Transcript

Podcast Introduction

Today is The Law Monday. We’ll read Genesis 20-23. God’s promise of a son to Abraham and Sarah is fulfilled. I’m calling today’s episode “God Provides.”

Comments on Genesis 22

God promised a son to Abraham and Sarah, but it took twenty-five long years for that promise to be fulfilled. Abraham was one hundred years old when Isaac was born, and Sarah ninety or ninety-one. After such a long wait, it is hard to imagine how happy they must have been to finally hold their baby, and how much they must have loved him. 

The text tells us in verse one that God tested Abraham. It was a test of faith. As we have seen as we have been reading through Genesis, Abraham’s faith was not always strong. But every failure is an opportunity to grow. 

And now, with the birth of Isaac, Abraham has seen evidence that God fulfills his promises, even the most unlikely ones. Because of God’s faithfulness in this and many other instances, Abraham’s faith is strong. 

And now God came to Abraham and said, “Take your only son, Isaac, the son you love, and go to the land of Moriah. Kill him there and offer him as a whole burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

“Take your only son, Isaac…” Abraham had another son, Ishmael. But in chapter 21, Ishmael and his mother Hagar were sent away, out of Abraham’s life. Ishmael was not the promised son. He was the product of Abraham and Sarah’s lack of faith. In terms of God’s promise, Abraham has just one son.

God said, “Take your only son, Isaac, the son you love…” This is the first time love is mentioned in the Bible. And it is in connection between a father and a son and the sacrificial offering of the son. 

“Kill him there and offer him as a whole burnt offering…” This had to have been a shocking thing to hear. It went against God’s promise that Isaac would have children, and through Isaac would come a great nation. 

Maybe the thought flashed through his mind, “If I kill Isaac, how is God’s promise going to be fulfilled? What if I refuse? If I refuse, Isaac will be able to have the children that God promised! But what happened last time I took it upon myself to fulfill God’s promise? Ishmael was born. How did that work out?”

“…offer him as a whole burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” There was a very specific place that God wanted this to be done. 

“Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took Isaac and two servants with him. After he cut the wood for the sacrifice, they went to the place God had told them to go.” There is no indication that Abraham resisted. At the first opportunity, he gathered the supplies, his beloved son, servants and a donkey and set out. He didn’t understand, but he obeyed. He has learned that you don’t have to understand HOW God will do what He says, you just have to obey.

I like how Spurgeon said it, “But there is not a word of argument; not one solitary question that even looks like hesitation. ‘God is God,’ he seems to say, and it is not for me to ask him why, or seek a reason for his bidding. He has said it: ‘I will do it.’”

We know that Abraham could not have *wanted* to do what God said to do. But he trusted God. Feelings do not enter the equation. Faith is not about feelings. Faith is believing God.

And so Abraham, Isaac, the servants, the donkey and the wood for the sacrifice set out to God’s appointed place.

Now listen to the next words in our text: “On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.” On the third day. Three days they travelled. Three days for Abraham to think about what was ahead, what God had called him to do. Three days to be with his beloved son. The son of the promise. Three days to consider whether or not he was going to go through with it. Three days to struggle with the idea of turning around.

Let’s step outside the scene for a moment. God had told Abraham that they were to go to the land of Moriah. 

In this area is a place called Mount Moriah, which is known as Jerusalem today. Are you beginning to see the significance of this place?

So when they saw the place, Abraham said to the servants, ““Stay here with the donkey. My son and I will go over there and worship, and then we will come back to you.” 

“…and then we will come back to you.” Abraham trusted God. He did not know how, but he believed that both he and Isaac would be returning to the servants. Hebrews 11:17-19 tells us, “17It was by faith that Abraham, when God tested him, offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice. God made the promises to Abraham, but Abraham was ready to offer his own son as a sacrifice. 18God had said, “The descendants I promised you will be from Isaac.” 19Abraham believed that God could raise the dead, and really, it was as if Abraham got Isaac back from death.”

Abraham remembered God’s promise. He knew that God kept His promises. There was no reason other than faith that Abraham should believe that God would raise Isaac from the dead, if that’s what it took, because we have no account of anyone being raised from the dead up to this point in history. And yet, Abraham believed that God could do anything.

And then, look at what happens. “Abraham took the wood for the sacrifice and gave it to his son to carry…”

Isaac took the wood upon which he was to be sacrificed from his father, and he carried it to the hill where the sacrifice was to take place. 

“Abraham took the wood for the sacrifice and gave it to his son to carry, but he himself took the knife and the fire.” 

I can’t help it. I have to quote Spurgeon again: “That knife was cutting into his own heart all the while, yet he took it. Unbelief would have left the knife at home, but genuine faith takes it.” 

 The next words in the narrative are, “So he and his son went on together.” The original language says, “…they went in agreement.” Isaac could see what was happening, but he went with his father willingly.

“7Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” Abraham answered, “Yes, my son.” Isaac said, “We have the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb we will burn as a sacrifice?” 8Abraham answered, “God will give us the lamb for the sacrifice, my son.” The King James translates this, “And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb…” God will provide himself. What a picture of what Jesus would do thousands of years later. The promised son went willingly to be sacrificed, obeying his father, carrying the wood upon which he would give his life up the hill, fully confident in the promise of resurrection. 

“9And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.”

Scholars believe that Isaac is between 30 and 33 years old when this happened. Abraham is at least 130 years old. Isaac could have easily resisted, but we see now how great Isaac’s faith was, too. Do you remember how old Jesus was when He was crucified? Thirty-three.

“10And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.” We have the benefit of knowing how the story turns out. Abraham most certainly did not. He, by faith, was willing to plunge the knife into his beloved only son’s chest. As the father of three sons, age 39, 29 and 27, it crushes me to think of this scene. Abraham had faith, he was willing to do it, but as a father he had to have been screaming, at least inside. Or was he numb, afraid to consider what he was about to do? I can’t believe that he was just thinking to himself, “Oh well. Another day at the office. God said do it, so la-ti-dah, here goes.” 

And yet, Abraham DID believe that God was a keeper of promises. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

And God, who sees the hearts of men, saw that Abraham was willing to do what God asked. 

Bible commentator Donald Barnhouse wrote, “Often there are believers who wonder how they may know the will of God. We believe that ninety per cent of the knowing of the will of God consists in willingness to do it before it is known.” 

Abraham had come to the place in his faith that whatever God asked of him, the answer would be “Yes.” And here, when that faith is tested, it is proven true.

So Abraham raises the knife to plunge it into Isaac’s heart, “11But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham! Abraham!” Abraham answered, “Yes.” 12The angel said, “Don’t kill your son or hurt him in any way. Now I can see that you trust God and that you have not kept your son, your only son, from me.”

Abraham proved his heart for God in his willingness to sacrifice his only son. God has shown His heart for us by giving HIS only begotten son. 

13Then Abraham looked up and saw a male sheep caught in a bush by its horns. So Abraham went and took the sheep and killed it. He offered it as a whole burnt offering to God, and his son was saved. 

Though Isaac was spared, a sacrifice was still required. And God provided the substitute. 

God’s law requires a sacrifice for my sins. The wages of sin is death. And yet, out of His love, He provided a substitute…the Lamb of God…His only begotten Son…Jesus of Nazareth, who was resurrected on the third day and is now seated at the right hand of the Father. 

14So Abraham named that place The Lord Provides. Jehovah-Jireh. 

I used to do a podcast called In Touch With God’s Character. God is known by many different names, and “In Touch With God’s Character ” was a short, three to five minute show that focused on one of God’s attributes in each new episode. Episode 19 was based on Jehovah-Jireh. If you would like to listen to a show I did back in August of 2012, you can listen here. If you like the show, there are 42 episodes for you to listen to.

Isaac is a type, a foreshadowing, of Jesus, the Son of God. Both were from the line of Abraham. Both were loved by their father. Both went willingly to the place of sacrifice. Both carried the wood upon which they were to be sacrificed. Both were sacrificed on the same hill. Both were delivered from death on the third day.

Abraham began his walk with God with a small measure of faith. His faith was tested many times, and many times he failed the test. But each time, he learned. Each time his faith grew. God was preparing him for the final exam, which he passed with flying colors. 

Each of us are given a measure of faith. Some a small measure to begin with, some a bit more. But the faith we have at the beginning of our journey is not the faith that we will have at the end, hopefully. When you fail, which we all do, don’t take it as a defeat. Learn from it, ask God to forgive, ask God for more faith, and keep going. Keep going. Keep going.

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 20 GW; Ch. 21-23 NCV

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Transcript

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Genesis 20-23: God Provides (LSFAB S13E037)

[TEASER – 0:00]
Unbelief would have left the knife at home, but genuine faith takes it.

INTRO S13E037 – 0:13
You’re here just in time for another Lifespring Family Audio Bible episode coming to you from Riverside, California. Podcasting since 2004, I’m your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily podcast where we’ll read through the entire Bible in a year. And I’m glad you’re here today. Thanks for inviting me in. Are you having a good day? This is The Law Monday. We’ll read Genesis 20 through 23, and we’ll read how God’s promise of a son to Abraham and Sarah is fulfilled. I’m calling today’s episode “God Provides”.

But before we read, let’s pray.

[OPENING PRAYER – 0:45]
Our gracious Heavenly Father, how we love you, Lord, and we thank you for your Word. We thank you that you remember your promises and that you keep them. Teach us today as we read. I pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.

Okay, let’s begin.

[GENESIS 20 (GWT) – 1:01]
Genesis, chapter 20.

(1) Abraham moved to the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was living in Gerar, (2) Abraham told everyone that his wife Sarah was his sister. So King Abimelech of Gerar sent men to take Sarah. (3) God came to Abimelech in a dream one night and said to him, “You’re going to die because of the woman that you’ve taken! She’s a married woman!” (4) Abimelech hadn’t come near her, so he asked, “Lord, will you destroy a nation even if it’s innocent? (5) Didn’t he tell me himself, ‘She’s my sister,’ and didn’t she even say, ‘He’s my brother’? I did this in all innocence and with a clear conscience.”

(6) “Yes, I know that you did this with a clear conscience,” God said to him in the dream. “In fact, I kept you from sinning against me. That’s why I didn’t let you touch her. (7) Give the man’s wife back to him now, because he’s a prophet. He will pray for you, and you will live. But if you don’t give her back, you and all who belong to you are doomed to die.”

(8) Early in the morning Abimelech called together all his officials. He told them about all of this, and they were terrified. (9) Then Abimelech called for Abraham and asked him, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you that you would bring such a serious sin on me and my kingdom? You shouldn’t have done this to me.” (10) Abimelech also asked Abraham, “What were you thinking when you did this?”

(11) Abraham said, “I thought that because there are no God-fearing people in this place, I’d be killed because of my wife. (12) Besides, she is my sister—my father’s daughter but not my mother’s. She is also my wife. (13) When God had me leave my father’s home and travel around, I said to her, ‘Do me a favor: Wherever we go, say that I’m your brother.’”

(14) Then Abimelech took sheep, cattle, and male and female slaves and gave them to Abraham. He also gave his wife Sarah back to him. (15) Abimelech said, “Look, here’s my land. Live anywhere you like.” (16) He said to Sarah, “Don’t forget, I’ve given your brother 25 pounds of silver. This is to silence any criticism against you from everyone with you. You’re completely cleared.”

(17) Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female slaves so that they could have children. (18) (The Lord had made it impossible for any woman in Abimelech’s household to have children because of Abraham’s wife Sarah.)

[GENESIS 21 (NCV) – 3:26]
Genesis, chapter 21.

(1) The Lord cared for Sarah as he had said and did for her what he had promised. (2) Sarah became pregnant and gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. Everything happened at the time God had said it would. (3) Abraham named his son Isaac, the son Sarah gave birth to. (4) He circumcised Isaac when he was eight days old as God had commanded.

(5) Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born. (6) And Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears about this will laugh with me. (7) No one thought that I would be able to have Abraham’s child, but even though Abraham is old I have given him a son.”

(8) Isaac grew, and when he became old enough to eat food, Abraham gave a great feast. (9) But Sarah saw Ishmael making fun of Isaac. (Ishmael was the son of Abraham by Hagar, Sarah’s Egyptian slave.) (10) So Sarah said to Abraham, “Throw out this slave woman and her son. Her son should not inherit anything; my son Isaac should receive it all.”

(11) This troubled Abraham very much because Ishmael was also his son. (12) But God said to Abraham, “Don’t be troubled about the boy and the slave woman. Do whatever Sarah tells you. The descendants I promised you will be from Isaac. (13) I will also make the descendants of Ishmael into a great nation because he is your son, too.”

(14) Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a leather bag full of water. He gave them to Hagar and sent her away. Carrying these things and her son, Hagar went and wandered in the desert of Beersheba.

(15) Later, when all the water was gone from the bag, Hagar put her son under a bush. (16) Then she went away a short distance and sat down. She thought, “My son will die, and I cannot watch this happen.” She sat there and began to cry.

(17) God heard the boy crying, and God’s angel called to Hagar from heaven. He said, “What is wrong, Hagar? Don’t be afraid! God has heard the boy crying there. (18) Help him up and take him by the hand. I will make his descendants into a great nation.”

(19) Then God showed Hagar a well of water. So she went to the well and filled her bag with water and gave the boy a drink.

(20) God was with the boy as he grew up. Ishmael lived in the desert and became an archer. (21) He lived in the Desert of Paran, and his mother found a wife for him in Egypt.

(22) Then Abimelech came with Phicol, the commander of his army, and said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do. (23) So make a promise to me here before God that you will be fair with me and my children and my descendants. Be kind to me and to this land where you have lived as a stranger—as kind as I have been to you.”

(24) And Abraham said, “I promise.” (25) Then Abraham complained to Abimelech about Abimelech’s servants who had seized a well of water.

(26) But Abimelech said, “I don’t know who did this. You never told me about this before today.”

(27) Then Abraham gave Abimelech some sheep and cattle, and they made an agreement. (28) Abraham also put seven female lambs in front of Abimelech.

(29) Abimelech asked Abraham, “Why did you put these seven female lambs by themselves?”

(30) Abraham answered, “Accept these lambs from me to prove that you believe I dug this well.”

(31) So that place was called Beersheba because they made a promise to each other there.

(32) After Abraham and Abimelech made the agreement at Beersheba, Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, went back to the land of the Philistines.

(33) Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba and prayed to the Lord, the God who lives forever. (34) And Abraham lived as a stranger in the land of the Philistines for a long time.

GENESIS 22 (NCV) – 7:16
Genesis, chapter 22.

(1) After these things God tested Abraham’s faith. God said to him, “Abraham!”

And he answered, “Here I am.”

(2) Then God said, “Take your only son, Isaac, the son you love, and go to the land of Moriah. Kill him there and offer him as a whole burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

(3) Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took Isaac and two servants with him. After he cut the wood for the sacrifice, they went to the place God had told them to go. (4) On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. (5) He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey. My son and I will go over there and worship, and then we will come back to you.”

(6) Abraham took the wood for the sacrifice and gave it to his son to carry, but he himself took the knife and the fire. So he and his son went on together.

(7) Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!”

Abraham answered, “Yes, my son.”

Isaac said, “We have the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb we will burn as a sacrifice?”

(8) Abraham answered, “God will give us the lamb for the sacrifice, my son.”

So Abraham and his son went on together (9) and came to the place God had told him about. Abraham built an altar there. He laid the wood on it and then tied up his son Isaac and laid him on the wood on the altar. (10) Then Abraham took his knife and was about to kill his son.

(11) But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham! Abraham!”

Abraham answered, “Yes.”

(12) The angel said, “Don’t kill your son or hurt him in any way. Now I can see that you trust God and that you have not kept your son, your only son, from me.”

(13) Then Abraham looked up and saw a male sheep caught in a bush by its horns. So Abraham went and took the sheep and killed it. He offered it as a whole burnt offering to God, and his son was saved. (14) So Abraham named that place The Lord Provides. Even today people say, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

(15) The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time (16) and said, “The Lord says, ‘Because you did not keep back your son, your only son, from me, I make you this promise by my own name: (17) I will surely bless you and give you many descendants. They will be as many as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, and they will capture the cities of their enemies. (18) Through your descendants all the nations on the earth will be blessed, because you obeyed me.’”

(19) Then Abraham returned to his servants. They all traveled back to Beersheba, and Abraham stayed there.

(20) After these things happened, someone told Abraham: “Your brother Nahor and his wife Milcah have children now. (21) The first son is Uz, and the second is Buz. The third son is Kemuel (the father of Aram). (22) Then there are Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” (23) Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. Milcah was the mother of these eight sons, and Nahor, Abraham’s brother, was the father. (24) Also Nahor had four other sons by his slave woman Reumah. Their names were Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

[GENESIS 23 (NCV) – 10:52]
Genesis, chapter 23.

(1) Sarah lived to be one hundred twenty-seven years old. (2) She died in Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. Abraham was very sad and cried because of her. (3) After a while he got up from the side of his wife’s body and went to talk to the Hittites. He said, (4) “I am only a stranger and a foreigner here. Sell me some of your land so that I can bury my dead wife.”

(5) The Hittites answered Abraham, (6) “Sir, you are a great leader among us. You may have the best place we have to bury your dead. You may have any of our burying places that you want, and none of us will stop you from burying your dead wife.”

(7) Abraham rose and bowed to the people of the land, the Hittites. (8) He said to them, “If you truly want to help me bury my dead wife here, speak to Ephron, the son of Zohar for me. (9) Ask him to sell me the cave of Machpelah at the edge of his field. I will pay him the full price. You can be the witnesses that I am buying it as a burial place.”

(10) Ephron was sitting among the Hittites at the city gate. He answered Abraham, (11) “No, sir. I will give you the land and the cave that is in it, with these people as witnesses. Bury your dead wife.”

(12) Then Abraham bowed down before the Hittites. (13) He said to Ephron before all the people, “Please let me pay you the full price for the field. Accept my money, and I will bury my dead there.”

(14) Ephron answered Abraham, (15) “Sir, the land is worth ten pounds of silver, but I won’t argue with you over the price. Take the land, and bury your dead wife.”

(16) Abraham agreed and paid Ephron in front of the Hittite witnesses. He weighed out the full price, ten pounds of silver, and they counted the weight as the traders normally did.

(17-18) So Ephron’s field in Machpelah, east of Mamre, was sold. Abraham became the owner of the field, the cave in it, and all the trees that were in the field. The sale was made at the city gate, with the Hittites as witnesses. (19) After this, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah, near Mamre. (Mamre was later called Hebron in the land of Canaan.) (20) So Abraham bought the field and the cave in it from the Hittites to use as a burying place.

[COMMENTARY – 13:12]
Well, we’ve got to talk about Genesis 22. God promised a son to Abraham and Sarah, but it took twenty-five long years for that promise to be fulfilled. Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born, and Sarah was 90 or 91. So after such a long wait, it’s hard to imagine how happy they must have been to finally hold their baby and how much they must have loved him.

Now the text tells us in verse 1 of chapter 22, that God tested Abraham. It was a test of faith. As we’ve seen, in our reading through the book of Genesis, Abraham’s faith was not always strong, but every failure is an opportunity to grow.

And now with the birth of Isaac, Abraham has seen evidence that God fulfills His promises, even the most unlikely ones. Because of God’s faithfulness, in this and many other instances, Abraham’s faith is strong.

And now God came to Abraham and said, “Take your only son, Isaac, the son you love, and go to the land of Moriah. Kill him there and offer him as a whole burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

“Take your only son Isaac…” Well, Abraham had another son, Ishmael. But in chapter 21, Ishmael and his mother Hagar were sent away out of Abraham’s life. Ishmael was not the promised son. He was the product of Abraham and Sarah’s lack of faith. In terms of God’s promise, Abraham has just one son.

So God said, “Take your only son, Isaac, the son you love…” You know this is the first time love is mentioned in the Bible. And it’s in connection with a father and his son and the sacrificial offering of the son.

And God said, “Kill him there and offer him as a whole burnt offering….” This had to have been a shocking thing for Abraham to hear. I mean, after all, it went against God’s promise that Isaac would have children, and through Isaac would come a great nation.

And maybe the thought flashed through Abraham’s mind, “If I kill Isaac, how was God’s promise going to be fulfilled? What if I refuse? If I refuse, Isaac will be able to have the children that God promised! But what happened last time I took it upon myself to fulfill God’s promise? Ishmael was born. How did that work out?”

Maybe all that went through his mind. And God said, “…offer him as a whole burnt offering on one of the mountains I’ll tell you about.” So there was a very specific place that God wanted this to be done.

And the text tells us, “Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took Isaac and two servants with him. And after he cut the wood for the sacrifice, they went to the place God had told him to go.” Notice there’s no indication that Abraham resisted. At the first opportunity, he gathered the supplies, his beloved son, servants, and a donkey and set out. He didn’t understand, but he obeyed. By now he has learned that you don’t have to understand how God will do what he says. You just have to obey.

I like how Spurgeon put it, “But there is not a word of argument; not one solitary question that even looks like hesitation. ‘God is God,’ he seems to say, and it is not for me to ask him why, or seek a reason for his bidding. He has said it: ‘I will do it.’”

Listen, we know that Abraham could not have wanted to do what God said to do. But he trusted God. Feelings, wanting to do it, do not enter the equation. Faith is not about feelings. Faith is believing God.

And so Abraham, Isaac, the servants, the donkey, and the wood for the sacrifice, set out to God’s appointed place.

Now listen to the next words in our text. “On the third day, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.” On the third day. Three days they traveled. Three days for Abraham to think about what was ahead, what God had called him to do. Three days to be with his beloved son. The son of the promise. Three days to consider whether or not he was going to go through with it. Three days to struggle with the idea of turning around.

Let’s step outside the scene for just a moment. God had told Abraham that they were to go to the land of Moriah.

In this area is a place called Mount Moriah which is known as Jerusalem today. Are you beginning to see the significance of this place?

So back to the scene now, when they saw the place, Abraham said to the servants, “Stay here with the donkey. My son and I will go over there and worship, and then we will come back to you.”

“…and then we will come back to you.” Abraham trusted God. He did not know how, but he believed that both he and Isaac would be returning to the servants. Hebrews 11:17-19 tells us,

(17) It was by faith that Abraham when God tested him, offered his son as a sacrifice. God made the promises to Abraham, but Abraham was ready to offer his own son as a sacrifice. (18) God had said, ‘The descendants I promised you will be from Isaac.’ (19) Abraham believed that God could raise the dead, and really, it was as if Abraham got Isaac back from death.

You see, Abraham remembered God’s promise. He knew that God kept His promises. Listen, there was no reason other than faith that Abraham should believe that God would raise Isaac from the dead if that’s what it took. Because we have no account of anyone being raised from the dead up to this point in history. And yet, Abraham believed that God could do anything.

And then, let’s look at what happens. “Abraham took the wood for the sacrifice and gave it to his son to carry…”

Isaac took the wood upon which he was to be sacrificed from his father. And he carried it to the hill where the sacrifice was to take place.

Back to the text. “Abraham took the wood for the sacrifice and gave it to his son to carry, but he himself took the knife and the fire.”

I can’t help it. I have to quote Spurgeon again: “That knife was cutting into his own heart all the while, yet he took it. Unbelief would have left the knife at home, but genuine faith takes it.”

The next words in the narrative are, “So he and his son went on together.” The original language says it like this: “…they went in agreement.” Isaac could see what was happening, but he went with his father willingly.

“(7) And Isaac said to his father, “Father!” Abraham answered, “Yes, my son.” Isaac said, “We have the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb we will burn as a sacrifice?” (8) Abraham answered, “God will give us the lamb for the sacrifice, my son.” The King James says that this way, “God will provide himself a lamb…”

“God will provide himself.” What a picture of what Jesus would do thousands of years later. The promised son went willingly to be sacrificed, obeying his father, carrying the wood upon which he would give his life up the hill, fully confident in the promise of resurrection.

Continuing the text, “(9) And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.”

Now, scholars believe that Isaac is between 30 and 33 years old when this happened. Abraham is at least 130 years old. Isaac could have easily resisted. But we see now how great Isaac’s faith was, too. Do you remember how old Jesus was when he was crucified? Thirty-three.

“(10) And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.” Now, Beloved, we have the benefit of knowing how the story turns out. Abraham most certainly did not. He, by faith, was willing to plunge the knife into his beloved only son’s chest. Now as the father of three sons, aged 39, 29, and 27, it absolutely crushes me to think of this scene. Abraham had faith. He was willing to do it. But as a father, he had to have been screaming at least inside. Or maybe he was numb, afraid to consider what he was about to do. I can’t believe that he was just thinking to himself, “Oh, well, another day at the office. God said do it, so la-ti-dah, here goes.”

And yet Abraham did believe that God was a keeper of promises. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and he took the knife to slay his son.

And God, who sees the hearts of men saw that Abraham was willing to do what he asked.

Bible commentator Donald Barnhouse wrote, “Often there are believers who wonder how they may know the will of God. We believe that ninety percent of the knowing of the will of God consists in willingness to do it before it is known.”

Abraham had come to a place in his faith that whatever God asked of him, the answer would be “Yes.” And here, when that faith is tested, his faith is proven true.

So Abraham raises the knife to plunge it into Isaac’s heart, and our text continues. “(11) But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham! Abraham!” Abraham answered, “Yes.” (12) The angel said, “Don’t kill your son or hurt him in any way. Now I can see that you trust God and that you have not kept your son, your only son, from me.”

You see, Abraham proved his heart for God in his willingness to sacrifice his only son. And listen, God has shown his heart for us by giving his only begotten Son.

(13) Then Abraham looked up and saw a male sheep caught in a bush by its horns. So Abraham went and took the sheep and killed it. He offered it as a whole burnt offering to God, and his son was saved.

You see, though Isaac was spared, a sacrifice was still required, and God provided the substitute.

God’s law requires a sacrifice for my sins. The wages of sin is death. And yet out of His love, he provided a substitute for me, the Lamb of God, his only begotten Son, Jesus of Nazareth, who was resurrected on the third day and is now seated at the right hand of the Father.

In verse 14, “So Abraham named that place The Lord Provides”, or in the original language, Jehovah-Jireh.

I used to do a podcast called “In Touch with God’s Character”. God is known by many different names and each name illustrates one of God’s attributes, and “In Touch With God’s Character” was a short three- to five-minute show that focused on one of those attributes in each episode. Now, episode 19 was based on Jehovah-Jireh. If you’d like to listen to his show I did back in August of 2012, I’ll have a link on the show notes page. If you like the show, there are 42 episodes for you to listen to.

Isaac is a type, a foreshadowing of Jesus, the Son of God. Both were from the line of Abraham. Both were loved by their father, both went willingly to the place of sacrifice. Both carried the wood upon which they were to be sacrificed. Both were sacrificed on the same hill. Both were delivered from death on the third day.

Abraham began his walk with God with a small measure of faith. His faith was tested many times and many times he failed the test. But each time he learned, each time his faith grew. God was preparing him for the final exam, which he passed with flying colors.

Each of us is given a measure of faith, some a small measure, to begin with, some a bit more. But the faith we have at the beginning of our journey is not the faith that we’ll have at the end, hopefully. When you fail, which we all do, don’t take it as a defeat. Learn from it. Ask God to forgive. Ask God for more faith, and keep going. Keep going. Keep going.

[LIFESPRING FAMILY HOTLINE – 26:19]
Will you keep going? Let me know. Call the Lifespring Family Hotline at 951-732-8511. If you’re outside the US put a +1 at the beginning. You can also comment at comment.lifespringmedia.com. Or you can email me at st***@*************ia.com. I’m looking forward to hearing from you and I will play your comment or read it on the show. Tomorrow is History Tuesday, and we’ll read Judges 1 through 5. The children of Israel will begin to take possession of the Promised Land, but then they turn their backs on God.

Boostagram.

[SUPPORTER SHOUT-OUTS – 26:59]
I have some people to thank today. Yes, some boostagrams came in but no notes with them. Regardless, thank you so much. @francido sent 500 sats while listening to the “Jesus Is a Man’s Man” episode using the Fountain app. Thank you so much. And also from the Fountain app user 414604 822 389 7028 sent two 500 sat boosts. Awesome. Thank you very much. And you might already know this, user number 414, et cetera, et cetera, but in the Fountain app, you can create a username in the settings if you like. Keep the boosts coming.

And if your podcast app doesn’t have a boost button, I hate to tell you this, but you’re using a dusty old legacy app. How could you? Get a new better one at newpodcastapps.com. And then you can join the cool kids and support your favorite podcast by sending micropayments while you listen. And you can send boostagrams, which I will read on the show. And listen to this with this Fountain app, they pay you while you listen. How cool is that? And then some people turn around and send those payments to their favorite podcaster. Hmm, that sounds like a good idea. Just saying. The payments you either receive or send out are in sats which are tiny little pieces of Bitcoin. With today’s Bitcoin value one sat is equal to about 2 ten thousandths of $1. So they’re tiny. Five hundred sats is equal to about ten and a half cents. Turning it around $1 is equal to 4,721 sats today. And with a modern Podcasting 2.0 app, you can set it up so that you can send a set amount for every minute you listen to a show. For example, the average Lifespring Family Audio Bible episode is about 20 minutes and if you sent a thousand sats per minute, that would equal about $4.27 per episode with today’s bitcoin price, like I said. Not that I’m saying that you should send that. That’s up to you. You send what you want. I’m just giving an example here. But try one of these apps out. Join the Podcasting 2.0 revolution and don’t be left behind.

Boost. Boost. Boost. Boost represents the future of podcasting!

[SOCAL HARVEST CRUSADE – 29:22]
I’m recording this on Sunday, November 6, and last night the Lovely Lady LeeAnn and I went out to the SoCal Harvest Crusade at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. It was a great event where there was music from Andy Mineo, Newsboys, and Crowder. Being an old guy, Andy Mineo, a rapper, was not really my cup of tea, but the crowd enjoyed it. And Newsboys of course has been around for a long time. They’ve had personnel changes over the years, but they’re still good, as was Crowder. But then pastor Greg Laurie gave a really, really great message and gave an invitation to receive Jesus at the end of that message, and thousands, literally thousands, came down to the outfield to make Jesus their Lord and Savior. It really was a joy to see. Now, during the evening before Pastor Greg gave his message, Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus in the outstanding series, “The Chosen,” came out to have a conversation with Pastor Greg, and he shared his story of how he came to Christ. It was quite a story.

[THE JESUS REVOLUTION MOVIE – 30:19]
In addition to playing Jesus in “The Chosen”, Jonathan will be playing the part of hippie evangelist, Lonnie Frisbee in a movie called “The Jesus Revolution”, which will be in theaters in February of 2023.

And LeeAnn and I were invited to a special private screening of “The Jesus Revolution” last month. It’s about the last great American spiritual revival which actually swept the world in the late 60s and early 70s. That’s when I gave my heart to the Lord. The movie shows the beginning of the Jesus movement and how Pastor Chuck Smith, played by Kelsey Grammer in the movie, was at a small, nearly dead church and then met Lonnie Frisbee who was a hippie that had tried the drug scene and all the rest that hippies were all about, and he found that the answers were not there. And then he met Jesus. Lonnie challenged Pastor Chuck to reach out to the hippies, who were looking for more than drugs and what we called back then “free love”. And the movie also focuses on a teenage boy who was from a broken family. He got into drugs, and then he met a girl who also experimented with drugs. And they found that the drugs were not the answer. Well, she became a believer. And then after some things happened, the young man did too. Well, that young man was Greg Laurie. The movie shows how his life was changed.

I have to say that watching this film was a little bit like watching my life. I’m only two years younger than pastor Greg, and I’m speaking to you now because of the Jesus Revolution. The thing is what was happening in the world in the late 60s and early 70s is much like what is happening today. There was rampant drug use. There was political and social turmoil. Many had turned their backs on God. But there were some believers back then, who were praying, asking God for a revival. Doesn’t that sound like today? We need God to step into history again, Beloved.

I’ve asked the Lifespring family many times to pray for revival. And there’s a lot of us right now that are praying that when this movie is released in February, that God will use this movie to touch the hearts of millions of people, especially young people, to spark a new Jesus Revolution.

I want you to see some of the trailers for the movie at lifespringmedia.com/jesusrevolution, all one word. And then when the movie hits the theaters in February of 2023, go see it and take some friends with you. I truly think lives will be changed. Here’s the audio from one of the trailers I’ve got on the website.

[THE JESUS REVOLUTION TRAILER – 32:49]

[Anna Grace Barlow (Cathe Laurie:]
It’s a story of finding yourself, finding your way, finding faith. I just think it’s gonna be so uplifting.

[Jonathan Roumie as Lonnie Frisbee:]
There’s comedy. There’s tenderness. There’s complexity with all of the characters.

[Kimberly Williams-Paisley as Charlene McDaniel:]
The production value is incredible. It feels like we’ve just been dropped into a moment in history.

[Devon Franklin as Josiah Jackson:]
Audiences are going to get a strong message of love and hope.

[Kelsey Grammar as Chuck Smith:]
I hope people feel tearful and joyful all at the same time and may be inspired to rediscover their own faith.

[Jon Erwin, Kingdom Story Company Founder, Writer/Co-Director:]
It’s been seven years to screen for this movie. And every other movie that we’ve made along the way, “Woodlawn”, “I Can Only Imagine”, “I Still Believe”, “American Underdog”… It’s all been leading to this. I remember discovering the Jesus Revolution Time magazine cover story, and it was like unearthing this gem and that led to this whole exploration. I want to meet people that lived this. Come to find out Greg was a teenager, as was his wife, Cathe, at the very origin of the Jesus Movement in Southern California.

[Greg Laurie, Pastor, Harvest Christian Fellowship:]
The Jesus Movement was an awakening. Not only was it the last great American awakening, I think it may have been the most significant of all.

[Brent McCorkle, Co-Director/Composer:]
It’s this beautiful fusion of Greg’s coming-of-age story, this hippie street preacher Lonnie Frisbee and a down-and-out pastor who’s pretty much lost everything, and to see him open up his doors to these hippies… That completely changed everything.

[Cathe Laurie, Harvest Christian Fellowship:]
I think so many of us that were drawn into the hippie movement, really were searching for something more.

[Joel Courtney as Greg Laurie:]
Greg Laurie at the time is the lost soul. He’s looking for truth. And he finds it in all the wrong places and then one right place.

[Scene from the movie]
[Lonnie Frisbee:]
Have you decided?

[Greg Laurie:]
I don’t know.

[Lonnie Frisbee:]
You want to decide right now?
[End of scene]

[Brent McCorkle:]
One of the things that excited me most about the script was the theme. The theme is “loving the other”. I think that’s what our world needs. I think our world really needs to heal.

[Jonathan Roumie:]
I think it’ll challenge people’s notions of the need to be perfect to be a Christian.

[Kevin Downes, Kingdom Story Company Founder, Producer:]
I want audiences to be encouraged. If they leave the theater feeling encouraged and inspired, then we’ve done our job.

[Joel Courtney:]
Our country and the world is primed for another revival.

[Cathe Laurie:]
I am praying that this movie will bring hope to a generation.

[Greg Laurie:]
I think you’re gonna see something on the screen you’ve not seen before. This story changed our nation and in many ways change the world.

[Jon Erwin:]
You feel swept up into this movement. If a Jesus Revolution happened before, it can happen again.

[Jonathan Roumie:]
Why can’t the next Jesus Revolution begin right now?

[Scenes from the movie]
[Lonnie Frisbee:]
Know that if God can heal me, he can heal anyone.

If you look a little deeper, if you look with love, you’ll see an entire generation searching for all the right things, just in all the wrong places. I can only walk through doors open to us. In your church, that’s a door that’s shut. So I ask you, Pastor, what would it take for you to be desperate?

[Chuck Smith:]
Seems the movement’s everywhere. It’s spreadin’ like wildfire. Let’s see what God has in mind.
[End of scenes]
[End of the trailer]

[Steve Webb:]
Really, you want to see this movie and take a friend with you who doesn’t know Jesus. This is a quality production. You won’t be embarrassed by it, I promise.

[WEBB’S EASY BIBLE NAMES PRONUNCIATION GUIDE – 36:56]
Well, you heard some of those long difficult Bible names again today, which makes me say I got to talk to you just a little bit here about my book, “Webb’s Easy Bible Names Pronunciation Guide” at biblenames.link. Every name of the Bible is in there. That’s almost 7600 names. I’ve made it easy for you to pronounce those names. I don’t use all the funny-looking symbols that tell you how to pronounce things. I’ve developed a very easy-to-use Pronunciation Guide. The book has 100 reviews on Amazon, 76% of which are five-star ratings. The overall rating for the book is 4.5 stars out of 5. Now when you buy the book on my website, again biblenames.link, you’ll get two things that you don’t get on Amazon. Number one is my guarantee. If you don’t love the book, I will refund your money. Number two, when you buy the book you’re helping to support this show and because you’re helping, I’m gonna give you a discount when you check out use the discount code PODCAST and you’ll get 25% off, but only if you buy it at biblenames.link. Thanks.

[OUTRO S13E037 – 37:58]
Sister Kirsty does the newsletter. Brother Sean of San Pedro does the chapters and Sister Denise corrects the transcripts. Thank you, guys. God bless you. If the Lifespring Family Audio Bible is important to you, if you enjoy having it in your podcast app every day, please support it in proportion to the amount of value you receive. Go to lifespringmedia.com/support. Take a look around and then pray about it and then do what God leads you to do. When you support the show. You’re helping me to bring the Bible to people all around the world. I’ll thank you and I believe God’ll bless you.

Until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. Thanks for inviting me into your day. Check out lifespringmedia.com/jesusrevolution. I’m Steve Webb. Bye.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

Transcript corrected by Denise