Honey From The Rock

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Honey From The Rock
Psalm 81:16

"Sweet Stuff From God's Word"

A daily Bible study with Victor Knowles
Copyright 2007

THIRD-DAY FAITH

This entry was posted on 02-23-2010 and is filed under STUDIES IN GENESIS.

"On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, 'Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you'" (Gen. 22:4, 5 NKJV).

This is one of the most remarkable statements of faith ever uttered. We will worship and then we will come back to you! God had instructed Abraham to take his son - his only son, Isaac, whom he loved - to the region of Moriah and offer him on one of the mountains. Early the next morning (notice that Abraham did not delay) he arose, saddled the donkey, split the wood, and departed for Moriah. On the third day they arrived and that is when Abraham made this remarkable statement to his servants. Did the servants think anything was out of the ordinary? Probably not. I doubt that Abraham had shared what God told him with anyone. Not even Isaac understood the import of what his father had just said. It was not until later that Isaac caught on to what was happening.

Abraham's declaration was more for himself than anyone else. The Ryrie Study Bible says, "Abraham's confidence that Isaac would return with him from the place of sacrifice stemmed from his implicit belief in resurrection." Study the parallel passage of this account in Hebrews 11:17-19. "Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death" (Heb. 11:19 NIV). Had Abraham ever seen anyone raised from the dead? No. But did He believe that God could do it? Yes. Because of this tremendous demonstration of faith in the resurrection power of God, Abraham received God's assurance and confirmation of the covenant (vs. 15-18). Abraham and his son then descended the mountain, just as Abraham had promised the servant who was told to stay with the donkey (v. 19). The servant was probably as clueless as the donkey as to the drama that had taken place on Mt. Moriah. Worship is sometimes a breathtaking experience as Abraham and Isaac found out that dramatic day.

Prayer: Father, grant to us the third-day faith of our father Abraham! Through Christ, our sacrificial Lamb, we pray.