It Was by Faith

“Take your son, your only son...whom you love so much...and sacrifice him“

The story of Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son Isaac is one that I've read many times over. It’s a powerful example of faith that has been for me, often more challenging than encouraging.  Maybe you too know the story well, but let’s do a quick review before I share another verse that completely changed the way I read this story.

Genesis 15 - God tells Abraham (then Abram) that he will give him descendants that number the stars. This is a promise from God and Abraham believes even though at that time he still doesn’t have a son.

Genesis 17 - Abraham is now 99 years old and God promises him a son with his wife Sarah (who is 90). This is the son that his many descendants will come from and he believes even though they are both very old.

Genesis 21 - One year later Isaac is born. The promised son through whom all of Abraham’s descendants will come. Abraham was 100 years old when this promise was fulfilled.

That brings us here to Genesis 22, the big ask...

“

Sometime later, God tested Abraham’s faith. ‘Abraham!’ God called. ‘Yes,’ he replied. ‘Here I am.’ ‘Take your son, your only son - yes, Isaac, whom you love so much - and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.

— Genesis 22:1-2

So God promises Abraham many descendants then he promises him a son then he...asks him to kill that son and with him, the promise. With the death of this son would come the death of God’s promise. Maybe that’s how Abraham knew. I always read this story and think “How did he do it?” How did he accept this ask with no questions. But I think Abraham understood the implications here, he knew that God’s promises are good. He knew that if God said it, he would do it even if the reality he was faced with seemed impossible for that to happen. Do we always believe so completely in the promises God has spoken over us? Do we believe even when what we can see makes it look impossible.

Here is where that other verse comes in. Recently I was reading Hebrews 11, a chapter that lists out all of the great stories of faith displayed in the Bible and I read something that had never stood out to me before that completely changed this story for me.

“

It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice is only son, Isaac, even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendant will be counted.” Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back fr

om the dead.

— Hebrews 11:17

Did you catch that...

Abraham REASONED that if God asked him to kill his only son, whom his descendants would come from then he would just bring him back to life again.

reason - /ˈri:z(ə)n/ noun:

"The power of the mind to think, understand, and form judgements logically."

How was this logical? How in the world did Abraham believe that it was logical for this to be the outcome? How do we get to the point where we are able to "reason down our doubts and fears by simply considering the almighty power of God" (Matthew Henry Commentary) to the point where we believe that resurrection is the most likely solution. To believe so completely in God’s Word and His promises that miracles seem reasonable and expected.

We get there by taking every opportunity to let God stretch our faith. Abraham had done this before. Abraham had been walking in relationship with God for many years, he knew who God was, he knew what God was capable of, he had seen God's goodness many times over and as a result, he was able to believe for something that should be impossible (like he had done before) and make it not only possible but probable, to Abraham the most likely solution was that God would raise him from the dead. He believed in the promise God had given him.  The promise of descendants that would number the stars and they would come through this son so Abraham KNEW that God would make a way.

Here's what I know. God is never going to ask you to kill someone to test your faith. But he may ask you to lay some things down that “you love so much.” He may ask you to believe for things that are impossible with the reality you have in front of you. It's through acts of faith that we get to learn more of who God is. We get to see his goodness displayed in our life, we get to witness miracles and our lives become a reflection of that, we become witnesses by simply trusting one step at a time.

Maybe you already know what God is asking you to do. Maybe you've already sensed him pushing you towards something that you've put off because you're a little scared or you can’t understand how this ask leads to your promise. Ask yourself "What can God do with my obedience in this area? Where is the miracle that He’s waiting to do?”

Maybe you don't know what God is asking of you right now, that’s ok, maybe this is a preparation time. Use it to get to know Him so well that when he does speak you can easily trust his voice and believe for miracles.

No matter where you are on your journey with God there is always a next step that will bring you closer to who He has made you to be and what he has planned for you to walk in. Practice believing that resurrection is not only possible but completely reasonable in God’s Kingdom, that he WILL move mountains to come through on his promise to you. Review the promises of God and trust that they are for you when the time is right.