The Test of Faith
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The Test of faith
The Test of faith
As we know Abraham man of faith, the friend of God, gave his only son Isaac as a offering to God. even the Word of God says in Rom4:19-22,
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
He had a strong faith.
but as we see in his early life he was struggle of his faith but God had a patient and merciful unto him and build his faith.
I. Test From the Family (Gen21:1-21)
A. Abraham had already been tested in his family by his father,(Gen 11:27-32) by his nephew Lot
( Gen Chaps. 12-13) and by his wife. (Chap16)
And Terah took Abram his son, and Lot the son of Haran his son’s son, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son Abram’s wife; and they went forth with them from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan; and they came unto Haran, and dwelt there.
And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.
Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.
Abram and his wife was in land of Cannan for ten years waiting for promise son. but they impatience and not trust the Word of God.
And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.
He was 86yrs old and 13yrs of silence between God and Abram.
The flesh vs. the Spirit
Ishmael was a child of the Flesh (chap. 16)
Isaac was a child of promise - Isaac’s birth was not Abraham’s strength ( God was waiting for Abraham was as good as dead)
And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:
He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;
There is always conflict between the flesh and the Spirit, the old nature and new nature.
Abraham loved Ishmael but God said “Cast him out!” only our victory is crucify our flesh.
2. the Old Covenant vs. the New Covenant
Hagar symbolizes the Old covenant of law ( Ishmael was born of the flesh and the son of a slave.
Sarah symbolizes the New Covenant of grace ( Isaac wan born of the Spirit and was the son of a freewoman.)
circumcise - put the flesh out ( 8days) - number of resurrection!
And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.
3. Man’s ways va. God’s ways
The best way to solve any problem is God’s way.
13 yrs of God’s silence
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
Il. Test from the Neighbors
Fear of man - lying to Pharaoh
And Pharaoh called Abram, and said, What is this that thou hast done unto me? why didst thou not tell me that she was thy wife?
2. Repeating lying - Abimelech
And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister: and Abimelech king of Gerar sent, and took Sarah.
But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.
way was this sin repeated? Abraham had not Judged it in his life. Certainly he had confessed it to the Lord and ben forgiven, but there was no true repentance. true repent ( Turn from that sin - to hate them, and to put them out of our lives.)
His son Isaac would use this same sin in later years. and with the same bitter results.
And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.
III. Test from the Lord (Gen22:1-24 )
Satan tempts us to bring out the worst in us, but God tests us to help bring out the best.
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
1. The typical lesson.
Isaac is type of Christ - the only Son who was willing to give His life to please His Father, both were promise sons, both brought joy to the heart of the father, both were persecuted by their brethren and both were obedient unto death. Isaac question to his father and Jesus asked “ My God , My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” of course, Christ actually died, while Isaac was spared. However, in God’s sight Isaac had died”
Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
“in a figure” symbolically Isaac was raise from the dead.
2. Practical lesson
True faith is always tested. of course, God did not want Isaac’s life; He wanted Abraham’s heart. God wanted to be sure that Isaac was not an idol standing between Him and Abraham. It was possible that Abraham was trusting Isaac to fulfill the promise and trusting God.
How did Abraham go through this test? He depended on God’s promise.
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
3. The Prophetic Lesson
The temple was eventually built Mt. Moriah
Then Solomon began to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the Lord appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.
Isaac asked “Where is the lamb?”
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?
The Lamb of God !
The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
4. The doctrinal lesson
Abraham was not saved when he offered Isaac, for he had been saved years before when he trusted God’s promise.
And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
we are not saved by works or by sacrifices, but that the proof of saving faith is an obedient life.
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.