GRIFFIN COMMENTS GEN 22 by Jerry Simmons

GRIFFIN COMMENTS—GEN 22 (Gen 22:1) 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. God tested Abraham just like He tests all of us quite regularly. Job said He tested him every moment (Job_7:18). Some become disturbed over this word tempt. Remember that God tests, the devil tempts, and man teases. God does not tempt men to sin (Jam_1:13-14). OLD TESTAMENT SURVEY 2Co_3:14 *(1) ISAAC SACRIFICED Gen_22:1-3 1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt {Man teases, satan tempts and God tests} Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 2 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. 3 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. This is the only type in the Old Testament that distinctly intimated that God required a human sacrifice. Here it was that God first revealed the necessity for a human victim to expiate sin, for as it was man that sinned, it must be by man, and not by sacrifice of beasts, that Divine Justice would be satisfied. (1) God manifested a "Father's heart." This is one of the very few Old Testament types that brings to view the Fatherhood of God. The flesh in which God dwelt was called God's Son. It was not another person in the Godhead, but a "body hast thou prepared me" (Heb_1:1). "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself" and "God was manifest in the flesh."

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Here it is that we get such a wonderful foreshadowment of the Divine side of Calvary. Here it is we learn, in type how that God "spared not His own Son" (Rom_8:32). Really, this is central in Genesis 22. In this chapter Abraham figures much more prominently than Isaac— Isaac is seen as one obeying his father's will. It is the affections of the father's heart which here is displayed very conspicuously. (2) Isaac was set apart for a sacrifice (Gen_22:3). Abraham took his son early in the morning and went to the place God told him of to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. Here we see in type God setting apart His Son (His own flesh) for a sacrifice. Abraham took Isaac three days before he offered his son on the altar. In a similar way, the Passover Lamb was separated from the flock four days before it was slain (Exo_12:3). The seizure and crucifixion of Jesus was something more than a frenzied act of those who hated Him without a cause. The cross of Christ was according to the "determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God" (Act_2:23). Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles, and Jews only did "whatsoever God's hand and counsel determined before to be done" (Act_4:28). Jesus Christ was the "Lamb without blemish and without spot, who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world" (1Pe_1:20). Jesus was marked out for sacrifice from all eternity. He was, in the purpose of God, "the lamb slain from before the foundation of the world" (Rev_13:8). And note how this is suggested by our type, "And Abraham rose early in the morning" (Gen_22:3). (3) The two witnesses. Everything God does is to have at least two or three witnesses (Deu_19:15). "And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you" (Gen_22:5). Here we see in type that which took place on the mount of sacrifice, which corresponds to the mount at Golgotha. Nothing is said of Sarah in this chapter, though she figures prominently in the one before and is mentioned in the one succeeding. Up until now the time of the actual sacrifice, which only Abraham and Isaac saw, there were two young men accompanying

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Abraham. Then as they neared the scene of sacrifice these two were left behind (Gen_22:5). Is it without a reason we are told of these two men journeying with Abraham and Isaac just so far? Two is the number of witness, but there is more in it than this. These two men witnessed Isaac carrying the wood on his shoulder up the mountain, but what took place between him and his father at the altar they were not permitted to see. No human eye could behold that. Look now at the antitype. There were also two men (the two thieves) who followed Abraham's greater Son so far, but who, like all the spectators of that scene, were not permitted to behold what transpired on the altar of sacrifice itself—the three hours of darkness concealing from every human eye the Divine transaction. Luk_23:44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. (4) Christ must be willing to make the sacrifice. "And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son" (Gen_22:6). This was a full-grown man who could have resisted the aged patriarch if he so wished. But instead of resisting, Isaac quietly followed and obeyed. There is no voice of protest raised to mar the scene, but he acquiesces fully by carrying the wood on his own shoulder. Of Jesus we find there was not an alienated will in Him that needed to be brought into subjection: "Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God," was His response to Calvary. "I delight to do thy will" revealed the perfection of His heart. We hardly say that Isaac carrying "the wood" foreshadowed Christ bearing His cross. Heb_10:1-9 (5) He took the judgment in hand. "And he took the fire in his hand and a knife; and they went both of them together" (Gen_22:6). And he (Abraham) took the fire in his hand. Here, as everywhere in Scripture, "fire" symbolizes Divine Judgment. It expresses the energy of Divine Holiness which ever burns against sin. It is the perfection of the Divine nature, which cannot tolerate that which is evil. This was first mentioned in the Bible as a flaming sword, which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life (Gen_3:24). And

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it will finally and eternally be exhibited in the lake, which burneth with fire and brimstone. But here in our type it pointed forward to that awful storm of Divine Judgment which burst upon the head of the Sin-Bearer as He hung upon the cross, for there it was that sin, our sin, was being dealt with. Just as Abraham took in his hand the fire and the knife, so God brought down the judgment of His wrath upon the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world. He was smitten of God, and afflicted (Isa_53:4). (6) God provided Himself a sacrifice. (Gen_22:7-8). These words of Abraham have a double meaning. They tell us that God was the One who should "provide" the "lamb," and they also make known the fact that the lamb was for Himself, and that it was Himself. God alone could supply that which would satisfy Himself. Nothing of man could meet the Divine requirements. If sacrifice for sin was ever to be found, God Himself would have to supply it. And mark, the "lamb" was not only provided by God, but it was also for God. Before blessing could flow forth to men the claim of Divine Holiness and Justice must be met. It is true that Christ died for sinners, but He first died for God, that is, to "declare His righteousness...that He might be just, and justifier of him which believeth in Jesus" (Rom_3:26). Note how this comes out in our passage: it is not "God Himself shall provide a lamb," but "God will provide Himself a lamb," and put this way, abstractly so as to take in both of these truths. (7) A substitute was offered (a ram was caught in the bushes). "Behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns" (Gen_22:9-14). Here the type passes from Isaac to the ram offered up—"offered up in his stead"—a beautiful foreshadowment of Christ dying in the stead of sinners who are, as Isaac was, already in the place of death, "bound," unable to help themselves, with the knife of Divine Justice suspended over them. Here it was that the Gospel was "preached unto Abraham" (Gal_3:8).

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Similarly in other Scriptures we find this double type (both Isaac and the ram) as the sweet savor and the sin offering, the two goats on the Day of Atonement, the two birds at the cleansing of the leper. (8) Foreshadow of the resurrection. (Heb_11:17-19). From this Scripture we learn that Genesis 22 presents to us in type not only Christ offered upon the altar, but Christ raised again from the dead, and that on the third day, too, for it was on the "third day" that Abraham received Isaac back again, for during the three days that lapsed from the time Abraham received command from God to offer him up as a burnt offering, his son was as good as dead to him. And now to complete this wonderful picture, observe how Genesis 22 anticipated, in type, the ascension of Christ! It is very striking to note that after we read of Isaac being laid upon the altar (from which Abraham received him back) nothing further is said of him in Genesis 22. Mark carefully the wording of verse 19—"So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to BeerSheba." Our type leaves Isaac up in the mount. (Gen 22:2) 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. Notice that God said this was Abraham's only son. God did not recognize any other son when it came to His plan of redemption. He would recognize Ishmael in prospering him because of Abraham, but here He entered into the purpose of eternity and only the promised son would be recognized. As his antitype, Jesus Christ is the Only Son He recognized because He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. (Gen 22:3) 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. Here is another of those early risers. He would not put off what God had ordered. He clave the wood for a sacrifice to later put on his son

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for the altar as Jesus would bear the cross on which He was crucified. He did not choose the place of sacrifice. God chose that, for it must be at Salem, on the mount Moriah where His Temple would later be built, and where Jesus would be crucified. DONKEY'S LOAD (Gen_22:3) Loaded with a burden that was not his own Adam sinned; we follow 1.

HEAVY LOAD Psa_69:20; Psa_38:3-5

NO REST Isa_57:20

COULD SEE THE SACRIFICE, BUT COULD NOT REACH IT (Left at the bottom: "Abraham saw afar off") •Elijah and the king's servant •Moses at the Border

GUIDED "No man cometh but by me" "I will draw all men unto me" "Guide you into all truth" Found Calvary (Eph_1:7; Eph_2:13; Heb_9:13-14; 1Pe_1:1819)

BURDEN LIFTED Placed on Isaac, type of the Son of God Mat_11:28-29; Isa_53:6

CROSS WAS LIFTED

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He died for me 7.

SACRIFICE BURNED Psa_103:12; 1Jo_1:7-9 Altar to mercy seat

HOME Rev_21:4 Went home with the resurrected Son

(Gen 22:4) Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. He went three days journey. There is always three days associated with the sacrifice, for Jesus was three days in the tomb. The Ark of the Covenant went three days journey ahead of Israel at one point to find a resting place for God's people (Num_10:33) as Jesus went those three days in the tomb ahead of His church to find a resting place for them (Joh_14:1-3). (Gen 22:5) 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. Notice he spoke in faith and said, “We will come again to you.” He knew that something special would have to happen. God would have to raise up Isaac from the dead or come up with some other program for He had promised that this would be the son who gave him a great nation. There were two men on the cross with Jesus who went as far as they could, but did not see His death and there were two men here who remained behind to see the final outcome of this sacrifice. He would go to Moriah with a son and a faith and expected to bring only one back (Joe Howell) Abraham was going to sacrifice, and he called it worship. You cannot worship without it costing you something (2Sa_24:24)

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(Gen 22:6) 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. Isaac carried his own wood upon which he would be laid as a sacrifice. Jesus carried His own cross upon which He was to be crucified (Joh_19:17). Jesus would have to die on His cross however, whereas a substitute was found for Isaac. A substitute was found for Jesus, but only to carry His cross, not one to die in His place (Mat_15:21). (Gen 22:7) 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? This was a rare occasion for Isaac to be speaking. He spoke very little in the Bible. This time he was puzzled because he saw everything except the sacrifice. It would be otherwise with Jesus who knew why He was going to Jerusalem and who the sacrifice would be. Isaac was seventy years old before you hear but one statement from him, “Where is the lamb?” His counterpart was 30 years old before you hear Him say more than one thing, “I must be about my Father’s business. What business? Being the Lamb! (Gen 22:8) And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. This was very carefully stated. It can be interpreted two ways and both are right. You could say, “God will provide for Himself a sacrifice,” or “God will provide Himself to be a sacrifice.” He provided His own sacrifice here with a ram caught in the bushes, and He provided Himself to be the sacrifice at Calvary. He prepared a ram in the bush, and a Lamb at Calvary. GOD WILL PROVIDE HIMSELF A LAMB TEXT: Gen_22:8: Rev_13:8

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INTRODUCTION: If we only had faith to believe that God has, is and will provide. He is able to do exceedingly above all that we ask or think. He is still able. 1.

PROVIDE A LAMB FOR THE SACRIFICE—1Co_5:7 A.

Selected; not any Lamb, but a selected Lamb.

Separated from among the goats and sheep.

Slain so the blood could be applied.

PROVIDE LOVE THROUGH HIS SON—Joh_3:16 A.

The greatness of His love.

The gift of His love.

The grace of His love.

PROVIDE LIFE FOR THE DEAD SINNER—Eph_2:1 A.

Quicken when He called us by the preaching of the Word.

Quicken when He convicted us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Quicken when He changed us by faith, the person of His Son.

PROVIDE LIGHT TO DIRECT THE SAINT—1Jo_1:7 A.

We Christians have scriptural light on Heaven and Hell.

We have light on sin, satan, separation.

We have light on soul-winning, witnessing.

PROVIDE LITERATURE IN THE SCRIPTURE—Joh_1:4-5, Joh_1:9; Joh_8:12

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Since the human family is the only ones that can read,

God has provided for us a book, the Bible, King James 1611.

Satan keeps you in darkness when you fail to read.

PROVIDE LABORERS WITH SUFFICIENT STRENGTH— 2Co_12:9-10 A.

Whatever is the task, God provides the strength.

Whatever is the test, God provides the strength.

Whatever is the trial, God provides the strength.

PROVIDE LOST A WAY OF SALVATION—Joh_14:6 A.

Your faith in the finished work of Christ.

Your forgiveness is forever by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Your future is far more favorable with Christ.

(Gen 22:9) 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. Only then would Isaac know the answer to his question. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter and opened not his mouth (Act_8:32). He was bound and laid upon the altar. God's sacrifice was to be bound to the altar so that it would not be taken off. It was repentance for keeps. They bound the sacrifices to the horns [power] of the altar in the Tabernacle (Psa_118:27). (Gen 22:10) And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

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Abraham took God seriously and was in the process of killing his son according to what he had been told because he had complete confidence in God. He first of all knew that this was the promised son he had waited for so long and that his nation was to come from that son. Secondly he knew that God could raise him from the dead, from whence he received him in a figure (Heb_11:19). (Gen 22:11) And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. Only the intervention of heaven saved Isaac, and only the intervention of heaven saves you. Heaven did not intervene when the real Lamb died, but His dying was God’s intervention for my soul. This one speaking from heaven was the true Father who would one day be pleased at the bruising of His own Son because it would bring redemption (Isa_53:10). (Gen 22:12) 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. Abraham proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that he would give his best. And God knew that if he would give his best, he would withhold nothing (Rom_8:32). NOW I KNOW (Gen_22:12) This is not a sign of God's prior ignorance, but "Now I have established by actual experience what I previously knew. NOW I KNOW (Gen_22:12) "Now I know" is not a sign of God's prior ignorance, but "Now I have established by actual experience what I previously knew." Now I have put it to the test and found it right. Joh_6:6 “This He did to prove them, for He Himself knew what He would do.” I know as experience. It is now a witness and God does not leave Himself without a witness.

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ISAAC AND JESUS (Gen_22:12) God gave back to Abraham, Isaac; and to the world, Jesus. Abraham received Isaac from the dead and God restored Jesus from the grave, and the risen Lord became the head of a greater and more royal family than Isaac's. The mind of Abraham creates imaginary kingdoms, and peoples the uninhabited portion of the earth with many nations. But his kings totter and his princes fall. How like the conditions prior to Christ's coming. It requires not only the birth from the womb, but also the birth from the grave to scatter the darkness and make hope blossom again. The supports of his faith. they must be very great, suitable to the greatness of the trial: He accounted that God was able to raise him from the dead, v. 19. His faith was supported by the sense he had of the mighty power of God, who was able to raise the dead; he reasoned thus with himself, and so he resolved all his doubts. It does not appear that he had any expectation of being countermanded, and prevented from offering up his son; such an expectation would have spoiled the trial, and consequently the triumph, of his faith; but he knew that God was able to raise him from the dead, and he believed that God would do so, since such great things depended upon his son, which must have failed if Isaac had not a further life. Observe, (1.) God is able to raise the dead, to raise dead bodies, and to raise dead souls. (2.) The belief of this will carry us through the greatest difficulties and trials that we can meet with. (3.) It is our duty to be reasoning down our doubts and fears, by the consideration of the almighty power of God. 4. The reward of his faith in this great trial (Gen_22:19): he received his son from the dead in a figure, in a parable. (1.) He received his son. He had parted with him to God, and God gave him back again. The best way to enjoy our comforts with comfort is to resign them up to God; he will then return them, if not in kind, yet in kindness.

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(2.) He received him from the dead, for he gave him up for dead; he was as a dead child to him, and the return was to him no less than a resurrection. (3.) This was a figure or parable of something further. It was a figure of the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ, of whom Isaac was a type. It was a figure and earnest of the glorious resurrection of all true believers, whose life is not lost, but hid with Christ in God. We come now to the faith of other Old-Testament saints, mentioned by name, and by the particular trials and actings of their faith. (Matthew Henry) [From whence also he received him in a figure] There has been great difference of opinion as to the sense of this passage, but it seems to me to be plain. The obvious interpretation is that he then received him by his being raised up from the altar as if from the dead. He was to Abraham dead. He had given him up. He had prepared to offer him as a sacrifice. He lay there before him as one who was dead From that altar he was raised up by direct divine interposition, as if he was raised from the grave, and this was to Abraham a "figure" or a representation of the resurrection. (Barnes' Notes) (Gen 22:13) 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. Notice he was caught by the horns, the symbol of his power. Jesus was caught in the Roman court system by His horns also and had to die as the sacrifice. He too was caught in thorns, and took that curse and made a crown out of it. CAUGHT IN THORNS (Gen_22:13) Jesus the true sacrifice got caught in the crown of thorns. Jesus took the curse from the Garden of Eden and made a crown of them. Gen_3:18 Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field

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Gal_3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us Mat_27:28 And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand: and they bowed the knee before Him, and mocked Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! (Gen 22:14) 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. The Jews say that Shem called this place Salem. Abraham called it Jehovah-jireh, [Jehovah provides] and someone later joined the two and called the place Jireh – salem, later pronounced Jerusalem, from the two words. So Jerusalem is “the provider of peace.” And has been the city of God ever since. JEHOVISTIC TITLES (Gen_22:14) I. JEHOVAH JIREH (Gen_22:14) "The Lord who provides." Psa_23:1 "I shall not want." Abraham was on Mt. Moriah and God provided a substitute Manna and water came from the rock Widow: Vessels of oil (2Ki_4:1-7) "Make me a cake first" (1Ki_17:13) Psa_84:1; Mat_6:33; Psa_34:9-10; Rom_8:32; Phi_4:19; Eph_3:20; 3Jo_1:2 In this passage we have Abraham calling God by the name "Jehovah Jireh." This is one of the compound names that is given to the Lord in the Old Testament. The name actually means "That God will provide. " In the American Standard Version, Gen_22:14: "And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-Jireh: as it is said to this day. In the mount of Jehovah it shall be provided. " To really understand the significance of this name, we need to consider carefully the events leading up to the time when Abraham spoke of God as being "Jehovah-Jireh. "

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1. 2.

THE TEST WITH WHICH GOD TRIED ABRAHAM. Gen_22:1-

A. God commanded Abraham to offer his son, Isaac, as a burnt-offering. Gen_22:2. B.

This incident reveals several things about Abraham.

1. 2. 3.

He had faith that answered to the Word. Gen_22:1. He had faith to obey God's Word. Gen_22:3-6. He had faith to trust all to God. Gen_22:7-10.

THE PROVISION THAT GOD MADE FOR ABRAHAM.

A. God provided a substitutionary sacrifice that saved Isaac. Gen_22:11-14. B. This sacrifice, Gen_22:13, was actually a type of Jesus Christ, who is God's sacrifice for all mankind. Joh_1:29; 1Pe_1:19-20. C. Christ Jesus is the supreme sacrifice that put an end to all sacrifice of life and blood for salvation. Heb_9:11-12. 3. THE BASIS FOR GOD'S PROVISION (Grace)Gen_22:8, Gen_22:14. A. God, to forgive sin, must provide a sacrifice for Himself. Gen_22:8. Sin must be paid for. Rom_6:23. Death is the only thing that can pay for men's sins. 1Co_15:3-4; Rom_3:24-26. B. God, to save mankind, must make provision which entailed the giving of Himself. Gen_22:14. (1)

Man cannot redeem another. Psa_49:6-7; 1Pe_1:18-19.

(2)

Man cannot redeem himself. Jer_2:21-22; Tit_3:5.

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(3) God, through Christ, is the only one that can redeem mankind.2Co_5:17-21; Rev_5:9. II.

JEHOVAH ROI (Psa_23:1) "The Lord my Shepherd."

Psalm 22 The Good Shepherd died Psalm 23 The Great Shepherd rose and cares Psalm 24 The Chief Shepherd reigns 1Pe_5:4; Joh_10:11; Isa_53:5; 1Pe_2:25; Isa_40:11 III. JEHOVAH SHALOM (Jdg_6:34) "Jehovah our peace." "He leadeth me beside still waters" Gideon Eph_2:12-17 Four things trouble sheep Enemies, hunger, pests, and rivalry IV. JEHOVAH ROPHECHA (Exo_15:26) "The Lord Who heals." "He restoreth my soul" Israel in the wilderness Psa_19:7; Isa_53:1-5 oCast sheep V. JEHOVAH TZIDKENU (Jer_23:6) "The Lord our Righteousness." "He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness." In the Millennium (Dan_9:24; Rom_3:19-26; Isa_64:6) VI. JEHOVAH SHAMMAH (Eze_48:35) "The Lord Who is Present." "Thou art with me." City of God Mat_1:23 "Emmanuel, God with us" Psa_46:1; Mat_28:20; Mat_18:19-20; Isa_43:2 Three Hebrew Children Crossing the Red Sea Crossing the Jordan

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VII. JEHOVAH NISSI (Exo_17:15) "The Lord our banner." "Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me." "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies." Amalek: Fights while we feast 1Sa_17:49; Isa_59:19; 1Sa_14:6 (Jonathan); Zec_4:6;Rom_8:37-39 VIII. JEHOVAH MEKADDESCHEM (Exo_31:13) "The Lord Who Sanctifies." "Thou anointest my head with oil." Joh_17:17-19; Psa_45:7; 1Jo_2:20, 1Jo_2:27; Isa_6:5-7 IX.

JEHOVAH ELYON (Psa_7:17) "The Most High God"

JEHOVAH CHAY (Jer_12:16) "The Living God"

XI.

JEHOVAH ZABAOTH (1Sa_7:3) "The Lord of Hosts"

XII. JEHOVAH (Exo_3:14) "The I Am" (Gen 22:15) And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, UNFINISHED CONVERSATION 1. ABRAHAM He picked up where he left off. • Even when he died it was not over. (Genesis 12, 15, 17, now 22) • He must rise (Mat_22:23) • He does not yet have what was promised (Act_7:50. 2. MOSES Exo 25, Exo_33:12-23 Moses saw His glory Luk_9:28 He saw and continued the conversation.

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3. JESUS John 17 “That they may be one.” Revelation 1, 21-22 Both by John 4. Your life He has already told you too much —Come unto me. —Ye must be born again. —I am the bread of life —Without me you can do nothing. —Take up your cross and follow me. —Lo I am with you always —Joh_14:1-8 But He has not said the last “Well done.” Mat_25:21 (Gen 22:16) 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: Again God reminded him that this was his only son and that because that he had withheld nothing, and given his very best that God would bless him beyond measure. If we are troubled by the dimness of the future, if perplexities thicken even as the years, and the responsibilities of the years increase day by day, God is pledged, by Himself pledged, to guide every trustful follower. Only follow on to know the Lord (Hos_6:3). Why, beyond all that dim future there is heaven, our Father's home and ours. And every step between the little now and that bright home is as sure as is that home and as is this now. (T. Gasqucine, B. A.) (Gen 22:17) 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;

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How could you fail with a promise like this? The blessing of God will take you through any situation and therefore you can be fearless in a troubled world. SYMBOL OF PEOPLE (Gen_22:17) 1. Sand (Gen_22:17) 2. Waters 3. Stars 4. Sheaves (Gen 37) 5. Fig tree (Luk_13:6-9) (Gen 22:18) And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. He had promised this at the very beginning because He knew Abraham, but now He had proven it for all of the world to know. He did not need the proof because He shows that He knew before the test, but could not be sure, and even Abraham himself was not sure what he would do until tested. This promise of redemption, national and universal (Gen_12:3; Gen_22:18; Gal_3:16) was further promised in the New Covenant that had to do particularly with Israel's spiritual blessing and redemption (Jer_31:31-40; Heb_8:6-13). (Gen 22:19) So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba. Abraham fulfilled his promise to the young men to return thus showing his faith was valid. God saw him through the crises and the impossible took place, by faith he received his son from the dead (Heb_11:19). According to the Targum of Jonathan the angels took Isaac and brought him to the school of Shem the great, and he was there three years. (Gen 22:20) And it came to pass after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, Behold, Milcah, she hath also born children unto thy brother Nahor;

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It would be from this part of the family that Abraham would find a wife for his son Isaac so here he learned of who and where they were at the time. Abraham was very likely very glad to hear from the homeland for in those days news would travel very slowly and as cold water to a thirsty soul, so would good news be from a far country (Pro_25:25). (Gen 22:21) Huz his firstborn, and Buz his brother, and Kemuel the father of Aram, Huz his firstborn, - (videGen_10:23, where Uz appears as a son of Aram; and Gen_36:28, where he recurs as a descendant of Esau. That he was a progenitor of Job (Jerome) has no better foundation than Job_1:1 - and Buz his brother, - mentioned along with Dedan and Tema as an Arabian tribe (Jer_25:23), and may have been an ancestor of Elihu (Job_32:2) - and Kemuel the father of Aram. "Not the founder of the Arameans, but the forefather of the family of Ram, to which the Buzite Elihu belonged; Aram being written for Ram, like Arammim, in 2Ki_8:29, for Rammim, in 2Ch_22:5 " (Keil). (Pulpit Commentary) It appears certain from studying the characters in the book of Job that they were all definitely from Abraham, every one. (Gen 22:22) And Chesed, and Hazo, and Pildash, and Jidlaph, and Bethuel. CHESED (ke'-sed), (kes'-ed) (kasdim; Chaszad): One of the sons of Nahor and Milcah (Gen_22:22); was probably the father of the Casdim. The early Babylonian form Kasdu appears in Assyrian as Kaldu or Kaldu. English Versions of the Bible follows the Assyrian and Greek style of writing the name and uses Chaldees or Chaldaeans instead of Casdim. The Chaldaeans dwelt in the lower valley of the Euphrates, at the head of the Persian Gulf. Abram came from Ur of the Chaldees (Gen_11:28, Gen_11:31; Gen_15:7; Neh_9:7). In Job_1:17 the Casdim are described as invading the land of Uz, the eldest brother of Chesed (Gen_22:21-22). In the days of Nebuchadrezzar the Casdim overran Syria and Palestine and carried the people of Judah in successive deportations into captivity (2Ki_24:1 f.10 ff; 2Ki_25:1 ff). In Dan_2:2-5 the Casdim are named

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with the magicians and astrologers as a learned class, skilled in interpretations. Casdim is sometimes used in Hebrew for the land of Chaldaea (Eze_23:15 f; Eze_11:24). (International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia) (Gen 22:23) And Bethuel begat Rebekah: these eight Milcah did bear to Nahor, Abraham's brother. The purpose of giving this genealogical account is to bring you to Rebekah who would be the wife to Isaac. Now that Isaac lived in typical resurrection the next thing was to show his lineage and we start with his wife, so she is mentioned here after the sacrifice and then she is the focal point of chapter 24. EFFECT OF RELATIVES (Gen_22:23) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

Rebekah was Isaac's second cousin Abraham and Sarah were brother and sister Moses and Korah were first cousins James and John were brothers Cain and Abel were brothers

Often relatives are a hindrance to us: (1) Because they are familiar to us (2) Because they feel they are as good as we are (3) They can sometimes talk us into things because of their friendship (Amnon and Jonadab his cousin 2Sa_13:3) They may be a great blessing 1. Esther and Mordecai 2. Peter and his mother-in-law 3. Andrew and Peter (Gen 22:24) And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, she bare also Tebah, and Gaham, and Thahash, and Maachah. That three of Terah's descendants (Nahor, Ishmael, and Jacob) should each have twelve sons has been pronounced" a contrived symmetry, the intentional character of which cannot be mistaken"

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(Bohlen); but "what intention the narrator should have connected with it remains inconceivable, unless it was to state the fact as it was, or (on the supposition that some of them had more than twelve sons) to supply a round number easily retainable by the memory" (Havernick). (Pulpit Commentary)

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