Bible Study - GOD is (1) - Our Provider - March 4, 2018 - Genesis 22:1-14 - March 4, 2018

Bible Study – GOD is (1) – Our Provider – March 4, 2018

This is lesson one (1) in our series entitled: “GOD is ---.”

Our focus scripture is Genesis 22:1-14.

Trust GOD to meet our needs.

As a father, this lesson is a profound act of faith and trust in GOD.

Let’s read Genesis 22:1-2:

The Sacrifice of Isaac

1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he answered.

“After these things” relates back to Chapter 21. In Genesis 21:1-5:

The Birth of Isaac

1 The Lord came to Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what He had promised.

2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time God had told him.

3 Abraham named his son who was born to him-the one Sarah bore to him-Isaac.

4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God had commanded him.

5 Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

How old was Sarah? Let’s read Genesis 17:17:

17 Abraham fell to the ground, laughed, and thought in his heart, "Can a child be born to a hundred-year-old man? Can Sarah, a ninety-year-old woman, give birth?"

Based upon what we know about biology, natural conception at these ages certainly reveals that Isaac was a gift from GOD. He was the gift of “promise” and would carry forth the lineage of Abraham.

Isaac was the “son of promise” from GOD to Abraham.  Coupled with the “son of promise” was the fact that GOD made a covenant with Abraham in Genesis 15:1-6:

The Abrahamic Covenant

1 After these events, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield; your reward will be very great.

2 But Abram said, "Lord God, what can You give me, since I am childless and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"

3 Abram continued, "Look, You have given me no offspring, so a slave born in my house will be my heir."

4 Now the word of the Lord came to him: "This one will not be your heir; instead, one who comes from your own body will be your heir."

5 He took him outside and said, "Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them." Then He said to him, "Your offspring will be that [numerous]."

6 Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.

Back to Genesis 22:1:

We read in verse 1 of our focus scripture, “GOD tested Abraham.” Testing is to prove the quality of a product. Faith in GOD equaled righteousness. After JESUS’ passion and resurrection placing one’s faith in JESUS equals righteousness – 2 Corinthians 5:21:

21 He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Abraham had experienced the fulfillment of the promise of GOD by the birth of Isaac. Abraham knew GOD was faithful to HIS Word.

Back to our focus scripture ------ GOD was speaking to Abraham ---

2 "Take your son," He said, "your only [son] Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."

When GOD told Abraham “offer him there as a burnt offering” nothing was left to Abraham’s imagination. GOD meant for Abraham to reduce Isaac to ashes at the place GOD would reveal to him.

One can only imagine what was going through Abraham’s mind when he went to bed the night before he and Isaac were to leave on their journey. GOD had spoken to Abraham. Did Abraham ever wonder if he had heard GOD correctly? We do not know but GOD knew Abraham’s heart toward HIM and his love for his miracle son, Isaac.

We begin to see the dynamics of GOD’S eternal purpose through HIS only SON, JESUS.

Let’s read Genesis 22:3-10:

3 So early in the morning Abraham got up, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about.

4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.

Some think this foreshadows the three days JESUS’ body was in the tomb after HIS crucifixion? The place GOD showed Abraham was Mount Moriah. Many years later this is where Jerusalem was built and where Solomon built his temple. This area was where JESUS was crucified at Golgotha.  

5 Then Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we'll come back to you."

This is profound faith. Yes, Abraham was planning to sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering. This meant Isaac would be reduced to ashes but Abraham’s faith in GOD was such that when he reduced Isaac to ashes, GOD would restore him fully.

JESUS gave HIS physical life by the shedding of HIS blood to pay, in full, the penalty for sin and as proof GOD raised JESUS from the physically dead.

6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac. In his hand he took the fire and the sacrificial knife, and the two of them walked on together.

Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac. Was this a picture of the wooden cross JESUS would carry as HE climbed up to be crucified??

7 Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, "My father." And he replied, "Here I am, my son." Isaac said, "The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"

Isaac raised a very important question. “My father you have everything except the sacrifice? Where is the sacrifice?”

8 Abraham answered, "God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." Then the two of them walked on together.

GOD will provide or “The LORD will provide” is a translation of the name for GOD “Jehovah-Jireh.” The Hebrew word “jireh” means “to see” or “to see beforehand.” When we walk by faith we trust that GOD knows what lies ahead and HE has provided for the needs. Faith in GOD and trust in HIM to meet those needs is vital in our Spiritual growth and getting to know GOD in a more intimate, trusting way. It is building the right relationship with HIM.

9 When they arrived at the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar, on top of the wood.

In the absence of a sacrifice, had Isaac already determined that he would be the sacrifice? It seems that Isaac was a willing sacrifice. JESUS was a willing sacrifice. Abraham had some age on him and Isaac, being a young man, could have resisted but he didn’t. (Jewish tradition has Isaac much older but generally Isaac is thought to be about 13 years old, some think in his 20’s.)

10 Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.

The knife was a special slaughter knife. When an animal was sacrificed the knife had to be ceremonially clean and the animals head would be lifted such that the throat was cut with a clean cut. We can only imagine that Isaac was looking up to heaven in obedience to the sacrificial process. Abraham raised the knife and was ready to slit Isaac’s throat.

Let’s read Genesis 22:11-14:

11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" He replied, "Here I am."

“But the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham.” Abraham was ready to make a clean cut across the throat of Isaac when “the angel of the LORD called Abraham’s name twice to make sure HE got his attention.

Who was the “Angel of the LORD?” Some believe it was GOD and others believe it was JESUS. The key is that “The Angel of the LORD” got Abraham’s attention and he paused.

12 Then He said, "Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from Me."

This must have been exciting news to Abraham.

13 Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son.

GOD provided a ram in the place of Isaac. This again is a picture of the love GOD and JESUS have for every person. Each of us should be placed upon the altar and be sacrificed for our sins. Instead, JESUS is the perfect sacrifice for our sins. When a person places his or her faith in the atonement JESUS made for our sins, HIS shed blood washes away all of our sin and we become the righteousness of GOD. How do we know that? 

Let’s read 2 Corinthians 5:21 again:

21 He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

14 And Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide, so today it is said: "It will be provided on the Lord.”

Jehovah-Jireh – The LORD will provide. GOD provides JESUS as our sacrificial lamb.

John 3:16-18: GOD gave HIS Only SON, JESUS

16 "For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

17 For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.

18 Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God.

As we are fast approaching the celebration of the resurrection of JESUS, Easter, may all realize that the resurrection of JESUS is proof that JESUS paid the penalty for sin, in full. The proof is the empty tomb. JESUS is Alive and HE lives today. HE seeks all to place their faith in HIM but each person has a choice to either accept HIM or reject HIM.

May this Easter be a special blessing to you. Blessings!!!