Tuesday, July 26, 2011

No one to call God back from the brink


For me, one of the most difficult events from the life of Abraham is how God tested him in relation to the life of his son, Isaac. (Gen 22)

How could God as Abraham to kill his son, his only son as part of a test?
It all seems so brutal?

First he tells Abraham the plan, then Abraham has to organise the trip, then travel 3 days with his son knowing all the time what was coming. Just how do you spend 3 days on a road trip with your son knowing what you have to do at the end of it.

Abraham's obedience and all out love for God is totally unbelievable.

Thankfully at the last second, with the knife in Abraham's hand, God calls him back from the brink and provides an alternative sacrifice.

As I read this story the parallels with God and His Son just shout from the page. As Isaac seemed to willingly submit to his fathers will even carrying the method of his sacrifice on his back as Jesus was to do so many years later.

Only one difference, Abraham was spared the excruciating pain and grief of his son being sacrifice. But no one called out at the last minute to save God the Father from His pain. There was no other substitute. I will be forever grateful that Jesus were willing to endure the cross and God the Father the grotesque pain of watching His Son be tortured and killed.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. - Heb 12 v 2

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