Father Abraham

Abraham was promised that he would be a father and that he would produce a nation through his lineage. This time has come. Sarah, Abraham’s wife, has born him a child. A son whom Abraham named Isaac, “he laughs”.

What we forget many times is that Abraham is already a father. He has had a child with Hagar, and Ishmael was about 17 years old. The age that a man generally started their own lives in this heritage. Ishmael scoffed at his little half brothers weening, Sarah saw him and was angered, and she ordered Abraham to exile the child and mother at once. Customs of the times said that if a rightful natural born heir is born to the original bloodline, then the handmaiden and her son could not be put off. Abraham knew that this posed an issue, but God came to him and gave him peace in his decision. Abraham kicked them out, and when they ran out of supplies and water in the wilderness they began to perish. Hagar sat her son under a tree, then walked away about 60 yards and faced the opposite direction not wanting to watch her child die. She cried out to the Lord, and the child cried out, and upon hearing their cries God restores them with a well in the wilderness. Remember that God had promised to make Ishmael a nation as well. God keeps His promises, and you cannot make a nation when a man has not produced children yet.

But back to Isaac. The true heir and one that God had promised to establish His nation.

God made a covenant with Abraham. I will be your God, and you will be my people. I will make your name great, and will make you a nation. God keeps His end of the bargain, always.

Up to this point, what has Abraham had to do? Follow God. Make Him the one and only. But has Abraham always been the most stellar follower? Remember twice he lacked faith in God once while dealing with the pharoah of Egypt, then another while dealing with Abimelech. There is a lot riding on Abraham. God has offered to give him everything, but has Abraham proven to keep his end of the bargain yet? He has lost faith twice, what if he does again and he does for good?

So what better way to test Abraham than call him to give up the one thing that he loves most, his son. God gives Abraham 3 commands. 1. “take your son.” God calls Abraham, and Abraham eagerly answers Him, “here I am.” Do you think that he would have eagerly responded if he knew what was going to be asked of him? 2. God told him to go to the land of Moriah. This is where Abraham was to make a sacrifice to the Lord. 3. Sacrifice your son.

Abraham is old now. Isaac has grown older, and it appears that Abraham is more solid in his faith than he was before. When God calls on him to sacrifice his one and only son, though he might have lamented the decision, Abraham obediently packed the gear, his son, the wood, the knife, and headed toward Moriah. What a travel of heartache that must have been.

Isaac was a robust young man at this point, and Abraham was a feeble old man. On the way Abraham sees the mountain that they will travel to, and he told the others to stay behind as he and Isaac proceed onward. Heading up the mountain Isaac notices that there is not an animal for sacrifice. As he inquires about it Abraham responds “the Lord will provide.” There very next scene shows Abraham binding Isaac’s hands and feet just as one would an animals who was about to be sacrificed. You might think “well that escalated quickly” but think of the setting. Abraham is old, Isaac could bust him up and be free…but he is being bond by his feeble father. Isaac had just as much faith, if not more, than his father did.

In a moments notice God provided the replacement for Isaac. The angel of the Lord commanded Abraham to halt his sacrifice of Isaac because the have proven that they are faithful. Abraham lifted up his eyes and he saw Isaac’s replacement. The men were able to embrace, worship, and glorify their God in great faith.

Abraham took the wood for the fire and laid it on Isaac’s back. Similarly as how Jesus laid His cross on His own back and drug it toward His final destination. I am also reminded of the time when Jesus was baptized and God spoke from heaven saying “this is my Son for whom I am well pleased.” God sacrificed His only Son, and He knew there could be no ram caught in the thorn bushes. What Abraham went through was a great test of faith to assure his relationship with God. What God did was follow through with the sacrifice of His Son so that we did not have to die ourselves. Jesus, just like the ram caught in the bush, took our place. Through Him we are released. Just as Isaac was released to live his life in freedom, we are released to live a life of freedom in Jesus Christ.