A Tested Faith — A Trusted Faith

Authentic faith doesn’t demand an explanation; it rests on expectation—the conviction that God is always true to his character and to his promise. When our faith is tested, it is always to prove this very truth: God is trustworthy and true to his word.

The Journey // Focus: Genesis 22:1

“Some time later, God tested Abraham’s faith.”

The brilliant Thomas Aquinas wrote, “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.” Authentic faith doesn’t demand an explanation; it rests on expectation—the conviction that God is always true to his character and to his promise.

But what in the world do you do with this story as God asks Abraham to slay his son as a sign of his obedience? Why did God test Abraham with such a severe trial, and if he did that to him, will he do that to me? Here’s what we need to understand about this and all tests that come from God’s hand:

First, God’s tests are never without preparation. Notice the very first line: “Some time later God tested…” With God, time always comes before testing. This test came only after the events of Abraham’s life that we’ve been reading about since Genesis 12. God didn’t suddenly spring this extreme test on Abraham—and he’ll never spring one on you. One of the unchanging truths about God is that he’ll not give you a test that you cannot pass.

Second, God’s tests are never without purpose. In Genesis 22:12, the Lord stops Abraham from slaying Isaac, and says, “Now I know that you fear God.” The word “test” is used eight times in the Old Testament when God does the testing, and each time it’s used in this sense of “to prove.” God’s testing is not to expose, but to improve. When God says, “now I know”, it’s not for God’s benefit; it’s to give Abraham confidence that his faith is not misplaced. Abraham’s faith was tried; God’s faithfulness was verified—both were proven trustworthy in Abraham’s mind. Our faith is not really proven until God asks us to bear what seems unbearable, do what seems unreasonable, and expect what seems impossible.

Third, God’s tests are never without provision. Genesis 22:14 says, “So Abraham called the place ‘The LORD will provide.’” The emphasis here is not on the provision, but “the Lord” who provides. And the most important provision in this test—and in every test—is a prophetic revelation. The physical provision, whether a ram, a physical healing, or a million dollars for a ministry vision is secondary to a deeper revelation of the One who provides it! God tests your faith in order to prophetically reveal himself. And this test revealed to Abraham that in the journey of faith, God would always be present, and God would always provide. The Lord provides—always—for Abraham, and for you, too!

Now remember, God had promised Abraham a son, and not just one, but descendants as numerous as the stars. And not just increase, but the promise was for impact—that the whole world would be blessed through Abraham’s seed. Naturally, he wanted to know how that could happen when all he had was Isaac, and he, himself was advancing well into old age. So God shows him here in chapter 22 in this test with a sneak peek at the universal blessing to come in the ultimate sacrifice of the ultimate seed in Abraham’s line: Jesus.

This command to offer his only son prefigures God offering his only Son as a sacrifice for the world. Let me explain: In John 8:56-57, the Jews question Jesus’ authority by arrogantly claiming to be Abraham’s rightful heirs. So Jesus says, “Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” The Jews respond, “You’re not yet fifty years old, and you’ve seen Abraham?”

Now that’s not a question—it’s a rejection of Jesus’ crazy claim that Abraham had literally witnessed the events of his life, death and resurrection. Now if that’s true—that Abraham rejoiced when he saw Christ’s sacrifice, where’s it recorded in the Old Testament? Right here in Genesis 22—when God steps in to spare Isaac by providing a substitute.

This is irrefutable evidence that something bigger than just the sacrifice of Abraham’s only son was going on here: For a specific reason, God sent him three days to this area. God told him that the sacrifice was to take place on a mountain in the region of Moriah. It’s the very site where Jerusalem will be situated. It’s the very mount where Jesus will be sacrificed. (Calvary) Did God randomly choose a three-day journey to death on Mount Calvary? Of course not! Genesis 22:14 prophetically declares, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” This was an Old Testament shadow of the New Testament reality to come.

Furthermore, notice Abraham’s prophetic response in Genesis 22:8 as Isaac points out there’s no animal for the sacrifice: “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering.” The King James Version chose to translate that as: “Son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering.” Perhaps I’m taking liberty with the text, but by what Jesus said in John 8, I think that’s a prophetically accurate rendering: God will provide himself as the lamb. Which he did—literally, for Abraham; literally, for the whole world. As John 1:29 says, he provided himself as, “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” This is stunning beyond belief, a revelation that only came through testing.

Martin Luther read this account for family devotions, and his wife, Kate, objected, “Martin, I don’t believe this. God wouldn’t treat his son like that!” Luther said, “But, Katie, he did!”

God tested Abraham’s faith, substituting the Lamb, to prophetically reveal himself as the God who provides. When he puts you through a test, that is what he will graciously do for you, too!