Genesis 22:1-14

ON THE MOUNTAIN OF ABSOLUTE SURRENDER

Intro:

This is one of the great mountain top passages of the Bible.

In it, we find one of the clearest pictures of the coming sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the
cross at Calvary.

It seems as though God used the life of Abraham as a canvas to paint a portrait of His
Own heart as He willingly gave His Own darling Son to die for the sin of man.

This is usually how we approach this passage.

However, there is another dimension to this text.

I would like to look at this passage from Abraham's perspective.

As I read the Bible, I am confronted with the truth that no other man was called upon
to give so much.

Yet, as Abraham's sacrifice to the Lord is offered, we do not see the heart of a
devastated broken man.

Instead, we see the heart of a worshiper! I believe there are lessons that we can learn
from Abraham today.

As you and I pass through this life, there will be demands made on our lives by God.
Often, these demands will call for personal and profound sacrifices on our part.
From a human perspective, we may not want to participate in what God calls us to do.
However, God demand from your life and mine is total, absolute and unquestioning
obedience to His perfect will, 1 Sam. 15:22; Rom. 12:1-2.

Even though we know this, there is still a part of us that wants to rebel against the
command of God for our lives. SELF-WILLED NATURE!

 Today, I would like for us to join Abraham as he climbs the lonely Mountain Of
Absolute Surrender.

There are steps we must take if we will climb that mountain.

Let's join this great man of God on this mountain and see what it would take for us to
be On The Mountain Of Absolute Surrender as well.

I.

V. 1-2 INVOLVES PERCEPTION (awareness)

(We must be in a position to hear God.)

A. This Demands A Relationship - Abraham came to know the Lord back

in Genesis chapter 12.

The reality of his conversion is revealed in Gen. 15:6.

Their relationship had often been rocky,
o Lot - 12:4; Egypt - 12:10-20; Hagar - 16:1-4; Gerar - 20:1-18 He wasn't perfect, but he knew the Lord

Note: How about you? Have you been saved? If so, then no doubt your
relationship has been rocky too. Be that as it may, there is still a relationship.
If you have not been saved, you need to bow to His will and be saved!

B. This Demands A Readiness - As soon as God speaks, Abraham responds!

This implies that he had been listening for the voice of His Lord, and he was
not disappointed.

Note: God is on the lookout for people who want to be in a deep, close
relationship with Himself - John 4:23.

o If you ever get hungry for the Lord, you will not be disappointed!

C. This Demands A Revelation - God revealed His plan for Abraham's life.

This was a necessary part of the process, for no man can know the mind of
God until it is revealed to man by God.
o HAVE YOU EVER SOUGHT FOR GODS PLAN IN YOUR LIFE?
1. Notice How God Defines His Commands - "thy son, thine only son Isaac,
whom thou lovest."

Abraham's son Ishmael had already been sent away.

Now, the command comes that would take Isaac away as well.

God was asking for everything Abraham had!

All his hopes, his dreams and his plans were bound up in Isaac.

God says "give it all to me!"

(Note: God wants nothing less than everything - Rom. 12:1)

2. Notice How God Details His Commands - God was very precise about what
Abraham was to do.

Note: When God speaks, He may not reveal every detail of His plan, but your
next step will always be made clear.

3. Notice How God Darkens His Commands - God does not explain the "why?" to
men!

Note: Does the "why?" even matter? It shouldn't! Faith knows that he path
of God always leads to good for us and to glory for Him - Rom. 8:28.

II. V. 3-5 INVOLVES PREPARATIONS

Note: As we observe Abraham doing what the Lord commanded, we see a man who is
thoroughly prepared. There are three areas in which Abraham made his preparations.)

Human sacrifice was practiced in the land of Canaan in ancient times. One Israelite Judge, Jephthah, before he went to war
with Ammon made this awful vow, "And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the
children of Ammon into mine hands, Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me,
when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD'S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering"
(Judges 11:30,31). Alas! When Jephthah returned in triumph after the war he was greeted in his homecoming by his only
child, his most beloved daughter. A vow made to God is irrevocable. He offered his only daughter as a burnt-offering for the
Lord.

"Go the region of Moriah," to Mt. Moriah. This is the single most significant mountain in the world today. Where Abraham
offered Isaac, David later offered sacrifice to God on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite (2 Sam 24:17-19). And so
Solomon, David's son, built his Temple here and made this rock at the top of the mountain the Holy of Holies (2 Chr 3:1).
Today this rock is enshrined in the Dome of the Rock, the Muslim structure completed in AD 691. It is the holiest spot on
earth to the Jews, and third holiest to the Muslims. They both want it. And the Middle East conflict which rages today
comes down to it.

Another reason why Abraham got up early was to avoid Sarah's involvement. Should she know Isaac was to be the sacrificial
lamb she might strongly object. In grave matters like this, "don't let your wife know" is sound advice.

When young I heard the story of Abraham sacrificing Isaac. I thought Isaac was a baby or a very small boy, so he could do
nothing to escape or resist. Now, the text says in verse 6, "And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon
Isaac his son . . . and they went both of them together." How much wood was needed to burn a full grown human body?
Isaac was evidently a young man. Some scholars think he was 25 at this time. If so Abraham would be 125. Now if Isaac
were a rebellious son, the whole business might end up the other way round. The beauty of the story is Isaac's perfect
yielding to his father's wish. He submitted to being bound and laid upon the wood on the altar. So Abraham stretched forth
his hand and took his knife to slay his son.

A. V. 3 His Hands Were Prepared - Abraham wasted no time, but got himself up
and gathered everything he would need to do what God had commanded. He left
nothing out, but he took nothing extra!

Note: There is an urgency to the commands of God.

The moment He calls is the moment you should act - John 9:4

 Note: Procrastination has caused the death on many profound spiritual

experiences.

We miss them because we hesitate.

Note: Carpe Diem should be the rallying cry of the church!
Note: Just a thought: If anything is worth doing for the Lord, it is worth doing
right!

May we always refuse to build with cheap materials! 1 Cor. 3:12

B. V. 4-5a His Head Was Prepared - Abraham had three days and three nights to
think about what was about to happen.

To him, it must have made no sense at all, yet he did it without question!
All he knew was:
1.) Isaac was the future - Gen. 17; and
2.) God wanted Isaac back! Even though he couldn't make it add up
mentally, by faith he was willing to obey God.

Note: This is the key to consistent spiritual victory!

We are called to walk by faith, Rom. 1:17; 2 Cor. 5:7.
God help us to come to the place where, even when God's commands make
absolutely no sense, we will still obey Him without question or reservation!)

C. V. 5b His Heart Was Prepared - Abraham knew why he was there. He was there
to offer his beloved son to God.

He was there to give everything that was present in that day and all that
was promised for tomorrow.

Yet, he looked at it as a service of worship!

 (Note: Define worship - It is ascribing worth to someone!

Worship is taking a place of absolute humility before God, thereby
leaving Him, alone, in the place of exaltation!)

Abraham viewed God as being worthy of receiving all he had without

question or without reservation.

How could he do this? Because Abraham knew that God ALWAYS honors
His Word - Heb. 11:17-19.

Note His great statement of faith in Gen. 22:8 - "will come again!"
Note: This is the place God would have us all to come to! He wants you
and me in a place in life where no one or no thing in our lives is more
precious to us than He is!)

Note: Can you honestly say that God Is more important to you than
anything else in life?

Be careful before you answer!

(Ill. Matt. 10:35-37) Have you honestly come to the place of total and
absolute surrender to God?

If you ever do, you will learn that you have no rights, no possessions, no
positions, nothing but Him and His will for your life, 1 Cor. 6:19-20.

Where are you in regard to this matter of total surrender?

Have you come to the place where nothing is more precious to God.

III. V. 6-14 INVOLVES PARTICIPATION

A. V. 6 This Participation Is Personal - Abraham personally placed the wood on

Isaac.

He personally took the fire and the knife and he personally lead the way.

 For Abraham, this was an event of personal commitment and sacrifice.

Note: God has determined that you and I are to be personally ind intimately
involved in His service and worship - Rom. 12:1.)

Note: This kind of life was modeled by Caleb - Josh. 14)

Note: Jesus Himself is the supreme example - Phil. 2:5-8; Luke 22:42.
Note: Are you personally, intimately involved with God and His work? God
has a perfect, precious plan for your life. Only your involvement will result in
its being accomplished.

B. V. 7-10 This Participation Is Profound - Abraham willingly and completely

obeyed the command of God.

He held nothing back! He gave up everything he had longed for, lived for and
loved at the simple command of God!

What and act of love and worship!

Note: Have you come to that place in your life? Do you even want to?
Note: How could Abraham do this?
o Easy! Isaac was already dead!
o He died in verse 2 when of God asked for him.
o That was the level of this man's commitment to the Lord!
o And, that is the secret to arriving at the summit of the mountain of
absolute surrender.

o It's not about the altitude of the body, but it's all about the altitude of
the heart! Isaac had already been offered in Abraham's heart, the rest
was mere window dressing!

C. V. 11-14 This Participation Is Powerful - Abraham's participation was powerful

because it gave God an opportunity to flex His muscles, and it gave Abraham the

opportunity to receive some special blessings that he would have otherwise missed out
on.)

1. V. 11-14 He Received God's Provision

Ill. The context. Abraham gave up Isaac and got him back again because he
minded God.

Simply put, Abraham's faith honored the Lord and God in turn honored
Abraham's faith.

Think about it, while Abraham and Isaac climbed one side of the mountain, a
ram was coming up the other side of the mountain! God had already gone
ahead and made a way!

Note: That will still work today!

Our God is still Jehovah-Jireh.
When we do what He tells us, no matter what the cost, we will see Him
bless in a profound way!

2. V. 12 He Received God's Praise - Abraham got to hear the Lord say, "I am
pleased with you!"

Note: This verse points out the whole purpose behind this episode.
o This was never about Isaac, it had always been about Abraham!
o God wanted Abraham in that place of total surrender and love for Him.)
Note: That's what it's about in our lives as well!
o When God's commands calls for sacrifice, it has nothing to do with what
we are told to give up.

o It has everything to do with our being willing to give it up at the simply

command of God.

o God doesn't want you Isaac's, He wants you!

 Note: Is there anything in your life that you have not been willing to give to the
Lord?

3. V. 15-19 He Received God's Promise - God renewed His covenant with Abraham.

This is merely a reminder that the condition of their relationship was still
intact.

Note: God know what Abraham would do! He put him to the test so that
Abraham might see what was in his own heart.

He was brought to a blessed place of peace, provision and promise,

because he put God ahead of everything else in life.

Note: If you really want God's best, then put God first, Matt. 6:33

Conc: So, is everything you have and are totally, absolutely and completely surrendered
to God? God isn't really interested in your Isaac's, it's you He wants! Does He have all of
you there is to have?