Testing
Genesis 22:1-12 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” … “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, who 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.”. . .(6) So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son;(reminds me ‘they laid the cross on Jesus’ back) . . . (7) Then he said, “Look, we have the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering. . . (9) . . and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. . . .(12) . . . for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, you only son, from Me.”
Exodus 15:25 So he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree. When he cast it into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them.
Exodus 16:4-5, 15-22 The the Lord said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not. And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.” . . . . (15-22) So when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses replied, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat. This is the thing which the Lord has commanded: ‘Let every man gather it according to each one’s need, one omer for each person, according to the number of persons; let every man take for those who are in his tent.'” Then the children of Israel did so and gathered, some more, some less less. S when they measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one’s need. And Moses said, “Let no one leave any of it until morning.” Notwithstanding, they did not heed Moses. but some of them left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and stank.
It amazes me that we are no surprise to God. He knows our thoughts and actions before we do. I can imagine Him smiling when we make the correct choice, but then He should not be surprised. It seems kind of boring to know what each of us will do, say, think, and so forth. And yet, from all we read, we are told He delights in us!
His words state that ‘You knew me before I was formed.’ And yet He tests us. He tested Abraham in Genesis, saying “Take your son, your only son and sacrifice him.” I was shocked, and at first did not understand how Abraham would go along with it; I always wondered how much trust Isaac lost toward his father after this incident. Hebrews helped clarify it a bit for me, pointing out that Abraham knew God, he knew God’s nature, and that God always provided. He knew somehow a sacrifice would be provided, Isaac would be spared, and yet, God had the pleasure of seeing Abraham’s immediate obedience. When Isaac questioned where the sacrifice would come from, his father replied, “God will provide.” Abraham knew God’s character so well, he KNEW God would somehow provide.
Wow! I would love to have the faith that Abraham did, but I do not believe I could say “OK, now God told me to kill you, so get right up here, and let me cut your throat and set you on fire.” Awww, no. So as much as I would like to have that amount of faith, I think I will always be lacking if that is the command I am ever given. And because that was the way many of the foreigners worshiped their idols and gods, I would be sure that God would not be saying that to me. He hated the fact many worshiped idols such as Molech and threw children into fiery deaths.
What do you think Isaac did after? Did he wholly trust his earthly father, or maintain a distance, not wanting to be close enough to be again bound and set up as a sacrifice? Or did he marvel at the closeness, the knowledge that his father knew God and God’s nature enough to KNOW that a sacrifice would be provided, and determine he wanted his faith to be as deep and abiding as his father’s? Did he run to Sarah all excited because of the experience and actually seeing a ram provided? Or did he ask her to keep him far from his father’s reach? Who knows? but it makes me wonder.
We don’t learn much of Isaac’s faith. He married Rebecca, and had twin fraternal sons, but we know little of his relationship with God. After a deception set in motion by his wife, his younger son flees to the in-laws to search for a wife, and the story then becomes his, and no longer his father.
For each person, the relationship one has with God is unique. We each have to explore God’s Words and thoughts and come to know who He is and who we are in Him. I want more and deeper faith in You, and thank You for this journey for me and ‘mybellaviews.’
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