Examples of Faith - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph - Pt. 4

 

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. (Hebrews 11:17-22 ESV).

 

Though we have the privilege of living under the new covenant, we still wait to receive some of the things that have been promised. These things — the new heavens and the new earth, perfect holiness, uninterrupted fellowship with God — are not yet here in our day-to-day experience. But they are a positional reality, anticipating the future. Jesus has done the work necessary to achieve all these things. Those of us who are in Christ are seated with Him in the heavenlies (cf. Ephesians 2:4–7). Therefore, this promised inheritance really is ours even though God has delayed its full manifestation in our everyday lives.

 

Only through true persevering faith are we granted these promises, first as a positional reality and then later as an experiential one. A prime example of persevering faith is found in today’s passage. In our reading today, we are reminded that by faith Abraham offered up Isaac. These verses refer to Genesis 22, where Abraham faithfully obeyed God’s command to sacrifice Isaac on the altar. We should ask why this offering such an act of faith? Remember that Isaac was the child of the promise (v. 18); and, God promised Abraham many descendants but seemed to delay a long time in fulfilling this promise. After many years Isaac was born (cf. Genesis 21:2), and through him the promised nation would come (v. 12). Imagine how hard it was for Abraham to obey God through this sacrifice. God was asking Him to do something that might invalidate the promise. For if Isaac, the child of promise, was killed, how could God be true to His Word to make a nation from Isaac?

 

Abraham trusted God regardless of his logic. He knew that God would keep His promise and name descendants through Isaac even if he was sacrificed. His confidence in God made him know that God would be true to His promise in Isaac even if He had to raise Isaac from the dead (v. 19). He knew that though it might seem impossible, following the command to kill Isaac would not nullify God’s promise. John Owen says that “sometimes, through God’s providence, there may appear to be inconsistency between God’s commands and his promises. Nothing but faith bowing the soul to divine sovereignty can reconcile this.” True faith, like Abraham’s, believes that God can do the impossible.

 

God’s command that the Messiah must die (cf. Isaiah 53) seemed at first glance to be inconsistent with His promise that Messiah would rule the earth (cf. Zechariah 9:10). But now we see that both are perfectly consistent. We must resolve in our hearts to trust God even if His will may sometimes seem inconsistent to our limited understanding.