When It Looks Like God Will Let You Die

And Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.  Genesis 22:9

Have you ever felt like God was going to allow something to die in your life?  It may not have necessarily been a physical death but perhaps it was the death of a relationship, failure in your health, or death in your finances.  What do you do when this happens?  You look at the promise(s) of God.  This is what happened with Abraham and his son Isaac in Genesis 22. 

God told Abraham to slay and sacrifice his only son Isaac in this chapter.  Ultimately though, God told Abraham that He was simply testing him, did not allow Abraham to sacrifice his son, and indicated His pleasure with Abraham for his willingness to sacrifice his only son in the first place.  Often, people use this story to illustrate Abraham’s commitment and obedience to God.  Nonetheless, it is significant to look at Isaac who asked his father Abraham, “Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:7).  It is also important to note how Isaac did not resist being bound and laid on the altar to be sacrificed.  How could Isaac be so willing to trust his father when it looked like he was about to die?  He looked to the promise of God that “in Isaac shall thy seed be called” (Genesis 21:12).  Isaac was undoubtedly very familiar with the stories of God through oral tradition and the promises of God.  This is demonstrated by Isaac’s knowledge of the sacrificial lamb when he asked his dad “where is the lamb” in Genesis 22:7.  Isaac knew that God had promised Abraham that through Isaac his seed would be blessed.  Although he may not have understood how this would occur if he was put to death, he believed that God would raise him back to life somehow and it would occur.

This story is a perfect picture of Jesus and His Father God.  Jesus trusted God wholeheartedly unto death (Philippians 2:8).  We too must trust our Father God by looking at the finished promises of God spoken to our hearts or written in His word even when it looks like something is dying in our lives.  Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30).  Whatever it looks like may be about to die in your life today, look to the finished promises of God and remember that God will deliver you!