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Morning Thoughts |
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Hebrews 11:17-19, "By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered
up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten
son, Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: Accounting
that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he
received him in a figure." This morning, the rich subject of justification by faith again stirs our thinking. Justification is quite a vast (and very misunderstood) subject in the Bible, and the aspect of justification by faith may be the most misunderstood portion of the overall subject of justification. Justification is a legal term that means "declared righteous," and as a legal term, one must know whose court is in session to understand what is proper evidence for that court. For example, the only thing that matters in God's court is grace and blood, and therefore, that aspect of justification applies in that sense. In the court of our fellowman, the only thing that they can see (in a matter of discernment) is action or works, and therefore, justification from them comes in such a fashion. However, works are not suitable to declare us righteous in God's court any more than they can see the blood and grace applied to the entire family of God for it to be suitable for them to discern. Yet, the final courtroom, where faith comes in, is in our own minds. Romans 5:1 tells us that justification by faith is how we have peace with God (not how God has peace with us). We can only feel that righteousness and assurance by and through faith that speaks to us of the peace and reconciliation we have with God. Would to God that all of God's dear children experienced the peace and assurance of this wonderful blessing while they journey here. The reason that this subject is more difficult to contemplate (Scripturally) is because it is difficult for us to know what someone is thinking. Not having the ability to "see into their minds," we can only truly see the action, while only having "an idea" of the motive. Yet, in our passage above, we have a truly wonderful privilege of seeing into the mind of Abraham during the most difficult trial of his life. The reason we know that this is Abraham's mind is because what is written is not exactly what transpired. The language dictates action that never literally happened, but the surety of the language is important as it speaks of the justification by faith that Abraham had in in the courtroom of his own mind. Notice the tense of the language. The words used to denote the experience from Genesis 22 are in the past tense. Therefore, we conclude that Isaac was already dead in Abraham's mind. In his mind, by faith, his son was already offered up on the alter to God, his life having been taken, and the fulfillment of the will of God executed. This is the faith of Abraham in his willingness to serve God that nothing would deter him from doing what God commanded. Without Hebrews 11, we might conclude that Abraham lied to his servants in Genesis 22 when he said that he and Isaac were going up to worship and both coming back down to them. We might reason that his servants would have tried to overcome him to prevent his doing what God commanded. Yet, Hebrews 11 describes Abraham's motive in a far more sublime and comforting frame. Abraham had already been given the promise that Isaac would be his promised seed from which countless multitudes would spring. In Isaac would his seed be called, and Abraham counted God faithful who promised. Therefore, if God desired him to offer up Isaac and the previous promise could not be broken, what is the only answer for these two things to reconcile and harmonize? I have heard it said that Old Testament saints had an inferior faith to us in the New Testament gospel age. One of the chief arguments for that line of thought is that they (supposedly) did not have an idea of the resurrection. Here we find the direct opposite. Abraham was persuaded of the resurrection in the sense that just as surely in his own mind that Isaac was dead was just as surely that God was going to raise him back to life. Abraham had confidence and was assured of the resurrection by seeing Isaac dead and then alive again in his mind. In a figure, he received his only begotten son raised back to life again. The faith that Abraham exhibited (exercised) was tremendous in scope, and he would have gladly and willingly coupled his works unto it in service to God. Now consider a higher plane. As strong as Abraham's exercise of faith was, he still did not know the mind of the Lord. The Lord called upon Abraham to fulfill something that he - in reality - did not fulfill. By faith, he fulfilled it, and the effort was completely tangible to his mind. Let it never become us, dear friends, to think that walking by faith and exercising our faith is some mystical, intangible activity. It is quite tangible (though following after things not seen). It is quite real and not some mysterious phenomenon. Yet, as real as this was to Abraham, he still did not literally see it transpire. How beautiful that he did not have to literally kill his son and see him die. God did not stop there. God had faith and exercised His faith in the work and merits of His only begotten Son. Abraham's son died in a figure. God's Son died literally. Abraham received his son back to life in a figure. God's Son was resurrected literally. The evidence of Abraham's faithfulness to God showed confidence and assurance, and while the outcome was still the same (his son was alive), the course did not transpire exactly as he perceived it would. God's faithfulness and confidence in His Son received the same outcome as Abraham and Isaac, but the course transpired exactly as God perceived that it would. God's faith in the blood of His Son did not occur in a figure, nor did His resurrection occur in a figure. (Romans 3:24-25) God's faith was made light and came to fruition just as He saw it would happen. As beautiful as Abraham's faith was, God's showed forth more brilliantly. As wonderful as Isaac's sparing was, Christ received no legal deferment or substitution as He bore the weight in full. (Isaiah 53) As God had promised that His Son would bless all nations (Galatians 3:16), so the resurrection assuredly happened to fulfill that promise. What Abraham saw that day - and rejoiced to see - was Christ. (John 8:58) When he turned to see the ram caught in a thicket, he rejoiced to see Christ's day that spared all of us from the punishment due us. He saw the substitutionary work of Christ for Isaac, as a picture of the redeemed family of God. God indeed provided Himself an offering, as the offering was Himself. Jesus Christ, no less God, was offered up on the alter in our room and stead to suffer the full justice of God according to the will of the Father for the objects of His love. Therefore, may we follow after faith in our lives having peace with God. Abraham did not see God's command as unjust, grievous, or a contradiction to a previous promise. Rather, He saw and rejoiced in the knowledge of the resurrection from the dead. Today, may we rejoice in the knowledge of the resurrection from the dead, coupled with the knowledge of the One who loved us and gave Himself for us. (Galatians 2:20) When I consider the folly of my life, I am made to consider all that the Just One had to put away for me to be justified before God by His grace and blood. When I then consider all the things that I have yet to commit as blights in His sight and a stench in His nostrils that He foresaw and put away, I trust that I am renewed to do better going forward than I have in the past. While I may not know the exact course of everything that will proceed (just as Abraham was made to see that he did not), I trust that the end result is known: we will live with Him forever. Isaac lived, and dear friends on a much higher plane of thought, so shall we. Whatever comes, through life or death, we shall live together with Him. May that thought spur us to live more righteously, Godly, and charitably in this present, evil world. 
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