5 - A BURNT OFFERING
Genesis 22
1. Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham,
and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."
2. And He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love,
and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on
one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."
3. So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and
took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split
the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of
which God had told him.
NKJV
Abraham was to offer his son, his only son Isaac, whom he loved, as a
burnt offering to the Lord God.
So what exactly is a burnt offering?
It was the only kind of sacrificial, meat offering practised in the time
of Genesis. It represented the unreserved dedicating of a person's heart,
soul, mind and strength to God.
For Abraham to offer his son Isaac, whom God had given him when he was
almost 100 years old, was a particularly difficult test from God.
After all, this was the child God had promised him for 25 years before
the child was born. Anticipating the birth of Isaac took up a quarter
century of Abraham's life!
It seemed to make absolutely no sense to kill this child and turn him
into a burnt offering to the Lord. It seemed counter-productive.
Then there was the next problem:
Could Abraham actually kill his own son
and then burn his body as an indication to God that Abraham totally
trusted God?
Abraham probably didn't think that far ahead on purpose. He set out to
obey God and trusted that he would be able to do what God had asked
of him, no matter how difficult.
Hebrews 11 explains it to us this way:
17. While God was testing him, Abraham still trusted in God and his
promises, and so he offered up his son Isaac, and was ready to slay
him on the altar of sacrifice;
18. yes, to slay even Isaac, through whom God had promised to give
Abraham a whole nation of descendants!
19. He believed that if Isaac died God would bring him back to life again…
(LB)
Many times our own dreams must also go through this death process before
God can give them back to us.
Is it because our dreams are wrong?
Most times this is not the case!
It's because our dreams can very easily become more important to us
than our dedication to the Lord.
So, who is the number ONE priority in your life?
Prayer:
Father, I do love You and my life is totally in Your hands.
Today I rededicate my whole heart, soul, mind and strength to You and
Your purpose for my life,
in Jesus' name,
Amen.
