Daily Devotions

Genesis

Genesis 
Day 
Day 136

"As for me, I will call upon God, And the Lord shall save me." Psalm 55:16

Text: Genesis 22:1-24

A LONG WALK WITH GOD

Abraham was far from perfect. From time to time, he failed miserably. Nevertheless, he picked himself up, learned his lesson and pressed on. Again and again, he called upon the Name of the Lord. The faith of Abraham took many years to cultivate, but grow it did, slowly but surely. It was this spirit of diligent faith that God honoured. From time to time, God would speak to him directly!


THE ANGEL OF THE LORD

In our study of the Book of Genesis, we came across the phrase, “The Angel of the LORD” (Cf. Genesis 16:7, 9. He is also sometimes called “The Angel of God” Cf. Genesis 21:17). The identity of this Angel of the Lord is identified clearly in the words uttered by Hagar after He spoke to her.

“Then she called the Name of the Lord who spoke to her,
‘You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees…'”

GENESIS 16:13

The same Angel of God spoke to Hagar from heaven, when she was forced to leave Abraham’s household. With great power and authority, this Angel of God promised that He would make Ishmael a mighty nation!

“…Then the Angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven,
And said to her, ‘What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God
Has heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad
And hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation.'”

GENESIS 21:17-18

No created angel would have the authority and power to make such statements! Who was this Angel of God?

This mighty Angel of the Lord once again spoke from heaven, this time to Abraham, at Mount Moriah.

“Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time
out of heaven, and said: ‘By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD,
because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son,
your only son – blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply
your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is
on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of
their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,
because you have obeyed My voice.'”

GENESIS 22:15-18


ADDING TO ABRAHAM’S KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

As if Abraham did not already possess precious knowledge of the Lord, he was now given a special revelation of the identity of the Angel of the LORD! He spoke with equal power, authority and majesty! His voice was as the God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth! He was none other than The Word of God (Cf. John 1:1-4)