Genesis 22 ~ God tested Abraham

Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn painting of Abraham and the Angels

1 John 4:8

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Psalm 18:30
This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

1 Peter 1:15
He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct

Genesis 22:1-2

22 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” ² 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 22:9-13

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 I am.” 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.

Genesis 22:15-18

And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven ¹⁶ and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,  

¹⁷ I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, ¹⁸ and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”

The passage people discuss when they talk about believers being weird about faith. Odd. Off. Mental. (Those crazies going around killing for "God".)

Because if your spouse or your child came home and said they wanted to kill someone and heard from God - you are going to be - UPSET.

And this is happening around the world today - killing for God. Jihad.

Why was Abraham chosen to be Father of the Nations? Well Bible readers know because He believed God and this was credited to him as righteousness. 






Romans 4 goes on to say how this aspect of Abraham touches us today.

20 No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” 

23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. 

It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Saying what we do  has to blend into what God tells us all. The Scriptures show us in several places - He wants us to abide in Scripture. John 14, 15, 16, 17 to name a few.






Abraham could have Grabbed on To God for dear Life and asked for Mercy. And expected His Grace. In times of Trouble. Approaching  God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:16




 




The Our Father Prayer tells us - God has many children. We are part of the Body of Christ. 

This is why you are fully assured if someone tells you Jihad public or private is not from God today.

 

 

 God is God. 

Salvation is fully a work of Jesus. We cannot heft anyone into Salvation. The first step is assuredly 'Called by Jesus.' I've heard salvation stories that exist - today - from only conversations with God and assurances and the Faith God Gives.

And Abraham was having Pretty Marvelous Prayer Times with Almighty Father God.

In fact, why did The Lord  did bring Abraham into being "Father of the Nations"? Not only did Abraham believe God - Abraham argued with God and said what if and if this, then and why and 'why would You'. Abraham went on to, unfortunately, to  question if God would fail to bring this about - Abraham and Sarah began to try to plan for the Lord God Almighty. And had the sheer audacity to say "Sure, this was a mistake and Hagar didn't want all this - but bless the son I created to make sure that You did Your Work." I.E. Clean up for me - thanks.

God very much liked something about Abraham. He believed - creating an open door for God. And he wanted God to be compassionate to sinners. Because Abraham identified with the fact that if God was going to kills sinners in a city - Abraham knew - oh no - Abraham is a sinner too. Abraham was going to argue for God to be Loving.

God - identified by John - is Love.

Now this chapter says immediately - God tests us.

And The Lord's Prayer is the Son saying to the Father - lead us NOT into Temptation and deliver us from evil. Well. Jesus is saying - oh, Abba - help His Children stay on the good side. C'mon see John and James - they are here helping Jesus - and they are doing it for a Large Place in Heaven. And see the disciples chasing away children - oh NO. And the others asking for fire on the Samaritans. Oh Son of Man - look at - that.

Jesus is saying, "They need an Advocate." Really. "Because look at these People - Abba - I walk on Water and they say 'How does HE do that?"

Abraham does, in my opinion, the same thing. He hears the Lord say another round of Killing. Except this time it's Isaac. If Abraham had said, "No. I don't believe You. You said test the Spirits. This one does not sound like GOD. You create life and life exists by Your Word Alone. NO. The Author of Life has control of all things under His feet. You bring out the Angel of Death and YOU do that. No."

Father God says His anger only lasts a moment. His Word witnesses to this.

What do you think God would do? Smite him for saying "You are the Author of Life and Your Word abides."

I, personally, think God would have said, "THAT'S RIGHT only Judge your actions as Pleasing to a LOVING God."

And If Abraham had seen like David, that Isaac, his son, began to die and trusted God with the outcome - GOD would have been very, very pleased to be Trusted to be Merciful.

And because Abraham believed God to be merciful - like David did - God would be merciful. Just exactly like the Parable of the Talents. Never, ever, ever say to God - this :




Matthew 25

24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 

26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

What is the Willingness of our Father who wants to save 'the world'?

23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’


And if we wanted to oversimplify - we would say God gives talents for Life and not death.


And the point is - the Word of God spoken was for Abraham. Exactly like Jesus healed the deaf man in private. Exactly like Jesus healed the blind man privately. Exactly like the Word spread far and far and far and far - because the Light of the World is for Shining.

TODAY

How will we relate to this from millenniums ago - when we feel like Life is truly testing us - this is a time to stop and consider.

The Lord's Prayer says - we face temptations - trials. And if we feel tested - then consider how present Father God was during the years Abraham felt God had forgotten him. How present God was when Jesus asked Him the same question. Where is God?

Abraham felt that he had become insignificant to God.

Instead God wanted to see how Abraham was doing with something all those who believe hold in common - THE INVITATION OF GOD - To present our gratitude to Father God for being - invited to - Eternity of His Home.

2 Corinthians 4:18
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Hebrews 3:6
But Christ is faithful as the Son over God's house. And we are His house, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.

Abba, Our Wonderful Father,

You are He who searches our hearts knowing the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.

Let the words coming from my heart. And the words of my lips - be pleasing to You, my Rock and Redeemer.

Lifting up with joy our cares, the ones we Love, our Churches, communities, jobs, Nation. With all the Saints all over the world. Trusting our God to show Himself to the hearts of those who truly seek the goodness of Jesus.

Even Job knew to expect the mercy of God when he felt lost.

Job 19

23 “Oh that my words were written!
Oh that they were inscribed in a book!
24 Oh that with an iron pen and lead
they were engraved in the rock forever!
25 For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.


Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves!  †