Humble Submission

He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
–Philippians 2:8

Abraham and Isaac began their journey to Mount Moriah. Can you imagine how Abraham was feeling as he walked next to Isaac, knowing he was about to sacrifice his son? Genesis 22:5 says when they could see the mountain, “Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.’”

Here you see the tremendous faith of Abraham. If Abraham was about to kill Isaac, how could both Isaac and Abraham return to the men? The writer of Hebrews answered that question in Hebrews 11: “[Abraham] considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead” (v. 19). Abraham believed that even if he killed Isaac, somehow God would bring him back from the dead in order to fulfill His promise.

They went on, with Isaac carrying the wood for the offering. He asked, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” (Genesis 22:7). That question must have come like a dagger into Abraham’s own heart. How did he respond? Look at verse 8: “Abraham said, ‘God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’”

Then in verse 9 comes the moment of revelation: “They came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.” Isaac was a young man; he could have run away if he had wanted to, but he willingly submitted to the will of his father.

This was foreshadowing an event that would take place nearly two thousand years later, when another beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, would carry the wood on His back for His own sacrifice. And when He reached that place of sacrifice, like Isaac He willingly submitted himself to the will of the Father. Philippians 2:8 says, “He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

And when Abraham took the knife to slay Isaac, God was moved to the very depths of His being as He saw His beloved friend, Abraham, willing to give up that which was most important to him. Scripture says at that moment, God cried out, “Abraham, Abraham!” Abraham said, “Here I am.” And God told him, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me” (vv. 11-12). Abraham trusted fully in God’s will, and God rewarded his faithfulness.

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Today’s devotion is excerpted from “Saying Yes To The Impossible”” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2009.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org