In Lesson 70, we delve into one of the most profound and challenging narratives in the Bible: “God Tests Abraham.” This remarkable account from the Book of Genesis has captivated hearts and minds for centuries, inviting us to contemplate the depths of faith, obedience, and the mysterious ways of the Divine.
As we embark on lesson 70: God tests Abraham, we will follow the steps of the faithful patriarch Abraham, who, when called upon by God, faced the ultimate test of faith—a test that would require him to offer his beloved son, Isaac, as a sacrifice.
This story invites us to explore the complexities of trust, obedience, and the unwavering commitment of Abraham to his faith.
Lesson 70: God Tests Abraham
The fiery trial of Abraham’s faith in God is presented in our lesson this week. The Hebrew word nacah (naw-saw) used in the text is translated, as test, assay, prove, or try.
Here God tested Abraham, not to draw him into sin but, to discover the quality, strength, and genuineness of his faith. This does not put the Omniscience attribute of God into question but makes it possible for Him to respect the sovereign will of man.
God does not plan the actions and choices of man. As a free moral agent, Abraham had the choice to reject or accept God’s request.
Man is responsible for all his actions whether they are good or evil. The Bible says, “See, I have set before thee this day life and good and death and evil.
Therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” (Deuteronomy 30:15 &19b). God proves and sees our determination, resolve, and commitment to do His will or the lack of these when the trials and temptations of life come our way.
1.THE TO OFFER ISAAC (Genesis 22:1- 2; Deuteronomy 8:1-3, 16; Isaiah 48:18; Hebrews 11:17).
God commanded Abraham to offer the dearest possession he had, his only son, as a sacrifice. No reason was given for this.
Yet God’s promise to Abraham was that in Isaac shall his seed be called. God was to prove what was in Abraham’s heart through this test to promote him to a higher spiritual plane.
“And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, to do thee good at thy latter end” (Deuteronomy 8:22, 3, 16).
From the foregoing, God allows us to face difficulties sometimes to confirm our love for him so that He might lift us to greatness.
It is through temptation that we know the difference between those who truly love and fear God and those who merely drift about with the tide of prevailing circumstances. Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Abraham journeyed for three days to the land of Moriah, the place of the sacrifice.
He had all the time to think over his action and what people, including his wife, Sarah, might say concerning such a strange oblation.
However, he did not allow human reasoning and the opinions of people to discourage or prevent him from obeying God.
He made up his mind to obey no matter how hard or painful it might be. Such an uncompromising and resolute stance on matters of obedience to God weathers every storm and gallantly enjoys the sweet savor of victory in the battles of life.
2. THE CONSISTENT OBEDIENCE OF A GOD-FEARING MAN (Genesis 22:3-10,18:19; Daniel 3:18; 6:10; Deuteronomy 5:29; Isaiah 48:18).
Abraham knew he would lose the only son he had if he obeyed God. He also knew that “… in Isaac shall thy seed be called” (Genesis 21:12); that means his covenant with God was at risk.
Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego knew they would be roasted alive in the fiery furnace of Nebuchadnezzar if they stuck to their decision to obey God’s command against idol worship. Daniel knew he may be torn into shreds by hungry lions if he continued in his loyalty and devotion to God.
These seemingly dangerous situations and jeopardy of position and life did not deter these true servants of God from obedience. Come rain or sunshine, life or death, their minds were set on obeying their God.
Abraham made sure nothing stood in his way of obedience to offer his beloved Isaac as a sacrifice to God. There is no evidence that he told his wife his mission to the land of Moriah.
And when they were within sight of the place of sacrifice, he asked his two servants who were on the journey with them to wait afar off.
These precautions helped him to keep off those who would have tried to interfere with his decision to obey God through carnal reasoning and persuasion. We must strictly watch out against those who try to persuade us to take easy and ungodly ways to solve our problems or to succeed in life.
Daniel and his three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came to a point in their lives when they could say like Paul, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain”(Philippians 1:21).
Have you come to that point in your life when your relationship with God means more to you than anything else in life? Have you made up your mind like Abraham to obey God at the expense of the prospect and promise of riches, pleasure, husband, wife, children, fame, honor, and position in society? Do we have the conquering faith of Abraham?
Think about these. God left Abraham in his trial to the point when he took a knife in his hand to slaughter his son as commanded.
Then He said, “….Now I know that thou fearest God…..” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace before they were delivered. In the same way, deliverance came to Daniel only after he had landed amid hungry lions!
Have you reached that fearful, chilling, or breathless point in the trials and temptations of life when all hope seems lost? Can your faith stand the test of time? We need such faith that can not be defeated or moved in the face of Satan’s onslaughts.
Remember, when danger seems so near and threatening, God is right there by you to bring deliverance (Isaiah 43:1-3). What a lively and sure hope!
3.THE COMMENDATION FOR FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE (Genesis 22:11-19; Galatians 3:8-9; Psalm 31:23; 1 Corinthians 4:2; Revelation 2:10).
The sincere commitment of Abraham to God was not only confirmed through this test but he was also commended and recompensed for his faithfulness in obeying divine instructions. Someone said, “The best evidence of our fearing God is our being willing to serve and honor him with that which is dearest to us”.
The faithfulness of Abraham and his trust in God was rewarded first by the provision of a ram as an alternative for the sacrifice. All believers must cheerfully trust in Jehovah-Jireh which by interpretation means “The Lord will provide”
It is important to note the sublime truth here that the provision of the ram became a substitute for Isaac, to spare his life from death the same way Christ became a substitute for all men.
He died in our place so that we may be free from eternal death and hell if we accept him as our sacrifice (Isaiah 53:4-12; Matthew 20:28; John 6:51; Romans 4:25) Christ’s death was our discharge from damnation. As a Bible scholar puts it, “The animal sacrifices of the Old Testament portrayed Christ paying the sin penalty in our stead”.
As a result of his obedience, God declared to Abraham saying “…..because thou hast done this thing and has not withheld thy son, thine only son…”
- I will bless you,
- I will multiply you as the stars of heaven,
- I will multiply you as the sand which is upon the seashore,
- Your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies, and
- In your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.
The last declaration is the crown of all the promises which points to the incarnation of Christ as the one seed that shall descend from Abraham (Galatians 3:16) through whom humanity shall be blessed.
The world still waits for the life-transforming message and grace of the gospel as it groans under the heavy burden of sin “and travaileth in pain together until now” (Romans 8:22).
Will the church rise to the challenge and the onerous task of preaching the gospel with greater zeal, passion, and fervor for man’s liberation or will she indifferently fold her arms and watch the daring and destructive assaults of Satan and his agents on mankind?
Eternity will tell the story of our gallantry and exploits or timidity and defeat. The church can only be multiplied as the stars of heaven and as the sand on the seashore when today’s believers have a clear vision for evangelism and are burdened for the lost souls in our generation.
Personal Questions
Question 1: What is the implication of men’s actions and choices being solely theirs?
Question 2: Why did God need to prove Abraham’s faith?
Question 3: Why does God allow us to face difficulties in life?
Question 4: What do we learn from Abraham’s precautions not to allow anyone to interfere with his obedience to God?
Conclusion
In concluding Lesson 70, we have journeyed through the remarkable account of “God Tests Abraham,” a narrative that challenges our understanding of faith, obedience, and the profound relationship between humanity and the Divine.
Abraham’s unwavering trust in God’s guidance, even when faced with the most agonizing of tests, serves as a timeless example of faith in action.
This lesson reminds us that faith is not a passive belief but a dynamic force that propels us to act in alignment with our spiritual convictions. It beckons us to trust in the divine plan even when we cannot fully comprehend it.
