If God told me to offer my daughter as a sacrifice, I don’t know if I could do that. I think I would cry the entire journey up Mount Moriah.
I would love to say that I am as spiritual as Abraham.
I would love to say that I am as mature as he was.
I would even love to say that I am as obedient as he was.
But I am not.
Giving of His Only Son
In Genesis 22:1, the Bible states that God tested Abraham. The purpose was to see where Abraham’s faith would stand so that God could expose the true faith of Abraham.
God tells Abraham to take his son, his “only son”, to Moriah to offer him as a burnt offering. We know from studying the scriptures that Isaac was not Abraham’s only son. However, Isaac is Abraham’s only uniquely born son. He was the “miracle baby” of Sarah, age 90, and Abraham, age 100, promised by God.
In Hebrews 11:17 when speaking of the faith of the patriarchs, Isaac is referred to as Abraham’s “only begotten son” in the King James Version and New King James Version of the Bible. Interesting!
In Genesis 22:5, Abraham is very confident that he and Isaac will return together. What great faith! In Hebrews 11:18, it states that God had told him, “Through Isaac, descendants will carry on your name.” Abraham reasoned that God could even raise Isaac from the dead. What great faith!
God’s Miraculous Provision
Abraham trusted wholeheartedly in God’s promises to him. He trusted in God’s covenant with him. Not only did Abraham have great faith, but Isaac did as well. Biblical scholars believe Isaac was between the age of a teenager and a young adult during this event. Isaac was easily able to wrestle his elderly father and run away. However, Isaac demonstrated great faith, obedience, and submission by allowing his elderly father to bind him to the altar.
God ultimately stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac. He provided a ram to be used as the burnt offering. God provided a substitute sacrifice. Abraham named Mount Moriah “The Lord provides.” This moment was a foreshadowing of Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice for the sins of the world.
Strengthening Faith
I would like to think that I would faithfully obey God, but I can’t be sure that I actually would. I would truly struggle with letting go of my daughter.
Why would God need to test someone’s faith?
First Peter 1:6-7 states that God will test our faith in order to strengthen and purify it, not to destroy it. James 1:2-4 tells us that tests of our faith and trials will ultimately produce endurance, maturity, and a stronger relationship with God. So these tests of faith are very necessary for spiritual growth and maturity.
God has been gradually loosening my grip from my daughter lately because He truly loves her more than I ever could. Because God sacrificed His only begotten Son, Jesus, for not only my sin but all sin in this world, I can stop trying to protect and control her and just trust in God’s great love for my daughter.
Psalms 127:3 states that our children are considered a gift from the Lord, meaning they are ultimately under His care. Trusting God allows me to rest in the knowledge that my daughter is never out of His reach. So I can step back in faith and allow God’s power, provision, and protection to begin to manifest gloriously in her life.
Please keep me and my daughter in your prayers. Thank you.
Peace and grace unto you,
Terria
