is a picture of God the Father sending His Son Jesus Christ to the cross as a sacrifice for us.

We cannot imagine such a sacrifice. We cannot comprehend how God could ask this of Abraham. We cannot understand how God’s promises could still be true if Isaac were slain, nor could Abraham, but by faith he was able to obey and do what God had asked of him. Neither can we understand how God the Father could sacrifice his own begotten son. Isaac was spared, but Jesus, God’s own son was not. God did provide for himself a lamb and the lamb was Jesus Christ. - Pastor Kris Minefee