The Tempting of Abraham (1)

Genesis 22:1-10

In this chapter we come to an event which formed the highlight of Abraham’s life of faith. This highlight he reached because God led him first into the darkest depth of trial of his faith. From it we can learn that, although we may not ask for trials, often they have been used by the Lord to teach His children and to lead them further on the way. David, in his life, could later thank the Lord for the trials he had to go through, since it brought him closer to the Lord. Probably there are those among our readers who may say the same in their life.

Our chapter begins, “And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham.” This occurred after the fulfillment of God’s promise in the birth of Isaac. It seemed that Abraham had reached the summit of prosperity. He had also made a covenant with Abimelech. He was powerful and rich; he had received the child of promise. It seemed as if he had a life of only sunshine. Probably, young people, you think the same of certain people whom you know. They have everything they wish for, and you have so many problems. You should remember that we receive both prosperity and adversity in our lives. Everybody will experience the consequences of sin in his life, just as the Preacher says, “All things come alike to all” (Ecclesiastes 9:2a).

God’s Word also tells us that summer and winter, cold and heat, will alternate with each other. This is also visible in the life of God’s children. Often, after they experience God’s goodness in their life and hope to go on from strength to strength, suddenly their circumstances change greatly in their heart or life. Thus, according to God’s counsel, it was the time to try Abraham’s faith.

Adversity is often a heavy cross to bear, especially when we are not united with God’s will. Then we will murmur like the children of Israel did in the desert. But do we realize that richness and power are even greater dangers, because then we sometimes think that we do not need God anymore? Then we can do it ourselves. And when a trial suddenly comes, we are not prepared for it at all.

In verse 1 we read, “God did tempt Abraham.” God is Elohim. It did not come from Satan, as we might have expected, but from God. This tempting was not to lead into sin, but to test, or to prove, as we find it in several places in the Bible (Exodus 16:4; Deuteronomy 8:2 and 13:3; 2 Chronicles 32:31; Psalm 26:2). It is true that in other places “to tempt” is used in the different sense of urging or exciting to sin. So the Lord Jesus was tempted by Satan (Luke 4:2). In this history it is not used in this sense, but as it is expressed by James 1:13, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man.”

The Lord would lay on Abraham’s shoulders a very difficult task, to see if he were so subject to the Lord that he would be willing to fulfill this nearly impossible requirement. Upon obedience, he would experience the favor of the Lord, although this was still hidden for him. Abraham would be tempted by the Lord. We should keep in mind that this is spoken of the Lord in a human way, for God knows what is in the heart. He knew the outcome before the temptation began, but God’s intention was that this tempting would lead to a clear revelation of His work in the heart of His servant. The apostle writes in 1 Peter 1:7, “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”

If you would ask why such tempting must take place, then the answer is, first of all, that it is God’s will that the gold of faith may be purified. The Lord will be glorified before angels and saints. But at the same time, it is so that the accuser of the brethren would be ashamed, as we know from the history of Job. Such temptations like that of Abraham and of the believer generally also have the purpose that the neighbors may see the power of faith and the magnitude of God’s work and will be excited to follow after a like faith.

As we have already seen, such tempting of the believer will lead to the welfare of the person himself. But what happens when they fall into sin? When they cannot resist the temptation, then in that way they may learn how dependent they are, and remain, upon the Lord. If He leaves us to ourselves for one moment, then we will fall into sin. Even in the way of humiliation, God will receive the honor and the soul the benefit: “Without Me ye can do nothing.”

Satan’s temptations are with the devilish desire that they may lead to sin and to the destruction of God’s creatures. Manifold are the temptations in our days, but in general we do not see them anymore. We become so acquainted with sin, and so heedless of the danger, that we go along. When you look back in your life, let us say, only ten years, then you must confess that many things which were not allowed in those days may now be done. What does this mean? It means that we are pouring water into the wine of our religion, and that we ourselves decide what is good and what is evil. This is very dangerous, because God does not change, nor does His law. Therefore we should continually ask the Lord to keep us and lead us according to His will, even though many times this will not be so easy!

The tempting of the Lord will sooner or later lead to the welfare of God’s child. The Lord had called Abraham by his name, which means father of many nations. How would this be fulfilled? These nations would come forth out of Isaac, according to the promise. The Lord reminded His servant of this name and of what He had promised. In him, in his child, all the generations of the earth would be blessed. Already before Abraham knew the temptation, he was reminded of God’s promise and unchangeable faithfulness.

The answer of Abraham was, “Behold, here I am.” This is a wonderful answer. When the Lord called Adam, he hid himself in the midst of the garden, but the Lord Jesus gave Himself willingly as the Lamb of God. Because the Lord would go first, it was possible for Abraham to follow, and he was inclined to listen to the Word of God. Soon he would know the contents of God’s message to him. “And He said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.”

Abraham must have been stunned by these words. There can be sacrifices which the Lord requires from us, whereof we say so easily, “They are too heavy for our shoulders.” It is possible that we think a little lightly of this history, which we have heard so many times. But what would it be if one of our dear ones were involved? We love our children with parental love. When we lose a child by death, it can break our heart; we will never forget it. But in that case, our child is taken away by the Lord. In this history, the father had to sacrifice his child himself. He may not think it over, nor hesitate, nor delay, since the Lord said, “Take now.” He had to take his own son, not the child of another family, but his own flesh and blood. God’s explanation went even further, “Thine only son Isaac.” Abraham was also the father of Ishmael, but Isaac was the son of promise. Abraham had waited twenty-five years for him. Isaac was for his father a sign of God’s unchangeable faithfulness. The Lord even added, “Whom thou lovest.”

The order and accumulation of the terms were calculated to excite the parental affection of the patriarch to the highest pitch and to render compliance with the divine demand a trial of the utmost severity. The Lord required Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on one of the mountains He would show. Moriah means vision-, it was a place where the Lord would reveal Himself. Here the temple of the Lord would be built, wherein the Lord would reveal Himself in His righteousness, His sovereignty, and His grace. So the Lord would reveal Himself also to Abraham.

What would be our answer to the Lord upon such a requirement? I do not dare to write it down, but I am afraid it would be totally different from the attitude of the father of the faithful. What was Abraham’s answer? The next morning he rose up early, he saddled his ass, and he took with him two of his young men and Isaac his son. He prepared wood for the sacrifice and traveled to the place to which the Lord had directed him.

It is written so simply — as if it were a daily endeavor. Do not forget that this was possible only by faith. He was submissive to the will of God, although he did not comprehend it all. He arose early! Very likely he did not sleep much that night after the Lord had spoken to him. The thoughts multiplied in his heart so that he could not sleep. Do you sometimes have sleepless nights? Possibly when you are thinking about exams? Or sometimes also thinking about God and His service?

Still, there are examples in which people in the greatest need could sleep. How can this be possible? I think of Psalm 3, where David said, “I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.” This psalm speaks of the time when David fled from his son Absalom, who pursued him with his army. It was evening, but the next morning the battle would explode and would most likely lead to David’s defeat. And then? He could sleep, because he trusted in the Lord. He was supported by the Lord in a great measure.

We can speak very easily about this topic, but when we look at ourselves, then we have to say, “Lord, I never could have done what was required of Abraham.” And so it would be with every father, also with Abraham, if he did not have the support of the Lord. “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” With His help we can overcome everything.

Young people, so it can also be that the Lord requires sacrifices from you. It can be in the school which we attend. There are certain things from which we must abstain, even though we feel peer pressure. The devil tries to lead us away from the service of God. We often hear from young people how difficult it is to say “no” to all kinds of worldly activities. Keep in mind that it is better to receive the favor of the Lord than the praise of men. We hope that the Lord may use this well-known history of Abraham and Isaac to stimulate you to walk steadfastly, with His help, in the paths of God’s law. You will never regret it.

— to be continued —

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