The Life of Abraham: The Lord Will Provide (Genesis 22)

$11,000 for DMin

longed to go to Southern Seminary (T4G conference)

only 2 preaching classes

$11,000 + 5 trips to Louisville, KY (meals + room & board)

Amanda said, “the Lord will provide”

The Lord DID provide

granny—$1,000 + $100/month

church—$1,000

Jimmy—$1,000 then another $1,000

Sue—points to pay for plane flights

Jonathan—childhood friend

we were not out more than $1,000 the whole 3 year journey

The Lord DID provide

how has God provided for you in the right way at the right time?

not a minute too early

not a minute too late

what is it that you are worrying about if God will provide?

job? spouse? finances? child? deliverance? retirement?

do you know the Lord as your provider???

I’m not just talking about provider of stuff

no small matter

eternity is at stake

The Life of Abraham: The Lord Will Provide

we have been on a journey of faith with Abraham

he has had victories

even major victories (Genesis 15:6 “And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.”)

he has had losses

significant losses (family drama with Hagar/Ishmael; deceiving about Sarah being sister—not once but twice)

the biggest test in his life is about to come

how will Abraham do?

22:2—clear command (pew Bible # 19)

how could God ask Abraham to offer his son?

“God told me to kill my son”—lock you up

Abraham doesn’t know yet

but this is a test—22:1

really big FINAL test

not a temptation from Satan

but a test from the Lord

a test to determine Abraham’s faith

a person can say they have lots of faith

but faith is revealed under pressure

similar but harder command

Genesis 12:1 “Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you.”

“pack up and move” is quite different than “offer your son as a burnt offering”

at least in 12:1 there were blessings to go with it (descendants, land)

22:2—no such promise of blessing

Isaac embodies the promises of God

Isaac

miracle child (Abraham 100; barren Sarah 90)

only son—”son” 10x in narrative

literally only son now that Ishmael has been sent away

all promises are bound up in him

tension rises

22:2—Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love

burnt offering

totally consumed the sacrifice

all that would be left is smoke

it would be as though Isaac was never born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age (100 & 90)

literally—all of Abraham’s hopes would go up in smoke

all this journey with God would be for nothing

can you imagine???

what would you do?

what will Abraham do?

22:3-6

Abraham obeyed

no back and forth exchange like Abraham did with Sodom and Gomorrah (chapter 18)

22:3—So Abraham rose early in the morning

3 days—test a man’s resolve, perseverance

didn’t turn around

white lies?

22:5—I and the boy will go over there and worship and [we—I and the boy will] come again to you

sacrificing your son—is that worship?

but if sacrifice son—how will both of you come again?

what is going on with Abraham?

either lying to hide what is really going on

or something bigger is going on

22:7-8

Isaac starts to snap

another white lie? God will provide for himself

or is something bigger going on???

Heb 11:17-19

not white lies

but a mature faith

obey God when doesn’t make sense and trust the outcome

what we have been hoping for all along

blank screen

22:9-10

it’s time

3 day journey

only Abraham knows the purpose of the journey

sacrifices not bound in OT

binding of Isaac

Jews refer to this passage as the binding of Isaac

Isaac old enough to carry wood

Isaac big enough to run faster than 100+ Abraham

thus Isaac submitted to plan

if any doubt why Abraham is doing this,

we are reminded that Abraham is doing what God had told him (22:9)

22:11-12

our fears are relieved

God did not really require a child sacrifice

it was a test

a pop test

no time to study

no clue it was coming

no idea it was a test

tests show what someone is really like

tests are not meant to be easy but challenging

later God tested Israel in the wilderness

will they follow God’s instruction??? they failed

God tested Abraham here—he passed

the test was to see what Abraham valued most

Isaac or the Lord???

Isaac—the gift the Lord gave,

or the Lord Himself?

the gift OR the GIVER???

would Abraham love the Lord His God with all his heart, soul, and mind?

Abraham’s faith was stretched to the max

love for son or devotion to God?

Abraham feared God

he put God above all else—willing to obey at all costs

22:13-14

God really does provide

a ram instead of Isaac

difference between lamb and ram

no scholar commented on difference between lamb and ram

because they are all the same animal

lambs are baby sheep

sheep is animal

lambs = baby sheep

ewe = mama sheep

ram = daddy sheep with horns

The Lord Will Provide

a ram instead of Isaac

now that is the Lord providing

not even 1 second too soon

but think of the overwhelming joy!!!

22:15-19

not just blessed (ch 12) but abundantly blessed

ultimately this oath to Abraham comes to fulfillment in Jesus

in which all the nations of the earth be blessed

why a genealogy to end chapter 22? seems anticlimactic???

since God spared Isaac, he’s gonna need a wife

focus on genealogy 22:20-24—Rebekah

more on this at combined service 11/24 (2 weeks)

Abraham’s faith has reached maturity

22:18—because you have obeyed my voice

NT graded pop test

Paul in Romans 4—final grade of Abraham A+

Gal 3—we are Abraham’s spiritual descendants because of faith

Abraham, the man of faith

is your faith maturing? are you believing more about the Lord from His Word?

is your obedience flowing out of your faith?

Abraham’s faith led him to obey God without reservation

obedience is the very best way to show that we believe

what is God asking of you that you are resisting?

this account isn’t only about Abraham’s faith, but yours too

the object of your faith

not faith in faith, but faith in the Lord

at first glance

Abraham seems to be the main character

but…The Lord Will Provide

saved by grace (GOD provided the way; no other way) through faith

The Lord Will Provide is the heart of the message

not just a turning point where Isaac lives,

but the starting point where God provides and provides and provides

God provides a substitute when Isaac (Israel) future is hanging in the balance

the ram instead of Isaac (the ram substitutes for Isaac)

God provides again at Passover

a sacrificial lamb would substitute for the firstborn (blood over doorpost)

then a new kind of substitute was needed

tabernacle (later temple) was a place where sacrifices were due to sin

the animal’s life for the sinner’s life (Leviticus)

Hebrews 9:22

now it was a penal substitute (penal = punishment)

because the animal is sacrificed, the worshiper can live

worshiper slits throat of innocent lamb

mountain acquired by David for sacrifice after plague caused by census

later site for Solomon’s Temple

reveal after that this is Mt. Moriah (same place Isaac was almost sacrificed)

but sacrificial system was always temporary

because would have to bring another sacrifice

a greater substitute was needed

a once for all substitute

Hebrews—once for all

as the High Priest

as a sacrifice Himself

you too need this greater substitute

God the Father did sacrifice His Son

Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all

John 3:16

penal substitutionary atonement of Jesus

the God who forbid child sacrifice

the God who stopped Abraham from offering his only son

is the God who loved us so much that he offered up His one and only Son

and it is His blood that covers our sin (atonement)

The Lord DID Provide

The Life of Abraham: The Lord Will Provide

The Lord DID provide for our greatest need (payment for sin)

do you know the Lord as provider? remember eternity is at stake

not just the Lord as providing stuff

but the Lord providing for your salvation

gifts or Giver?

since God provided for our greatest need

should be growing trust that God will provide for all our needs, maybe not our greatest wants

believer, are you trusting that He will provide?

spouse, house, job, deliverance, child, retirement, finances

in His timing???

all while trusting the Giver, not just what He can give you

1st service: recognize Thad Floyd—general board chair

2nd service: remind to turn in votes to deacons at rear doors