22 Feb 2018, Gen 22 创22章, The Greatest Test 最大的考验

Posted on Jan 31, 2018 in Devotions, Genesis |

Scripture Reading        : Gen 22

Theme                             : The Greatest Test

 

At the age of 75, Abraham enrolled in the “School of Faith.” Now he was over 100, and he was still having soul-stretching experiences. We are never too old to face new challenges, fight new battles, and learn new truths. When we stop learning, we stop growing; and when we stop growing, we stop living. [1]

Genesis 22 records the greatest test that Abraham ever faced. Offering Isaac on the altar was the hardest test Abraham ever faced, but he came through victoriously because he trusted God (Heb. 11:17–19). He had experienced resurrection power in his own body (Rom. 4:19–21), so he knew what God could do. It was a test of faith, whether he will trust God. This is far more difficult than the previous tests involving Lot and Ishmael.

It was also a test of hope, for God’s plan of salvation for the world was wrapped up in Isaac. If Isaac died, how could the Jewish nation be built and the Savior be born? But Abraham had a living hope because he trusted in the living God (1 Pet. 1:3).

Certainly it was a test of love. In verse 2, you find the first use of the word love in the Bible. Abraham loved his son, but he loved God more. Isaac was God’s gift to Abraham, but the gift had to become a sacrifice to God. If the gift becomes more important than the Giver, it becomes an idol.

After He tests us, God reveals Himself to us in a new way (John 14:21–23). The name Jehovah-Yireh means “the Lord will see to it” or “the Lord will provide.” The ram was God’s provision for Isaac, and Jesus Christ is God’s provision for the whole world. In this experience, Abraham saw Christ by faith and rejoiced (John 8:56).

 

Praying the Scripture

  1. The command to Abraham to sacrifice his son was repeated thrice by God in verses 2, 12 and 16. This would mean killing the son and ending the promise of the Abrahamic Covenant. Such action would seem illogical, irrational and incomprehensible, yet Abraham obeyed (v. 3). This was a test of faith and test of hope – whether you can trust God even if you do not understand. Pray that you will remember that God’s ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts. (Isa 55:9)
  1. The Lord knew Abraham loved his son dearly: “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love. (Gen 22:2) This is his only son he got after waiting for 100 years. The test is whether Abraham love his son more than God. If our hearts desire anything more than God, that desire, regardless good or bad, becomes our idol. What is the ultimate desire of your heart? In a sense, we are also being tested like Abraham every day. Do we love God more than anything in the world? Let’s pray that we love God more anything in the world.

[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, With the Word Bible Commentary (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1991), Ge 22:1.

 
 
 

经文：创22章

主题：最大的考验

 

亚伯拉罕75岁时加入了“信心的学校”。现在他已100岁，但他仍面临属灵的考验。我们需要以“活到老,学到老”一直不断学习的态度来面对新的挑战、新的考验、并学习新的真理。当我们停止学习，我们就会停止成长；当我们停止成长，我们的生命也会止住。

创世记22章记载着亚伯拉罕所面临的最大考验。这是亚伯拉罕一生面临的最大考验，将以撒献在祭坛上。但他因为依靠神而得胜了。（希 11:17-19）他曾经亲身的经历了复活的大能（罗4:19-21），所以他知道神必定也能使以撒复活。这是一个信心的考验，来审查他是否会相信神。这远远比罗得和以实玛利的考验来的更加的大。

这也是一个盼望的考验，因神拯救世界的计划与以撒息息相关。如果以撒死了，那犹太民族要如何建立起来，救主怎么诞生呢？但亚伯拉罕有生命的盼望，因为他相信永生的神。（彼前1:3）

当然，这也是一个爱的考验。在第2节中，你会发现“爱”这个字第一次出现在圣经中。亚伯拉罕爱他的儿子，但他更爱神。以撒是神赐给亚伯拉罕的礼物，但这礼物也必须成为献给神的祭物。如果礼物比赐予礼物的神更加重要，那神的礼物就成为他的偶像。

在祂考验了我们之后，神会向我们显示了自己新的一面（约 14:21-23）。耶和华以勒指“耶和华有清楚地看见”或“主耶和华必预备” 。公羊是神为以撒预备的，耶稣基督是神为整个世界所预备的。通过这次的考验，亚伯拉罕因着信心看到基督并欣喜。（约8:56）

 

用经文祷告

  1. 神命令亚伯拉罕把自己的儿子献上，这命令祂重复了三次，在第2、12和16节。这命令也就是说要杀死儿子并结束与亚伯拉罕的约。这样的命令似乎不合逻辑、不合理、更无法理解，但亚伯拉罕却顺服了（3节）。这是一个信心和盼望的考验 – 即使当我们无法明白，我们是否愿意信靠神？请祷告你会记得：神的道路高过我们的道路，祂的意念高过我们的意念。 （赛55:9）
  1. 主虽然知道亚伯拉罕深深地爱着自己的儿子但祂却说：“你带着你的儿子，就是你独生的儿子，你所爱的以撒”（创22:2）这也是他等待了100年后的唯一儿子。这次的考验是要测试亚伯拉罕是否爱自己儿子多过神。如果我们的心渴望任何东西远超过神，那个渴望，无论好坏，就成为我们的偶像。你心里的最高的渴望是什么呢？在某种意义上，每一天我们也在经历像亚伯拉罕一样的考验。我们爱神超过世界上任何的东西吗？请祷告我们确实爱神超过世界上任何的东西。