The Essence of Faith

  

 

 

By Faith- 7

TITLE: The Essence of Faith

TEXT: Hebrews 11:17-19; Genesis 22:1-14

THESIS: The passage shows that the faithful worshipers will hold nothing back but will obediently give to God whatever he asks, trusting that “the Lord will provide.”

 

TRUTH: Last week, I spoke to you about Pilgrim's Progress. I want to start this morning by telling you a little story about the man who wrote the book. When John Bunyan was jailed for preaching the gospel, he became deeply concerned about his family. He was particularly grieved about his little blind daughter, for whom he had a special love. He wrote, “I saw in this condition I was a man who was pulling down his house upon the head of his wife and children. Yet, though I, I must do it; I must do it.” He truly embraced the hymn writer Cowper, “The dearest idol I have known, whate’er that idol be, help me to tear it from Thy throne and worship only Thee.”

 

TRANSITION

 

Obviously, the passage is about a test we frequently encounter in Scripture that introduces adversity, requiring the believer to respond in faith. It is a mixture of dialogue and narrative.

 

A biblical example of this test of adversity is the story of Job. In the Book of Job, we see a righteous man who faces immense suffering, losing his health, wealth, and family. Despite his overwhelming trials, Job grapples with his situation but ultimately responds in faith, declaring, “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in Him” (Job 13:15). Job’s story illustrates the theme of enduring faith amid adversity and the belief that God is sovereign, even when circumstances are dire.

 

However, Abraham’s test is an obedience test to a clear commandment from the Lord. Those who believe in the Lord claim to obey God’s Word, or at least agree to obey God’s Word -but to what extent will they obey? The true extent of Abraham’s obedience is the purpose of the test.

 

Transition: God tests the condition of the heart

 

I.                             Faith Offers God Our Finest Gift

Explanation: We must begin here by discussing the nature of the test. It is important to understand the account from the narrator’s perspective. My point is that Abraham did not know it was a test. If so, the value of the narrative would be diminished. “To be effective as a test, the divine command had to be both sudden and surprising” (Allen P. Ross, 396). God was calling him to do something that Abraham would never have imagined. Not just to sacrifice a child, but his child, and not just his child, but the child of promise.

 

Notice that the Lord did not make it easy for Abraham. God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac.” Each description adds to the command's pain. Moreover, if that were not bad enough, the designation is repeated in verses 12 and 16, forming a major motif in the story. Ross adds, “Moreover, the use of 'his son' in verses 3,6,9, and 10, and 'my son' in verse 7, points to the force of the test -the long-awaited son of Abraham would be the victim” (Ross, 397).

 

The point being that if anyone is inclined to be a true worshiper of God, then it involves giving God whatever is dearest and most treasured. God commands our best. The story of the woman with the alabaster jar is a powerful example of true worship and devotion to God. In the biblical account, she approaches Jesus during a meal and breaks open a precious jar of expensive perfume -made from pure nard -and pours it over his head. This act is significant for several reasons. First, the perfume she used was likely her most valued possession, symbolizing her willingness to give her best to Jesus. The value of the perfume reflects her deep reverence and acknowledgment of who Jesus is. It is also important to remember that she was criticized for it.

 

Under the Old Covenant, God required the best sacrifices as a fundamental aspect of worship and atonement for sin. This practice was rooted in the belief that offerings were expressions of devotion, gratitude, and reverence towards God. The sacrifices of the OT included various types -burnt offerings, sin offerings, guilt offerings, peace offerings -each serving different purposes. However, regardless of the type, the emphasis was always on offering the best livestock or produce, which God specifically mandated in texts like Leviticus 22:20-21, where unblemished offerings were mandated.

 

Transition: God also tests the strength of faith

 

II.                         Faith Places Confidence in God’s Provision

 

Explanation: Let’s take note of the setting of the sacrifice: “And it came to pass after these things.” What things?  We need to understand that Abraham’s great faith, which blazed so gloriously on Mount Moriah, did not appear out of a vacuum. Some eighty years before, God asked Abraham to give up his father (Gen. 12:1-3). Now, he asked to give up his son.

 

Abraham's response to God’s command is truly amazing. He gives the Lord unquestioning obedience. Notice that there is no account of his feelings or thoughts, just a report of his instant compliance. The emphasis on three days signifies the period of preparation.

 

The first part of the report of Abraham’s obedience concludes with his speech to the young servants that he was leaving behind: “Stay here with the donkey, and the lad and I will go up there and will worship and return to you.” The expositor must try to determine what was going through Abraham’s mind with this resolution to return after the sacrificial worship. From the context, we can conclude only that Abraham knew that (1) God planned the future around Isaac and (2) God wanted him to sacrifice Isaac. He could not reconcile the two but would obey what God had instructed him to do” (Ross, 398).

 

The Bible provides many examples of believers who placed their confidence in God despite the weight of God’s command. Moses, when called from the burning bush to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, expressed doubt about his ability to speak and lead, questioning why God had chosen him. However, despite his hesitation and feeling of inadequacy, Moses ultimately obeyed God’s command.

 

Gideon is another example; God called him to save Israel from the Midianites. He struggled with doubt and asked for signs to confirm God’s promise, including the famous fleece test. His initial uncertainty about God’s will led him to seek reassurance multiple times, yet he ultimately led Israel to victory.

 

After Abraham’s statement of his intent to worship, the narrator continues, telling how the patriarch took the wood, the fire, and the knife and went off together with his son. Here, too, we can observe Abraham’s faith in his response to his son’s question about the animal provision, to which Abraham replied, “God himself will provide a lamb for a burnt offering” (v.8). 

 

However, the question remains, how far will Abraham go in obedience to God? This is the ultimate test. Imagine with me a desolate mountain landscape. The sun hangs low, casting long shadows. Abraham stands at the foot of the altar he has built, feeling the weight of the moment. In the depths of despair and hope, a father stands alone with his heart torn between two worlds. God has commanded him to offer his beloved son, Isaac, as a sacrifice. Abraham looks to Isaac, blissfully unaware of the looming tragedy. Abraham’s face reflects a torrent of emotions -love, fear, and unwavering faith. With a trembling voice, yet with a steadied determination. My son says God has called us to worship Him in a way that requires a great sacrifice. To which we hear, Isaac, “Father, where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” I am sure Abraham’s heart clenches at the innocence of that question as his hand holds a knife, glinting in the sunlight. God will provide, my son, as the words of Abraham.

 

They proceed up the mountain in silence, the tension palpable with every step. As they reach the summit, Abraham prepares the altar. He lays wood carefully, setting the stage for the impending sacrifice. As Abraham binds Isaac, his hands tremble, and a shiver runs down his spine. He gazes into his sons’ eyes -those deep, trusting eyes. In that moment, time stands still. Isaac is confused yet trusting. Father, why are you binding me? Abraham’s heart breaks, but he knew this was not the moment for weakness because he knew he must obey the Lord. With a deep breath, he pulls out the knife; its shape and sharpness rise ominously. The air thickens with tension as the weight of his decision hangs heavy. Abraham’s face reflects a father’s anguish mixed with profound faith. He lifts the blade while remembering the promise of God. Every muscle tensed as he hesitated just a second before plunging the knife into his son.

 

Suddenly, a voice piercing through the air, God’s voice, “Abraham! Abraham!” Abraham drops the knife, his heart racing in relief. He turns, with eyes wide open, to the providential provision of God. Some may exclaim, “I could never do what Abraham did.” Listen, the thought of Abraham sacrificing his son grieved him, but he knew that he would have his son back. He knew that God would not, in fact could not, take his son away permanently, or else He would have to go back on His own word, which is impossible for God (MacArthur, 335).

 

What confidence in the ability of God to provide!

 

Transition: Faith pleases God

 

III.                      Faith Receives God’s Approval

Explanation: Divine intervention came after the sacrifice was made. “The call from heaven reflects the initial call of verse 1, but now with an intensity through repetition of the name. Now the divine instruction prevented Abraham from doing any harm to the lad, in contrast to the instructions of verse 2” (Ross, 399). We also see here that God takes no pleasure in child sacrifice.

 

The expression “now I know” does not imply that God needed to learn something. God knew Abraham’s heart, but the test required Abraham to demonstrate that faith in a tangible act, proving loyalty to God.

 

The test was designed to prove whether Abraham feared God or trusted God. It was important for Abraham’s faith to pass this test and know that God was pleased with him. The test carried him to the limits of his emotions, for it called for him to surrender to God the one person he loved the most and had waited so long for -the heir of the promises. He knew that the Lord was the Lord who keeps His promises. (Ross, 401).

 

As we discuss faith and receiving God’s approval, it is important to note the principle being taught: God does not bless what you do not treasure, or for which you no longer care or need.

 

TAKE-AWAY: The passage shows that the faithful worshipers will hold nothing back but will obediently give to God whatever He asks, trusting that “the Lord will provide.”

 

God has provided the perfect sacrifice through the offering of His "only begotten Son." In both cases, we see the call to offer a beloved son: Isaac, who is referred to as Abraham's "only son," and Jesus, God's "beloved Son." Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on Isaac’s back. Isaac, like Christ, was bound to the altar as he was prepared for the sacrifice. In the words of John Phillips, “...what happened on Mount Moriah was a divinely painted picture of what would happen eventually on Mount Calvary.”

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