Lessons For Today

 "Then He said, take now 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 of which I shall tell you." Gen.22:2

This story, of Abraham preparing to murder his son to offer him up as a burnt offering, is a troubling story. It has meaning beyond the obvious. But beyond Abraham's obedience, let's think about Isaac's perspective for a minute. Isaac was a young man, but not a child. Abraham told Isaac what was about to happen, but left out one glaring detail. I wonder if it crossed Isaac's mind at all what Abraham and God were planning for him. Isaac is the obedient son, up to the time that Abraham bound his hands and laid him on the alter. It was not until God saw that Abraham was really going to kill his son that God intervened to provide the ram in the bushes. I wonder how this whole scenario affected Isaac's view of his father.

 First, Isaac had to overcome his father's radical obedience. The first generation of revival had to make radical decisions and take radical stands just to survive. Everything to them was black and white, Heaven or Hell. There was no middle ground. It was, of necessity, a life out of balance for God. 

Isaac had to deal with his father's humanity. Every generation has to deal with the humanity of their parents. They see the radical faith and they see the failure of human nature, and they call them hypocrites and phonies. But Abraham was just human. Your parents and your pastor are just human too. Isaac had to come to grips with the fact that we are all just sinners saved by grace.

We all have to grow up and find balance in our faith if we are going to survive to the end. The soup is never eaten as hot as it is cooked. You cannot stay radical and on fire forever. We all have to find what works in life. Most successful people have learned how to compromise and they have learned that you have to get along with people different from us.

Isaac had to find his own relationship with God. You do not find that by turning your back. You find it by digging your own wells. You can learn from your parents mistakes. And you can benefit from your parents faith.

"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord is giving you." Exod. 20:12

From the beginning of human history, each generation has had to find God and serve the Lord for themselves. God has no grandchildren, only children. 

Isaac never followed his father's example by offering his son Jacob. But he did follow his father's faith to the end. Isaac will be in Heaven. Will you?