The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Genesis 22:1-8, “Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
2 He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.”
3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
4 On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance.
5 Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.”
6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.
7 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
8 Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.”

The LORD had promised Abraham a son. Abraham was 100 years old before that son was born. Abraham named him Isaac. Then, some twenty years later, the LORD instructed Abraham to offer Isaac as a human sacrifice on Mount Moriah, where one day the LORD’s own Temple would stand. (Today the Dome of the Rock stands in its place.)

The occasion of Abraham’s sacrifice was the heart of his worship of the LORD. Reading through the verses above touches our hearts as we imagine the trauma that swirled within Abraham. Yet, it was obedience; it was worship. And it was faith. Abraham was too old to have fathered a child when God gave him Isaac. Thus, if now the LORD wanted the son as a sacrificial offering, Abraham was obedient. Such was the reverential act of solemn worship.

The Hebrew word for “lad” or “boy” (naar) related to a male aged from birth to about 20 years of age. Thus, taking into account the polite conversation between Abraham and Isaac, we can assess their worship to have been a solemn act of reverential obedience. We might also note that Isaac was totally compliant with his father’s direction. There was no complaint, no resistance. If this is the directive of Almighty God, compliance was their only response.

How do we worship the LORD? Have we looked to Him for direction before we engage in worship? Is our worship an act of reverence? Is it thoughtfully, prayerfully solemn? Think carefully as we approach the commemoration of Christ Jesus’ Resurrection. Meditate on His Word. Read and re-read the Scriptures that inform us of the manner of His servants’ worship. For one day we will be held accountable for it all. May we all be ready for a faithful accounting.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom