Men, true sons of God are valiant and overcomes when tested. Genesis 22:1 tells us that God tempted Abraham. This proving (testing) of Abraham's obedience concerning his faith and trust that God would "provide himself a lamb" (Genesis 22:8) must have caused Abraham a great deal of suffering in his heart and mind.
What agony he must have gone through when it came to the point of binding his long-promised beloved son with cords, placing him on the altar, and taking up his knife to slay his son (Genesis 22:2-10). It must have torn his heart in two as he realized how Isaac's child-like trust in his godly fathering was now in question. This certainly was not an easy test to go through in order to prove that he feared God and was willing to obey His voice (verses 12 and 18).
But, look at the amazing blessings and rewards he received for fearing God and being obedient, no matter what the circumstances.
Genesis 22:15-18 says, "And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore: and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice."
Abraham was reward with:
1) Great multiplication of children
2) Possessing the gates of his enemies
3) All nations of the earth to be blessed through him
Men, what price are we having to pay to prove our obedience?
Be encouraged.
Colin Campbell