Isaac was a promise, a covenant, and a blessing to Abraham. A promise made to a 100 year old man and a 90 year old barren all of her days woman! (Gen 17).
Isaac was a miracle .. a good gift given by El-Shaddi, God Almighty. Who wouldn't cherish such a promise, covenant, blessing come true?
Then God asked the unthinkable .. the unimaginable. Isaac was to be sacrificed! God is asking Abraham to give back the good gift. A good gift so cherished and precious in Abraham's heart. Oh how must his heart have been breaking! (Gen 22) My vision of Abraham as he trudged up that mountain is a man muttering over and over Jehovah Jirah - the Lord Provideth ... He giveth and taketh away ...Bless His Holy Name...
Reading on Abraham was willing to sacrifice his son, the good gift. Because he was willing to do so, Abraham's God knew that what He gave did not become more important than He, the Giver. He came into the very last most desparate moment and Provided... on time.
thoughts from today's service
What is your Isaac?
My 'Isaac' is a good gift .. someone who came into my life unexpectedly. Instantly I knew this man was pretty special and was more than I could have thought this little girl could ever have come her way. I remember so well crying out to God with such gratitude for this guy. We just clicked like coming home and feeling safe. I knew I just could not get enough of this guy. I still believe that I kept God first always listening for His Touch or Word. Beyond my understanding, this PreciousGift is gone from my life. Today I realize that good gifts is most often the 'Isaac'. I am laying down my PreciousGift, my Isaac. My Jehovah Jirah will Provide... He Blesses Extravagantly ...
in-betweens
my 'Isaac' > PreciousGift
Abraham Tested / Gensis 22
ReplyDelete1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."
3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."
6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?"
"Yes, my son?" Abraham replied.
"The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"
8 Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together.
9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."
13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram [a] caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."
15 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring [b] all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."