Faith Tested
Posted by: henkf <henkf@...>
Abraham’s Faith Tested
The Offering of Isaac (Genesis 22)
Heb. 1:1-19
INTRODUCTION:
1. Abraham’s faith:
a. Abraham believed God (faith) and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.
b. He is the father of the blessed in Christ Jesus—by faith.
2. Abraham had...
a. A Faith that Works.
(1) Faith comes by hearing (Rom. 10:17).
(2) Abraham was justified by faith (Rom.4).
(3) Faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26).
b. A Faith that was tested...
(1) Over a long time.
(2) In problems with his workers.
(3) In threat of war.
(4) When his personal plans failed.
(5) In problems with his children (and family).
(6) When he saw others in his family fail (Lot, wife).
(7) In times of imminent death (war, son, wife).
(8) When he had to trust others.
3. In this lesson, we wish to study the supreme test, when God tested Abraham, commanding him to offer Isaac.
a. OT: Genesis 22, The Sacrifice (or Binding) of Isaac
b. NT:
(1) Rom. 4:17ff “God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.”
(2) Heb. 11:17-19
I. By Faith Abraham...
A. Abraham is accounted among the faithful
“Cloud of witnesses” in Hebrews 11; cf. 12:1
1. He is the father of all in Christ (Rom. 4:16).
2. Gal. 3:26-29
B. Faith comes by hearing; Abraham heard God to start and end the test.
1. Gen. 22:1-2
a. God said...
b. Abraham: “Here I am!”
2. Gen. 22:11-12
a. The Angel of the LORD said...
b. Abraham: “Here I am!”
3. Some say:
a. God said it; I believe it; that settles it.
b. shouldn’t it be: God said it; that settles it?
II. The Test:
A. Test:
1. Words:
a. NASB, tested; Heb. nissah, (Gen. 22:1), means “put to the test,” and “should not be translated “tempt” (Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Study Bible, p. 31), as in KJV. Strong: “to test, by impl. to attempt:--adventure, assay, prove, tempt, try (in Zodhiates, p. 79 appendix).
b. NASB, tried; Gr. peirazo (Heb. 11:17), means “to try whether a think can be done”; “to try, make trial of, test: for the purpose of ascertaining his quality, what he thinks, or how he will behave himself” (Thayer, from Online Bible).
2. Test prove and improve our character.
a. Gen. 22:12
b. James 1:2-4
3. It shows once again that “faith only” is not what saves, but faith that hears and obeys.
B. Sacrifice of Faith (Gen. 22:1-2).
1. Sacrifices are done by faith:
a. that there is a God (Heb. 11:6).
b. that we owe Him honor, homage.=7F
c. They are done at His bidding and instruction.
(1) Heb. 11:4, cf. Gen. 4:3-5
(2) Leviticus 1:1-2, to Israel
(3) Faith comes by hearing (Rom. 10:17).
2. Sacrifices were not easy things; they were=7F “work”—physically challenging to do.
a. Altars to build; stone, wood
b. Wood to find, cut, carry and burn (without matches).
c. Animals to raise, find, separate, carry to site, kill, cut, burn.
d. Other things: incense, meal, libations, to raise, prepare, carry, assemble, and offer
3. Abraham:
a. Answered the call: “Here I am!”
b. Was told to take his son:
(1) his son—who took so many years to conceive, bear and grow. He may have been in his 30s; Jewish sources figure 37 years old.
(2) his only son—Ishmael was not the son of promise, and had been sent out from Abraham’s house to Beer-Sheba (21:14).
(3) his son whom he loves—makes us think of the offering of Jesus, the only Son, the Son God loves. First time “love” appears in the Bible.
(4) Isaac—which mean “laughter, he laughs.” Obviously not a laughing matter to Abraham.
c. Was told to go to Mt. Moriah.
(1) Offer on one of the mountains (22:2);
Abraham would be doing some mountain climbing.
(2) 2 Chron. 3:1, this is where the LORD would later appear to David;
Jerusalem.
(3) This is the part of the country where God would have a temple build, at the threshing floor of Ornan (Araunah, cf. 2 Sam. 24:18).
(4) This is the area of Israel where Jesus would have finished his days preaching and dying—before His return from the dead.
(5) Abraham had been told to “go” before (Gen. 12), and by faith he walked the “steps of faith” (Rom. 4:12).
d. Offer a burnt offering.
(1) Also called a “holocaust” (Heb. ‘olah), and so translated in The New American Bible (Catholic). This word is now used by Jews to describe the horrors against Jewish people in World War II.
(2) Read Leviticus 1:3-9.
(a) KNOW what Abraham was expected to do.
(b) THINK about whether Abraham was READY to do this.
(c) REMEMBER Abraham made the resolution to obey God.
(3) Think about Abraham as we read Phil.2:12.
4. Sacrifices of Faith are done by people.
a. People of faith.
b. Faith-full people.
c. Just thinking very long about this can be a trial to our faith, unless we’re fully devoted to God.
C. Obedience of Faith (Gen. 22:3-4).
1. Abraham got up early and went with his son and some servants to obey God’s command.
a. Prepared his donkey; split wood; carried a knife (v. 10).
b. Did you ever wonder, did Sarah know of the test? Did Abraham tell her where he was going?
2. Abraham and company traveled three days until he saw the mountains at a distance.
a. Just has he had once been told to go, and he went, so he was told to go, and he went again. Recall: “the steps of that faith” (Rom. 12:14).
b. What must Abraham have thought about minute after minute, hour after hour, day after day.
(1) Did he see animals along the way to remind him of the holocaust he would prepare?
(2) Were other questions raised by his son or servants that are not recorded?
(3) How would he answer any questions put to him?
3. Here is some of what Abraham was thinking:
Heb. 11:17-19
a. Each step that would bring him closer to a place to worship God, must have challenged the obedience of his faith—yet he OBEYED!
D. Expectation of Faith (Gen. 22:5).
1. Hope—Faith is the substance of things hoped for (Heb. 11:1).
a. Evidence of things “not seen.”
b. Abraham...
(1) left his homeland (Ur, Haran) and went to an unseen land.
(2) left his home to go to a place God would show him to worship.
2. Abraham had the faith that his son would return with him.
a. “We” will worship and RETURN.
b. Expected Isaac to be alive to worship.
c. Expected Isaac to be alive to return.
3. Did this mean he never expected his son to die—as actually occurred?
a. Heb. 11:17-19, seems to indicate that he had the faith that should his son die, he would return from the dead!
b. The Holy Spirit gives us this insight.
c. He acted in faith, having received the promises that would be carried out through a LIVING son—not a dead one.
d. If God could give life to a father and mother who at such late age in life were considered dead to conceiving a son, God could bring him back from the dead.
E. Assurance of Faith (Gen. 22:8).
1. Somehow, Abraham must have felt assurance that all would turn out well. Abraham had faith in God.
2. But, how to assure Isaac? Once again: It is God who provides.
a. Jehovah sees (provides, NASB; Heb. ra’ah); this would become the name of the site: Jehovah Jirah (22:14).
3. “Blessed Assurance” for Abraham and Isaac, by his strong faith in God.
4. Abraham made plans with God in mind.
a. “The Lord willing...” (Jas. 4:15).
b. Remember, he was the friend of God (Jas.2:23).
F. Persistence of Faith (Gen. 22:9-10).
1. Already indicated the 3 days beginning his journey.
2. Leaving the servants, Abraham and Isaac had proceeded onward. The test must get harder, and harder.
a. Climbing mountains.
b. Carrying what animals and servants had carried before.
c. More stressing: When, how, will Isaac know what the test is?
3. Persistence: Abraham...
a. built the altar.
b. laid the wood on the altar.
c. bind Isaac; Jews call this even the binding of Isaac.
d. bound Isaac on the altar with the wood.
e. took out his knife.
f. raised the knife.
4. He persisted in his faith to accomplish what God had commanded.
G. Victory of Faith (Gen. 22:11-12).
1. The Victory of Faith was also faith that came by hearing, listening to the word of the Lord.
2. Abraham finally saw what he had seen by faith before.
a. the “unseen” (Heb. 11:1, 8, 13, 19).
b. the ram, caught in the thicket.
c. God had provided the sacrifice.
3. Abraham’s hope was realized in that...
a. He and Isaac worshipped the Lord.
b. He and Isaac returned to the servants and home.
4. The promises were renewed in a covenant where God swore by Himself—none greater (22:16ff).
a. Because Abraham withheld nothing.
b. Blessings (cf. Gen 12):
(1) NATION PROMISE: bless Abraham and multiply his seed (22:17).
(2) LAND PROMISE: seed shall possess enemies’ land (22:17).
(3) SEED PROMISE: all the nations of the earth blessed in his seed, which Gal. 3 tells us is Christ.
5. “Faith is the victory” (1 John 5:4). This is more than just saying “Whew!”—this is total commitment.
III. The Lesson for Us
A. We need...
1. To offer our “sacrifice” by faith.
a. Rom. 12:1-2
b. Heb. 13:15-16
c. 1 Cor. 16:1-2; 2 Cor. 8-9
2. The obedience of faith.
a. John 3:36; CF KJV to newer translations
b. Heb. 5:8-9
c. Do we “get up early” enough to accomplish what God has given us to do?
3. The expectation of faith.
a. Heb. 11:1, “the substance of things hoped for....”
b. 2 Cor. 5:7, “we walk by faith and not by sight.”
4. The assurance of faith.
a. God’s love (Rom. 8:35-39).
b. Firm foundation—NASB (2 Tim. 2:19a).
5. The persistence of faith.
a. Prayer (Luke 18:1-2).
b. Doing good (Gal. 6:9; 2 Thess. 3:13).
c. Attendance (Heb. 10:24-25).
6. To obtain the victory of faith.
a. Jesus has already won. He is the victory.
(1) “He Arose”: “He arose a victor from the dark domain...”
(2) “Victory in Jesus”
b. Faith is the Victory.
7. Abraham withheld nothing.
a. What do we hold back from God?
b. singing? prayers?
c. contribution?
d. attendance?
e. true devotion to Christ.
8. Matt. 6:33
CONCLUSION:
1. By faith men of old gained approval (Heb.1:2).
a. Abraham
b. Others: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Jacob, Joseph, Moses and his parents, Rahab, judges, prophets.
2. By faith WE must seek God.
a. Heb. 11:6
b. Faith comes by hearing
(1) Rom. 10:17
(2) Hear Ye Him (Matt. 17:5).
c. The righteous must live by faith (Rom.
1:17; Heb. 10:38-11:1).
3. Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22).
a. There will be outward trials and inward temptations.
b. Some will forsake the Lord for much less than Abraham endured.
c. Rev. 2:10: “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
4. Could someone, someday—the Lord for sure one day—look at how you live by faith, and call you a friend of God? If not, why not act on faith and let it be counted as righteousness when you obey the gospel—today?
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