The Three Tests.

May the mumbling commence!

In today’s reading, Abraham passes three tests.

Test # One: The Lord asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac – the son of the promise, the only son of the promise.  The next morning, Abraham takes the needed wood, fire, and knife for the sacrifice.  Isaac and a couple of servants travel with him. 

When they near the mountain of sacrifice, Abraham and Isaac continue alone.  It, then, becomes apparent that this is not the first time they have gone to sacrifice to the Lord together.  Isaac realizes that there is no lamb to sacrifice.  Abraham tells him that God will provide.  After Abraham binds Isaac (and Isaac allows himself to be bound), Abraham raises the knife to sacrifice his son. 

Then, the Angel of the Lord interrupts Abraham.  He has passed the test; he has not withheld from God his only son.  And the Lord does provide a sacrifice – a ram.  And, for Abraham, Isaac is as good as raised from the dead.  God does not want human sacrifice; this was only a test.

Test # Two:  Sarah dies at a ripe old age.  Abraham mourns for his wife.  Where will Abraham seek to bury his wife?  Most of the time, people want to be buried in the place they think of as home. 

Abraham could have been missing his home even more, now that his wife was dead.  It was an opportunity to return to his former home to bury Sarah and die in his home country.  Then, he could live out his last days in a place where family was. 

But Abraham, instead, chose to buy a burial plot in the Promised Land.  This place, where he was an alien and stranger, was his home now.  In his grief, Abraham looked forward instead of backward.  Indeed, he was looking forward to a new home that he would never see in his time on earth.  Again, Abraham passes the test.

Test # Three:  Abraham’s son, Isaac, was much younger and more vulnerable than his father when his mother died.  Isaac must have been heart stricken when Sarah died.  Abraham knew that Isaac would need a wife, so he commands his servant to go back to his father’s country and get a wife for Isaac from his family.  Abraham insisted on two things – one, Isaac must not marry a Canaanite woman; two, Isaac must stay in the Promised Land.  He was emphatic about these two things.

His servant asked what he should do if the woman refused to come with him.  Abraham trusted that God would make his servant’s mission successful.  Even if it wasn’t, Abraham would release his from his oath.

And God was with Abraham’s servant.  The story is re-told within Genesis 24 several times.  Each time new details are added as they develop.  It helps in memory work, but it also helps to drive home the point that God is with and blesses those who seek His path.  And the mission was accomplished posthaste.  Again, Abraham passes the test.  With Rebekah, Isaac is comforted from his mother’s death.

In each test, Abraham shows that his focus is on the Lord and the path God has chosen for him.  Isaac was not more important to Abraham than God.  Isaac was a miracle of God.  God could do another miracle! 

Even in mourning, the path of God had more pull on Abraham than the path leading back to his homeland and his broader family.  Abraham was so certain that this place was home that he not only buried Sarah there but he also refused to tempt his son Isaac with a taste of the place that he once knew as home.

Abraham’s hand was firmly on Isaac showing him the way to follow God throughout his life.

This day, I give thanks for my son, Micah.  May God guide me in raising Micah so that he will choose the path of God.  May God guide me so that Micah will see me walking the path God has put in front of me.  

Enough mumbling for this day…

Peace Out