TREAD: Genesis 22:1f
CHALLENGE: Pass the Tests
Years have gone by since Abraham parted ways with Hagar and Ishmael. He’s lived and traveled and done life. He’s living out the promise of becoming a nation with this one son of promise, Isaac.
Vv1-2 – 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, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
- TESTING COMES FROM GOD
It clearly says that God tested Abraham. He wants to know the true nature of his heart and faith. The word, “tested” means to “test, try, prove, tempt, assay, put to the proof, put to the test”. “In most contexts “nasa” has the idea of testing or proving the quality of someone or something, often through adversity or hardship”. “Prove, test, put to the test”.
Abraham is the Bible’s poster child for faith but that reputation did not come without some tests along the way. God tests us and perhaps this could be a new way of viewing hardships. A trial could be something painful that is intended to reveal who we are. Or else it’s something that refines us. Similar to the Lord’s discipline which comes out of his love for us and produces good fruit – that peaceable fruit of righteousness as it says in Hebrews 12.
I don’t see this test here as “refining” as much as “revealing”. It reveals the heart of Abraham and the heart of God as well. God loves Isaac and loves this world.
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What is real? This is what the test reveals. Who are you really? Trials have a way of pointing that out. How you handle hardships, disappointments, and loss can demonstrate what we love the most. Ourselves or others. Who you are is not tested by good days and sunny weather. Who you are is tested by adversity!
When Job was tested, the issue was his commitment to God. Would Job retain his integrity and curse God or fear God? His integrity was tried by the acid test of suffering and proved to be genuine. Thus this test, is our faith real?
As the Bible says, we shouldn’t be surprised by times of testing. 1 Peter 4:12 – Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
The Christians faced fiery ordeals that tested them – it wasn’t out of the ordinary. James 1:12 – Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
You have to persevere under trial. Jesus told the story about the farmer who planted seeds and some hit the rocky ground. Withering heat showed that certain plants had no depth of root which served as an analogy for trials. It revealed reality. The seed that fell on good soil, experienced the same heat but the result was completely different because the faith was real. Truth is revealed in hardship.
Even Jesus got tested by the devil in the wilderness and that showed what he was truly made of. He responded with Scripture and proved his faithfulness to God.
- TESTING REQUIRES SACRIFICE (v2)
v2 – Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
You think about this test and everything that Abraham will go through. Did he even know that it was a test? God didn’t say, “Abraham buddy, this is a test”.
We’ve all heard these words on the radio – “This is a test of the National Emergency Alert System. This system was developed … to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message. No action is required. This is only a test”.
We don’t get that message when we encounter a steep challenge. God asked him to sacrifice his only son. Which by the way, God would ultimately do himself. John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
What is the test? Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac . Again, this reminds me so much of God and Jesus. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. So beautiful! And God put him on a cross for our salvation – what a sacrifice!
Abraham is human and as a dad, I would assume that my greatest fear would be losing my child. God’s ask is extraordinary and difficult beyond imagination. All of his hopes are pinned on the boy so there is much riding on the boy’s well-being and health. There is no plan B.
What if God did ask us to sacrifice that which is the most important to us? What would you most hate to lose? My family, my home, my relationship with all of you. Some might put their bank account as being the hardest thing to give up. I hope not, but it may be the truth.
Tests come in what we’re willing to sacrifice for God. Typically any sacrifice is FAR LESS than what God gave up for us. Giving up a night out to serve? Giving up money for tithe. Giving up time for spending time with God. Perhaps we are tested by the cries for help.
- TESTING REVEALS CHARACTER
Testing demonstrates what’s on the inside. What puts me to the test? Trials for sure. Perhaps even certain temptations can test us.
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Those of you who lost power got your determination and tenacity tested. Probably your patience as well! Were you resourceful? Did you maintain positivity? I personally would hate it, but either way my character would be seen by how I responded.
- Our Heart Gets Tested
V2 – Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
Go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering. This verse shows the power of the love that Abraham has for his son. And God knew that and isn’t testing his love for his son, he’s testing Abraham’s love of God!
What’s the most important thing in his life. Has Isaac supplanted God in importance? One thing that we need to know is that nothing is more important than God. He’s the blesser and giver of all good gifts. Is anything replacing the Lord in our lives? I hope not but it’s a great challenge.
God sent Jesus to the earth so we clearly know how much God loves us. God isn’t asking Abraham to do anything that He was not willing to do. Who does Abraham love the most? We are commanded to love the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Do we?
Who we love shows up in the trials of life. Often times guys conquer the world but fail the test. We were busy and went all out but we became too busy for our own family. What do we love the most? The stuff of life puts us to the tests our hearts all the time.
2 Chronicles 32:31 – But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart.
God wants to know what is in your heart. How do we respond to adversity? Do we trust God in it? Do we wither? When the disciples encountered the storm, what was in their heart? Fear! Not faith and the storm revealed that.
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How much do you love your kids? What have you sacrificed. I’d say you guys love them a lot when I see what you give up for them. Some give their kids up for other things and that’s sad. It’s in the trials and invitations and temptations that we see what we love the most. Sometimes I fear that what we love the most is ourselves.
- Faith Gets Tested
Vv3-5 – Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded 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.”
He marches off and obeys God. Faith is seen in obedience. There is no faith without it. He knows the promises of God. The request is such a contradiction in terms
James 2:20-21 – You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
What you truly believe about God is tested all the time. Will I obey God? Will I surrender my own will. Can I say like Jesus did, “Not my will but thine be done”. He was considered righteous through faith. And how much faith did he have? We will worship and come back to you. Oh my goodness. He’s not distraught. He’s trusting. He truly believes that they will be back!
This is a man who was allowing God to settle the details he couldn’t figure out. This is obedience and I need to believe in you. How will it all work out. How can I follow God here and my needs be met? I don’t know but I trust God in it.
Abraham offering Isaac up on Mount Moriah is one of the largest tests there is.
Hebrews 11:17-19 – By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” 19 Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.
Abraham believes in God’s provision. He lived out his faith. He knows that God has always been faithful and we hold onto that!
- Our Commitment is Tested
Vv6-8 – 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.
The wood went on his son. He had the fire and the wood. The son carried the wood like Christ carried the cross. The son asks a question. What are we offering? I see everything but the lamb! And we need to have something to sacrifice to make it all work.
Can you imagine that question? Where is the lamb for the burnt offering? God will provide. We’re committed and commitment takes courage because we’re typically taking a big step. You cannot be afraid. And when you don’t have every specific figured out, you know this. God will provide.
You make commitments to going God’s way expect questions. You’re going to wonder about it all from time to time. You’re going to be challenged in it from time to time. Where’s the lamb. How in the world is this going to work. We don’t have all the pieces!
Following God doesn’t always make sense. You don’t always know how it will work – you trust God that it will. For Isaac, he had to trust his father. Jesus had to believe that God would bring him back.
Temptation will also put us the test! Deuteronomy 8:2 – Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.
There are tests where we need to pass that test and resist temptation.
Vv9-12 – 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.”
You talk about faith and submission to God’s will. Isaac had to be compliant as well. As compliant as Jesus willingly laying his life down on the cross. I have to assume that Isaac was stronger but he trusted his father who trusted in God.
Are we this committed to God? God, there’s nothing I would not give up. I hope we don’t rest back on the laurels of ease and cut God out of what he deserves from us. Are we willing to be the living sacrifice? To do what God wants us to do in this life?
Trials reveal who we are.
CONCLUSION:
Psalm 26:1-3 – Vindicate me, Lord, for I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered. 2 Test me, Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; 3 for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.