Rev. Don Campbell
THOUGHT FOR TODAY, JANUARY 19, 2019: ABRAHAM GOT IT WRONG, BUT HE STILL GOT IT RIGHT [Gen 22-24]
If we were not so familiar with the narrative, these words would send a chill through our soul: “After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, ‘Abraham!” And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you’” (Gen 22:1-2). Abraham obeyed and reached out his hand to kill his beloved son, but the angel of the Lord called out to Abraham, “‘Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, ‘Here I am.’ He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided’” (Gen 22:11-14).
When Isaac asked about the absence of a sacrificial lamb, Abraham had replied, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son” (Gen 22:8). Clearly, Abraham—in spite of these words—had no idea what God would do. Had the angel not stilled Abraham’s hand, then he would have plunged the knife into his beloved son.
Fortunately, we have inspired commentary on this incident: “By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, ‘Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.’ He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back’” (Heb 11:17-19). Abraham was wrong in his belief that God would raise Isaac from the dead, but he was right in his act of offering his son.
When the Lord gives a command, those who walk in the steps of our father Abraham will obey that command. They may be wrong about how the command exactly relates to their salvation but being wrong about the “how” does not nullify the what (their obedience).
One may be wrong about many things and be right about Christ. On the other hand, one could be right about everything, but if one is wrong about Christ, one is wrong, dead wrong.
CONNECTIONS
1. Apparently, some of the Roman believers did not understand that baptism was a public proclamation of their faith in the Lamb provided by God and their union with that sacrifice. Did Paul demand that they be re-baptized?
2. At Ephesus, Paul did have some re-immersed (Acts 19:1-7). What reason does Paul give? Would Romans 10:14 shed light on the question?
