Schoolmaster to Christ
GENESIS CHAPTER 22

Scripture Reading: Genesis 22 (KJV)

Abraham’s morality is now in a position so that his heart may be put to a most severe test. The long-cherished reserve having been put forth from his heart in Genesis 20; the bond-woman and her son having been put forth from his house as in Genesis 21; he now stands in the most honored position any soul can be placed – a position of trial from the hand of God Himself. There are trials from the hand of Satan and trials from surrounding circumstances; but the highest character of trial is that which comes directly from the hand of God, when He puts His child into the furnace for the purpose of testing his faith. God will do this: He must have reality. It will not do to say "Lord, Lord," or, "I go." The heart must be probed, so that no element of hypocrisy or false profession lodges there. "My son, give me thine heart." He does not say, "give me thine head, or thine intellect, or thy talents, or thy tongue, or thy money;" but "give me thine heart." In order to prove the sincerity of our response to this gracious command, God will lay His hand on something near our hearts. Thus he says to Abraham, "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." This came very close to Abraham's heart, and was surely passing him through a searching crucible. God "requires truth in the inward parts." There may be much love on our lips, and in our intellect, but God Himself was not satisfied with giving an ordinary proof. He gave His Son, and we should aim at giving striking proofs of our love to Him who so loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses and sins.

However, God confers a signal honor on us when He tests our hearts. We never read that "the Lord tempted Lot." No; Sodom tempted Lot. He never reached a sufficiently high elevation to warrant being tried by the hand of Jehovah. It was obvious that there was plenty between his heart and the Lord, and, therefore, the furnace was not required to bring that out. Sodom held no temptation to Abraham. This we know from his interview with Sodom's king in chapter 14. God knew that Abraham loved Him more than Sodom; but did he love God more than any one or anything? Would Abraham lay his hand on his nearest and dearest object? "Take now thy son, thine only son, Isaac." Yes, Isaac, the child of promise; Isaac, the object of long-deferred hope, the object of parental love, and the one in whom all the kindreds of the earth would be blessed. This Isaac must be offered as a burnt-offering. This surely put faith to the test, so that being more precious than gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, it might be found unto praise, and honor, and glory. Had Abraham's soul not been focused on the Lord, he never could have yielded unhesitating obedience to such a searching command. But God Himself was the living and abiding support of his heart, and therefore he was prepared to give up all for Him.

The soul that has found its springs in God, can retire from creature streams. In other words, we can give up the creature only in proportion as we become acquainted with the Creator, and no further. To attempt giving up visible things in any other way, save in the energy of that faith which lays hold of the invisible, is a fruitless labor. It simply cannot be done. I withhold my Isaac until I have found my all in God. It is when, by faith, we are able to say "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble," that we can also add, "therefore will we not fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea" (Ps. 46:1, 2).

"And Abraham rose up early in the morning." This is true obedience. "I made haste and delayed not to keep thy commandments." Faith never stops to look at circumstances, or ponder results; it looks only at God. It expresses itself thus: "But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood" (Gal. 1:1, 5, 16). Our testimony and service are marred the moment we confer with flesh and blood, because flesh and blood can never obey. We must rise early, and, through grace, carry out God’s command. By so doing, we are blessed, and God is glorified. Having God's own Word as the basis of our action imparts strength and stability to our action. If we merely act from impulse, then, when the impulse subsides, the action will also subside.

Two things are needful to a course of steady and consistent action – the Holy Spirit as the power of action, and the Word to give proper direction. To use a familiar illustration: the power of a train is of little use without iron rails firmly laid down; the former is the power by which it moves; and the latter, the direction. Abraham was blessed with both. He had the power of action conferred by God; and the command to act also given by God. It is important that Abraham’s devotedness was of a definite character. We often find much that looks like devotedness, but, in reality, is but the desultory activity of a will not brought under the powerful action of the Word of God. All such apparent devotedness is worthless, and the spirit from which it proceeds quickly evaporates. We offer the following principle: whenever devotedness passes beyond divinely appointed bounds it is suspicious, and defective; if it flows without them it is erratic. There are extraordinary operations and ways the Spirit of God asserts His own sovereignty, rising above ordinary bounds. However, in such cases the evidence of Divine activity will be sufficiently strong to convict the spiritual mind. And, such cases will never interfere with the truth that spiritual devotedness will always be founded on and governed by Divine principle. To sacrifice a son might seem to be an act of extraordinary devotedness; but remember that in God’s sight the value lies in the simple fact that it has been based on God's command.

There is something else connected with true devotedness – a spirit of sonship. "I and the lad will go yonder and worship." The truly devoted servant keeps his eye on the Master, not on service; this produces a spirit of worship. If we are thinking only of Him, planting churches and making tents will both be alike to us. We see the same thing in angelic ministry. It matters not to an angel whether he is sent to destroy an army, or protect an heir of salvation – the Master fills his vision. In other words, if two angels were sent from heaven, one to rule an empire, and the other to sweep the streets, they would not dispute about their respective work. So it should be with us. The servant should always be combined with the worshipper, and the works of our hands perfumed with the ardent breathings of our spirits. In other words, we should do our work in the spirit of those memorable words, "I and the lad will go yonder and worship." This would effectually preserve us from that merely mechanical service into which we are so prone to drop; doing things for doing's sake; being more occupied with our work than with our Master. All must flow from simple faith in God, and obedience to His Word.

"By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises, offered up his only-begotten" (Heb. 11:17). It is only as we are walking by faith that we can begin, continue, and end our works in God. Abraham not only set out to offer his son, but he continued until he had reached the spot appointed by God.

‘And Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife: and they went both of them together.’

And further on we read, "And Abraham built an altar there; and laid the wood in order; and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son."

This was real work, "A work of faith and labour of love," in the highest sense. It was no mere mockery; no drawing near with the lips while the heart was far off. No; it was all deep reality – a faith delighting to produce; that God delighted to accept. It is easy to make a show of devotedness when there is no demand for it. It is easy to say, "though all shall be offended because of thee, yet will never be offended . . . though I should die with thee, yet will not deny thee;" but proof is standing through the trial. When Peter was put to the test, he broke down. Faith never talks of what it will do, but does what it can in the strength of the Lord. Nothing is more worthless than a spirit of empty pretension. It is as worthless as the basis on which it rests. But faith acts "when it is tried;" and till then it is content to be unseen and silent.

Without a doubt, God is glorified in those Holy activities of faith. He is the immediate object of them; the spring from whence they emanate. There was not a scene in the entire history of Abraham in which God was more glorified than the scene on Mount Moriah. It was there that he was able to bear testimony to the fact that he had found all his fresh springs in God – not merely previous to, but after Isaac's birth. This is a very touching point. It is one thing to rest in God's blessings, and another to rest in God Himself. It is one thing to trust God when we have before our eyes the channel through which the blessing is to flow; and quite another thing to trust Him when that channel is not visible, but entirely stopped up. This was what proved the excellency of Abraham's faith. He showed that he could trust God not merely for an innumerable seed while Isaac stood before him in health and vigor; but just as fully if he were a smoking victim on the altar.¹ This was a high order of confidence in God; it was unalloyed confidence; it was not a confidence propped up, in part, by the Creator, and in part by the creature. No it rested on one solid pedestal – God Himself. "He accounted that God was able." He never accounted that Isaac was able. Without God, Isaac was nothing; without Isaac, God was everything. This is a principle of vast importance; eminently calculated to keenly test the heart. Does it make any difference to the Christian to see the apparent channel of all blessings dried up? Are we dwelling sufficiently near the fountain-head to behold, with a worshipping spirit, all the creature streams dried up? This is a searching question. Have we such a simple view of God's sufficiency to be able, as it were, to "stretch forth my hand and take the knife to slay my son." Abraham was able to do this, because his eye rested on the God of resurrection. "He accounted that God was able to raise him up even from the dead."

In a word, it was quiet enough to be dealing with God. He was not allowed to strike the blow. Abraham had gone to the very utmost bounds; be had come up to the line beyond which God could not allow him to go. The Blessed One spared Abraham’s heart the pain which He did not spare His own heart, in the smiting of His Son. Yes, our Blessed Father passed beyond the utmost bounds – "he spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all." "It pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief." There was no voice from heaven when on Calvary the Father offered up His only-begotten Son. No; it was a perfectly accomplished sacrifice; and in its accomplishment our everlasting peace is sealed.

However, Abraham's devotedness was fully proved, and fully accepted. ‘For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me.’ Powerful words: "now I know." It had never been proved before, but it was there, and God knew it; His knowledge founded on the palpable evidence afforded at the altar on Mount Moriah. Faith is always proved by action, and the fear of God by the fruits flowing from it. "Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar" (James 2:21). Who can call his faith in question? Take away faith, and Abraham appears on Moriah as a murderer; a madman. But through faith he appears as a devoted worshipper – a God-fearing, justified man. Yes, faith must be proved. "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works" (James 2:14).² Will either God or man be satisfied by a powerless and profitless profession? No; God looks for reality and honors it when He sees it; and as for man, he understands nothing except the living and intelligible utterance of a faith that shows itself in acts. Today, we are surrounded by the profession of religion; the phraseology of faith is on many lips; but true faith is a rare gem. True faith enables one to push out from the shore of present circumstances to meet the waves and the winds; and not only to meet them, but to endure them, even though the Master might seem to be asleep on the pillow.

It is interesting to note how Abraham's soul is led into a fresh discovery of God's character by the trial of his faith. When we are able to bear the testings of God's own hand, it is sure to lead us into some new experience regarding His character, causing us to realize how valuable testing is. If Abraham had not stretched out his hand to slay his son, he would never have known the rich and exquisite depths of the title he bestows on God – "Jehovah Jireh." It is only when we are really put to the test that we discover what God is. Without trial we are but theorists. But God wants us to enter into the living depths that are found only through personal communion with Him. How different the feelings and convictions of Abraham must have been as he retraced his steps from Moriah to Beer-sheba – from the mount of the Lord to the well of the oath! What different thoughts of God! What different thoughts of Isaac! What different thoughts of everything! Truly we may say, "Happy is the man that endureth trial.” It is an honor put on one by the Lord Himself, and the deep blessedness of the experience to which it leads cannot easily be estimated. It is when men are brought, to use the language of Psalm 107, "to their wits' end," that they discover what God is. We pray for grace to endure trial, so that God's workmanship may appear, and His name be glorified in us.

Before closing this chapter, there is another point that deserves consideration: the gracious way in which God gives Abraham credit for having done the act he had showed himself fully prepared to do.

"By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord; for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing, I will bless thee, and in multiplying, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies: and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed: because thou hast obeyed my voice."

This beautifully corresponds with the Spirit's notice of Abraham's action, as put before us in Hebrews 11 and also in James 2. In both of these Scriptures he is looked on as having offered Isaac his son upon the altar. The grand principle conveyed in the whole matter seems obvious: Abraham proved that he was prepared to have the scene entirely cleared of everything except God; and it was this same principle that both constituted and made him a justified man. Faith can do without every one and everything, except God. Faith has the full sense of His sufficiency. Thus, Abraham could rightly estimate the words, "by myself have I sworn." Yes, this wondrous word, "myself," was everything to the man of faith.

"For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he swear by himself . . . For men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath."

The word and oath of the living God should put an end to all the strivings and workings of the human will, and form the immovable anchor of the soul amid all the tossing and tumult of this stormy world.

Footnotes:
¹ Abraham actually never doubted God. In fact, he told his young man, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you” (Gen. 22:5, NKJV). Abraham’s faith was evident in the words, “we will come back to you.” No matter what was going to happen on Mount Moriah, Abraham trusted God to make it all work out according to His promise.
² Regarding the subject of justification, consider the beautiful harmony between James and Paul. The intelligent and spiritual student, who bows to the truth of the plenary inspiration of Holy Scripture, knows full well that on this question it is not with Paul or James we have to do, but the Holy Spirit, who graciously used both of those honored men as the pen to write His thoughts, just as you might take up a pen to write your thoughts, in which case it would be preposterous to speak of a discrepancy between the two pens, because the writer is one. Likewise, it is just as impossible that two divinely-inspired penmen could clash, as it is for two heavenly bodies, moving in their divinely appointed orbits, to collide. In reality, there is full and perfect harmony between these two apostles on the subject of justification. The one is the counterpart or exponent of the other. Paul gives us the inward principle, James the outward development of that principle. The former presents the hidden life, the latter presents the manifested life. Paul looks at man in relation to God; James looks at him in his relation to man. We need both: the inward would not do without the outward; and the outward would be valueless and powerless without the inward. “Abraham was justified” when “he believed God;” and “Abraham was justified” when “he offered Isaac his son.” In the former case we have his secret standing; in the latter, his public acknowledgement by heaven and earth. It is important to understand this distinction. There was no voice from heaven when “Abraham believed God,” though in God's view that “counted righteous;” but “when he had offered his son upon the altar,” God could say, “now I know;” and all the world had a powerful and unanswerable proof of the fact that Abraham was justified. Thus it will always be. Where there is the inward principle, there will be the outward action; but all the value of the latter springs from its connection with the former. Disconnect Abraham’s action, as set forth by James, from Abraham's faith as set forth by Paul, and what justifying virtue did it possess? None whatever; all its value, efficacy, and virtue, springs from the fact that it was the outward manifestation of that faith, by virtue of which he had already been counted righteous before God. So, the voice of the Holy Spirit is one, whether that voice is uttered by Paul or James.

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