We aren’t sure how old Isaac is here. Some speculate that he is a boy while others
place him as a young man. This passage
always makes me first want to say to God, “Leave that old man alone, he
believed and followed for 25 years before You fulfilled Your promise to him,
surely he has proven himself to You.” He
is never done with us, always calls us higher.
We don’t get to retire from following Him. If we are willing to continue growing in
faith, He will always take us further, reveal more of Himself to us. Here the Lord calls Abraham to do something
incredible, sacrifice not only his son but the future, the fulfillment of the
promise. He immediately obeys, rising
early and heading out with everything he needed to do what he was
commanded. The writer of Hebrews
yesterday told us that Abraham believed Isaac would be resurrected from the
dead, and based on the promise of God that through Isaac the promise would
come, Abraham had to have believed something similar. His faith is something to behold.
Now He has really pushed them too far. Is He talking about cannibalism here? Why does no one ask what in the world He is
talking about? Clearly these things are
prohibited activities for any Jew so surely He has either lost His mind or He
is talking symbolically but what would that symbol even mean to them? Think back to John’s proclamation of Jesus
after the baptism, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the
world!” The Passover Lamb was eaten and
wine drunk to celebrate the mercy of God in Egypt. Jesus will re-interpret the Passover feast in
light of His sacrifice on the cross, but this day they think they know what He
is on about and come to a wrong conclusion.
Eating and drinking isn’t enough, it has to be coupled with faith.
Faith or fear? Those
who live by faith shouldn’t allow their lives to be ruled by fear. If we are children of the One who created all
things, Who has overcome death and the grave, what have we to fear? We are called to see with eyes of faith and a
willingness to do as both Abraham was willing to do, sacrifice everything at
His command and as Jesus did in laying down His life trusting in the
resurrection. We are called to take up
our cross and follow Him, called to lay down everything as Paul says, counting
it all as rubbish, in order to obtain the promise of God. Fear is based on a value system that is
skewed. Faith sees greater value in the
eternal and longs for it no matter the cost.
Let us overcome fear with faith.
Blessed be the LORD,
the God of Israel,
who alone does wondrous things.
Blessed be his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory!
Amen and Amen!
who alone does wondrous things.
Blessed be his glorious name forever;
may the whole earth be filled with his glory!
Amen and Amen!
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