The Blessing of Abraham: Session 4 – The Best is Yet to Come

Notes:

The Best is Yet to Come    See Session Slides Here

God asked Abraham to offer Isaac. We feel a sense of outrage at this. How can we explain it?

1) From Abraham’s perspective. James 2:21-23. He professed faith, but that faith was found wanting on several occasions. There is really only one trial we will ever face – the trial of your faith. Faith has to be tested. Abraham’s faith was tested, not for God’s sake, but for Abraham’s and for all who will be made righteous by faith.

2) From God’s perspective. This is a picture of the Father offering up Jesus upon the Cross.

  • He was to offer Isaac on one of the mountains of Moriah. It was here that God told David to make a burnt offering, which later became the site of the temple. 2 Sam.24:18-25;  2 Chron.3:1. Most probably Calvary. See Gen. 22:14. The LORD provided salvation for us.
  • Gen. 22:4-5. Abraham told his two servants to remain behind while he and Isaac went on alone. They went so far, but no further. Like the two thieves with Christ on the Cross. They could not enter into the divine fellowship between Father and Son. God drew a curtain across so that no one else would enter into the depths of what was to take place.
  • “We will come back to you…” A declaration of resurrection, (Heb.11:17-19).
  • Gen. 22:6. A type of Jesus carrying His cross.
  • Gen. 22:7-8. God will provide Himself a Lamb. Yet it was a ram that was provided. The complete fulfillment awaits a lamb. “Behold the Lamb!”
  • Gen. 22:9-10. Isaac is probably 20-25, completely capable of overpowering an old man. Yet there is no protest from Isaac, (Isa.53:7).
  • Gen. 22:13. God calls once to Abraham to go, and twice to not go through with it! A ram caught in a thicket is a picture of Jesus with the crown of thorns.
  • This is the only time that God ever required a human sacrifice (in type). The first mention of ‘love’. The source of all love is that of the Father’s love for the Son. The first mention of love in the New Testament is in Matt.3:17.
  • See 1 John 4:10. The outrage we felt at Abraham offering his own son can now begin to be seen for what it was meant to demonstrate – the outrageous love of God!

The Best Is Yet To Come

  • Gen. 23:1-4. Abraham could rise up from mourning because he remembered he was a pilgrim.
  • Abraham did not possess one square meter of land on which to pitch his tent, let alone bury his dead! He is a pilgrim.
  • Gen. 12:7. The land was not promised to Abraham, but to his descendants. He never inherited the land. He dwelt in the land of promise for three generations living in tents.
  • This land was not his rest. He died in faith not having received the promise, teaching that the pilgrim’s heart is not fixed on present blessings but future inheritance.
  • Your blessings are not your inheritance, (1 Pet.1:3-4).
  • Abraham waited for a heavenly city, (Heb.11:9-10).
  • 1) A city which has foundations. “Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (Rev.21:4).
  • 2) Whose builder is God. “…you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet.2:5).
  • He makes provision for Isaac, as we make disciples. He left a legacy Gen. 25:5,6,11.
  • Your blessings are not your inheritance. They are what God has entrusted to you as part of your stewardship. Lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven.


   # Answers to this quiz are found in the notes above. Click on quiz to commence. Only correct spelling is recognised. A minimum 70%  correct is required to advance to the next session.