ABRAHAM REJOICES
Friday – April 26, 2019, Nisan 21, 5779
Greetings my precious and treasured brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus, I am so honored that you are friends and partners of this ministry. Thank you. The pictures this week will be of wildlife in various natural and stunning settings. If you are viewing this on Facebook please take a moment to hit the “like” and “share” buttons to expand the reach and impact of this ministry. Afterall, your friends are going to give this a higher place because it comes from you and will not seen as junk mail on receipt. Now let’s turn our attention to our Bible Study of the Book of John by reading our primary text aloud.
John 8:56-59 (KJV)
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?
58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Today I will continue the journey of exploring Jesus’ statement that Abraham saw His day and rejoiced and was glad. Jesus uses the name Abraham not Abram in His discourse indicating He is talking of the man of chapter seventeen and following. However, let me point out something instructive about this and how we should think and talk. In the mind of God, this man who is called Abram for several chapters was always Abraham. Any Covenant is easy to observe during smooth going or sunny weather but it is only as strong as the storm it will endure. As we come into Genesis chapter twenty-two, we see an incomparable test of the Covenants established between God and Abraham sealed in the blood of animals and the sign of the circumcision. At this juncture God did not have any Blood to seal the Covenant but He was on the way.
Genesis 22:1-2 (KJV)
1 And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
A major component of Blood Covenant is the idea that what one is willing to do the other must be willing to do and is in fact obligated to do, the law of reciprocity. If Abraham does this thing, God is then obligated to send a Son, an only Son, whom He loves, into the earth as a sacrifice for mankind. This sacrifice was for God, the sacrifice of God’s Son would be for mankind. God did not need a sacrifice but we sure did! As a father or mother can you imagine receiving such a request from God? Notice Abraham’s response.
Genesis 22:3 (KJV)
3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.
He immediately followed the Word of the Lord. He didn’t pray about it. When Christians tell you, they need to pray about it, they either don’t want to do it or are not practiced in the voice of the Lord. Promptly following the voice of the Lord in all things is essential, procrastination is disobedience, which is sin, and a lack of faith and trust. Before we arrive at the final point let me point out a couple of things. One is that the phrase “my day” in the John text is feminine and singular meaning it has the potential to be productive.
John 12:23-24 (KJV)
23 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
The goodness (glory) of God was certainly manifested in the sacrifice of His only son whom He loved. That sacrifice manifested as untold millions of Christians, among whom are you and I brother and sister. This is longer than usual today but I want to finish and not go into next week.
Genesis 22:4-8 (KJV)
4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
5 And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.
6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.
7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
How could Abraham and for that matter Isaac be so confident? The answer is found in Hebrews 11:17-19 which I will leave for your research, diligence. You know the story of how the angel calls to Abraham, Isaac is spared but now the Father is obligated to send His Son into the earth for all of mankind. Focus for a moment on the phrase in verse four above “saw the place afar off”. They are at Mount Moriah, they are not far off, this is referring to time, Abraham was allowed to see the coming sacrifice of Jesus some two-thousand years later on this very mount. Can’t you imagine that Abraham and especially Isaac rejoiced and both were glad to see the coming Messiah. Now listen to the Lord.
Genesis 22:15-19 (KJV)
15 And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
16 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:
17 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 sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
19 So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.
The verse of love (16) expressed the law of reciprocity, and Abraham is assured of the promises of God concerning the Jews and the Church which will spring from the Messiah. When the Messiah comes mankind, who will worship (submit) Him, will possess the gate of their enemies, dominion is returned to the sons of God. Abraham then lived in Beersheba which means the well of the oath. Well of water, The Word came by an oath, a Blood Covenant.
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it by faith in Jesus name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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