And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,
The angel's second call from heaven came after Abraham had proved his faith by obeying without withholding Isaac, when the sacrifice was stopped, Isaac was spared, and a ram was offered in his place. It introduced God's oath sworn by Himself, renewing the promise because Abraham obeyed, to greatly bless him, multiply his descendants as the stars and the sand, give them victory and possession of their enemies' gate, and bless all nations through his seed. The command had come in his old age and seemed to contradict the promise concerning Isaac, yet he obeyed without complaint, excuse, or delay in reasoning, trusting God implicitly and coming off conqueror through the severest test. In heart purpose he made the offering as fully as if he had taken his son's life, and was thus permitted to know something of the cost of God's sacrifice in giving His beloved Son, the guiltless suffering for the guilty to ransom a fallen race that could never rescue itself. The call stands as an enduring example for believing children of implicit confidence, perfect obedience, and complete surrender, teaching that nothing possessed is too precious to yield to God at His voice and that His people today will likewise be tried when He sets His purposes against their desires.
Setting and Covenant Oath
The call is a second call from heaven, coming after Abraham proved his faith by obeying God and not withholding Isaac. The sacrifice was stopped, Isaac was spared, and a ram was offered in his place. The call introduces God's oath, sworn by Himself, renewing the promise because Abraham obeyed and did not withhold his only son. God will greatly bless him, multiply his descendants like the stars and the sand, give them victory and possession of their enemies' gate, and bless all nations through his seed.
The oath assures God's people of His promised mercy and blessing. God fulfills His promises for His own glory and for His people's good. Abraham's faithfulness in this test makes up for his earlier lack of complete trust, which had led him to take Hagar as his wife.
His obedience was witnessed by heaven before heavenly beings. The trial showed his loyalty and proved Satan's accusations false. God's declaration that Abraham fears Him confirmed that he did not withhold his son, and the covenant oath made before heavenly beings shows that obedience will be rewarded. The ram provided in Isaac's place helps heavenly beings understand God's provision for salvation. The voice directing Abraham in this test was the same voice that had called him to leave his country and go to a land God would show him.
Tested Faith and Obedience
The test came to Abraham in his old age in the form of a terrible command concerning Isaac that seemed to stand in direct conflict with God's promises to him. Yet he obeyed without complaint because he trusted God implicitly. His obedience shows that neither age nor difficulty excuses disobedience, and that true faith responds willingly to God's requirements.
He did not use the time to doubt or to make excuses, nor did he wait to reason the command through before acting. Though he could not reason it out, he stopped reasoning, believed God, and delighted to obey. So he set out on the painful journey to offer his only son, the child of promise who was to become the father of a great nation. His willingness to obey showed great faith and trust in God's justice and righteousness.
No one could have been more severely tested, yet he came off conqueror. God intended the lesson for his present and eternal good. Because he endured the test of obeying God he was called God's friend. His faith involved trust in God and produced fruit, and he was saved by faith in Christ just as sinners are saved by faith in Christ.
Christ Type and Enduring Example
In heart purpose Abraham carried out the fearful offering as fully as if he had taken his son's life by his own hand, and through that experience he was permitted to know something of the meaning and cost of God's sacrifice in giving His Son to ransom fallen man. As Abraham gave his son, so God gave His beloved Son, with Christ the guiltless taking the sinner's place and suffering for the guilty. Fallen man through disobedience had lost loyalty and could never rescue himself, and only an immeasurable sacrifice could obtain the ransom to save a guilty, rebellious race. For this endurance Abraham is called the father of the faithful, named Father of the faithful by God's approval of his faith in offering Isaac.
The second call from heaven sets Abraham as an example recorded for believing children, teaching implicit confidence in God, perfect obedience to His requirements, and complete surrender to the divine will. True faith is exemplified by works, counting it a privilege and honor to be accepted as an offering to God, and his tested obedience teaches confidence in God's requirements even when they are painful. Nothing possessed is too precious to give to God, for the dearest treasures belong to God and must be yielded at His voice without hesitation or clinging to earthly things. Abraham's willingness to give up his only son, the child of promise, shows a readiness to obey that many lack when asked to sacrifice earthly possessions, and clinging to wealth shows the heavenly inheritance is not valued enough to make a sacrifice for it. The test illustrates the surrender and sacrifice God asks of those who value Him above possessions and worldly interests, showing genuine faith and devotion.
It teaches children submission to their parents and to God, and requires Christian parents to educate children to reverence God and put God's claims first. God's people today will be tested and tried in the same way, with the Lord putting His purposes in the place of their devising. That proving is often contrary to human desires and inclinations and contrary to the dictates of the flesh, as Abraham believed God and delighted to obey when he could not reason out the command.
The angel's second call from heaven came after Abraham had proved his faith by obeying without withholding Isaac, when the sacrifice was stopped, Isaac was spared, and a ram was offered in his place. It introduced God's oath sworn by Himself, renewing the promise because Abraham obeyed, to greatly bless him, multiply his descendants as the stars and the sand, give them victory and possession of their enemies' gate, and bless all nations through his seed. The command had come in his old age and seemed to contradict the promise concerning Isaac, yet he obeyed without complaint, excuse, or delay in reasoning, trusting God implicitly and coming off conqueror through the severest test. In heart purpose he made the offering as fully as if he had taken his son's life, and was thus permitted to know something of the cost of God's sacrifice in giving His beloved Son, the guiltless suffering for the guilty to ransom a fallen race that could never rescue itself. The call stands as an enduring example for believing children of implicit confidence, perfect obedience, and complete surrender, teaching that nothing possessed is too precious to yield to God at His voice and that His people today will likewise be tried when He sets His purposes against their desires.
Setting and Covenant Oath
The call is a second call from heaven, coming after Abraham proved his faith by obeying God and not withholding Isaac. The sacrifice was stopped, Isaac was spared, and a ram was offered in his place. The call introduces God's oath, sworn by Himself, renewing the promise because Abraham obeyed and did not withhold his only son. God will greatly bless him, multiply his descendants like the stars and the sand, give them victory and possession of their enemies' gate, and bless all nations through his seed.
The oath assures God's people of His promised mercy and blessing. God fulfills His promises for His own glory and for His people's good. Abraham's faithfulness in this test makes up for his earlier lack of complete trust, which had led him to take Hagar as his wife.
His obedience was witnessed by heaven before heavenly beings. The trial showed his loyalty and proved Satan's accusations false. God's declaration that Abraham fears Him confirmed that he did not withhold his son, and the covenant oath made before heavenly beings shows that obedience will be rewarded. The ram provided in Isaac's place helps heavenly beings understand God's provision for salvation. The voice directing Abraham in this test was the same voice that had called him to leave his country and go to a land God would show him.
Tested Faith and Obedience
The test came to Abraham in his old age in the form of a terrible command concerning Isaac that seemed to stand in direct conflict with God's promises to him. Yet he obeyed without complaint because he trusted God implicitly. His obedience shows that neither age nor difficulty excuses disobedience, and that true faith responds willingly to God's requirements.
He did not use the time to doubt or to make excuses, nor did he wait to reason the command through before acting. Though he could not reason it out, he stopped reasoning, believed God, and delighted to obey. So he set out on the painful journey to offer his only son, the child of promise who was to become the father of a great nation. His willingness to obey showed great faith and trust in God's justice and righteousness.
No one could have been more severely tested, yet he came off conqueror. God intended the lesson for his present and eternal good. Because he endured the test of obeying God he was called God's friend. His faith involved trust in God and produced fruit, and he was saved by faith in Christ just as sinners are saved by faith in Christ.
Christ Type and Enduring Example
In heart purpose Abraham carried out the fearful offering as fully as if he had taken his son's life by his own hand, and through that experience he was permitted to know something of the meaning and cost of God's sacrifice in giving His Son to ransom fallen man. As Abraham gave his son, so God gave His beloved Son, with Christ the guiltless taking the sinner's place and suffering for the guilty. Fallen man through disobedience had lost loyalty and could never rescue himself, and only an immeasurable sacrifice could obtain the ransom to save a guilty, rebellious race. For this endurance Abraham is called the father of the faithful, named Father of the faithful by God's approval of his faith in offering Isaac.
The second call from heaven sets Abraham as an example recorded for believing children, teaching implicit confidence in God, perfect obedience to His requirements, and complete surrender to the divine will. True faith is exemplified by works, counting it a privilege and honor to be accepted as an offering to God, and his tested obedience teaches confidence in God's requirements even when they are painful. Nothing possessed is too precious to give to God, for the dearest treasures belong to God and must be yielded at His voice without hesitation or clinging to earthly things. Abraham's willingness to give up his only son, the child of promise, shows a readiness to obey that many lack when asked to sacrifice earthly possessions, and clinging to wealth shows the heavenly inheritance is not valued enough to make a sacrifice for it. The test illustrates the surrender and sacrifice God asks of those who value Him above possessions and worldly interests, showing genuine faith and devotion.
It teaches children submission to their parents and to God, and requires Christian parents to educate children to reverence God and put God's claims first. God's people today will be tested and tried in the same way, with the Lord putting His purposes in the place of their devising. That proving is often contrary to human desires and inclinations and contrary to the dictates of the flesh, as Abraham believed God and delighted to obey when he could not reason out the command.