January 26 - Worshipping by Obeying

Genesis 22
"God did tempt Abraham” – v.1
“Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest” – v. 2
“go yonder and worship” – v. 5
 
If you’ve never studied the Bible with the law of first mention in mind, you have missed out on some nuggets of the subtle added importance of the Truth. This refers to the first time something is mentioned or referred to within the Scripture. Obviously this happens a lot in Genesis, but especially in Genesis 22 within the account of God commanding Abraham to take Isaac atop one of the mountains of Moriah and offer him as a burnt offering.
 
Temptation (Trial) – “God did tempt Abraham”
Abraham knew exactly what it meant to offer a burnt offering. I imagine he didn’t sleep a wink that night due to the agonizing pictures of Isaac that must have went through his mind. He could have ignored the command, much like we ignore God’s commands each day of our lives. He could have slayed someone else’s son, but he didn’t. Abraham rose up early in the morning after the first God given trial, and he obeyed.
 
Love - “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest”
This first mention of love declares Isaac as the only son of Abraham’s who God recognized. This is a great type of the love that God the Father has for His Son, Jesus Christ.  The Father’s love for His Son. Where would we be today if not for the love of the Father for the Son?
 
Worship - “go yonder and worship”
It’s interesting that though Abraham knew what the Lord required, he described the process as worship. He was willing to accept the trial, and worship God through the pain. Worship is a word that has been tainted in today’s churches. Here, it is none other than Abraham and Isaac bowing themselves in reverence to a thrice holy God. In Abraham’s mind, Isaac was already sacrificed, and he must have believed that God would give him back his son, one way or another. Issac was spared once God saw the great faith that Abraham had in Him, regardless of the cost of the trial.
 
As the song refers to, I dare to say that most of us have an Isaac in our way of our walk with the Lord. Search your heart today, and find the Isaac. Lay it down, and watch God transform your life as only He can.
 
“Lay Your Isaac Down” – Billy Fields
Abraham prayed for the day
God would give him a son
Blessed Isaac was his name
The greatest gift he’d ever known
Then came the day, who would have dreamed
God would say, “Give him to me
On this mountain you must prove,
That it’s you and Isaac, or it’s me and you”
 
When I lay my Isaac down
With a broken heart but my Father’s proud
On this altar where he lays
Just to fine that it wasn’t him, God wanted me
 
Most of us, I’d dare to say
We have an Isaac standing in God’s way
On this altar God will prove
That it’s not your Isaac that God wants,
But He wants you
 
Bible Reading:
Exodus 1-2  |  Matthew 5  |  Proverbs 26