Who Is Isaac? How God Tests Abraham’s Faith
Who Is Isaac? Isaac was the beloved son of Abraham and his wife Sarah. The circumstances surrounding Isaac’s birth were very special. For one, God spoke to Abraham and told him that he would bless Abraham and Sarah with a son and that he shall be named Isaac. Secondly, God gave the exact time the child would be born. But most significantly, Isaac was going to be born to parents who were not exactly of child bearing age. In fact, Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 years old.
Who Is Abraham? When God told Abraham of the blessing of a man child, Abraham fell upon his face and laughed. It tickled Abraham to think he would have a child at the age of 100! But we all know with God, nothing is impossible. You see God was going to establish his covenant with Isaac and his seed after him. That covenant being the laws of God and the promise of salvation.
God Appears Later the Lord appeared unto Abraham in the plains of Mamre. Abraham saw three men near him and ran to meet them. He asked the Lord that if he had found favor in his sight, he would allow Abraham to provide him rest and water to wash his feet. The Lord obliged Abraham and Abraham proceeded to fetch water and hastened Sarah to make cakes of fine meal upon the hearth.
God Appears Abraham chose a tender calf from his herd and had a young servant prepare it. Abraham presented the three men with the food and stood by them as they ate. As time went on, Abraham was asked about Sarah’s whereabouts. Abraham told the men that she was in the tent. God told Abraham that according to the time of life, he was going to bless Sarah with a son.
Sarah Laughs When Sarah heard that she, who was old and well stricken in age, was going to have a baby, she laughed within herself saying “After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? Now God heard Sarah laugh and said “Is there any thing too hard for the Lord?” Sarah tried to deny laughing because she was afraid but God corrected her and said “but thou didst laugh.”
Isaac Is Born As the Lord promised, he visited Sarah and according to the time of life, she conceived and bare a son whom she called Isaac. Isaac was circumcised the eighth day. Abraham and Sarah rejoiced in the Lord’s blessing. Isaac grew and the day he was weaned, Abraham made a great feast.
Abraham is Tested After some time had passed, God spoke to Abraham and commanded him to take his only son Isaac, whom Abraham loved tremendously, to the land of Moriah and offer him for a burnt offering upon a mountain chosen by God. Abraham didn’t question God or beg for his son’s life. In fact the next day, Abraham got up early in the morning. He prepared for his journey by saddling his ass and cutting wood for the burnt offering. He then took two of his young men as well as his son Isaac and they began their journey.
Abraham’s Obedience On the third day of traveling, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the land God had spoken of afar off. Abraham commanded that his young men to stay with the ass because he and Isaac were going to go and have worship. Abraham had his son Isaac carry the wood while he carried the fire and a knife. Isaac who was a young lad, noticed that there was wood, a knife and fire all things needed for a burnt offering.
Abraham’s Obedience However, he noticed that there was no lamb for the offering. He questioned his father about this and Abraham responded by telling Isaac that God will provide a lamb for the offering. Abraham and his son continued walking until they came to the place that God told Abraham of. Abraham built an altar and laid the wood the wood in order. Being Obedient to God’s commandment, Abraham bound his son Isaac and laid him upon the wood.
God Intervenes As Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son, an angel of the Lord called out to Abraham. Abraham was told not to lay a hand upon the lad. God knew that Abraham feared him and that Abraham would put no one, not even his only son whom he loved , before the Lord. Just as the Lord was speaking to Abraham, he lifted up his eyes and saw a ram caught in the thicket by his horns.
A Ram Is Provided Abraham took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son Isaac. Abraham called the name of the place Jehovahjireh. As it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.
God Blesses Abraham The Lord called Abraham a 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, thy only son: That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.
God Blesses Abraham All nations of the earth are blessed all because Abraham obeyed the voice of God! So Abraham returned with his young men and went together to Beersheba.
The End!
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Special Thanks This Presentation was developed by: Tam Walls