Daily Devotions
Genesis
"Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears you have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require." Psalm 40:6
Text: Genesis 22:1-24
THE LONG ROAD OF OBEDIENCE
God gave instructions to Abraham to go to Mount Moriah. That was some distance away! It would take a few days of traveling before he would reach his destination. The following text displays Abraham’s good and strong spirit of obedience.
“So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled
his donkey, and took two of his young men with him,
and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt
offering, and arose and went to the place of which God
had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted
his eyes and saw the place afar off.”GENESIS 22:3-4
“So Abraham rose early in the morning…”
Once again, we come across this phrase. It was used to describe Abraham sending off Hagar (Cf. Genesis 21:14). Certainly, Abraham was an early riser. But even more important than that, it signified the fact that he was prompt in obeying the Lord. Once he ascertained the truth, he did all he could in his power to obey the Lord without delay!
“On the third day… his eyes saw the place afar off”
Three days had already passed, and they had not yet arrived at Mount Moriah! Even on the third day, Mount Moriah was only “a place afar off”. The sense of obedience in Abraham must have been strong indeed. He was willing to make a journey simply because God “had told him” of the place. He was willing to undertake a journey that took several days – and at the end of that expedition to offer Isaac as a sacrifice to the Lord!
“He split the wood for the burnt offering…”
Once again, we ask ourselves this question. How real was this as a test to Abraham? The answer must be that he took God at His word! He even prepared the wood for the burnt offering! He attended to all these details personally, for this was one special offering that he must devote time and energy to the minutest detail!
He brought along two of his servants for company and for assistance should there be any need that would arise along the way. All told, Abraham was as prepared as he possibly could be! Was this a test from the Lord? Then he, Abraham was determined to pass this test with flying colours!
BY FAITH
The book of Hebrews well described the faith of Abraham in the following text.
“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called…
By faith he dwelt in the land of promise…
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac…”HEBREWS 11:8, 9, 17
What a challenge to develop our faith in the Lord!