Remember that God gave Abraham a promised son in his old age. Abraham was one hundred years old when Isaac was born. Abraham’s wife Sarah was ninety years old and passed child-bearing age even by ancient standards.
God had told Abraham that the covenant and promises given to him would flow to future generations through Isaac. All this sounds great until God commands Abraham to offer Issac as a burnt offering.
In our walk with God, at times things will not make any sense. Here is a contradiction, a son of promise is to be offered as a burnt offering. How could Isaac be a link to blessed future generations and a slaughtered son at the same time?
On our journey with Jesus the road of obedience has a bridge called perplexity that we must cross. For Abraham it was a test of faith. I am sure our bridge of confusion is a test also. Not a temptation but a test. The devil will tempt us to seek our failure to weaken us. God will test us to seek our success to strengthen us.
Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." Then He said, "Take now 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 22:1-2 NKJV
Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Take now 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” (Gen. 22:1-2 NKJV).
In the time of Abraham, it was not a strange thing for people to sacrifice their children. In ancient times the sacrifice of animals and even people was not an unheard-of practice. However, He was called out of a pagan culture to serve the Living God in a new paradigm of living. He had no written Law as it would be given to Moses approximately 600 years later. He had only the voice of God to direct him.
So, God called and he answered, “Here I am.”
God left no wiggle room for Abraham. He did not tell him to offer something or someone. There was no ambiguity in God’s command. He specified, “your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love.”
We see in this command a past mandate and a future manifestation. The Book of Revelation reveals a question asked by an angel in the throne room of Heaven. “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” (Rev. 5:2). The scroll held in the hand of God was the redemptive plan of God for the ages. Who was the one who was worthy of taking the scroll and manifesting the redemptive plan?
As in the case of Abraham, there was no wiggle room. There was no option, only the designated Son. “And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it” (Rev. 5:3). The only one worthy of revealing the redemptive plan was the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David—namely Jesus Christ.
The parallel of Abraham with Isaac and Father God with Jesus is very instructive. Abraham had no other choice. In Heaven there was no other option.
The most quoted verse in the Bible tells us of the depth of the sacrifice. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
The only choice is echoed in the words of the Apostle Peter as he speaks to the Sanhedrin. “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Are you are searching for peace in your soul today and life for eternity? The answer is found only in Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. He is not one of many ways. HE IS THE ONLY WAY!
Your search is over. Do this and live: “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10 NKJV). Believe in Jesus, Trust Him, Receive Him, Confess Him, and Obey Him!
Yours on the Journey,
Harry L. Whitt
Pathway Journey 