Intro

The story is significant in the Bible as an example of Abraham’s unwavering obedience and faith in God, even to the point of being willing to sacrifice his own son. It is also interpreted as a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, who is seen as the ultimate lamb offered for the sins of humanity.

I know this is a story you probably know already but there’s some points I want to go through.

Let me build something up first, before studying the story in Genesis.

Let’s talk about faith:

Faith

What’s faith?

Hebrews 11:1

¹Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

In the Bible, faith is defined as a belief in God and trust in His character, promises, and plan for our lives.

The Bible teaches that faith is the foundation for a relationship with God, and it is through faith that we are justified and saved from our sins.

Faith is a complex concept, but at its core, faith is a belief in something that is not immediately visible or provable. Why is complex? How can you explain something that you need to have faith to believe in the first place?

Then, this passage teaches that faith involves a belief in things that are not immediately visible or provable, and a confidence in God’s promises and plans for our lives.

We will see how faith is important in this story and how can we apply it in our lives.

But, getting deeper in this concept, if we see the New Testament, faith is also attached with belief in Jesus as the Messiah and the forgiveness of sins that He offers through His death and resurrection.

We are called to have faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and to trust in His love and power to transform their lives.

The Bible teaches that faith is a necessary component for salvation.

I want you to follow this progression:

In the New Testament, it is written that:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

This passage and others like it indicate that salvation cannot be earned through good works or personal merit, but rather it is received through faith in Jesus Christ.

The Bible also teaches that faith is necessary for a relationship with God.

In Hebrews 11:6, it says,

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Faith in God is necessary for a relationship with Him, and that without faith it is impossible to please Him.

Overall, the Bible teaches that faith is a necessary component for salvation and a relationship with God. It is through faith in Jesus Christ that we receive the gift of salvation and are able to live a life that is pleasing to God.

What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? – James 2:14

Progression:

All these definitions are tied together as you need to believe in God to please Him. Faith itself is a miracle and produces a transformation in you. Now as you have faith, you can obey God and be a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2), and as you are a living sacrifice you will start living out your faith as something natural. It will be something you have in your mind every second, and you hold.

believe-be transformed-live out.

Now, getting into the story, Abraham says:

Here I am

When God calls to Abraham and says “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you,” Abraham responds by saying “Here I am.”

This response from Abraham can be seen as an expression of his obedience and willingness to follow God’s commands.

Remember: believe-be transformed-live out.

By saying “Here I am,” Abraham is showing that he is present and available to do God’s will. It is an expression of his faith and trust in God, even when what God is asking of him is difficult and seemingly impossible.

We need to be available. How can I say I am a believer if I can’t be present when God calls me?

In this sense, “Here I am” can also be seen as a declaration of faith, as Abraham is saying that he trusts in God’s sovereignty and plans, even when it means sacrificing his beloved son Isaac.

In our own lives, saying “Here I am” to God can be a powerful expression. It is a way of saying that we are available to do God’s will, no matter what that may be, and that we trust in His sovereignty and plans for our lives.

By embracing this attitude of faith, we can deepen our relationship with God and experience the peace, comfort, and hope that comes from walking in His will.

Now,

The phrase “Here I am” or a similar declaration of availability and willingness to follow God’s will can be found in several other passages throughout the Bible. Some of these include:

1. Isaiah 6:8 – When God calls to Isaiah and says “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah responds with “Here am I! Send me.”
2. Exodus 3:4 – When God calls to Moses from the burning bush, Moses responds with “Here I am.”
3. Samuel 3:4 – When God calls to Samuel, Samuel responds with “Here I am.”
4. Jeremiah 1:6 – When God calls to Jeremiah, he says “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.” God responds with “Do not say, ‘I am only a youth’; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak.” Jeremiah then says “Here I am, send me!”

These examples show that the declaration of “Here I am” or similar expressions are often made by individuals who are being called by God to fulfill a specific purpose or mission.

It is a declaration of obedience and availability to do God’s will, regardless of personal circumstances or difficulties.

By making this declaration, these individuals are expressing their faith and trust in God, and their willingness to follow Him wherever He may lead.

Unconditional faith

Unconditional faith in God is a belief in God that is not dependent on circumstances or personal feelings. It is a faith that remains steadfast, regardless of what life may bring. In other words, it is a faith that trusts in God’s character, love, and power, even in the face of difficulty, uncertainty, or suffering.

Unconditional faith in God is based on the belief that God is in control, that He is good and loving, and that He has a plan for our lives.

This type of faith trusts that God is always present, even when we can’t see or understand what He is doing.

It is a faith that believes that God is working all things together for good, even when it doesn’t seem that way.

Unconditional faith in God requires humility, obedience, and a willingness to surrender control.

It is not a passive faith, but an active faith that leads us to seek God’s will, trust in His provision, and obey His commands.

Having unconditional faith in God can bring peace, comfort, and hope, even in the most difficult of times. It helps us to see beyond our present circumstances and to trust that God has a greater purpose for our lives. By embracing unconditional faith in God, we can deepen our relationship with Him and find joy and fulfillment in life.

It can be difficult to trust in God when everything seems hard because our trust is often tied to our circumstances and emotions. When things are going well, it can be easier to trust that God is good and that He has a plan for our lives. However, when we face challenges and difficulties, our trust can be tested, and it can be harder to hold onto our faith.

There are several reasons why it can be difficult to trust in God when everything seems hard, including:

1. Fear and uncertainty: When things are difficult, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty. We may question God’s goodness or wonder why He is allowing us to go through such a tough time.
2. Emotional rollercoasters When we’re facing challenges, our emotions can run high, making it harder to focus on God and trust in His plan. We may feel discouraged, angry, or hopeless, which can interfere with our ability to trust in Him.
3. Limited perspective: It can be hard to trust in God when everything seems hard because our perspective is limited. We may not be able to see the bigger picture or understand how God is working all things together for good.

Despite these difficulties, it is possible to maintain our trust in God even when everything seems hard. This requires us to focus on God’s character, to remember His past faithfulness, and to trust in His promises, even when we can’t see the outcome. We can also draw strength from other believers, pray for guidance and strength, and seek support from trusted friends and family members.

Regardless of personal circumstances or difficulties. How can we relate about this?

“No God, today I have these plans. Here, this is my agenda. This is what I like”

Splitting the wood

Now I want you to think about Abraham splitting wood.

This was a test of Abraham’s faith, as God was asking him to do something that went against all of his natural instincts as a father.

It was a difficult and emotional task to prepare to sacrifice his son, the son whom God had promised to him and Sarah.

In addition to the emotional weight of the task, it would have also been a physically difficult task to split the wood and make the necessary preparations for the sacrifice.

The thought of actually killing his own son would have weighed heavily on Abraham’s mind, and he may have had moments of doubt and fear as he prepared to carry out God’s command.

Despite the difficulty of the situation, Abraham demonstrates his faith and obedience to God by willingly following through with the sacrifice. This act of faith and obedience is seen as a precursor to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, where God offered up His own Son as a sacrifice for the sins of humanity.

In our own lives, we may not be asked to make a sacrifice as difficult as Abraham’s, but we will still face challenges that test our faith and obedience to God. The story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac serves as an inspiration and reminder of the power of faith and obedience, even in the face of great difficulty.

The Bible contains many examples of individuals who demonstrated faith in God. Here are a few of the most prominent ones:

1. Moses: Moses is considered one of the greatest leaders in the Bible, and his story is told in Exodus 1-40. He demonstrates faith by leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and through the wilderness, and by speaking with God face-to-face.
2. David: David is considered a man after God’s own heart, and his story is told in the books of Samuel and Kings. He demonstrates faith by his trust in God and his willingness to fight against great odds, such as when he defeated the giant Goliath.
3. Mary, the mother of Jesus: Mary demonstrates faith by accepting God’s will for her life, as described in the New Testament book of Luke, when she is told by an angel that she will give birth to Jesus.
4. The apostles: The apostles, including Peter and Paul, demonstrate faith through their willingness to preach the gospel of Jesus and to endure persecution for their beliefs.

Hebrews 11:35b-39

³⁵…Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. ³⁶ Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. ³⁷ They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— ³⁸ of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹ And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,

Jesus in the story

The story of Abraham and Isaac is related to Jesus and the gospel in several ways. Here are a few:

1. Foreshadowing of the sacrifice of Jesus: The story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Isaac is seen as a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus, who is often referred to as the “Lamb of God.” Just as God provided a substitute for Isaac, so too did He provide a substitute for humanity in Jesus, who died on the cross for the sins of the world.
2. Demonstration of God’s love: The story of Abraham and Isaac demonstrates God’s love for humanity and His willingness to provide a way for humanity to be saved. This love is fulfilled in the gospel message of Jesus, who offers salvation and eternal life to all who believe in Him.
3. Example of faith: Abraham’s faith in God and his willingness to obey God’s commands, even when it meant sacrificing his son, is an example of the kind of faith that is required for salvation. In the gospel, faith in Jesus as the Savior and Lord is the means by which a person can receive eternal life.
4. The fulfillment of God’s promise: The story of Abraham and Isaac is part of God’s larger plan to fulfill His promise to Abraham to make him the father of many nations. This promise is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus, who is the son of Abraham and the Savior of all nations.

The story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22:1-19 is a powerful reminder of God’s love for humanity, the sacrifice of Jesus, and the importance of faith in God. It helps to deepen our understanding of the gospel message and strengthen our faith in Jesus as our Savior.

Intro

There is perhaps no greater chapter in all the Bible that illustrates the death of the old nature then the one before us. Three times in scripture Paul uses the phrase “old man” in reference to our flesh:

1. Rom. 6:5-6 “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.”
2. Eph 4:21-24 “you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man who grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”
3. Col. 3:8-10 “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,”

Jacob in this story is an “old man” of 90 and he is fighting against the Lord but in this chapter he is going to lose and in losing he will win! Jacob’s life has been a battle; his fight is seen in his consistently trying to secure the promises of God in the energy of the flesh. But in this chapter the One whom he has been fighting against for control over his life is going to take on the form of a man. And this Man of God is going to allow Jacob to wrestle and put every effort imaginable to win. Yet God is going to cripple him so that Jacob would gain victory over himself and rule with God.

Vs. 1-12 Ready to surrender

Vs. 1-2 When Jacob was 70 years old he left home for the first time as a self-reliant man that had been defeat by his own schemes. Twenty years later he is returning as a wealthy man who has met the Lord twenty years earlier, but he is still a self-reliant man. This is the third time that Jacob will encounter angels:

1. 28:12 Twenty years ago when he first met the Lord at Bethel.
2. 31:11 When the Lord spoke to him about going back to the land of promise.
3. 32:1 Here as Jacob comes back into the land he sees them again.

The common denominator in each of these three encounters is that each time God sends His angels to meet Jacob to confirm the direction in which God has him going. 

Vs. 3-6 It is interesting to see Jacob send out his messengers right after God had sent him His. It seems as though Jacob wants to make right the wrong he did 20 years earlier. Several things point to this:

1. “Thus, your servant Jacob says”: Servant? My lord Esau? Twenty years earlier Esau had sworn to kill him and now Jacob humbles himself before his brother. Perhaps Jacob had gained insight from being a victim of Laban’s deceptions and now wanted to make it right.
2. “I have dwelt with Laban and stayed there until now. I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, and male and female servants”: In other words, I’ve done my time and I am not coming back to claim what I stole from you, even though their father had given it to him.

Verse six tells us that the messengers come back with news that say that Esau is coming to meet him with 400 men. It is not difficult to see these words from Jacob’s eyes, Esau was a man of the sword who had gathered 400 men of like mind to settle the score. Jacob had wanted to know if he had “found favor in Esau’s eyes” and the thought of 400 men coming with a man that swore to kill him seems to have answered the question. Mom had told him twenty years earlier in 27:45 that she would send word when Esau cooled down and she had not contacted him.

            In the context of the angels encamped around Jacob and the assurance of chapter 28:15 where the Lord had promised to never leave him and bring him back into the land of promise; we have two things that seem to be mutually exclusive and opposite. God’s word and promise, which were reinforced with angels encamped around him and the fears of past failures seen in circumstances that look bad. Which one do you believe, God’s Word or the situation? We can be so assured of God and His Word one moment and completely overwhelmed in a situation the next?

Vs. 7-12 The word “distressed” here means to be tightly pressed. The squeeze was on Jacob, so he decides on a twofold course of action:

1. Vs. 7-8 He divides his camp: He splits in half the people and animals. His reasoning is worldly sound, if Esau attacks one camp then the other will have time to escape. It was not wrong to divide the camp, but the motivation was fear not faith, well did Shakespeare say, “Conscience does make cowards of us all!” Many of us Christians are crippled by our past as we don’t believe that Jesus has really settled all our accounts.
2. Vs. 9-12 He prays: When all else fails pray seems to be his motto. Instead, it should have been “Pray, no matter what fails”. He has four parts to his prayer that ought to serve as a model:

• Vs. 9 He remembers God’s Word: Back in chapters 28:13-15 and 31:3 God had spoken these promises to him and now Jacob recites them back to God holding onto them. Much of our prayer ought to be scripture as we appropriate what God has already promised towards us. It is because we fail to do this that we are often in a panic over what is already ours in Christ.
• Vs. 10 He is thankful: In chapter 31:42 Jacob had thought that he was blessed based upon his own effort, now he sees himself as not worthy. Literally this reads, “I have always been too little, and I still am”. It took a situation greater than himself for Jacob to realize that he had always been little. Now Jacob is thankful for what God has done instead of thinking it was because of him that it was done. Jacob is approaching God not on his faithfulness but rather upon God’s faithfulness.
• Vs. 11 He is honest: Jacob’s prayer is spoken in honesty as he asks God to deliver him because he is afraid, there is no con, no sugar coating his words just plain honesty and confession. Why not try telling God the truth when we pray, it’s not as if He doesn’t know the truth anyway!
• Vs. 12 He rests upon God’s Word: The rock in which Jacob makes his stand is the promises God has made to him and his grandfather Abraham. By faith Jacob now appropriated them to himself. George Mueller was once asked what the most important part of prayer was, he answered, “The 15 minutes after I have said Amen!” No matter how great the prayer you spoke from your heart towards God was, no matter how much you believed it when the words were on your lips…. the truth of the matter is that it is what you do with what you just spoke to God after you have stopped praying that indicates if you believed what you said. Prayer always changes things and the first thing it ought to change is us! 

Vs. 13-32 Pinning your “self” down

Vs. 13-20 At first glance this appears to be a cleaver strategy, sending gifts in waves (verses 13-16) to Esau. No doubt it was to send a message that he was a changed man. He was NOW a guy that would rather give then receive, serve rather than rule. Jacob wanted to communicate that he wanted to be a blessing and not to come and get blessed.

            As true as that was we can also see a lack of trust in the Lord. First off, we have his own words in verse 20, “I will appease him with the present that goes before me, and afterward I will see his face; perhaps he will accept me.” Jacob’s concern is not with Esau accepting him rather it is in the fear that he won’t. If Jacob trusted the Lord as he had prayed he would have been, at the head of it or at the end of it.

Vs. 21-23 Jacob sends the presents over in waves then at night sends his wives and children over the river Jabbok which means “wrestler” which was taken from the event that was about to take place. The river was 25 miles from where they camped and was 30 feet wide and waste deep. So, Jacob is all-alone with only himself and his fears.

Vs. 24-25 Here we read that it was a Man that wrestled with Jacob and not the other way around. Well, we are told some key things about this Man:

1. Vs. 30 “I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.” Clearly Jacob believes that the Man who wrestled with him was God.
2. Hosea 12:3-5 clarifies this story further by saying, “He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his strength he struggled with God. Yes, he struggled with the Angel and prevailed; He wept and sought favor from Him. He found Him in Bethel, and there He spoke to us; that is, the LORD God of hosts. The LORD is His memorable name.”

The only conclusion we can make is that the Man in whom Jacob wrestled was none other than a preincarnate manifestation of Jesus. One of the great tragedies in modern Christianity is all the effort we do in the energy of the flesh. The Church does not pray and trust God to change hearts instead it tries to outmaneuver the opposition. God is for us, and He wants us to obtain His victory, but He will not let us obtain it through our fleshly methods. The Prophet Zechariah spoke saying, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts.”  Here in verses 25-26, we see three ways to obtain spiritual victory:

1. Vs. 25 Recognize our own inadequacy: From Jacob’s perspective he and the Lord were pretty evenly matched but that was in appearance only. We wonder how Jacob was able to keep up his strength until daybreak but when we consider ourselves many of us have been wrestling with the Lord over areas of our lives for years. It amazes me how at times I act as if I can really contend with God hanging onto my pride and self-will. When the Lord just touched Jacob’s hip he was completely defeated and helpless. Notice that it says that the Lord “did not prevail” and not that He “could not prevail”. That means that God wanted to take the “fight” out of Jacob and get him to quit trying to do things in his own strength. We obtain spiritual victory the moment we are at the end of ourselves when we see the futility of using our own strength to obtain what can only be ours when we trust Him. Interesting that it was Jacob’s hip? When the hip is out of place a person cannot stand. Paul would say in 1 Cor 10:12 “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”     
2. Vs. 26 Trust only in what God has promised: Jacob only asked what the Lord had promised which was to bless him. It was God’s word that Jacob wanted to claim.
3. Vs. 26 Held onto to God: Jacob had come to the end of himself and was hopeless and helpless. So, he did what we all must do, cling to the Lord. Jacob was finally totally dependent upon the Lord, and it only took 90 years to get there. It is of the greatest importance that we come to the place where we are conquered and broken by the Lord. Jacob now knew practically what he knew intellectually; God was mightier than he. Hosea 12:4 tells us that Jacob sought God’s blessing as “He wept” Jacob was defeated and because he had lost he won! 

Vs. 27-32 God asks Jacob his name which forces him to deal with his own failures. “I’m a con-man, a sneak and a manipulator that’s who I am Lord.” For the first time in his life Jacob saw who his real enemy was, it was not his father or Esau nor was it Laban I was the person who stared back at him in the mirror every day. Upon that confession God changes his name to Israel. In Hebrew this is the combining of two words “rule” and “God”, in the Hebrew it is “God rules”! God changed Jacob’s name from “Jacob rules” to “God rules”! Jacob “prevailed” as he endured through the struggle until he was thoroughly whipped and in losing he won. We must never give up until we have lost! Jacob has to memorials one spiritual the other practical:

1. The river where he was at became his baptism where he died to himself, and it was this death that caused him to know that he had seen the face of God
2. Then Jacob was given a continual limp so that every step he would take the rest of his life would remind him that he needed to do so in God’s strength and not his own!