“For now I know that thou fearest God…”
(Gen. 22:12. Read chapter 22)

In Genesis chapter 22, God tested Abraham by asking him to take his son Isaac to a mountain and offer him as a burnt offering. This test was tailored for Abraham to prove his love, loyalty, devotion, worship, sacrifice, and commitment to his Lord! It’s likely that nothing else on earth was more precious to Abraham than the son God had promised him.

After hearing God’s voice, Abraham took his son and the wood to consume Isaac upon God’s altar!  We see the succession: Abraham journeyed three days to the mountain. And at the base of the mountain, he was prepared to climb with the wood, items for the fire, and the knife to slay his son. God (I’m speaking in human terms) watched to see this progression. This series of events still did not prove Abraham’s loyalty until he attempted to plunge a knife, directly into the body of his son. We see Abraham performing the ultimate sacrifice in vs. 10, when he extended his hand and would have killed his son, but the voice from the angel of the Lord stopped him! The angel of the Lord now knows. Thousands of years later we come to know — what type of man Abraham was, as well. It’s the story of his life, from the book of Genesis, that speaks of his progressive faith and maturity. We see his devotion and loyalty and his ability to “worship” (vs. 5) during his greatest time of testing! What an example to us who read about the details of a man who loved God and ultimately overcame by his faith in God!

The child Isaac was saved. He remained God’s promised seed and through him, God would multiply and bless the earth! What a test of faith, to be set to kill your son, believing that God would raise him from the dead (Heb. 11:19). Abraham passed his test and a nearby ram caught in the brush was sacrificed instead!

How is God Proving Us?

There are special times when God wants to test our integrity, loyalty, commitment, love, or devotion, as well (Ps. 26:2; Ps. 66:10). Sometimes He does it in the smallest ways until (speaking again in human terms) He knows what we will do. More importantly, God tests us to HELP US UNDERSTAND what WE will do! He may do this with progressive steps, as with Abraham. He takes us through these steps…each a bit harder than the prior one, until hopefully, we pass the test.

Have you passed your recent test?