April 22nd, 2022 – Friday Afternoon
“Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, ‘By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.'” ~Genesis 22:15-18
We can never know the depth of the infinite and awesome plan and power of God, but we can see amazing glimpses of it when we trust and obey.
Abraham obeyed the LORD by offering Isaac as a sacrifice {even though the LORD intervened before Abraham literally had to kill his own son, Abraham’s heart had already followed through in obedience}; as a result of that obedience and total surrender, the LORD reiterates and expands the blessings that He will pour out in and through Abraham. In fact, in reiterating the promises, the LORD seals the reality that through Abraham’s seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed – because he obeyed the voice of the LORD.
The significance of Abraham’s obedience and the LORD’s promise cannot be overstated. We just commemorated and celebrated the death of the Lord Jesus Christ; He is the final fulfillment of the LORD’s word to Abraham! Through Christ all the nations of the earth have been, are being, and will be blessed! Christ’s humanity came through the line of David; David’s line came through the line of Jacob; Jacob through Isaac, the offering; and Isaac, of course, through Abraham.
We can never fully understand the grand and sovereign design and desire of the LORD God, but we have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits He gives if we obey. The thought and action of sacrificing Isaac must have been horrible, cruel, and the most difficult thing that Abraham ever had to do; yet, he never could have imagined the wonderful and glorious blessings of God that would ensue because he obeyed. The LORD wanted Abraham to give up everything of human significance; but, when he did, not only was God glorified (remember Jehovah Jireh?), but Abraham (and the entire world) was blessed beyond measure.
My friends, God wants our all. It is not just because He is worthy of it (and He most certainly is!), but also because our best interest is found in Him. As long as we refuse to surrender and obey we will never enjoy the goodness of His grace, the wonder of His glory, and the abundant blessings that He seeks to give to and through us. Our stubborn grasp on what we think we control alienates us from the pure joy and deep love that He desires to pour into our hearts and lives.
Let us choose to trust and obey – no matter what – in response to His love, His mercy, and His authority. As we do, our lives will overflow with His grace and His power and we will begin to understand the grand and majestic nature of His will and glory.