"All In" Day 5

Good Evening Readers!

I am blogging late tonight. Sorry about that. I am very anxious to get writing tonight though because I really love the next chapter in the book of Genesis. So lets start!

I would like for you to read Genesis Chapter 22:1-19 now. Remember you can use an online bible if you do not have a hard copy available to you.

Ok. So now you should have read through it once on your own. Now lets dig through it.

Genesis 22:1-2
God gives Abraham instruction to offer his son, his only son Isaac as a burnt offering. In the NKJV, which is the version I am reading it says, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah..." I think it is interesting how God says to take the one and only son. Immediately it reminds me of another sacrifice. Do you know which sacrifice I mean? Yep, God sacrificing his one and only son, Jesus. It also says in verse one that this command that God gives to Abraham is a test. As the reader I know from that sentence that Isaac is not going to die, but Abraham doesn't know that. What do you think is going through Abraham's head? Do you think he is doubting that God really spoke to him? Do you think he is consulting his wife and saying, "Honey, what do you think about offering our son as a burnt offering tomorrow?" I know that I often consult with friends when I am confused about something in my life. Sometimes even after I think I have heard from God I start to doubt myself and begin asking others for their worldly advice instead. Will Abraham do this?

Genesis 22:3
No, Abraham never consulted his wife or even questioned God's command. In verse 3 we find out that Abraham rose early the next morning and prepared to leave. Wow! I don't know about you but when I wake up early it is either because I have to be at work, or I am excited about something. I know that I will wake up early on Christmas morning or when I am about to take a vacation, but I know that I would never arise early on the day that I had to do something as dreaded as giving up my child. Why do you think Abraham was up early? Why do you think he didn't question God? Think about that as we continue reading.

Genesis 22:4-5
Did you notice how many days it took Abraham to find the place that God wanted him to go? Check verse 4 again if you missed it. Can you imagine traveling for three days knowing the whole time that you are about to kill your son? Try to imagine what it would be like to have the child on the trip with you...I bet Isaac was chatting away about all kinds of things with his dad. Perhaps they were talking about their family members back home, about Abraham's life when he was a child, about Isaac's friends, about God. All the while Abraham is listening to the chatter and must be thinking "You have no idea that I am leading you to your death!" Oh, the heartache that Abraham must have been feeling at that moment! But wait!! In verse 5 Abraham tells the young men that have traveled with them that they should stay with the donkey. He tells them that he and his son will go and worship and "we" will come back to you. Does your translation say that? Check it now. Did Abraham say "we" when he was talking about returning? Do you think that Abraham was expecting God to come through at the last minute? Do you think that in the back of his mind he was expecting to travel back home for three days with Isaac by his side once again?

Genesis 22:6-7
Here Isaac begins to question his father about where the animal is that will be sacrificed. I bet Isaac was getting worried. I can imagine that the walk to the top of that hill was a quiet one.

Genesis 22:8
I love Abraham's response to Isaac's worry. He says that God will provide the offering. Wow! Maybe Abraham wasn't as nervous as I would have been. Maybe he didn't feel any worry or dread while traveling with his son for three days. Maybe the entire time Abraham was trusting that God would provide, that God had always provided. Perhaps that is why Abraham was able to wake up early and prepare for the trip.

Genesis 22:9-10
Here I am imagining that Abraham and Isaac made it to the top of the mountain, perhaps Abraham is expecting God to stop him at any minute. But in verses 9 and 10 Abraham builds the altar, places the wood, binds Isaac and places him on the wood. I bet all the while Abraham was waiting and hoping that God would stop him. If I were Abraham I would have stopped at this point and said, "Ok God. I'm here. Look I'm going to do it! Can I stop now?" But Abraham doesn't. Abraham raises the knife and is really going to kill his son.

Genesis 22:11-12
God intervenes! Abraham really was about to kill his son. As much as I believe that Abraham trusted that God would provide, that God would intervene in some way, I also believe that Abraham would have killed Isaac if God hadn't stopped him. Abraham was willing to give up his most precious relationship in his life, his one and only son.

Genesis 22:13-19
God does provide another animal for Abraham and Isaac to sacrifice. Abraham calls the place The Lord Will Provide. Then God restates his promise to Abraham that Abraham's descendants will be very numerous and says that all the earth will be blessed through his seed.

Ok, here is what I got out of the reading today. God gives Abraham another command. Only this command isn't something little like move to a land that I will show you, circumcise yourself and your family, or name your son Isaac. No--this command was bigger than all of those. This command required Abraham to give up the one and only son that he loved. Isaac was the son that Abraham always wanted. Isaac was the son that he waited 100 years for-literally! Isaac was the apple of Abraham's eye and I guarantee that Isaac was the one thing that would have been the hardest for Abraham to sacrifice.
But Abraham did not question or complain to God. Abraham was willing to give up anything for God. Anything! Even his one and only son. God wanted to bless Abraham for his obedience and planned to bless all of humanity through the line of Abraham.

So here is the question for you tonight. Are you willing to give up everything for God? What is one area of your life that you have a hard time giving over to God? See, God wants your complete obedience, God wants you to have a heart that puts Him first. When Abraham was willing to offer Isaac up as a sacrifice it was an attitude of the heart. Abraham was willing to say, "God if you want Isaac, here he is!" Can you say that before God today? Can you say, "Lord if you wanted my car I would give it to you, if you wanted all my money I wouldn't hesitate. In fact, I would get up early in the morning to prepare it!" I know it would be hard for me. Abraham did it though and he was blessed. Think about one area of your life tonight where you know you are not being obedient to God. Take time now to pray about it. Get on your knees in the quiet and solitude of your own bedroom and tell God that you are willing to lay that part of your life down before Him. Tell Him you are seeking His will for your life tonight and His blessings. I guarantee that He will come through for you. After all God is Yahweh (which means the Lord will provide). Oh yes, and don't forget to thank him for sacrificing His one and only son for YOU!!

Until tomorrow...God Bless!

P.S. Now do you know why this week was called "All In?"