The Greatest Test—Part 3

How was Abraham able to submit to God’s command to sacrifice his son Isaac?  What was in the great patriarch’s heart as he contemplated killing his son?  Could such a deed really be God’s will?  The fulfillment of all God’s promises were dependent on Isaac.  Wouldn’t Abraham’s future be sacrificed along with Isaac?  Hebrews 11:19 tells us that Abraham “considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead.”  Here we are given an inside view of the working of Abraham’s faith in this trial.  Nothing is so great an enemy to faith as human reason, when it debates with faith for the throne of our hearts.  But when our reason serves faith, what a great friend it is!  In this passage, we see how Abraham reasoned in faith in this awesome trial.  He considered that God was able (don’t miss this!) to fulfill all the promises that concerned Isaac, no matter what obstacles were in the way.  He believed that God would turn the whole course of nature upside down rather than let one of His promises fail.  It was this belief that supported Abraham’s faith.  The patriarch believed what every Christian must believe—that God is able.  Our part is to trust God and obey His will in all things; it is on God’s shoulders to fulfill His promises.  Duty belongs to us; the burden of success must be left in God’s hands.  Simply obeying our Lord and leaving the consequences to Him eases our souls of a burden we were never meant to carry.  “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22).  We don’t cast our duty on the Lord, trust and obedience remains our part.  But we are to cast all our anxieties for the outcome on Him (1 Peter 5:6).