so as many of you may know, i am in seminary. one of the best things about seminary, and this may shock you, is that they MAKE you read the Bible! what a concept. not only that, but they actually make you think about what you read in the Bible. now this may not be all that shocking. i mean, it’s seminary, right? that’s what seminarians do! well. when they’re not taking exams and writing long papers, anyways. but reading the Bible and thinking about what it says to us has been one of the most blessed blessings (yes, redundancy intended) that i’ve received since i’ve been here. especially this semester. i experienced a little bit of this last semester in my Gospels class, but not near as much as i have this semester in my Genesis to Joshua class. i think the main differences between the two are familiarity and scope. familiarity in that before i came to seminary i was already pretty familiar with all four Gospel accounts, where i was hardly familiar at all with the first six books of the Bible. moreover, i had never read the first six books with Christ in mind!

i’ve been reflecting a lot in the past week and a half or so about the faith of the Patriarchs, Abraham in particular. what an astounding faith in the Lord he had! what a faith in the Gospel! i long for the kind of faith that Abraham had in the promises of God. now Abraham was not perfect, as none of us are. he had periods of doubt in fleeing to Egypt because of famine and having Sarah lie for him so that he would not be slain. but when God laid upon Abraham the test of faith to end all tests of faith, Abraham passed! not because of anything in himself. not out of pride and not out of naivete. but because of his faith in the Gospel. i believe the accout of God’s calling Abraham to sacrifice Isaac to be one of the most blatant presentations of the Gospel that is contained in Scripture, which is mind blowing to me considering it’s not only in the Old Testament, but in the very first book of the canon!

God promised Isaac to Abraham and Sarah which came as a great joy and surprise to them. such surprise that they even laughed at the promise, rejoicing in God’s grace, though they may have not totally believed what they had heard. Isaac was then born to them, when Abraham receives some shocking news. he is to take Isaac, the promised and special son that God had blessed he and Sarah with, and offer him up as a burnt offering. he is to take he and sarah’s only begotten son, and sacrifice him as though he were a lamb. while the command may be a little hard to swallow, what’s even more telling of the kind of faith we see in Abraham is Abraham’s response. he doesn’t laugh it off as though he thinks God is kidding. he doesn’t obstinately disobey nor curse God. he simply gets up early the next morning, prepares the materials for the offering, collects Isaac and two helpers and goes to do as God says.

now my first reaction when i read this was “are you nuts???” i’m not a father yet, but it’s just beyond me that Abraham would actually concede to do this without a fight. yet he does. quietly and calmly. in faith. but faith in what?

faith that God would provide another way. Abraham had spent 99 years waiting for the heir that God had promised him. and now, as he and Isaac are walking towards the mountain to offer the sacrifice, Abraham shows his faith in God’s provision of a sacrificial lamb. Isaac even asks him (paraphrased), “poppa, we’ve got the wood and knife and everything we need for the sacrifice, but we don’t have a lamb! where is it?” i have a feeling Isaac may have been a little confused and maybe a little frightened at this point, especially at the calmness of Abraham throughout the whole proceeding. but to his son’s question, Abraham replies,

“God will provide for Himself the lamb.”

how remarkable is that line! how prophetic! God will provide for Himself the Lamb in offering up HIS only begotten son as a burnt offering. an offering so sweet that the odor of it will be pleasing to God and will crush death for all time and reconcile men to the Father. Abraham not only had faith in the Gospel of God’s promise to reconcile Himself to man, but He got a hands-onn demonstration of the power and mercy in the ultimate sacrifice of Christ Jesus. it is not in the sacrifice of Abraham’s only begotten son that man can be reconciled to God. nor in the fruits of Cain’s fields or any work that man can bring to God. it is only through God’s provision of a sacrificial Lamb that can bring pleasure to His nose and only through the blood of that Lamb that He will say “well done, good and faithful servant” to all that are His.

i long to have the faith of Abraham. i long to believe the Gospel in the way that Abraham believed. i long to be called daily to sacrifice the things most dear to me in order to proclaim the Gospel to those around me. i long to have faith enough to go wherever God calls me and i pray that i have the faith in His provision that Abraham showed himself to have. Lord help me to follow you to whatever end and to always remain faithful to your guidance, trusting in Your provision and grace and faithfulness.

Wake up little Isaac, rub your tired eyes
Go and kiss your momma, we’ll be gone a little while
And come and walk beside me, come and hold your poppa’s hand
I go to make an altar, and to offer up my lamb

So take me to the mountain, I will follow where You lead
And there I’ll lay the body of the boy You gave to me
And even though you take him, still I ever will obey
But Maker of this mountain, please……….make another way