A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns
A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns
6, 9). Second, we are to reckon or count on, rely on this to be so in our lives (v. 11). Third, we must once and for all present ourselves to God (vv. 13, 16, 19). Finally, we must continuously obey the leading of the Lord through the Word of God (vv. 16-17). SIXTEEN ISAAC: Sacrificed to God (Genesis 22:1-19) Four times in his pilgrimage of faith, God came to Abraham to make a request that must have severely tried his faith. First, he called this son of a moon god worshiper to leave his country and family to see a land God wanted to show him (Gen. 12:1). Later, it was necessary for Abraham to separate from his nephew Lot who was probably more like a son to him than a nephew (13:1-18). The third great trial involved the casting out of Ishmael who for thirteen years was thought to be the promised seed of Abraham (21:14). The fourth and greatest crisis of his faith is the offering of Isaac as a whole burnt offering on Moriah which is recorded in this chapter. This account is sometimes referred to as the Akedah story, a word based on the Hebrew verb for binding. To the oriental mind, everything is wrapped up in the seed. When God required of Abraham his son, He was asking for everything—his future, his line, his heir. To not have a son is viewed as to be next to death itself. Yet when God made the supreme request of Abraham, Abraham said yes. Abraham was one of several parents who was willing to give his child back to God. If a soldier serves his country faithfully and records great victories in the battle, he is honored with medals and offers of less strenuous work during his declining years. But for the soldier of the cross, there are always more battles to be fought and won. And the battles which follow great victories are often more severe and trying than the former battles. The important thing about ‘emunah (faith) is that it finds its fullest expression in the realm of action. In what may be the most Hebraic epistle of the New Testament, James brings out this emphasis behind the Hebrew word for faith noting, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). It is interesting that James should point to the events of this chapter to prove his point concerning an active and living faith (v. 21). A TRIAL OF FAITH PROPOSED (Gen. 22:1-9) (2051 B.C.)
Genesis 22 begins with the phrase wayehi ‘achar haddebarim ha’elleh translated, “Now it came to pass after these things” (v. 1). This phrase is a summary expression referring not only to Abraham’s past experiences, but also to his growing experience of faith. And it came to pass after Abraham’s obedience to the call of God, after his lapse of faith characterized by reasoning with God, after his choice of separation, after fighting the enemy of faith, after having a faith based on Christ, after waiting patiently for the Lord, after learning the importance of symbols of faith, after learning the relationship between communion with God and intercession for man, and after overcoming the flesh, God still had lessons of faith to teach the man of faith. Of the four trials of faith in Abraham’s life, this was no doubt the most severe. The Hebrew word nimmah is a pi’el perfect intensifying the emphasis of the verb; i.e., he completely tried or he tested thoroughly. Like its English counterpart “tempt,” the verb originally had the same emphasis as the word test or try (cf. English “attempt”) and only later came to have its negative connotation. God was testing to affirm Abraham’s faith rather than tempting to destroy it. Charles Haddon Spurgeon observed the severity of this trial when he noted, “There is scarce a single syllable of God’s address to him, in the opening of this trial, but seems intended to pierce the patriarch to the quick.... Oh, trial of trials! Contemplative imagination and sympathetic emotion can better depict the father’s grief than any words which it is in my power to use. I cast a veil where I cannot paint a picture.” There are apparently three sources of trials in Scripture. The first of these comes from Satan and must be permitted by God. This was certainly the experience of Job. A second source of trials is circumstances. While there is some dispute over the exact nature of Paul’s thorn in the flesh, it probably fits into this category. The third source is God. Here Abraham was being tried directly by God Himself. The most troublesome thing about this is that it is difficult in the midst of the trial to discern the source or purpose of the trial. Just as Job seemed to think the attack of Satan was from God directly, it is doubtful if Abraham could have understood the purpose of God in this trial. God only tests those who are closest to Him. Abraham had been following God for fifty years when this great crisis came. In all those years, it is interesting that God never once tested Lot in this way. The Lord did not test Abraham to hurt him or disallow him but to approve him. Across America there are testing companies like Underwriters’ Laboratory involved in the testing of thousands of patented products each year. In the process of testing a product, it may be exposed to extreme temperatures, hazardous chemicals, even fire and explosions. This severe testing procedure is not designed to learn how to destroy the product, but rather to show how strong and safe the product is. Similarly, the testing of God is the means whereby He measures our faith and approves it. God called for the sacrifice of Isaac on a mountain He would show Abraham in the land of Moriah. The name Moriah means “shown of Jehovah” or “vision of Jehovah.” It was the mountain which was later the temple site for Solomon’s temple (2 Chron. 3:1). When translating this verse in the Vulgate, Jerome translated the meaning terram vissionis, “land of vision,” rather than transliterating the name. Some commentators believe Moriah was originally a descriptive phrase of an area and only later became a proper name. The offering Abraham was to offer was a burnt offering of his son. The burnt offering was one of the five major offerings in the sacrificial system of Israel and was sometimes called the holocaust because it involved the whole sacrifice being burned on the altar. This offering is twice emphasized in God’s instruction to Abraham (Gen. 22:2). The Hebrew `alah translated
- Page 24 and 25: always leads to judgment. But Noah,
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- Page 30 and 31: Though the Scripture explains, “N
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- Page 36 and 37: SEVEN ABRAHAM: Lapse of Faith: Reas
- Page 38 and 39: their root in this period when Abra
- Page 40 and 41: comes to God must believe that He i
- Page 42 and 43: (Gen. 13:8, literal translation). A
- Page 44 and 45: greater blessing. The man of faith
- Page 46 and 47: mothers, a practice which may have
- Page 48 and 49: Melchizedek is described as the pri
- Page 50 and 51: tion of righteousness. Also, the co
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- Page 54 and 55: HAGAR AND SARAI (Gen. 16:4-6) (2080
- Page 56 and 57: the natural carnal instincts of hum
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- Page 66 and 67: FOURTEEN LOT: The Destruction of So
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- Page 72 and 73: must be viewed as intentional mocki
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- Page 78 and 79: forward to that distant day when on
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- Page 82 and 83: constant reminder of the past. Abra
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- Page 92 and 93: Though Isaac left the city, he did
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- Page 114 and 115: First, Jochebed wove a basket out o
- Page 116 and 117: were a phenomenon which challenged
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6, 9). Second, we are to reckon or count on, rely on this to be so in our lives (v. 11). Third, we<br />
must once and for all present ourselves to God (vv. 13, 16, 19). Finally, we must continuously<br />
obey the leading of the Lord through the Word of God (vv. 16-17).<br />
SIXTEEN<br />
ISAAC:<br />
Sacrificed to God<br />
(Genesis 22:1-19)<br />
Four times in his pilgrimage of faith, God came to Abraham to make a request that must<br />
have severely tried his faith. First, he called this son of a moon god worshiper to leave his<br />
country and family to see a land God wanted to show him (Gen. 12:1). Later, it was necessary<br />
for Abraham to separate from his nephew Lot who was probably more like a son to him than a<br />
nephew (13:1-18). <strong>The</strong> third great trial involved the casting out of Ishmael who for thirteen years<br />
was thought to be the promised seed of Abraham (21:14). <strong>The</strong> fourth and greatest crisis of his<br />
faith is the offering of Isaac as a whole burnt offering on Moriah which is recorded in this<br />
chapter. This account is sometimes referred to as the Akedah story, a word based on the Hebrew<br />
verb for binding.<br />
To the oriental mind, everything is wrapped up in the seed. When God required of<br />
Abraham his son, He was asking for everything—his future, his line, his heir. To not have a son<br />
is viewed as to be next to death itself. Yet when God made the supreme request of Abraham,<br />
Abraham said yes. Abraham was one of several parents who was willing to give his child back to<br />
God.<br />
If a soldier serves his country faithfully and records great victories in the battle, he is<br />
honored with medals and offers of less strenuous work during his declining years. But for the<br />
soldier of the cross, there are always more battles to be fought and won. And the battles which<br />
follow great victories are often more severe and trying than the former battles. <strong>The</strong> important<br />
thing about ‘emunah (faith) is that it finds its fullest expression in the realm of action. In what<br />
may be the most Hebraic epistle of the New <strong>Testament</strong>, James brings out this emphasis behind<br />
the Hebrew word for faith noting, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). It is interesting<br />
that James should point to the events of this chapter to prove his point concerning an active and<br />
living faith (v. 21).<br />
A TRIAL OF FAITH PROPOSED<br />
(Gen. 22:1-9) (2051 B.C.)
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