Slay Your Son

With a trembling hand and tears in his eyes, he lifted the knife high above the submissive form of his only son.

In Genesis 22:2, God gives Abraham a fearful message.

"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.”

Slay his only son!  The Promised son born to him at 100?  God had even told Abraham that the deliverer would rise from Isaac's lineage.  If he slayed his son, he would be slaying all hope of man's deliverance.  But he still obeyed.  Setting out for Moriah immediately, he brought wood and the sacrifice, his son.  Three days they journeyed to the appointed place, yet through all those long hours Abraham remained steadfast despite the task ahead of him.  

Reaching Moriah, he explains to his precious son what God had commanded.  Isaac submits willingly and allows himself to be bound and laid upon the altar.  Lifting the knife, Abraham trembles as he prepares to thrust it into the heart of his only son.  

"Abraham!  Abraham!...Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.” (vs 11, 12)

This was a test of faith.  Perhaps your faith is being tried as well.  Maybe you don't understand God's plan.  Neither did Abraham, but he still obeyed no matter the cost.  Obeying God was his first priority, even above the live of the Promised Son. 

" That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." 

1 Peter 1:7

Let us make obeying God our first priority, as did Abraham.