Transcript Abraham Father Of Faith –9

Abraham Father Of Faith –9
Abraham & Isaac
The Site Of The Sacrifice
This large rock, is supposed to be
the pace where Abraham sacrificed
Isaac.
Jews call it the “Foundation Stone”
– upon which God is supposed to
have made the world.
It is now inside the Dome of the
Rock mosque in Jerusalem and is
supposed to be the spot from which
Mohammed ascended to Heaven
It is also the site of the old Jewish
Temple
Caution Required!
 This story does NOT justify child abuse or
child-sacrifice but rather eventually shows that
God abhors it.
 This story does not justify asking extreme
sacrifices from spiritual followers (“putting your
Isaac on the altar”)
 If we think that God is asking us to do
something unusual or extreme we should:
a) WAIT
b) check the Scriptures and
c) seek advice and godly counsel.
Unquestioning
Obedience
Genesis 22:1-3 MKJV And it happened after these things
that God tested Abraham, and said to him, Abraham! And
he said, Behold me. (2) And He said, Take now your
son, your only one, Isaac, whom you love. And go into
the land of Moriah, and offer him there for a burnt offering
upon one of the mountains which I will name to you. (3)
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled
his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and
Isaac his son. And he split the wood for the burnt offering,
and rose up and went to the place of which God had told
him.
Faith And Perplexity
 Abraham received a clear instruction from
God to do something very, very strange.
 He thought about this and ended up
believing that God would raise Isaac from
the dead. (Hebrews 11:17-19)
 Abraham kept believing in the goodness and
power and promises of God in a time of
great perplexity
 Despite his perplexity Abraham obeyed God
Splitting The Wood
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and
saddled his ass, and took two of his young
men with him, and Isaac his son. And he split
the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up
and went to the place of which God had told
him.
 Why carry the wood?
 Thorough preparation for tough obedience
 A lifestyle of living life without excuses
Where Is The Lamb?
Genesis 22:4-8 MKJV Then on the third day, Abraham lifted up his
eyes and saw the place afar off. (5) And Abraham said to his
young men, You stay here with the ass. And I and the boy will go
on to this way and worship, and come again to you. (6) And
Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac
his son. And he took the fire in his hand, and a knife. And they both
went together. (7) And Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and
said, My father. And he said, Here am I, my son. And he said,
Behold the fire and the wood. But where is the lamb for a burnt
offering? (8) And Abraham said, My son, God will provide Himself
a lamb for a burnt offering. So they both went together.
A Difficult Journey
 I and the boy..will worship..and come again
to you!
 Abraham believed that he would come back
with Isaac
 Abraham had kept God’s instructions to
himself.
 Abraham’s word to Isaac later became
prophetic – sometimes prophetic words are
unintentional.
 Isaac carrying the wood is like Jesus
carrying His cross
God Stops The Sacrifice
Genesis 22:9-13 MKJV And they came to the place which God
had told him of. And Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood
in order. And he bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on
the wood. (10) And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the
knife to slay his son. (11) And the Angel of Jehovah called to him
from the heavens and said, Abraham! Abraham! And he said, Here
am I. (12) And He said, Do not lay your hand on the lad, nor do
anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have
not withheld your son, your only one, from Me. (13) And Abraham
lifted up his eyes, and looked. And, behold, a ram behind him was
entangled in a thicket by its horns. And Abraham went and took the
ram and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
I Know That You Fear God!
 The purpose was to test loyalty to God
of someone who would be a great
patriarch (similar to the testing of Peter)
 Leaders are often tested by God before
service (e.g. the temptation of Jesus)
 This is NOT saying that we have to give
up everything that is precious to us
(after all Isaac was restored to Abraham)
 It does tell us that God must come first
 The “ram” often called the “Ram of
Pride” is sacrificed instead.
 Ram symbolizes strength, ability (in
Hebrew)
Spiritual Significance
 Abraham’s sacrifice was a “type’ of the
death of Christ and Isaac’s survival a
prefigurement of the resurrection
 Abraham’s obedience “hallowed” that place
for all time
 Faith creates the channels along which
history then proceeds
 Prophetic actions and words can “create
history” e.g. Moses and the plagues,
Baalam’s prophecy etc (Numbers 22 & 23)
The Lord Will Provide
Genesis 22:14 MKJV And Abraham called the name of
that place Jehovah Will See; so that it is said until this
day, In the mount of Jehovah it will be seen.
Genesis 22:14 HCSB And Abraham named that place The
LORD Will Provide, so today it is said: "It will be provided
on the LORD's mountain."
God’s Command Is God’s Provision
 When you are “on the Lord’s mountain” that
is “in the right place” spiritually then God
provides!
 Matthew 6:33 MKJV But seek first the
kingdom of God and His righteousness; and
all these things shall be added to you.
 2 Corinthians 9:8-9 MKJV (8) And God is
able to make all grace abound toward you,
that in everything, always having all selfsufficiency, you may abound to every good
work; (9) As it is written, "He scattered; he
has given to the poor; his righteousness
remains forever."
The Gates Of Their
Enemies
Genesis 22:15-19 MKJV And the Angel of Jehovah called to
Abraham out of the heavens the second time, (16) and said, I
have sworn by Myself, says Jehovah; because you have done this
thing, and have not withheld your son, your only one; (17) that in
blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed
like the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the
seashore. And your Seed shall possess the gate of His enemies.
(18) And in your Seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed,
because you have obeyed My voice. (19) Abraham returned to
his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beer-sheba.
Multiplied Blessings
 (17) that in blessing I will bless you, and in
multiplying I will multiply your seed like the
stars of the heavens, and as the sand
which is upon the seashore.
 Hebrew construction for ‘superabundantly
bless and superabundantly multiply”
 And your Seed shall possess the gate of
His enemies. – victory in spiritual warfare the gates of Hell will not prevail against the
Church” (Matthew 16:18)
Obedience Releases Blessing
 And in your Seed shall all the nations of the
earth be blessed, because you have
obeyed My voice.
 God gave Abraham authority – the third and
greatest Creation blessing - “have dominion
over” after his obedience
 Up until this point Abraham had blessings of
fruitfulness and multiplication (v.17)
 Now power and dominion were released
through high-level obedience
 God made the blessing certain by swearing
an oath – (see Hebrews 6:13-15)