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Daily Devotion: Hebrews 11:17-19

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Hebrews 11:17-19    "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,  (18)  Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:  (19)  Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure."

Let's review the words of God when He called upon Abraham.  God said, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee." (Genesis 12:1)  It seems every step taken by Abraham was one of, "Follow me, I will show you when you get there." Each step taken was in faith of God's promise to him.  What was the ultimate promise given to Abraham? "I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee." (Genesis 12:2)  So as Abraham took each step of the journey, he surely had to keep this promise of God fresh in his heart and mind.

God promised Abraham a son.  When God had given that son to Abraham and Isaac, He then turned around and 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." (Genesis 22:2)  This verse is reflective of Abraham's entire life.  What is the dearest thing to you? Is it so dear that you could not lay it down? Is it so dear that you feel like you have to be in control of that very thing?  For Abraham, that "thing" was Isaac.  "By faith Abraham... offered up Isaac."  Abraham trusted the Lord so much that he was willing to give up Isaac, his only son that he loved dearly.

We all know this account and God's intervention by providing a ram as the substitute offering. We know that ram that was caught in the thicket is representative of God giving His Only Begotten Son, the One that He Loves!  We have so much to be thankful for as we think on this lesson this morning.  Abraham was called to offer his son, but God intervened. In the heart of Abraham, Isaac was going to be offered unto the Lord.  As our verses tell us this morning, in essence, Abraham received Isaac back from the dead.  I'm thankful that after three days and nights, our Heavenly Father received His only begotten Son back from the dead. And in that offering, atonement was made for our sins. We were redeemed through the shed blood of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

So I go back to a previous question: What is the dearest thing to you? Is it so dear that you could not lay it down?  When things do not seem to be working the way you want them to go, maybe it's time to place it into the hands of our loving Heavenly Father.  It may be that as the Gospel song states, we need to "lay our Isaac down." Entrust that thing or circumstance into the very hands of God.  He will provide.  "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?  (32)  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:31-32)

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