Obedience and Faith

“Take 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 22:2). What would be your response to such a request?

This was God’s request to Abraham. And in so doing, God was testing Abraham’s sincerity, loyalty, and faith. Note these words, “your only son Isaac, whom you love.” Perhaps some of us are thinking, how would I react if that was me? Only God knows if we were in a similar position. Obedience and faith are foundational to the Christian life. And this is exactly what God requires of His children. 

Abraham “passed the test” because he fully complied. The Scripture says, “So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.” (Genesis 22:3). This clearly demonstrates Abraham’s faith and obedience to God as he prepared for the task when he “cut the wood for the burnt offering.” 

After seeing the place which God had told him, “Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” (Genesis 12:5). We are unable to know what Isaac was thinking up to this time. However, Abraham continues his preparation.

“And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together.” (Genesis 22:6). Isaac becomes somewhat curious as Abraham now places the wood for the burnt offering on Isaac. He also takes the fire and the knife. “And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My Father!” And he said, “Here I am my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” (Genesis 22:7).

Note Abraham’s response to Isaac as Abraham continues to display confidence in God. He says to Isaac, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering may son.” So they went both of them together” (Genesis 22:8). The crucial test for Abraham is about to take place.

“When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.” (Genesis 22:9). Abraham is now fully prepared to do as God requested of him.            And also Isaac’s willingness to allow his father to bound him and place him on the altar for a burnt offering to God.

“Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son from me.” (Genesis 22:10-12). This shows that God was with Abraham all the way. And God’s was precise in His timeliness to stop Abraham from plunging the knife into Isaac. 

Although Abraham was prevented by God to offer Isaac as a burnt offering, God made ample provision for Abraham to offer a “substitute” for Isaac when “behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son” (Genesis 22:13). 

There are valuable spiritual lessons to be learnt from this account of God, Abraham, and Isaac. There will be many tests along the Christian’s path. God may not ask us to do exactly what He asked Abraham to do. And just as how He tested Abraham’s faith and trust, God will also test ours. Are we prepared for the test?

Abraham responded to God’s call. “Here I am,” he said. God needed Abraham’s attention to let him know what He required. The same principle applies to us today. There must always be a willingness to hear and learn from God. Observe when Abraham responded, God explained exactly what Abraham was to do. So Abraham set out to do as God told him. 

It’s interesting to note that whereas God told Abraham to go to the land of Moriah, but God didn’t tell Abraham in advance on which mountain Isaac should be offered. God said “on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” Again, Abraham took God at His word. And so should we. When Abraham got to Moriah, “Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place from afar.” Just as God told him. The key is to fully trust, obey, and hope in God, whose promises we can claim with utmost certainty. 

Abraham “took the knife to slaughter his son,” but God intervened and prevented him. God instead provided a ram and Abraham “offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.” God “commended” Abraham for his obedience and faith by telling him, “for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” (Genesis 22:12).

Essentially, obedience and faith in God are key principles in the Christian experience and pays tremendous spiritual dividends. God will always keep His word and what He has promised He is able to perform. Therefore, let us be willing to believe and obey whatever God demands of us because He surely keeps His promises for ever.