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 And 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 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship and return to you.”

6 And 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 And 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 And Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.”

The Order (22:1-2) – I never served in the military of my country. I have friends, however, who did; and their stories were much the same: first, they learned to take orders!

Following orders would not have been difficult, except for the order itself: “…go to the land of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering.” (It’s easier to relate this order than it would have been to obey it, had the order come to me.)

The Obedience (22:3-6). We must, however, learn to obey the LORD! Nothing we encounter, however trivial, however serious, lies outside of His domain. He has no obligation to let us in on what He is doing. Although it is in a secular context, we would do well to remember Tennyson’s rhyming couplet:

“Ours is not to reason why;

“Ours is but to do or die.”

The Offering (22:7-8). Everything was now in place – except for the offering! Young Isaac saw what was missing and spoke reverently to his father Abraham: “Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

Doubtless, his words struck heavily at Abraham’s heart! For he knew what his young son did not know: namely that Isaac himself was the intended sacrifice!

The reprieve came to Isaac when a ram was caught in the thicket and became God’s substitute for the young lad. Whew!

And so it is with us: we are destined to die for our unforgiven sin – but, Jesus Christ stepped in and took our place. He died for our sin!

Jesus alone can substitute for mankind’s sin! And He did so from a loving, yet broken heart!

What Jesus did for us in dying on the Cross will never be forgotten. Yet, it will never atone for our sin unless we accept the LORD Jesus’ death and resurrection as being for us!

Have you accepted Him? Do you know others

who have not? Share Him today! Even if you discover in sharing that the one to whom you are witnessing already knows Jesus, he (or she) will be encouraged that you cared enough to share Him with them. God bless you!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

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