Now I Know!

“Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” Genesis 22:12

On Sunday, while we were learning about the rewards of intimate friendship with God, Roy asked a profound question, if the Akedah (the Binding of Isaac) was the proof that Abraham believed God. I answered yes, and reminded the Church, that it was indeed. Let me expand on it this morning.

When God commanded Abraham, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering,” the command seems to directly contradict his previous promises that Isaac would be the child of the covenant. Yet Abraham did not flinch. The test here was not about God wanting child sacrifice. The test was about Abraham’s heart and the object of his faith. Did he trust the promise-giver more than the promise itself?

According to Genesis 22, Abraham rose “early in the morning” to Moriah to obey. He built the altar, bound Isaac, and took the knife. At that critical moment, God intervened. An Angel of the Lord said to him, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

Please notice the phrase, “Now I know.” Abraham’s faith had moved from internal conviction to demonstrable, proven reality. His actions made his faith visible and complete.

Yesterday we concluded the service reading Hebrews 11:6 which says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Faith that pleases God is the faith that obeys even when the path seems contradictory, holding onto the character of the “rewarder” even when the reward is unseen. Abraham’s story assures us that such faith is never in vain and always leads to a deeper revelation of God’s provision.

Abraham passed this test of ultimate trust. And God swore by His own name to super-abundantly bless him and multiply his offspring, culminating in the blessing of all nations through his “seed”—ultimately, Jesus Christ.

Abraham’s journey to Moriah asks a question of each of us: what is the “Isaac” in my life? What precious thing: a dream, a relationship, job, waealth, a sense of control, has God given, that he may be asking me to place back on the altar? It is not that God desires to take it from us, but to ensure he has our whole heart. Remember, when temporary pruning and shaking happen, God is not cruel to you; his commitment is to perfecting in us a faith that is real, resilient, and ready to receive His ultimate provision. True faith is active surrender. It is the quiet, costly “yes” that echoes Abraham’s, a heartfelt trust in the giver above any gift.

Lord God, Jehovah-Jireh, We thank you for the testimony of Abraham, a witness that faith in you is never in vain. As your people, strengthen our trust in your perfect character when we cannot see your plan. Teach us to hold all you have given with open palms, trusting you as the faithful rewarder of those who diligently seek you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Kay Alli