WHEN THE CRUNCH COMES – ABRAHAM’S FINAL TEST

I often reflect on Abraham’s journey of faith because he has many lessons to teach us from his responses to God’s interaction with him.

If God had given up on Abraham after his many failures, there would be no history of Israel and no Messiah to take away our sins and restore us to fellowship with God as children in His family.

Fortunately for Abraham, God knew the course of his journey from beginning to end. When Abraham’s doubts and even unbelief led him into detours in God’s plans, God patiently put up with him and took him back to His promises, even if the consequences of Abraham’s failures caused him trouble and pain.

After the slow process of growing trust in God through trials and experience, Abraham’s most crucial test came when God said, “Abraham, go kill the very son through whom all the promises I made to you will come about. Yes, Abraham, give me the one and only son who was born to you through a miracle and whom you love more than anything in the world, and watch what I will do.”

Did Abraham trust God enough to obey the Lord without question? Let’s see what happened.

Did you notice something in the story? Abraham was silent! No questions; no resistance; no bargaining. He was also obedient! No hesitation; no dragging his feet; no conversation with Sarah; no plan B, just in case… This was HIS test, and he acted promptly. They, Abraham, Isaac and the servants, left after careful preparation, early in the morning, while Sarah was still asleep.

Abraham was so confident in God’s promise, and His power and wisdom to fulfil it that he… assured the servants that THEY would be back and… he assured Isaac that GOD would provide the lamb for the sacrifice!

“It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.”  Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.”

Hebrews 11:17-19 NLT

This was to be the TEST of all tests. God’s tests all eventually reach the same  point, “Abraham, do you love me more than your greatest treasure?”

After Peter’s failure, Jesus asked him the same question, not “Simon, are you sorry for what you did?” but, “Simon, do you love me more than these…?”

This is the essence of true faith. “Do you love me more than…” If we can honestly answer, “Yes Lord, I love you enough to give you or do for you anything you ask of me,” then, like Abraham, we have passed the greatest test we will ever be put through.

This kind of test rests on our utmost confidence in God’s love for us, that He will never do or ask us to give or do anything that will contradict His promise that He works in all things for our good.

Faith in the faithfulness of God puts God’s promises in the category of “non-negotiable”, based on God’s character that He cannot lie. Therefore, to love God is to stand squarely and unwaveringly on His promises in the face of apparent contradictions and never to give up until His promises are fulfilled.

“Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.”

Romans 4:20-21 NLT

So, God’s Word encourages us…

“We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”

Hebrews 6:12 NIV

This love for God in response to His love for us is what John meant when he wrote:

“And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.”

1 John 4:17-18 NLT

If we cling to our dearest treasure, afraid that God will take it away to punish us for some infringement of His holiness, God will wait until we trust His love enough to relinquish that treasure to Him.

Imagine how light-hearted Abraham must have felt on his way home with Isaac. Isaac was still his beloved son but no longer his concern because God had shown him that He had no intention of depriving him of his son. His promise still stood that through Isaac all the nations of the earth would be blessed.

Have you noticed something else about Abraham’s journey of faith? After Genesis 22, no more record of tests, only blessing; a second wife after Sarah’s death; more sons and great wealth; a worthy wife for Isaac, his miracle son of promise, and descendants through Isaac. Life went on on the blessing and favour of God.

Jesus promised us an abundant life if we follow Him. This abundant life is not about health, wealth, and happiness. This life is about love, joy and peace which are the fruit of unwavering faith in God’s love for us.

No storm, however severe, will shake us from our confidence in that love when no other love stands between us and the Father.

Jesus had an issue with the church at Ephesus. “You have left your first love, not the love you had for me when you first believed, but your love for me in response to my love for you because I loved you first before you ever loved me.”

“We love because he first loved us.”

1 John 4:19 NIV

It’s His “first love” that steadies us in every storm and cautions us when the tempter comes to lure us from the path of perfect trust. It’s the power of this great love that strengthens us to say “No!“ to the flesh, and ” Yes!” to the Spirit as we constantly engage in the battle to be holy.

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.”

Galatians 5:16-18 NLT

God the Father gave us His dearest treasure, His one and only Son, not to be saved from death as Isaac was, but to be savagely beaten and crucified for us, only to defeat death forever and to offer us ETERNAL LIFE, if we believe in Him.

In conclusion, let’s go back to Abraham for a minute. What was God’s verdict on Abraham’s act of faith and obedience?

“… Now I know that you truly fear God. You have not withheld from me even your son, your only son.”

Genesis 22:12 NLT

Love… Trust… Fear… These are so closely intertwined in our relationship with God that we can use them interchangeably.

To fear God, then, is to love and trust Him so implicitly and to hold Him in such awe, honour and reverence that we dread even a nano-second of disconnection from Him through sin or unbelief.

Our love for Him grows, as, we remain rooted in His love for us.

“But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.”

Jude 1:20-21 NLT