The Test

 DEVOTION

GENESIS

 THE TEST

 

Gen 22:1-5

22:1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. 2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." 3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."

NIV

This is one of the most famous stories from Abraham's life. God, 'Elohim,' tested Abraham, although we are not told what the test was for. Was it about Abraham's faith, or his obedience, or both? We know the story and how it ended, but several truths in this first portion stir thoughts in our hearts. First, Abraham was to take his only son Isaac, whom he loved. We know God considered Ishmael, for he heard his heart's cry and opened Hagar's eyes so she would see the well and give her son the water of life. But God said to Abraham that Isaac was his only son, whom he loved. Of course, we know this foreshadows God giving His only Son, whom He loves. He led Abraham to Mt. Moriah to sacrifice him there, the very place where Jesus was sacrificed, as Jerusalem sits on Mt Moriah today. As this story unfolds, we know Abraham put the wood on Isaac to carry to the place of Sacrifice, as Jesus carried his wood, the cross, to the place of sacrifice. Yet Abraham demonstrated his faith in Almighty God by telling his servants that he and the boy would go up there to worship and then return to them. It is thought that he felt that although he would sacrifice his son, Isaac, God would restore him to life, or that God would provide the sacrifice. That is what we are told in the next conversation between Abraham and Isaac. But our story today is about the fact that although Abraham was a man of God, although he had been visited by God, talked with him about Sodom, and had the promise of a son, received that promise, God still tested him. We are told not to put God to a foolish test, but could God test us? We certainly cannot compare ourselves to a man like Abraham, yet we try to live in accordance with God's way. We try to do whatever he directs us to do. We believe God and have accepted Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We endeavor to serve him in any way that he leads us, yet does he test us? Personally, I know I have been tested several times, and I hope I have passed, as Abraham did. Does God test us all at some point in our lives to prove our faithfulness, our trust, our obedience? We know that if or when God tests us, he does not do so for us to fail, but for us to pass.