Abraham Saw My Day
Read Genesis. 22:1–12. What was the nature of the test that Abraham was subjected to? Why would the Lord ask Abraham to do this? What deep issues were at stake here?
Genesis 22 does not inform us why the test was necessary, but the reason appears to be related to the covenant God made with Abraham. In the covenant relationship the Lord expected the patriarch to “ ‘walk before me and be blameless’ ” (Gen. 17:1, NIV), a standard that Abraham hadn’t always reached (Gen. 16:1–4, 20:1–10).
Isaac was the son of the covenant promise, the one through whom Abraham was to bless the world, and thus, without that son the promises that God had made to the patriarch could not have been fulfilled. In a sense, by asking Abraham to sacrifice him, God was telling Abraham that the covenant relationship had come to an end and that the special promises made to him were now over. Abraham was not going to be God’s instrument in blessing all the nations of the earth (Gen. 12:3), after all. But Abraham revealed his faith and commitment to the Lord, particularly in his willingness to return the gift of his son to God, fully trusting in His mercy and grace (Heb. 11:19).
What made it possible for the covenant to be renewed? Gen. 22:13–18.
By asking Abraham to sacrifice his son, God was pronouncing a sentence against him and bringing to an end His special purpose for him. All this, however, changed in a radical way when a ram was offered in place of Isaac. God provided what Abraham desperately needed, a sacrificial animal that could take the place of his son, making it possible for the Lord to renew the covenant with him. The human sacrifice (i.e., the death of a sinner) was substituted by the sacrificial victim provided by the Lord, not by Abraham. Thus, Abraham saw the mystery of the gospel, of substitutionary atonement, because through Jesus, “ ‘it [the sacrificial offering] will be provided’ ” (Gen. 22:14, NIV).
| Our minds tremble at the faith of Abraham. What things are you being called to sacrifice, by faith, before the Lord? What things, if any, might you need to surrender in order for the covenant blessings to remain yours? |
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