‘God tested Abraham.’ Really? Wasn’t all that Abraham been through enough to prove himself? Let God be the judge of that need.
This isn’t the first test for Abraham—he had been called of God to leave his homeland, go to a new country, believe God for His promises, take correction, but that all is put into the context of preparation for the BIG ONE.
Remember that son of promise Isaac? Yes, the sum of the promised fruitfulness. As the test unfolds it becomes imperative that all Abraham had been through with God was now tested. Would Abraham continue his faith in God’s faithfulness even when the test seemed impossible? Take your son Isaac whom you love, go to Moriah and offer him there where I will show you.
No argument, no negotiating, no bargaining. ‘So Abraham rose early in the morning’ and set out to obey what God had told him. You can read the rest of the account later. Remember this—Abraham had ‘walked with God’ at least back to his time in Haran more than 30 years ago. With God, learning God’s voice, God’s ways, God’s faithfulness across the decades. The word ‘test’ is nāsâ means to prove the quality or to assay the value of that tested. Abraham is the father of many nations; the depth of his character, his relationship with God needs to be unshakable. Hebrews 11:7-19 remind us,
“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named. He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.” 1
Not only did God provide another sacrifice but Abraham became known as the Man of Faith (Galatins 3:9).
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