Old Testament                                        

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​​In Genesis 22:1 the Bible says, “Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith.”  

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Now this isn’t the only place in the Bible where we see that God tests people.  We will see it in the story of Moses and the wilderness journey.  Jesus also tested his disciples when he fed the 10,000.  

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God tests our faith.  It is a Biblical principle.  

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God’s test for Abraham was huge!  God told him to give him his son as a sacrifice.  The Bible isn’t detailed about what Abraham was thinking.  The word does tell us that Abraham did exactly what God said.  A great verse in Proverbs 3 says, “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, lean not on your own understanding, acknowledge Him in all your ways and He will direct your path.”  Proverbs hadn’t been written when Abraham obeyed God and tied his son on an altar. 

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It is so cool, that when Isaac asked his dad where is the sheep for the sacrifice, Abraham said, “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son.”

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ABRAHAM OBEYED GOD   

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God gave Abraham an order.  Abraham trusted God, did not lean on his own understanding, and he let God lead his path. 

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Now, about the test, did Abraham pass the test?  Did God approve? 

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Well look close at Genesis 22:12, “Don’t lay a hand on the boy!  Don’t hurt him in any way, for now I KNOW THAT YOU TRULY FEAR GOD.  YOU HAVE NOT WITHHELD FROM ME EVEN YOUR SON, YOUR ONLY SON." 

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Abe past the test!!!!!!!!!!!!  Abe past the test!!!!!!!!!!!!  

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How cool is that???????  

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​God wants each of us to pass his tests of faith!!!!!!!!!!!   ​

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We can do it!!!!!!!!!!!  God will give us the strength and faith to obey!!!   

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GOD WANTS US TO PASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  GOD WANTS TO BLESS EACH OF US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

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CONSEQUENCES TO HAVING GREAT FAITH!   

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And what were the consequences to Abraham passing this huge test? 

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This is what the Lord said in ​Genesis 22:16, “Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that I WILL CERTAINLY BLESS YOU." 

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God is the same yesterday, today and forever.  What He has done for others He will do for you!!!!  

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Blessings follow obedience.  The biggies in obedience are, “love God, love others, believe God, trust God, rely on God, fear God, honor God, accept God’s forgiveness and forgive others”

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WOULD GOD ASK ANYONE TO SACRIFICE THEIR CHILD BY KILLING THEM?

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NO.   So many times in my life, what God asked of me seemed hard.  Just obeying the commands and requests of the Bible seem hard.  But in 1 John, way at the end of the Bible, we are told that God’s commands are not burdensome.  It is the best to obey God.  It is very hard to obey God, if you don’t know Him or know what He is like.  God is love, grace, mercy.  He is perfect.  When we know the Bible we know God’s character.

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It is so cool, that when Isaac asked his dad where is the sheep for the sacrifice, Abraham said, “God will provide a sheep for the burnt offering, my son.” Read carefully that last verse.  Abraham knew that God was not going to have him sacrifice his son.  He told him, God will provide a sheep.  That is trust in God.  Abraham knew murder was sin in God’s eyes.  Abraham trusted God.

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We have the privilege of the Bible; so we can learn about God’s character.  When you become more familiar with the Bible you will read that there were people who worshiped idols that required the sacrifice of their children.  This is a ritual that was practiced in ancient history.  God abhorred that practice and called it sin. 

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People that do not know the Bible can be deceived and think that commands from people who call themselves men and women of God are from God.  But those who know God and know His ways will not be deceived.  God promises to guide and direct us into good paths.  God has a plan for our lives, a plan for good and not for evil.  A plan to give us a future and a hope.

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NO.  God would never tell us to sacrifice our child.  Each person is created in the image of God.  God has a good plan for each of us.

Genesis 22