2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, whomyou love-Isaac-and go to the region of Moriah. Sac-rifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I willshow you." - P70
8 Abraham answered, "God himself will provide thelamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two ofthem went on together. - P71
10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife toslay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called out tohim from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!" "Here I am,"
he replied. - P71
12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him.
Now I know that you fear God,
because you have not withheld from me your son, youronly son." - P71
13 Abraham looked upand there in a thicket he saw aram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ramand sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. - P71
14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Pro-vide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of theLORD it will be provided." - P71
Abraham‘s offering of Isaac can be a disturbing story that some Chris-tians may instinctively want to reject rather than embrace as an ex-ample of great faith. - P72
Many different interpretations and speculationshave arisen regarding God‘s instructions and Abraham‘s response,
but we must ground our reading in what
the Word teaches about God‘s character
and the way this text points us to
His wider purposes for salvation. - P72
This is not a story of God demanding blind obedience to a horrific command.
Rather, it is a picture of what is required in orderto provide salvation for His people. - P72
As the Creator and Judge, God has a right
to demand the life of sinful humanity.
But instead of exacting it from us,
He Himself provides the ultimate sacrifice. - P72
Abraham can reclaim the life of
his beloved son because God has not withheld the life of His beloved Son. - P72
Dear Jesus, thank you for leaving all the riches of heaven to become one of usand for giving up Your life so that we may have eternal life. You are worthy ofall that we are and have. In Your name, amen. - P73
In Uzbekistan, police raids, arrests, and fines are a common occurrence for Christians whobelong to unregistered churches, as they are viewed as a threat to the government. - P72
A recent law was enacted that pénalizes
spreading one‘s faith without government permission,
making evangelization almost impossible. - P72
The Tai Lue live in northwestern Laos and work mostly as farmers, fishermen, and silver smiths.
Although the New Testament has been translated in their language, most cannot read it asthe Tai Lue communicate orally. It is therefore important that the gospel is shared with them through the spoken word. - P72
[NIV] 15 The angel of the LORD called to Abraham fromheaven a second time
16 and said, "I swear by myself,
declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld
your son, your only son, - P74
17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants asnumerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on theseashore. Your descendants will take possession of the
cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspringall nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.‘ - P74
Abraham‘s faithful response to God‘s command results in yet anoth-er confirmation of God‘s great plan for the world: all nations will beblessed. - P76
At first glance, it may sound as if the promise is conditional on Abraham‘s obedience.
But we know this is not the case, for God‘s planning and providence stand behind
all of Abraham‘s actions. - P76
This test gives Abraham a glimpse of
God‘s overarching plan of redemption—apromise that would ultimately be fulfilled through the offering of Hisown Son, Jesus Christ. - P76
Through Jesus, we are invited into the blessing of imitating Him in His death and
resurrection and receiving the gift of the
Holy Spirit, who produces the fruit of righteousness in us. - P76
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