By REV. TIMOTHY L. MELTON, PASTOR
(Transcribed by Myra D. Colgate)
Cherokee Pentecostal Holiness Church
Read: Genesis 22:1-19; Genesis 15:4; Isaiah 49:9-10; Hebrews 11:8-19
Continuation…
“God is about to do something.” In verse 9, they finally got to the place God told Abraham to go and Abraham told Isaac, “God will provide Himself a lamb.” How does that happen here, on top of the mountain? We’re about to find out.
In verse 9, Abraham had built an altar there. He laid the wood on the altar, in order. Then bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar on the wood. He stretched forth his hand, and made ready to take the knife to slay his son.
Wow, what a man of faith! That he would be willing to do the unthinkable at the Word of a God that he’s never seen. At the Word of One Who declared one thing, and now he’s experiencing another. What do we do with this?
The Bible says the Angel of the Lord, in verse 11, called out from Heaven. He said, “Abraham, Abraham” twice. When He wanted his attention the first time, He had called and wanted to hear, “Here am I.”
When He wanted Abraham’s attention the first time, He called “Abraham.“
He was so focused on what God was asking him to do, He had to call out his name twice, the second time. He was determined to do what God had asked him to do.
Verse 12, the Angel said, Lay not thy Hand upon him, the lad, neither do him any harm, neither do anything to him. For now I know that thou fearest God. You have not withheld thy son, thine only son from Me. He had been so focused on what the Lord was saying that he had to call Abraham twice.
God knows all things. He’s omniscient. In this instance He’s testing Abraham to see if Abraham knows it, too. He has to shake us a bit because He has to know what a person already knows. The issues are not what one can see, but really what one can’t see. There are battles going on in the heavens above us or going on behind the scenes right now that one can’t see, that of good vs. evil. There are battles going on for one’s mind right now. That God is working for one’s good even if they don’t see it. And I found out that if one goes behind the scenes, there’s more important things going on than on the stage of one’s life. I have realized oftentimes that God was doing more for me when I was asleep than when I was awake.
Sometimes while I think God is busy dealing with the other cosmic business around me, that the Lord is really setting me up for some success and setting me up to bless me. I have found that some of the greatest tests that have come my way were really instituted so that could bring one of the greatest blessings I’ve ever had my come my way. One will see what happens behind the scenes as when began to speak to Abraham in Chapter One when Abraham said “Here am I, Lord, speak for Your servant heareth while God was speaking to Abraham. Do we realize God has many voices? There is only one way to heaven and that is Jesus and I’m glad about that. But the Bible says when God speaks, it will sound like many waters. It means that while He’s singing over me, He could be prophesying over you and while he’s prophesying over you and while He’s prophesying over you he could be speaking a Promise over me.
“In fact, the Truth is, God is always speaking. God doesn’t “do” anything but speak. That is a real Truth. Watch what happens.
“This is what I believe. I believe He spoke and His Voice went across the land some six days away going into Iran.
“Abraham you are about to go through one of the greatest tests than you’ve ever gone through before in your life.”
“And meanwhile His Voice was speaking to Iran. And His Voice made it’s way to Iran and a mountain called Moriah. There a ram turned it’s direction and started making it’s way (commanded by the Voice of God) to make the journey up to Mount Moriah.
“And I believe that early that same morning, when Abraham arose, the ram also arose. And when Abraham stopped and gathered things together, the ram started getting its strength up, because that ram had a journey to make.
“On the other side of that mountain, Abraham and his son, Isaac, and two young menservants, began their journey while the ram began his journey to the other side of that mountain where the answers were going to meet.
To be continued…
