Worship - 11 July

On Monday we left off with the gruesome image of Isaac on the altar of logs, looking at Abraham’s sharp blade as it was raised in an act of worship and obedience to God. The story didn’t end there ...

But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear (Hebrew yare [yaw-ray], to have respect, trust, reverence for God) God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” Gen 22:11-14 (ESV)

I am certain that both men were happy to hear the angel of the Lord’s voice! He stopped the sacrifice and presented Abraham with a perfect ram in Isaac’s place. I wonder if that ram was there all along and the two men were oblivious because they were worshiping in obedience, or whether it arrived after Isaac was bound? Either way, God provided a sacrifice in place of Isaac, just as He has provided Jesus’ sacrifice in our place.

Look back at Genesis 22:1. What was God doing to Abraham?

What have we discovered so far?

Worship isn’t a style of music

Worship is an act of obedience

On Friday we will see what this act of obedience and worship accomplished in Abraham’s life.