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The Gospel of Abraham
We are a sacrificial society. Unfortunately, we sacrifice the wrong things. We forfeit the health of our soul for the health of our self and the satisfaction of our hunger for the convenience of our appetites. In my own life I find myself choosing the path that will inconvenience me least even when I know the role I should embrace puts me in a place that offers the most authentic experience of Jesus possible. Then I read about Abraham and his willingness to sacrifice Isaac, his obedience to God’s Word, his faith!?!? Misdirected? What father would sacrifice his own son, especially the son a promise made four chapters earlier (Genesis 18:15-21)?
The history of Abraham’s sacrifice prefigures Christ and His sacrifice (typology). The allegorical references between Christ and Abraham and Christ and Isaac heighten our sense that the focus of the passage is obedience to God made possible through faith in Him (and vice versa). God will provide a suitable sacrifice, in Abraham’s case, a ram, in our case, Christ himself. But, even if God had not provided the ram for Abraham to kill instead of Isaac, the writer of Hebrews, in fleshing out the typology, states that Abraham believed God could raise Isaac back from the dead in order to make good on His promise (Hebrews 11:17). He knows God at the next level.
It would be good to know God at the next level. I think it would silence the background noise of society and the pressure of enculturation.
I know it is possible because I see it in the life of Abraham, and as I confess that Jesus is the perfect sacrifice, suitable and accepted by God to take my place, the one who often sacrifices the wrong things. But, it gets better. Not only does he take our place, He comes to our place and we, by faith and His grace, are unified with Him. We are one with Christ and this intimate exchange of His Person is made possible by another gift God sent, the Holy Spirit! I hope you rest in that truth this Christmas. I pray it becomes the reality (and power, and peace, and joy) you live your life in every day.
Abraham’s act of faith would have landed him in jail and the Dept of Family and Children’s Services would have removed Isaac from their home had he lived in our day. I don’t think I could have obeyed God at that level. I have to trust that He’ll supply sufficient faith and grace for today’s obedience. Thanks Mark.
what do I do with that same thought… I couldn’t obey like Abraham obeyed? Does God want to do something in my life so I would? This is dangerous territory…