In Genesis 22, we have the true story of how Abraham was tested by God. He is told to take his only son, the son of every promise God had made to him, and sacrifice him on a hill far away. Abraham gets up early the next day with some servants and his son and head on a three day journey to Mount Moriah (the same mountain where Jesus was sacrificed for our sins on an old rugged cross). As hard as it must have been, and as confusing as all that must have been, Abraham obeyed God. If you know the story, you know that as he raised the knife to kill his only son, God stopped him and provided a ram for a sacrifice instead.
There are so many lessons and questions that rise up around that account we read in the Bible. But, have you ever wondered what Sarah said to Abraham when he returned from Mount Moriah and Isaac, her ONLY son, told the story of what happened? All you moms out there, how would you have responded to this news?
One of my shepherds gave me a book a while back written by a Jewish Rabbi. It is an incredible book. I was reading this book and its take on this account of Abraham and Isaac when I was stopped in my tracks. This Jewish Rabbi believed that after this six day journey that Abraham and Isaac take, Sarah and Abraham separated. I was initially skeptical. I had never heard anything like that. Well, then I kept reading.
Genesis 22:19, “So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arise and went together to Beersheba. and Abraham lived at Beersheba.” Abraham lived at Beersheba, no big deal, we already knew that. But…
Genesis 23:1-2, “Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah. And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.”
Abraham lived in Beersheba, Sarah lived in Hebron…Abraham went to where she was and mourned her when she died. Hmmmm. Interesting. Now, there are other possibilities than separation that accounts for these verses, but it makes you stop and wonder doesn’t it? Did Abraham’s obedience to God cost him his wife? I cannot say for certain…but it reminds me of Luke 14:26, “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.” (NLT)
Obedience matters. I hope you never LOSE anything for following Jesus Christ, but if the possibility of losing stops you from following Christ that is a problem. He is worthy of our obedience. Worthy of our allegiance. Worthy of our devotion.
0 Comments