What Does The Story Of Abraham And Isaac Teaches Us

What Does The Story Of Abraham And Isaac Teaches Us

KEY SCRIPTURES: Genesis 12-26; Matthew 6:33; Proverbs 3:5-6

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Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not unto yours own understanding. 3:6 “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

INTRODUCTION

Abraham came from the lineage of Shem, one of the sons of Noah after the flood and was birthed by Terah. He was a faithful man and because of that God told him to leave his kindred and go to a place he will show him as his new dealing place. Abraham took his wife and his nephew with his servants and left for the new place. According to the book of Genesis, Abraham left Ur, in Mesopotamia, because God called him to find a new nation in an undesignated land that he later learned was Canaan. He obeyed unquestioningly the commands of God, from whom he received repeated promises and a covenant that his “seed” would inherit the land. Abraham was considered in the bible as a friend of God since he had a strong and deep faith in God. He never withheld anything from God. He served God with a perfect heart and due to this, God had much interest in him. God wanted to make a big person out of Abraham so that others through him will be blessed.

His hospitality nature makes him entertain angels and the promise of a covenant child was established in his life. Abraham gave birth to the long-awaited child at the age of hundred while his wife Sarah, was ninety years old. God had an assurance in Abraham’s ability to command his family and household to serve the Lord. This was shown in the life of his Chief servant, Eliezer, when he was sent to look for wife for Isaac, he prayed to God just as he has been taught by Abraham and in the latter life of growing up of Isaac, it was shown that he never questioned his father’s actions because he knew his father loved and serve God diligently and faithfully. When he was to be used for sacrifice by his father, he believed his father when he said that God will provide, and Isaac learnt from that incident that God is indeed a great provider. All the good moral upbringing also manifested in Isaac’s life because Abraham was a good role model in his life. From Isaac’s story, he learnt to hear from God too just as his father, learn to pray and answers were given for his prayers, he learnt the act of sacrificing to God and God blessed him too. There are many lessons the story of Abraham and Isaac taught us which will be mentioned in this article.

1. OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S INSTRUCTION: Exodus 19:5

Abraham always obeyed God’s instruction even when it wasn’t logical to the human understanding. He learnt to forsake the idols of his family and cleave to the promised of the Almighty God and his obedience also rubbed off in the life of Isaac because even after Abraham was died and gone, Isaac continues to seek God in all areas of life and God always come through for him even in difficult situations. As believers, we should learn to trust God’s direction and guidance because he knows the end from the beginning, and he has a better and brighter future in store for us. Some God’s directives might not make sense or be logical to human comprehension but trust in the process and at the end, unspeakable joy will be experienced.

2. GOOD STEWARDSHIP: Titus 1:7-9

Abraham and Isaac were good stewards for God. God couldn’t hide anything he wanted to do from Abraham because He knows the worth of Abraham in God’s kingdom. Abraham and Isaac were faithful to God and all the ordinances of God. They were always ready to build altars for God in all locations they found themselves and they were peacemakers too and these traits make us have good servants that know God diligently. As Christians, being a good stewardship in the household of faith just like Abraham and Isaac are what is required from us. The early Christians practiced this, and more people were added to the kingdom of God. Our lives as believers must reflect Christ to others and bring them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We are expected to participate in all the ordinances given to us by God.

3. FAITH IN THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS: 1 Peter 1:3

When God provided the ram for the sacrifice instead of the killing of Isaac, it teaches us that God loved us and don’t want the death of sinners and that was why he provided a ram which in the New Testament represent the sending of Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of God to die for my sins. We are expected to have faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and believe in the ultimate price God gave us to redeem us from eternal condemnation. 

4. ACT OF SACRIFICE: Romans 12:1-2

From the story of Abraham and Isaac, they both have a lifestyle of sacrificing to God wherever they find themselves. Isaac must have learnt his act from Abraham because it was recorded in the bible that anywhere Abraham was, he always built an altar for God and sacrificed on that altar. Abraham’s sacrificial life started from him leaving his father, he had to separate from his nephew, he had to let go of his plans for Ishmael and he was also asked to sacrifice Isaac, the beloved child. This act of sacrificing due to obedience to God’s word and giving back to God at all times made God reveal himself more to Abraham. Abraham became God’s friend and enjoyed strong fellowship with God. Likewise, Isaac also enjoyed a strong relationship with God as the promised child because God never left him or forsook him. God blessed all his sacrifices, and he reaped the fruits of his labor in God. The story of Abraham and Isaac pictured Abraham as God the father, who sacrificed his son, Jesus Christ pictured as Isaac to save mankind from the dangers of hell fire. As Abraham and Isaac lived a sacrificial life, we as Christians should be willing to give all for God because he never withheld his son for us. We must be willing to surrender our lives to our creator and in return, he will provide all that you need out of life.

5. UNLIMITED BLESSINGS: Deuteronomy 28:1-14

When Abraham and Isaac obeyed God, God blessed and prospered the works of their hands, and they lack nothing. As believers, our source of blessings is in God’s hands. All we need to do is to obey the leading and guidance of God and God will bless us tremendously and where people are saying there is a casting down, there will always be a lifting up in our camp because God is involved.

CONCLUSION

The ultimate lesson in Abraham and Isaac’s story is that we must follow the Lord no matter what because He will always be by our side. He will always live within us through the Holy Spirit. God has a plan for everyone. He provides unconditional love for each of His children and asks them to trust Him even though no one really knows what the outcome will be.