Barefoot in His PresenceShembull

Hallowed Be Your Name

One day, God spoke to Abraham and told him to sacrifice his son, Isaac, as a burned offering. Abraham obeyed immediately. Three days into the journey, God showed Abraham the exact mountain, the specific place, where it was to happen.

“Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the servants. “The boy and I will travel a little farther. We will worship there, and then we will come right back.” (Genesis 22:4,5, NLT). He calls the sacrifice of his son a burned offering – worship. Worship is obedience to God's Voice, to follow His guidance and to trust Him. “Then we will come right back!” he said. Was Abraham lying? Knowing God wanted him to sacrifice his son as a burned offering, Abraham believed two things about God:

“Abraham believed in the God …who calls those things which do not exist as though they did…” (Romans 4:17, NKJV). Abraham believed that God would bring to life that which did not exist. He believed that God would provide a Lamb in the place of Isaac.

“7) Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burned offering?” 8) And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burned offering.” (Genesis 22:7,8, NKJV.” Where is the lamb?” the son asked. Abraham replied in belief, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb.” Going up that mountain, Abraham trusted for a divine miracle!

“… Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life…” (Romans 4:17, NLT). Abraham believed that God would bring his son back to life from the dead. Abraham was the first believer in resurrection. When Abraham was ready to cut the main artery of his son, God intervened and told him to stop!

“13 )Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burned offering in the place of his son. 14) Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide.” (Genesis 22:13,14, NLT). God provided a lamb! Two thousand years later, a Son was also going up the very same mountain with His Father. This time the Son was the Sacrifice. This was not a dress rehearsal. This time it was the real thing. As the Son was sacrificed, He cried out, “Eli Eli lama sabachthani” – "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" God provided in man’s GREATEST need a Saviour that could take away the sins of the world!

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32, NKJV). The Son is the Guarantee that God will give us everything that we will ever need!