02/08/2020 - THE PURPOSE OF TRIALS

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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 22:2

We do not know what the divine command did in Abraham’s heart, but he was not irresponsible. God qualified Isaac perfectly and showed what should be done with him. Heavenly instruction never creates distrust in the heart of the person receiving it. The Word of the Lord made him walk safely to the place of sacrifice, for he believed that if Isaac died God would bring him back to life. Faith is always the certainty (Heb 11.1)!

Probably, Abraham trembled to hear the Lord. Because he knew God’s method of empowering someone for great missions, the patriarch knew that in the world he would have afflictions (John 16:33). Let us study each expression in the verse studied to learn about the Lord’s direction. When He prepares something, His sayings never change, but are confirmed according to His good will.

The divine voice commanded Abraham to take his own son. It cost him a lot to have a descendant of his and Sara’s on his lap. See, Ishmael wasn’t the promised son. God did not want Abraham to be a father until Isaac was born. Ishmael is thus a human hit, a patch, wanting to “fix” what the Lord would not do. Only He doesn’t need man’s plans or help.

So that there was no doubt, God said: Your only son. This servant understood that it was Isaac, the boy who had come out of all human possibility. Now the Almighty has no problems and keeps His promises. Abraham must have sensed that something serious would be revealed to him about the young man and continued to listen.

The Most High then uttered the name: Isaac. What a beautiful task God’s friend was receiving! After all, I already had experience walking with Him! We will also have it when we obey Him. Remember what happened at the Sea of Galilee with Peter. When he saw the Savior walk on water, he asked permission to go to the Master. By faith the apostle declared, Lord, if it be thou, command me to come unto thee above the waters. Then he heard: Come. So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water.

God continued to talk to the patriarch, giving more details: To whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. Nothing else was missing. Why so much certification about the child? Now there could be no mistake as to who should be sacrificed. The mission given to Abraham would prove God’s love for us when we were still sinners, not after Jesus saved us and cleansed us from every error. The Father’s love for us never ceased to exist. However, He proves us.

Then the words of the Omnipotent were: Offer him there in burnt offering upon one of the mountains, which I will tell you. He who was certain that he would be a father, believing against hope that he was almost a hundred years old (Rom. 4:18), received another word: that of offering up his son in sacrifice. But in the end God provided the lamb. Hallelujah!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares