Explore: The faith test

• The Explore the Bible lesson for Nov. 22 focuses on Genesis 22:1-14.

The Bible doesn’t teach coincidence. The Bible teaches divine providence. You will not find coincidence anywhere in God’s holy Scripture. You will, however, find his perfect providence happening time and time again. Not only do we find this in Scripture; it is the same in our lives today.

Have you ever wondered: “How did the biblical authors know? How did they write with such amazing foreshadowing?” The story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac is another incredibly “Christocentric” Old Testament story. Please allow me to illuminate a few portions of the story.

Abraham tested

Then God said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about (v. 2). Our heavenly Father understood the heavy notion of “your only son.”  After the long, painful wait for a son, Abraham now was being tested to sacrifice that only son. And just as God had not given Abram an exact land where he would be led, so in this story God doesn’t yet reveal the exact mountain upon which the sacrifice would take place.

Abraham was tested over and over again regarding specific details, but it didn’t stop him. In fact, it gave him the opportunity to follow God but leave the details up to him.

Early the next morning, Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son, Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God told him about (v. 3). Abraham takes a long journey, and a donkey is mentioned.

Now, I hate to burst your bubble, especially as we near Christmas, but the Bible does not indicate pregnant Mary, the mother of Jesus, rode on a donkey to Bethlehem. That’s folklore from popular hymns. However, Jesus does ride on a donkey, a long journey, to begin the last week of his life. In fact, it is the last listed mode of transportation for Jesus, the Messiah.

On the third day, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance (v. 4). Coincidence? On the third day? There is a powerful dynamic at play in this short little verse. Of course, looking forward in the metanarrative of Scripture, Jesus rose on the third day, beating off the shackles of death. In a reflective way, Abraham must have been a “walking dead man” on this terrible three-day journey.

The faith of Abraham

Based on the totality of the story, Abraham fully expected to sacrifice his son. He even cut the wood for the burnt offering. Now, upon arriving at the God-ordained place, a “tomb,” the final resting place for his only son, Abraham must have felt unbearable grief in his heart. 

Hebrews 11:19 is helpful here: “Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from the dead.” We have the advantage of knowing the end of the story. According to Hebrews, Abraham actually believed he would sacrifice his son to God. One can’t even begin to imagine the faith of Abraham. Hebrews indicates Abraham trusted God could raise his son from the dead. Simply amazing.

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. Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife” (vv. 5-6). This may be the most astounding Christocentric thought of this entire amazing story.

Abraham, the father of Isaac, took the wood he cut and placed it, presumably, on the shoulders of his son, and they walked up a hill to what Abraham believed would be the place of sacrifice. Does this sound coincidental to you? It reflects the very essence of what happened with Jesus Christ as he walked to Golgotha. I read this passage and ask, “How did the author know?” Well, the author didn’t know, but God knew, and he inspired the writer. 

After the angel of the Lord stops Abraham from sacrificing Isaac, this portion of the story concludes: “Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son” (v. 13). Coincidence? Of course not. Truly, who could be that lucky? God provided the ram, at just the right time, in just the right place. He is a providential God.

God’s providence in the smallest of details

Some of our dear church friends are Craig and Jamie Moreau. Craig is a fireman, and Jamie is a schoolteacher. Several years ago, we were so excited for this family as they were expecting. Their first child was a health risk for Jamie, because she experienced pre-eclampsia, high blood pressure while pregnant. So a second pregnancy was a blessing and also a scary time for this young family.

All was going well until Jamie went into labor at 26 weeks. Baby Austin actually was doing quite well for being born so prematurely, but one bad day was all it took. He went home to be with his heavenly Father a few days before Thanksgiving.

A few years later, the Moreau family joined our mission team for our annual baseball camp ministry in Germany. We divide into teams, teach children and teenagers basic baseball rules, how to play the game, but mostly, we lead “team time,” a special time to share the gospel. Building the teams is a big deal and a really hard process. Imagine trying to draft a baseball team when you’ve only watched the kids play about 10 minutes. We pray a lot when we create the teams. Mostly, we ask God to connect German kids with Texans who will be a major spiritual encouragement to each child.

At the end of one team time, a young German boy on Craig’s team, I will call him “Timo,” stayed behind to talk to Craig. He didn’t know anything about the Moreau’s story. He broke down, saying he felt guilty because he was having so much fun at baseball camp. The statement confused Craig, and he feared the interpreter had made a mistake. Timo went on to explain that, just a few months before, his mom died, and this was the first time he had experienced joy since her death. 

A pact of prayer

Craig told Timo about the loss of baby Austin, so they made a pact with each other. Anytime Craig felt sad because of the loss of Austin, he agreed to pray for Timo. Timo promised to do the same when he missed his mother. And I can tell you, my friend Craig Moreau still misses baby Austin to this day, and he is faithful to pray for Timo and his tremendous loss.

There were nearly 200 baseball players in baseball camp that year. Timo was assigned to the Moreaus simply because of prayer. Coincidence? Of course not. In fact, I can say with certainty, I don’t believe in coincidence; I believe in divine providence. Why? It’s all the Bible teaches.

Just ask Abraham as he loosed the ram from the thicket.

Application ideas for your Bible study group:

1. What has happened in your life that looks like coincidence, but is truly divine providence? How can we be certain it is truly God at work in our lives?

2. How has God intervened in your life? In the life of your family? How did you know it was God?