Ok, in this story of Abraham and Isaac, and the sacrifice Abraham was to make, I first want to go back to Genesis 22:1, which reads: "Some time later (could have been years later), God tested, or proved Abraham...".
Testing is defined as: measuring the quality and/or performance of something. It reveals the strength and reliability under "pressure-type" situations.
Now the question in me is: "Why does God test us? Is it because He doesn't know us or what we might do in a given situation?" I would have to answer "no" to that.
I think God tests us for our benefit, that we might know us better, and develop a confidence from different "tests" that come our way...whether they are God-directed or perhaps a set of circumstances in daily life that causes us to make good choices.
I think the result of testings answer another question in life: "Do we trust God simply because He is beneficial to have as a friend, or do we trust God with our very lives?"
Often times we look at testings or trials as some have said :" An experience we could do without. Human nature seems to always want the greatest amount of happiness with the least amount of pain." Why do you think "Superheroes" are so popular today....a quick solution to a possibly painful situation.
But in real life, that is not how it works. We have happy times..and we have sad times. We have great results in some of our efforts...and we disastrous failures in others. We have births of sons, daughters, grand babies, etc.....and we have deaths of our fathers, mothers, Grandpas, and so on. That is real life as we know it.
Here, in Genesis 22, I think the first verse sets the tone for my outlook on the whole situation that is about to develop...the sacrifice of Isaac.
God clearly stipulates this is a test....and not just any test...this is a real "heart-jerker". This involves Abraham and the "miracle-baby"...Abraham's only true son through his wife Sarah, and the promise to be "Father of many nations."....Isaac!
God did not use the word "tempt" here in the first verse. Tempt is defined: to entice someone, to arouse a hope or desire (even if false), and it is usually done to have a person do something which is wrong...especially if there is a reward to go with it.
I think this story must begin in our own hearts with this extremely important factor as a main key. This is a story about trust. The word trust is defined as: having confidence in the honesty and the integrity of a person, to have a reliance on their dependability and will take in consideration all the matters of fairness and justice.
That would be the "painting" to me as I begin to study and look at this story in Genesis 22, it is built on friendship that has trust as its main foundation, that being the relationship between Abraham and Isaac.
How else could you explain when Abraham was told by God about sacrificing Isaac as an offering, Abraham does not intercede for Isaac? Abraham interceded for Sodom...but he would not intercede for his only son Isaac?
So, I would surmise that as this story unfolds, look at it from a heart that trusts his dear friend, in this case being God Himself, and just let this "story come to you"...leave all the preconceived stuff behind...at least for now!
Testing is defined as: measuring the quality and/or performance of something. It reveals the strength and reliability under "pressure-type" situations.
Now the question in me is: "Why does God test us? Is it because He doesn't know us or what we might do in a given situation?" I would have to answer "no" to that.
I think God tests us for our benefit, that we might know us better, and develop a confidence from different "tests" that come our way...whether they are God-directed or perhaps a set of circumstances in daily life that causes us to make good choices.
I think the result of testings answer another question in life: "Do we trust God simply because He is beneficial to have as a friend, or do we trust God with our very lives?"
Often times we look at testings or trials as some have said :" An experience we could do without. Human nature seems to always want the greatest amount of happiness with the least amount of pain." Why do you think "Superheroes" are so popular today....a quick solution to a possibly painful situation.
But in real life, that is not how it works. We have happy times..and we have sad times. We have great results in some of our efforts...and we disastrous failures in others. We have births of sons, daughters, grand babies, etc.....and we have deaths of our fathers, mothers, Grandpas, and so on. That is real life as we know it.
Here, in Genesis 22, I think the first verse sets the tone for my outlook on the whole situation that is about to develop...the sacrifice of Isaac.
God clearly stipulates this is a test....and not just any test...this is a real "heart-jerker". This involves Abraham and the "miracle-baby"...Abraham's only true son through his wife Sarah, and the promise to be "Father of many nations."....Isaac!
God did not use the word "tempt" here in the first verse. Tempt is defined: to entice someone, to arouse a hope or desire (even if false), and it is usually done to have a person do something which is wrong...especially if there is a reward to go with it.
I think this story must begin in our own hearts with this extremely important factor as a main key. This is a story about trust. The word trust is defined as: having confidence in the honesty and the integrity of a person, to have a reliance on their dependability and will take in consideration all the matters of fairness and justice.
That would be the "painting" to me as I begin to study and look at this story in Genesis 22, it is built on friendship that has trust as its main foundation, that being the relationship between Abraham and Isaac.
How else could you explain when Abraham was told by God about sacrificing Isaac as an offering, Abraham does not intercede for Isaac? Abraham interceded for Sodom...but he would not intercede for his only son Isaac?
So, I would surmise that as this story unfolds, look at it from a heart that trusts his dear friend, in this case being God Himself, and just let this "story come to you"...leave all the preconceived stuff behind...at least for now!
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