Obedience

Recently I started reading about the cross (of Christ) from the OT perspective. I have a blog about it but what struck me as I was reading was a different subject and one I want to write about first. It’s the topic of obedience. I read a chapter about Abraham and Gen 22.

Abraham was an amazing man. An obedient man. And I think there is a lot to be learnt from his walk and obedience that can help with our walk and obedience to God. To find out how ‘genuine’ Abrahams faith was God put him to the test. God asked Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son. And Abraham is unwaveringly obedient.

Derek Tidball speaks on the subject specifically from Gen 22:3-10 as follows...

His Obedience was prompt. ‘Early the next morning’ He didn’t wait for the ‘right time’ and he didn’t delay hoping God would change His mind, Abraham resolutely set his mind and got to the task early the very next morning. Henry Law observes that ‘prompt obedience is the surest wisdom...to linger is to court ruin. Delay is the craftiest net of Satan. It is the terrible pitfall, out of which there are rare escapes.’

His Obedience was conscientious. He had a plan and took with him all the things he would need to bring the task to fruition.

His Obedience was firm. The place God instructed Abraham to go sacrifice Isaac was 3 days travel away. Abraham remained firm in his resolution. ‘Obedience was not accomplished overnight.’ It would have taken a steady, sure determination.

His Obedience was solitary. Once they reached the foot of the mountain, apart from Isaac, Abraham went on alone. Calvin explains the solitariness of the test in terms of ‘his family was three days away and his servants were at the bottom of a steep mountain. He had to work this out on his own, neither supported nor dissuaded by any human companions.’ The road at times will for various reasons be walked alone, it is in these times our strength is found.

His Obedience was trusting. ‘Even when Abraham did not understand all, he trusted all to the God who would do right.’ Calvin says ‘being indubitably persuaded that God was faithful, he left the unknown issue to Divine Providence.’ We are finite and will at times never understand the plan and will of God and will need to blindly trust Him JUST because He is who He is.

His Obedience was humble. ‘Abraham made the unqualified statement, ‘we will worship...’ a statement that speaks of his submissive heart and rings all the more authentic because it was spoken by one who was wounded by the cost of his obedience.’

His Obedience was total. ‘Not even his precious son was to come between him and his complete, unwavering obedience to the Lord.’ Isaac was Abrahams most precious gift/love/possession, he was the promised son in whom the promises of God would be fulfilled and yet Abrahams heart was totally sold out for God, not even this promised son could take Gods place.


Conclusions
‘One purpose of the story, as mentioned earlier, was probably to teach Israel that the sort of worship that pleased God was obedience to His word rather than the ritual offering of sacrifices regardless of whether the rest of the law was obeyed or not.’

God was looking for a trusting obedience. I believe He is still looking for this kind of obedience. In the life and actions of Abraham we have a great example. It is my opinion that Abrahams obedience was made possible by his faith. Faith in God brings a strength and purpose to life in which we can have the strength to obediently follow Him knowing He has our very best at heart.
FB Meyer states ‘mighty opportunities of good -- lie along the narrow, thorn-set path of obedience to the word and will of God.’