Today's Scripture
Binding Isaac GENESIS 22:1-19
Today’s Reading Schedule: Genesis 22-24(CEB)- Click to read
After these events, God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!”
Abraham answered, “I’m here.”
2 God said, “Take your son, your only son whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him up as an entirely burned offering there on one of the mountains that I will show you.” 3 Abraham got up early in the morning, harnessed his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, together with his son Isaac. He split the wood for the entirely burned offering, set out, and went to the place God had described to him.
4 On the third day, Abraham looked up and saw the place at a distance. 5 Abraham said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will walk up there, worship, and then come back to you.”
6 Abraham took the wood for the entirely burned offering and laid it on his son Isaac. He took the fire and the knife in his hand, and the two of them walked on together. 7 Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father?”
Abraham said, “I’m here, my son.”
Isaac said, “Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the entirely burned offering?”
8 Abraham said, “The lamb for the entirely burned offering? God will see to it,[a] my son.” The two of them walked on together.
9 They arrived at the place God had described to him. Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He tied up his son Isaac and laid him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to kill his son as a sacrifice. 11 But the Lord’s messenger called out to Abraham from heaven, “Abraham? Abraham?”
Abraham said, “I’m here.”
12 The messenger said, “Don’t stretch out your hand against the young man, and don’t do anything to him. I now know that you revere God and didn’t hold back your son, your only son, from me.” 13 Abraham looked up and saw a single ram[b] caught by its horns in the dense underbrush. Abraham went over, took the ram, and offered it as an entirely burned offering instead of his son. 14 Abraham named that place “the Lord sees.”[c] That is the reason people today say, “On this mountain the Lord is seen.”[d]
15 The Lord’s messenger called out to Abraham from heaven a second time 16 and said, “I give my word as the Lord that because you did this and didn’t hold back your son, your only son, 17 I will bless you richly and I will give you countless descendants, as many as the stars in the sky and as the grains of sand on the seashore. They will conquer their enemies’ cities. 18 All the nations of the earth will be blessed because of your descendants, because you obeyed me.” 19 After Abraham returned to the young men, they got up and went to Beer-sheba where Abraham lived.
RJ's Devotion
What Does the passage Mean to Me/US?
We remember, from yesterday, the result of people’s disobedience.
On the other hand, we see how Abraham is striving to be obedient to his Lord.
Was it easy? I do not think so. I always believe that during the three days of travel toward Moriah, the place where God described, Abraham was praying. For Abraham, this was a difficult task to follow, but he strived to be faithful to God.
God saw his obedience and his faithfulness. And God says, “All the nations of the earth will be blessed because of your descendants, because you obeyed me” (Genesis 22:18).
Do you remember that this was the result of the covenant, shared when God first called Abraham (Genesis 12:3).
God calls us to faithfully remain in God’s covenant to become a blessing to the world.
Then the question is, ‘do we strive to be obedient to God’s call?
Prayer
Lord, help us to remain faithful to your call. Through our obedience, use us as a blessing to the world. In Christ Name, we pray, AMEN
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