Just Like His Father

Thanks to Abraham’s obedience to god, and his relationship with the people around him, Isaac had never had to move to new lands or face most of the temptations and dangers Abraham had faced, but as Matthew 5:45 tells us, God “maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” God’s people experience the same events other people experience.  Weather patterns tend to repeat themselves periodically, and over a hundred years after Abraham went to Egypt to escape a famine, there was another famine, as Genesis 26:1-5 describes. 

“And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.  And the LORD appeared unto him, and said, Go not down into Egypt; dwell in the land which I shall tell thee of: Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all these countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father; And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. “

God told Isaac not to go to Egypt but to remain in the land, and trust him to provide for them.  He had promised Abraham’s descendants that land, and he would give it to them as he had promised as a result of Abraham’s obedience.  Stayed in the area, but moved to Gerar, because the water sources there were more dependable, as Genesis 26:6-7 tells us.  “And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon. “ 

Though he had been protected from the temptations Abraham faced, Isaac had developed some of the same attitudes he learned from Abraham, even though Abraham had not intended for him to learn this pattern.     Sometimes we get frustrated when our kids repeat our mistakes, but we need to realize we may have taught them to have that attitude that resulted in the action.   When questioned about his wife, Isaac responded exactly the same way Abraham had responded in both Gerar and Egypt, telling them she was his sister rather than his wife.  Fortunately, the Philistines in Gerar had learned from their experience with Abraham, and though they were interested in Rebekah, they were cautious and did not immediately try to seduce her.  Eventually, they learned the truth as Genesis 26:8-11 describes. 

”And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.  And Abimelech called Isaac, and said, Behold, of a surety she is thy wife: and how saidst thou, She is my sister?

And Isaac said unto him, Because I said, Lest I die for her.

And Abimelech said, What is this thou hast done unto us? one of the people might lightly have lien with thy wife, and thou shouldest have brought guiltiness upon us.  And Abimelech charged all his people, saying, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.” 

After seeing Isaac making out with Rebekah, Abimelech confronted Isaac, reminding him that his lie had placed the entire Philistine nation in danger of experiencing God’s judgment for a sin they knew nothing about.  He gave strict orders that anyone who bothered either Isaac or Rebekah was to be executed.

To prevent our children making the same mistakes we made, we need to make a special effort to allow the Holy Spirit to change our attitudes so that our children don't develop the same attitudes.  

Choosing One’s Own Attitude

After several years of marriage, Isaac became concerned that Rebekah had not had children, as Genesis  25:20-21 tells us.  “And Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Padanaram, the sister to Laban the Syrian.  And Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.” 

Finally, after twenty years, she became pregnant.  It was not an easy pregnancy, and she became concerned that something was wrong, in Genesis 25:22-23.  “And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to inquire of the LORD.  And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.”

God told her she was going to have twins and that they would be very different, becoming two separate nations, with the younger becoming the stronger nation.  When they were born they were very different, as Genesis 25:24-28 tells us.  “And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb.  And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau.  And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.  And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.   And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob.” 

The boys were different both physically, and in their interests.  Esau was a rugged outdoorsman, a man’s man, who loved hunting and camping out.  Jacob was a homebody who liked fixing things around the house and working with the livestock.   The differences were accentuated by the fact their parents played favorites, with Jacob preferring Esau and Rebekah preferring Jacob.  As is to be expected, thei resulted in competition and jealousy between the boys. 

Genesis 25:29-34 describes one such incident.  “And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom.

And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright.

And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?

And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.  Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.”

Jacob was cooking a mess of lentils, a sort of small bean.  Esau had been unsuccessful hunting and demanded that Jacob give him some of the lentils.  Jacob said he wanted Esau’s birthright in exchange.  In that day, the oldest son automatically inherited all the father’s property, except for what the father specifically designated to the other children.  In this case, that also included all the promises God had made to Abraham and Isaac. 

Like many young men after a strenuous workout, Esau felt like he was dying of starvation.  If he died, the birthright wouldn’t mean anything to him anyway, so he agreed to trade it for a serving of the lentils.  At first, Jacob thought he was kidding and insisted he make the promise official, in effect putting it in writing.  Concerned only with how he felt at the moment, Esau made it official that Jacob would receive the birthright, in effect saying the birthright and God’s promises were worth less than a bowl of beans to him.   Jacob valued them very highly and gladly gave Esau the food he wanted in exchange. 

Though both boys had the same parents, and had been raised the same way, they had chosen different values that led to making different life styles.   Those choices would impact their relationship with God, and the lives of their descendants.  Each person chooses their priorities and thus influences what happens in their lives.  Unfortunately most people choose by default, simply going along with their feeling of what matters at the moment and not considering the long term effect of their choices.  For example, they can get so focused on a short term promotion or award, that they neglect their marriage or their children.  Later they often blame others when they lose the marriage or the children, rather than recognizing it was their decision that led to the problem.  Esau provides a valuable illustration of what happens.       

Why Waste Time When You Know What God Wants

Abraham’s servant and Rebekah’s family celebrated her engagement to Isaac.  Having accomplished his purpose in going, the servant was ready to leave, as Genesis 24:54-56 explains.  “And they did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they rose up in the morning, and he said, Send me away unto my master.  And her brother and her mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go  And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master..” While they were excited for her, it suddenly dawned on her family that they might not see her again.  They wanted to prolong the celebration.   

In an effort to prevent conflict they suggested they ask Rebekah what she wanted in Genesis 24:57-58.  “And they said, We will call the damsel, and inquire at her mouth.  And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.”  Rebekah was excited about going and didn’t see any point in waiting another ten days.  Like the servant, she believed God had directed and wanted to finish what God was leading her to do.    The family yielded to her wishes, sending her on her way in Genesis 24:59-61.  “And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men.  And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.  And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.”  They blessed her, asking that God give her a strong and plentiful family, without wasting more time. 

Isaac was not living with his father, but had established his own place.  With no one to talk to, he had gone out to walk and think about things the day that Rebekah and the servant arrived. According to Genesis 24:62-66.  “And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.   And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.  And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.  For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a veil, and covered herself.  And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.” 

Though she had agreed to marry Isaac, Rebekah had never met him, and she was a shy at first around him.  After the servant explained what God had done the shyness went away, and they accepted each other as husband and wife without further ado, in Genesis 24:67.  “And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.”  There was no formal wedding celebration mentioned, just a clear intention by both to be husband and wife, recognized by both families.   I Corinthians 6:13-17 tells us, “…Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.  And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.  Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.  What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.  But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.”  By coming together sexually we form that marriage bond, even when it is for the purpose of prostitution.  Though there was not a formal wedding, Isaac and Rebekah were married.  For three years, Isaac had missed his mother, but when Rebekah came into his life, his focus changed and he stopped mourning his mother.   

Seeking Confirmation

Abraham’s servant was thrilled and thanking God for bringing him to the right place.  When he asked about whether her family would be able to give him lodging she had said she was sure they would, and went to get permission as Genesis 24:28-31 describes.  “And the damsel ran, and told them of her mother's house these things.  And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well.  And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well.  And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the LORD; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels.” 

Her brother, Laban was amazed at how much he had given Rebekah for watering his camels.  How much would he be willing to pay for a night’s lodging for himself and his men?  Laban was determined to take advantage of the opportunity for such a profit, and made a special effort to make the servant feel welcome. 

Abraham’s servant did not want there to be any misunderstanding about why he was there and insisted on explaining his mission even before they ate, in Genesis 24:32-49.  “And the man came into the house: and he ungirded his camels, and gave straw and provender for the camels, and water to wash his feet, and the men's feet that were with him.  And there was set meat before him to eat: but he said, I will not eat, until I have told mine errand.

And he said, Speak on.

And he said, I am Abraham's servant.  And the LORD hath blessed my master greatly; and he is become great: and he hath given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and gold, and menservants, and maidservants, and camels, and asses.  And Sarah my master's wife bare a son to my master when she was old: and unto him hath he given all that he hath.  And my master made me swear, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife to my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I dwell: But thou shalt go unto my father's house, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son.

And I said unto my master, Peradventure the woman will not follow me.  And he said unto me, The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with thee, and prosper thy way; and thou shalt take a wife for my son of my kindred, and of my father's house: Then shalt thou be clear from this my oath, when thou comest to my kindred; and if they give not thee one, thou shalt be clear from my oath.  And I came this day unto the well, and said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, if now thou do prosper my way which I go: Behold, I stand by the well of water; and it shall come to pass, that when the virgin cometh forth to draw water, and I say to her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water of thy pitcher to drink; And she say to me, Both drink thou, and I will also draw for thy camels: let the same be the woman whom the LORD hath appointed out for my master's son.

And before I had done speaking in mine heart, behold, Rebekah came forth with her pitcher on her shoulder; and she went down unto the well, and drew water: and I said unto her, Let me drink, I pray thee.  And she made haste, and let down her pitcher from her shoulder, and said, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: so I drank, and she made the camels drink also.  And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou?  And she said, The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.

And I bowed down my head, and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD God of my master Abraham, which had led me in the right way to take my master's brother's daughter unto his son.  And now if ye will deal kindly and truly with my master, tell me: and if not, tell me; that I may turn to the right hand, or to the left.”

The servant believed that God had clearly shown him Rebekah was the proper woman for Isaac.   He also recognized that we can misinterpret signs and jump to false conclusions.  While it was unlikely a girl would volunteer to water his camels, it was not impossible, so the sign could not be taken as absolute.  When decisions are based completely on signs, Satan can use false signs or natural events to mislead us.  Other people were involved and he needed to know whether they believed it was God’s will and were willing to work with him or not.  If they were not it was probable that he was misinterpreting the signs and jumping to a false conclusion.

Rebekah’s father and brother were convinced this was the will of God and agreed that Rebekah hould marry Isaac, according to Genesis 24:50-53.  “Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the LORD: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good.  Behold, Rebekah is before thee, take her, and go, and let her be thy master's son's wife, as the LORD hath spoken.

And it came to pass, that, when Abraham's servant heard their words, he worshipped the LORD, bowing himself to the earth.   And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things.”  Their response confirmed the servant’s conclusion that Rebekah was the right woman, and he celebrated God’s having blessed his errand by giving each of those involved various gifts as a token of appreciation after the decision had been made.  The decision was based solely on the information and was not affected by the gifts.

The Obedient Servant

Sarah had died when Isaac was thirty seven, and Abraham was a hundred when Isaac was born, and A couple of years after Sarah’s death, Abraham became concerned about Isaac’s future,   Isaac had never been around people of his own race and religious beliefs to meet a woman with similar customs and standards.  It is difficult to make a marriage work when people have similar customs and standards, but it becomes much more difficult when the customs, standards, or beliefs create conflict.  

Since there was no way either Abraham or Isaac could take months away from their cattle business to go out and try to find a wife of similar background, Abraham decided to send his most trusted servant back to Haran where his relatives could help find a woman with similar beliefs and standards.  Genesis 24:1-8 describes his instructions to the servant.  “And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.  And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?

And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.  The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.  And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.”

Abraham was very rich and he was concerned that If Isaac went back, he might well fall for some girl who was only interested in his money or get caught up in living the city lifestyle and not want to return to the livestock business, much as Lot had done, forgetting about the Lord.   If the servant could not find a girl who was willing to take the chance, he was not to take Isaac back to Haran. 

The servant agreed to do his best to fulfill the commission, in Genesis 24:9-11.  “And the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and sware to him concerning that matter.  And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.  And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water.” 

Since they had to physically carry the water, the women tended to wait until it started cooling off in the evening to go for it.  It also gave them a chance to visit with the other women when most of their work was done.  The well was a perfect place for the servant to observe and meet the young women and girls from Haran.  He prayed for God to direct him to the right girl, in Genesis 24:12-14.  “And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and show kindness unto my master Abraham.  Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water: And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast showed kindness unto my master.” 

The servant asked that God show him a girl who was polite and friendly, and a willing worker.  A camel can drink up to fifteen gallons at one time, and he had ten of them.  It would be a major job to carry that much water.  While many of them might give him a drink, few would offer to water the camels.  A woman who would do so would definitely not be lazy, or greedy for money, and thus would be worth consideration. 

The very first girl he asked for a drink was a girl named Rebekah, as Genesis 24:15-27 tells us.   “And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.  And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.  And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.

And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink.  And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.  And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels.  And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not.

And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold; And said, Whose daughter art thou? tell me, I pray thee: is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in?

And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel the son of Milcah, which she bare unto Nahor.  She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in.

And the man bowed down his head, and worshipped the LORD.  And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of his mercy and his truth: I being in the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren.”

The servant worshipped God, bowing down and recognizing his power to bring him so quickly to the right girl.  Not only had she done the things he had asked as a sign, she was beautiful, and was related to Abraham’s family. Their customs and practices would be very similar, and visiting in their home would give him a chance to get to know the family and observe how she got along with other people.  The servant had simply gone where he was directed, and God had blessed his obedience.   
Sometimes he surprises us with how quickly it happens, while other times we may have to wait for years for the results, but he always blesses when we obey.

Paying Our Own Way

As Solomon explained in Ecclesiastes 2, Good people die just like wicked ones.  Sarah died when Isaac was thirty seven years old.   Genesis 23:1-4 tells the story.  “And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.  And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.  And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,  I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” 

For sixty two years, Abraham and Sarah had lived in Canaan.  While they had had an agreement to use the land and live at Beersheba, they did not own the land.   Before Isaac’s birth that hadn’t mattered, because they had no descendants t remember them anyway.  After Isaac’s birth they recognized the importance of knowing about one’s ancestry.    Abraham asked for a place to bury Sarah where their descendants could come and be reminded of their heritage. Genesis 22:5-20 describes how he acquired a place for his family to remember. 

“And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him, Hear us, my lord: thou art a mighty prince among us: in the choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead; none of us shall withhold from thee his sepulchre, but that thou mayest bury thy dead.

And Abraham stood up, and bowed himself to the people of the land, even to the children of Heth.  And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and entreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar, That he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he hath, which is in the end of his field; for as much money as it is worth he shall give it me for a possession of a buryingplace amongst you.

And Ephron dwelt among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the audience of the children of Heth, even of all that went in at the gate of his city, saying, Nay, my lord, hear me: the field give I thee, and the cave that is therein, I give it thee; in the presence of the sons of my people give I it thee: bury thy dead.

And Abraham bowed down himself before the people of the land.  And he spake unto Ephron in the audience of the people of the land, saying, But if thou wilt give it, I pray thee, hear me: I will give thee money for the field; take it of me, and I will bury my dead there.

And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him, My lord, hearken unto me: the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver; what is that betwixt me and thee? bury therefore thy dead.  And Abraham hearkened unto Ephron; and Abraham weighed to Ephron the silver, which he had named in the audience of the sons of Heth, four hundred shekels of silver, current money with the merchant.  And the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, which was before Mamre, the field, and the cave which was therein, and all the trees that were in the field, that were in all the borders round about, were made sure Unto Abraham for a possession in the presence of the children of Heth, before all that went in at the gate of his city.

And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.  And the field, and the cave that is therein, were made sure unto Abraham for a possession of a buryingplace by the sons of Heth.” 

The Hittites offered to donate a piece of land for Abraham to use as a cemetery.  Abraham insisted on paying for it so that he had an actual claim on the land and was not just dependent on the whims of the people at the moment.   Even though they would have given him title to the land, There would have been a sense of obligation to them had he not paid for it.  That sense of obligation can lead to doing things we might not do otherwise.  Exodus 23:8 warns, “And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.”  It is impossible to guess how many people have gotten themselves into trouble because they felt obligated to do something for someone who gave them a gift, even if the giver had no such intention. 

Unfortunately, some people deliberately give gifts to try to pressure one to do what they want.    Proverbs 17:23 warns, “A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.”  This can range from a salesman offering you some gift to get you to try his product or a boy buying gifts for a girl to get her to have sex, to a business offering bribes to a politician or government official.  This is especially problematic when it involves those in positions of authority, as Proverbs 29:4 warns.  “The king by judgment establisheth the land: but he that receiveth gifts overthroweth it.”  Ultimately their corruption will destroy the group or organization they represent.  Deuteronomy 16:19 commands, “Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.” 

A great many of the problems in America today are the result of people in authority, whether in government, in business, or in religious circles receiving gifts or donations from lobbyists or special interest groups.  Abraham avoided the problem, refusing to accept even a piece of ground to bury Sarah without paying for it.  He insisted on paying the Philistines for the use of their land and the right ot live at Beersheba, and refused to even take payment from the king of Sodom for getting back their stuff, paying the expenses out of his own pocket.   We need to be careful who we accept gifts from.  When we pay our own way, we avoid obligations to others that might lead to problems. 

Testing Abraham’s Faith

The human body becomes weaker if it is not used.  This is true whether we are talking about the muscles, the digestive system, the immune system, the eyes, the emotions, or the intellect.    By our limits, we increase our ability to deal with the things life places in our way.  When we are not challenged, there is no reason for us to grow stronger.   This is one of reasons why a homeless person who gets his food by dumpster diving can eat things that are loaded with salmonella and other pathogens, while other people who go out of their way to avoid germs die after eating lettuce which has almost undetectable amounts of salmonella.  Our immune system needs exposure to germs in order to develop the ability to protect people.  One of the biggest problems in modern society is that we try to protect people from everything, and as a result, they have become weaker, physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Today, instead of embracing the challenges of life as an adult, college graduates are remaining at home and avoiding the challenges of taking responsibility for themselves.  

Because God wants our faith to grow and mature, he challenges it.  Sometimes, we fail, like Abraham and Sarah using Hagar as a surrogate, but even those failures can result in growth, both by making us aware of our weakness, and by stretching our faith until we see God’s power, as when Isaac was finally born.  In Genesis 22:1-2, God again challenged Abraham’s faith.   “And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.  And he said, 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 upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.” 

This statement that God tempted Abraham seems in direct contradiction of James 1:12-15.  “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”  The Greek word translated tempted in James refers to trying to seduce or persuade a person to do something that is wrong.  The Hebrew word in Genesis refers to trying or testing a person.  As a test, God may put us in a position where we have to choose between good and evil, but he never tries to get us to do evil.   That pressure comes from our own lusts or cravings. 

The test for Abraham was whether he was going to obey God, or try to save his son.  Genesis 22:3-10 describes Abraham’s response.  “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 clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.  Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.  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.  And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

And Isaac spake unto 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?

 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.  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 bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.  And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.’ 

Abraham’s response was not some spur of the moment decision.  It took three days to get to the place, carrying the supplies they would need.  When Isaac questioned his father, Abraham was forced to re-examine his commitment, and when he tied up Isaac and laid him on the altar, it must have been very hard to continue, but he was committed to doing what God commanded.   

God honored that commitment to obey as if Abraham had actually offered Isaac, in Genesis 22:11-13.  “And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.  And he said, 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 went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.”

One can only imagine the relief Abraham felt when the angel told him to stop.  His sacrifice of the ram in Isaac’s place must have been a joyous event.  God had accounted Abraham’s faith for righteousness  many years before, in Genesis 15:6.  By offering Isaac, Abraham demonstrated the reality of his faith, as James 2:21-22 explains.  “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?  Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?”  Until the faith is tested we don’t know how strong it is, any more than we knows how strong a man is until he tries to lift a heavy weight.  Until faith has been demonstrated by obedience, it is just words, and as James 2:17 says, it is dead.

Because of Abraham’s obedience in faith, God refreshed and strengthened his promises to him and his descendants, in Genesis 22:14-18.  “And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.  And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 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.”