Monday, December 11, 2006, Part 2

"[God] said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me" (Genesis 22:12).

IDEA: There are different kinds of knowing that explain the temptation of Abraham.

PURPOSE: To help listeners understand what God learned by testing Abraham.

Was what happened to Abraham an event in his life, or was it a test?

If it was a test, why did God give it?

I. How would you respond to these suggestions?

The test strengthened Abraham's faith.

The test gave Isaac a first-hand look at how deep Abraham's faith had become over the years.

The test ultimately demonstrated that God actually despises human sacrifice.

The test offered a foretaste of the father's pain in offering his son and the grace God showed in supplying a ram for the sacrifice. At Calvary God the Father went through the same pain but did not spare Himself the sacrifice.

II. The purpose of the test was for God's benefit.

The text clearly says in Genesis 22:12 that "I know you fear God because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."

God Himself focuses on what He gains from the test.

We are tempted to avoid this explanation rather than understand it. Why?