Bible Study - Walking in Confidence (6) - Confidence in Times of Testing - Genesis 22:1-14 - November 28, 2021

Bible Study – Walking in Confidence (6) – Confidence in Times of Testing – November 28, 2021

This is our final lesson in our series entitled, “Walking in Confidence. “

Our focus scripture is Genesis 22:1-14.

I stated in an earlier lesson that this last lesson would be profound. Our walk with GOD, through our faith in JESUS, grows as we build our relationship with GOD. We learn to trust GOD and we learn to know HIS voice and HIS leadership by the indwelling Holy Spirit. GOD tested Abraham to the limit. Let’s explore!

GOD was building a trust relationship with Abraham and Sarah. GOD had promised Abraham an heir who would come from Sarah. This is recorded in Genesis 17:15-22:

¹⁵ God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, do not call her Sarai, for Sarah^[f] will be her name. ¹⁶ I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will produce nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

¹⁷ Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a hundred-year-old man? Can Sarah, a ninety-year-old woman, give birth?” ¹⁸ So Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael were acceptable^[g] to you!”

¹⁹ But God said, “No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac.^[h] I will confirm my covenant with him as a permanent covenant for his future offspring. ²⁰ As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will certainly bless him; I will make him fruitful and will multiply him greatly. He will father twelve tribal leaders, and I will make him into a great nation. ²¹ But I will confirm my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.” ²² When he finished talking with him, God withdrew^[i] from Abraham.

We read in Genesis 18:1-2 and in verses 9-15:

18 The Lord appeared to Abraham at the oaks of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance of his tent during the heat of the day. ² He looked up, and he saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, bowed to the ground, 

Sarah Laughs

⁹ “Where is your wife, Sarah?” they asked him.

“There, in the tent,” he answered.

¹⁰ The Lord said, “I will certainly come back to you in about a year’s time, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent behind him.

¹¹ Abraham and Sarah were old and getting on in years.^[e] Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. ¹² So she laughed to herself: “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I have delight?”

¹³ But the Lord asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Can I really have a baby when I’m old?’ ¹⁴ Is anything impossible for the Lord? At the appointed time I will come back to you, and in about a year she will have a son.”

¹⁵ Sarah denied it. “I did not laugh,” she said, because she was afraid.

But he replied, “No, you did laugh.”

Our LORD knows all about us, so do not try to hide it but reveal and confess what is in our heart because GOD already knows. This is why GOD often waits to give us a promise. HE wants us to know it is from HIM. So, do not give up on GOD, HE always fulfills HIS promises.

 

Those of us who have children know how precious they are to us. GOD had fulfilled HIS promise to Abraham that he and Sarah would have a son of promise, Isaac. When Sarah over heard the angel telling Abraham that she would conceive, she laughed, thus the name of Isaac means laughter. Don’t ever laugh at what GOD promises you. HE is faithful to deliver on HIS promises. Just make sure a promise is HIS and not something we make up in our minds that GOD wants us to have. I know, I have been there and done that.

Put yourself in Abraham’s place as you study this lesson. Think back to where Abram was and where Abraham is now as revealed by GOD’S Word. He has come a long way building the right relationship with GOD.

It is through the ancestral lineage of Abraham that GOD planned for HIS only son, JESUS, to come to earth in the flesh. JESUS lived in the flesh, subject to sinning, yet willingly choose to remain sinless to be the perfect acceptable sacrifice to GOD to pay, in full, the price for sin. What did HIS sacrifice do? When the sin barrier was removed by JESUS, it opened the path between GOD and all of mankind to accept JESUS as their Savior and be Spiritually born into GOD’S Family. Thus, JESUS opened and cleared the pathway to GOD, HIS FATHER and The FATHER of all who place their faith in JESUS as their Savior.

So, why study Abraham? GOD declared the faith of Abraham as righteousness and faith coupled with the shedding of the blood of certain animals was a place holder until GOD’S Only SON, JESUS, would give HIS sinless life to fully atone for sin. Why did JESUS do that? It was because HE loves us with a love that transcends all human understanding. The timing of the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of JESUS was precisely orchestrated by GOD.

HE did it just for you and all the people of the world. If you had been the only person to ever accept JESUS as your Savior, HE would have given HIS sinless life just for you. Now that is personal.

So why do we study Abraham? How much faith had GOD built into Abraham? We fast forward to Isaac as a young lad. Let’s explore!

Let’s read Genesis 22:1-2:

The Sacrifice of Isaac

22 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he answered.

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.”

Very important, GOD tested Abraham. Do not test GOD by setting up your own test project. It will blow up in your face every time. If testing is done, let GOD design the test.

Notice, GOD said, “Take your son,” “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.”

What!!! Notice, “your only son, Isaac.” To do what? “To offer him as a burnt offering.” Do you know what that meant? It meant that Abram was to slaughter and burn his only son, the son of promise, and reduce him to a pile of ashes.

Notice, Abraham did not question GOD but did what, HE said, as we read on ----

Let’s read Genesis 22:3-10:

³ So Abraham got up early in the morning, 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. 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.” 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 knife, and the two of them walked on together.

“On the third day,” they arrived at the point GOD had led them. That day, Isaac was as good as dead but would GOD prepare a sacrifice to take the place of Isaac?

This is a foreshadow of GOD allowing HIS only SON to be crucified to pay, in full, as the final sacrifice for sin. To prove it, GOD would allow HIS only SON, JESUS, to die and GOD would resurrect HIM from being physically dead to be eternally alive.

JESUS was in the tomb for three days and on the third day, GOD raised HIM from the physically dead. Would GOD raise Isaac from the physically dead? Abraham believed HE would.

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?”

⁸ Abraham answered, “God himself will provide^[a] the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of them walked on together.

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^[b] and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. ¹⁰ Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.

This reveals the trust Isaac had in his father, Abraham. JESUS trusted HIS FATHER with the end result. JESUS did give HIS sinless life to atone for sin and GOD raised HIM from the physically dead to eternally alive.

Abraham got up early and went about preparing for what GOD had instructed him to do. Abraham had grown Spiritually to trust GOD and he would trust GOD with HIS only son of promise.

Abraham took “two young men with him.” Why? Were they to be witnesses to what Abraham was doing? Notice the level of faith Abraham had in GOD. He told the two young men “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.”  “Then we’ll come back to you.” Abraham was instructed to reduce his only son to a pile of ashes but they would be back. How can that be?

Abraham’s faith was such that if his only son was reduced to a pile of ashes, GOD would resurrect him and they would return.

Notice that Isaac carried the wood upon which he would be sacrificed. JESUS carried HIS own cross upon which HE would be crucified.

Isaac knew what it meant to make a sacrifice and he questioned his father. Isaac said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

⁸ Abraham answered, “God himself will provide^[a] the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of them walked on together.

GOD himself will provide! Abraham trusted GOD.

GOD tested Abraham to the limit as we read on.

Was Abraham intent on offering Isaac as a burnt offering? YES!

Abraham trusted GOD. Abraham had walked with GOD and they had built such a relationship that Abraham believed that if he reduced Isaac to ashes, GOD would resurrect HIM. This is a foreshadow of the resurrection power of GOD for all who place their faith in JESUS.

Abraham was going to be obedient to GOD’S command as we read verses 9 and 10:

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^[b] and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. ¹⁰ Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.

Isaac knew who was going to be the sacrifice. Isaac was willing to trust his father and to trust in his earthly father’s relationship with GOD. Abraham told Isaac that GOD would provide the sacrifice. What was running through Isaac’s mind as his father placed him on top the wood and raised the slaughter knife to do the deed? Isaac had to trust GOD.

In times of uncertainty, all who have placed their faith in JESUS must trust GOD for the results regardless of what they see around them. We must keep our eyes upon JESUS as illustrated when Peter wanted to get out of the boat and walk on water as JESUS approached the boat the disciples were in, walking upon water.

We read that Abraham had a knife. This was not an ordinary knife but a slaughter knife made to kill an animal for sacrifice. Isaac knew what that meant. Isaac trusted his father for the end result. Would GOD provide another sacrifice to take his place on the alter? Isaac trusted his father and GOD with the result.

It is so vital that we, as parents, pass onto to our children our faith and trust in GOD. Many take their children to church for them to learn about GOD and JESUS. But the best place for them to learn about GOD and JESUS is from the parents at home. Yes, still attend church but do not depend upon the church staff and volunteers to do all the teaching. Children learn from seeing their parents live the truth and trust in the leadership of JESUS through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Abraham took the knife and lifted it to do what GOD had asked him to do. Isaac was good as dead. The child of GOD’S promise to be killed? But ----

Let’s read Genesis 22:11-14:

¹¹ But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”

The angel of the LORD, in an urgent shout, called Abraham’s name. Yes, Isaac was as good as dead. Abraham had passed the ultimate test that he trusted GOD with his only son. He trusted that GOD would resurrect Isaac even if he had reduced him to ashes.

Do you think Abraham was listening and hoping that GOD would intervene? We are not sure but I know I would.

Abraham heard his name called out and quickly responded.

He replied, “Here I am.”

¹² Then he (GOD) 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.” ¹³ Abraham looked up and saw a ram^[c] caught in the thicket by its horns. So, Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. ¹⁴ And Abraham named that place The Lord Will Provide,^[d] so today it is said, “It will be provided^[e] on the Lord’s mountain.”

Today, GOD does not challenge us to prove our faith in JESUS before HE accepts us into HIS Family through our faith in JESUS. Since the passion of JESUS there is no longer a need for animal sacrifices. JESUS, the perfect Lamb of GOD, paid for our sins, in full, by the shedding of HIS sinless blood. JESUS died where we should have died but HE willingly gave HIS life in place of all who will place their faith in HIM.

We read in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:

¹⁹ Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, ²⁰ for you were bought at a price. So, glorify God with your body.^[e]

Where was this mountain GOD led Abraham and Isaac to? It was Mount Moriah, where Solomon built the temple years later.

Let’s read Genesis 22:15-19:

¹⁵ Then the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven ¹⁶ and said, “By myself I have sworn,” this is the Lord’s declaration: “Because you have done this thing and have not withheld your only son, ¹⁷ I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the city gates of their^[f] enemies. ¹⁸ And all the nations of the earth will be blessed^[g] by your offspring because you have obeyed my command.”

How would GOD accomplish this? It is through the physical birth of GOD’S only Son, JESUS. HIS physical death, physical resurrection, ascension into Heaven and confirmed by GOD the FATHER of JESUS sending the Holy Spirit into the heart of every person who places his or faith in JESUS. The Holy Spirit confirms within every person’s heart, who has asked JESUS to forgive him or her sins, the fact that he or she has been Spiritually born into GOD’S Family. He nor she will ever be Spiritually unborn.

¹⁹ Abraham went back to his young men, and they got up and went together to Beer-sheba. And Abraham settled in Beer-sheba.

Just as Abraham had promised the two young men that accompanied Abraham and Isaac, they returned to them. But what a story of faith building they had to tell to the world then and even today.

GOD gave Abraham a foreshadow of HIS redemptive plan for all mankind through the physical birth, life, death and resurrection of JESUS. GOD’S redemptive plan is so beautiful through the miracle of Spiritual birth. The instant you ask JESUS to forgive you for your sin and ask JESUS into your heart, GOD’S Spirit joins your human spirit. A Spiritual conception takes place quicker than the twinkling of the eye. You are Spiritually conceived, never ever to be unconceived. That is something to shout about! And to be thankful for as a Spirit-born child of GOD. Feast at the banquet table of our LORD this Thanksgiving season knowing that as Spirit-born Christians, the best is yet to come!

Ask our LORD to reveal to you your journey with HIM as you consider the journey of Abram/Abraham. What has our LORD taught you through the leadership of the Holy Spirit? What have you learned? What do you desire to learn? Talk with HIM in prayer and walk with HIM in faith as you look to HIM for HIS leadership.  

Please pray for our family as we gather to celebrate the marriage of one of our grandsons on Saturday.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING WITH BLESSINGS FROM OUR LORD!

Blessings!!!