This week in the bible reading plan we are back in Genesis:
SUNDAY: Genesis 22
MONDAY: Genesis 26
TUESDAY: Genesis 27
WEDNESDAY: Genesis 28
THURSDAY: Genesis 29
FRIDAY: Genesis 30
SATURDAY: Genesis 31
THE FAMILY OF ABRAHAM
God chose members of Abraham's family to continue the line which would eventually lead to Christ. We see that the choice of who inherited the promises did not depend upon human decision for example being the eldest, but solely upon selection by God. See what Paul has to say in Romans 9:11-16. To those whom God chose He repeated the same promises to them, promises which would be fulfilled through one particular seed or descendant - Jesus Christ.
LAYING IT ALL DOWN FOR HIMS - Scripture: Genesis 22:1-24
And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt [nacah - to test, try, prove, tempt, assay, put to the proof or test, to try by "smell" versus touch, to prove one's faith, to make a trial - to judge] Abraham ... Take now thy son, thine only [son] Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering ... And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you (speaking in faith). And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid [it] upon Isaac his son (Just like Yeshua had to carry His cross, likewise Isaac a picture of the Son of God carried His wood); and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake ...Behold the fire and the wood: but where [is] the lamb for a burnt offering? God will provide himself (speaking prophetically of the Lamb of God) ... And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son ... And the angel of the LORD called unto him ... Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only [son] from me ... And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind [him] a ram caught in a thicket by his horns ... And Abraham called the name of that place YHVH Yireh (The God who Sees) ... And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which [is] upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. So Abraham returned (Isaac is not mentioned here as returning and not mentioned again until Abraham sends his servant for the Bride and then we see Isaac reappear in Scripture as sees His Bride [Genesis 24:62-67]~ another picture of Messiah!)
O - Observations:
Testing / Proving ... This is a hard subject "Does God test us?" and I know one explored many times prior to this blog. What else does God's WORD say about it?
Exodus 16:4 ... that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or not ... Deuteronomy 8:2. 16; 13:3 ... remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, [and] to prove thee ... Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end ... for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul ... Judges 2:22; 3:1, 4 That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein ... Now these [are] the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by them ...And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would hearken unto the commandments of the LORD ...
Sometimes He leaves people in our lives to prove our faith in Him whether or not we will obey and follow Him instead of the "nations" around us.
Did they pass the test?
They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert. And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. (Psalms 106:13-15)
And finally we have the example of Daniel who asked to be proved 10 days through fasting.
A - Application for me today:
Is there something God would ask you to give up today? We are blessed that God is not asking up to sacrifice our children like in this Biblical account, but is there something you are holding onto and just can not seem to let go of? Something you are wrestling with God over?
I want to hear Him say to me "for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld xyz" ... Blessing followed obedience then and it is true today. When we sacrifice or give up the things that are important for us to go and worship God all heaven takes note. Can you imagine the angels holding their breath watching Abraham and Isaac make that journey up the mountain ... waiting to see if he would follow through ... then just as the knife was about to cut across the very throat of his beloved, very long awaited son, the angel speaks STOP! We gloss over this story in Scripture, but put yourself there ... the knife in your hand, your child on the altar ... the tears you both are crying and your trembling hand ready, you pause, you wonder if you really did hear from God or is this just your own mind, but then with every ounce of faith you decide I must obey ... you take a deep breath, your hand, trembling, comes to the very throat of your child and then a Bat Kol (a voice from Heaven) ... you drop the knife, breathe out in relief and the tears flow in ever gratefulness. You knew His promises that a seed would have to come from Isaac and somehow God would make it all right and even raise your son if necessary, but how you wrestled and now it was over ... the test ... you passed and there was a ram caught in the thicket and you worship like you have never worshipped before because of His Provision, because He is the ONE who sees!
What are you wrestling with? What is your hand trembling to sacrifice? That thing you just can not give up. You know He has asked you to and you set out to do it and then you just couldn't follow through ... it was too hard ... but you see in this account a man who gave up everything in obedience to follow God ... a precursor to the Lamb of God who gave up EVERYTHING for you ... and you can not give up one simple thing ... Psalms 106 above told of the Israelites instead of letting God prove them ... they tested him and lusted after the foods of Egypt and God gave it to them, but with it "he sent leanness into their souls" ...
I want the fatness of soul ... I want His blessings! I want to be obedient when He tests and proves my faith in Him.
P - Prayer in response:
Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. (Psalms 26:2) Don't let the nations around me keep me from serving you and from following you. Surround me with your unfailing love ...
Click Here To Play Living Sacrifice
Click Here To Play Surround Me (testimony Song)
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