After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he answered. “Take your son,” He said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac… On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.” Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac. In his hand he took the fire and the sacrificial knife, and the two of them walked on together. Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father.” And he replied, “Here I am, my son.” Isaac said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of them walked on together. When they arrived at the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He replied, “Here I am.” Then He said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from Me.” Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son… Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By Myself I have sworn,” this is the Lord’s declaration: “Because you have done this thing and have not withheld your only son, I will indeed bless you… (Genesis 22:1-18 — Holman Christian Standard Bible)
No man in the Bible was more blessed than Abraham. He was blessed because of his faith in God, but look at his faith! When God asked him to sacrifice his only son, he did. He was ready to do anything for God — there was no doubt about who was first in his life. In Hebrews 11:17 we are told that Abraham believed that God would raise his son from the dead. Why did he believe that? Because God had already promised to give him many descendants through his son Isaac. So even though he did not understand how God's promise and God's command to sacrifice his son could both be true, he obeyed. He didn’t over analyze; he didn’t ask why; he simply believed and obeyed.
Look at what God said to Abraham! “Now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from Me.” And then He promised to bring even greater blessings to him and to future generations because of his faith. There are things that God does not know about us until we go to the extreme of sacrifice.
Are you showing God that He is absolutely first in your life?
How can He truly bless you when He is not the absolute Lord of your life?
After this powerful demonstration of the depth and reality of Abraham's faith, God could bless him with everything — because He knew he could be trusted and would be faithful in any circumstance or situation.
Does God know that about us?
Have we proven our love and faithfulness through obedience and sacrifice for Him? Does God feel free to bless us with great things?
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