Sacrifices

Genesis 22:2 - Then 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."

There's a short and intense story in the Book of Genesis. It's about Abraham and his son Isaac. God has promised Abraham much...a covenant between He and Abraham, to make him the father of many nations, to bless him and his family (including all descendants) and Abraham had so much faith it was counted to him as righteousness.

God tested Abraham several times. Abraham didn't always past the test but he still held favor with God. He will do that with us too. 

The biggest test was when God wanted Abraham to sacrifice his son. Let's look at the similarity between what God asked Abraham to do and what God did and what He asked Jesus to do. I mentioned a bit about sacrifice yesterday. Sacrifice is big in God's eyes. It's not about us but about Him. It's sacrificing our ways for His. It's pressing on in faith and letting go of the past, which can be a sacrifice if we want to cling to what we are holding on to. 

Back to Abraham and Isaac. God had promised Abraham that through his son Isaac he would become the father of many nations. So why is it he is to sacrifice him? Had he done something wrong? Had God reneged on His promise? He was told to take Isaac into the mountains. He, Isaac and a couple servants, took wood for an offering and proceeded on their trek. Isaac had no clue. Here's where it gets eerily familiar. On the third day they saw the spot God had pointed out. Abraham told his servants to wait while they went up the mountain to build and altar and worship. He told them, "We will come back to you."  This takes a lot of faith to believe...we will come back.

Abraham put the wood on Isaac's back and they walked to the place where they were to make their sacrifice. Normally a lamb would be used for the offering. There was none to be seen so Isaac questioned his father about it. Abraham told him God would provide. By faith he was making this statement. Maybe he knew the words "nothing is impossible with God." What happens when God asks us to do something so seemingly impossible? Do we just have that kind of faith?

When they had reached their spot, Abraham built the altar. He bound his son and put him upon the wood. He took out a knife and raised it to make the offering of his only son for God. Before I finish, note that Isaac did not say a word, did not cry out, did not object. What could have been going through his mind? What could he have been thinking about what his father was doing? He never said a word. I'm sure he also realized that "nothing is impossible with God," that there was a very good reason for all this even if he didn't know what that could be and if it meant his death, so be it. 

I see in our own church trial how we just don't understand everything God could be doing. Maybe He has to build the faith of us who have seen the different faces in the pulpit or experienced the disappointment of other people's control over issues. What is God doing?  What are we willing to sacrifice? Is He setting the stage? Is He waiting to see which people continue to attend having faith that He is still going to do something in our church? Is He waiting until all hearts are turned to Him? Is He separating the wheat from the tares? Nothing is impossible with God.

As Abraham's hand was lifted, the Angel of the Lord called out to him: "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." (Genesis 22:12) With that a ram appeared, caught in a bush, which was then used to present the necessary sacrifice.

Does any of this sound familiar? Think about Jesus carrying the cross on his back and being led to the place of His crucifixion. It may have been a crucifixion, but to God it was a sacrifice. God was sacrificing His Son, His only Son, the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. When Jesus was on trial He spoke not a word; He did not try to defend Himself. 

I'm seeing similarities I've not noticed before. Numbers are important to God. They have meaning. I see "third day" and think of the three years Jesus ministered before His death. And on the third day He arose from the dead. This is just my overactive mind at work here. It was a three days' journey to the place of sacrifice and also the third day when the sacrifice of Abraham's son was aborted...and he survived what could have been his death...like a type of resurrection, second life, new life.

We are asked to sacrifice ourselves when we follow the Lord. We are to die daily that we might do the will of God. We are asked to take up our cross daily. We are told that if we lose our life (sacrifice) we will be saved. 

Abraham, Isaac, God and Jesus...they all were willing to sacrifice. But the greatest sacrifice was the true Sacrifice. He carried His cross and was placed upon it for all of us. It makes sense that we would want to sacrifice for the love of our God, who provided a Way for us to live. That's where God desires followers to be in their walk. Have I achieved this? I don't think I'm quite there but I'm working on it. We don't ever achieve perfection. Perfection is when we see Jesus face to face in heaven. Nothing in this world is nearly as important as Jesus. No job, no spouse, no hobby, no home. If Jesus is in our hearts and He plays an important role in our lives, that's what's important. That's the first step toward sacrifice. Climbing to the altar to offer up your self, your life, in the name of Jesus.

2Corinthians 5:15 - and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.