Friday, January 16, 2009

Abraham, Isaac & Future Generations

Gen 22: 7 -13: Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, "My father." And he replied, "Here I am, my son." Isaac said, "The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" Abraham answered, "God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." Then the two of them walked on together. When they arrived at the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" He replied, "Here I am." Then He said, "Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from Me." Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. And Abraham named that place The LORD Will Provide, so today it is said: "It will be provided on the LORD's mountain."

God provided the ram because Abraham honoured the Lord and was obedient to Him. For his obedience and reverence, Abraham was further blessed, he is the father of many nations and we are his heirs.

Verse 18 And all the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring because you have obeyed My command."

Thankfully we are redeemed by the shed blood of Jesus and are no longer called to make animal sacrifices; we should live sacrificially to the Lord and be a blessing.

We never know through our obedience to God who is blessed in the present and who will be blessed in the future. Who knows how many of us were prayed into the Kingdom by ancestors praying for future generations. Live as someone who is a blessed heir of Abraham and be a blessing!

1 comment:

luvmy4sons said...

A great post...we never know who will be blessed by our obedience. Powerful. Amen!