Why did God ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac?
God knows what will happen before it happens, so He knew Abraham would pass the test.
And God had no intention of letting Abraham go through with killing Isaac.
So why did God ask Abraham to do it?
1. It proved to everyone (even you and me when we read about it) that Abraham trusted God above all else (Genesis 22:12).
2. It proved to Abraham that he trusted God. God knew what Abraham would do, but Abraham didn’t know until he raised the knife.(1)
3. It allowed Abraham to learn the secret Paul writes about in Philippians 4:13 because, like Paul, Abraham realized that God's request was beyond his own strength and he needed God's (2 Corinthians 1:8-9).
Next time God asks you to do the "impossible," remember these three truths and rest in the knowledge that God "is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20).
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(1) Read the full story of Abraham sacrificing Isaac in Genesis 22:1-18.
Bible Love Notes
You plus God can do it.. There is no such thing as CAN'T.. That T is a cross.. You can do anything in Christ who strengthens you. GOD BLESS!
ReplyDeleteAmen
Deletethat is an excellent analergy Frances. Keeping and using that.
DeleteStart of the Jewish Nation and also Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. It is thru belief (faith) that we are saved. Romans 10:9 if you declare with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in you heart God raised him from the dead you WILL be saved! Everything in the Old Testament points to our Lord Jesus.
ReplyDeleteTrusting God's plan
ReplyDeleteGenuine faith is validated by actions Abraham faith can encourage others, as we preserve our faith in God, it will sustain us through the toughest trials for the glory of God
ReplyDeleteWhy did God say 'NOW I KNOW' if He already knew. He didn't know for sure then, but really counted on the heart and character of His friend Avram to do as He asked of him?
ReplyDeleteHi Hivaro,
DeleteThat's a good question.
Let's look at it with the full counsel of Scripture as our guide:
1. We know that God is all knowing. He knows our every thought.
2. We know that God knows what is going to happen as well as what has already happened.
3. We know that Scripture often explains things in ways that we can easily understand, giving God human qualities because our minds cannot fully comprehend His glory and fullness.
In Genesis 22:12 God says,"Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
This was His way of telling Abraham that he need not kill Isaac in order to prove His faithfulness to God. He had done enough to prove that He was willing to believe God no matter how difficult the test.
Here is what the Benson Commentary says about this verse: "God knew it before, but now Abraham had given a memorable evidence of it. He need do no more; what he had done was sufficient to prove the religious regard he had to God and his authority. The best evidence of our fearing God is our being willing to honour him with that which is dearest to us, and to part with all to him, or for him."
To believe that God did not know what Abraham would do until he did it would be to deny major character traits of God fully described in other portions of Scripture.