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Showing posts with label Isaac. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Isaac. Show all posts

Sunday, December 27, 2020

Marriage Must Begin With the Love of God

 Finding A Wife for Isaac

Book of Genesis Chapters 24 Through 26


The one thing Abraham realized and we to are to realize is, that it is just a great thing to be involved in the plan of God.

It is a great thing to be in the family of God and being left upon this earth to do the work He has assigned to us.

We must make the will of God for us to be our own will!

We should understand that God takes these little things that are so important in life and with them, teaches us the great mysteries of the Bible and the truth of His Word.

A marriage is of great concern to our Heavenly Father. 

A marriage that follows the Biblical design will be a lasting marriage and also teaches us the relationship of the Lord Jesus Christ to His Church.

Yes, the Church belongs to Jesus Christ. 

It astounds me that so many so-called churches have removed the Lord Jesus Christ and are no longer a part of God's Church and no longer married to the Lord Jesus Christ though they still claim to be and their members who have rejected the Word of God.

They reject the truth of Jesus.

They reject that Jesus is the only way to Heaven.

They reject the truth of the Scriptures allowing man's law to take priority.

They reject the Virgin birth.

They reject the Cross.

Yet they claim to know the way to Heaven.

God cares who we marry and to marry is one of the great decisions we make in our lifetime.

A good marriage will be filled with love, joy, and peace just as our relationship with our Savior will be.

A marriage will be between one man and one woman and God decided their sex at birth.

A marriage to the wrong person will only bring heartache!

It was time for Isaac to get married.

*****Gen 24:1  And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. 

Gen 24:2  And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: 

Gen 24:3  And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell: 

Gen 24:4  But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.

In the day of Abraham it was common for the parents to arrange the marriage of their children.

Abraham was 140 years old and Isaac was now 40 years old and mature.

Sarah, Isaac's mother had been dead for 3 years and Isaac still mourned for his mother.

We should understand that God has a time for us to think about marriage!

God is not involved but only in part, in the marriage of unbelievers.

Remember unbelievers do not know the Word of God nor do they respect the Word of God.

They are best described as those people who lived in the day of Noah before the flood destroyed them.

No doubt that Abraham had discussed these things of marriage with his son Isaac.

Abraham was insisting that Isaac would not marry a maid of the Canaanites.

We already know the Canaanites worshiped false gods and had wicked and immoral beliefs.

God had already destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and three more cities of the plain, and there had been no survivors.

It is probable that the remaining Canaanites did not realize why such a thing would happen and brushed it off as something natural.

This still happens today!

The world does not see the acts of God nor the miracles of God and brush them off as accidents or blame them on nature or other people, such as this Climate Change hoax that is blamed on humanity rather than the promises of God.

Certainly, the climate is changing and if people are worried about heat, they had better learn how to avoid Hell!

God has said things will get worse and we see it in plagues, in the climate, in wickedness, corruption, and immorality and the wickedness in high places.

We know Jehovah is righteous and it is the right thing to do to destroy unrighteousness, but only God has this knowledge to do so.

The Canaanites were a cursed people.

Gen 9:25  And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. 

Abraham would never have chosen a daughter of the Canaanites!

To Abraham there was only one choice for Isaac this wife was to be chosen from Abraham's home country, the descendants of Noah's son Shem.

We used to have a tradition to swear an oath by laying our hand on the Holy Bible.

In the day of Abraham and oath was sworn by a hand upon the thigh.

It was a sacred thing and was not to be broken.

In our father’s day a handshake was as good as an oath!

Today you have to sign your name a hundred times just to get a loan.

As we follow the journey of this eldest servant, we will see another lesson in typology.

We will see this eldest servant as the Holy Spirit.

Isaac as the Messiah.

Abraham as Jehovah.

Rebekah as the Church, the gentile bride of Christ.

Abraham said to his servant that Jehovah would send His angel to guide him.

Abraham knew if his son was in the lineage to the Messiah, then Jehovah would be involved in his marriage!

One thing we should clearly understand, it is better not to marry than to enter into a bad marriage!

As Abraham instructed his servant, if the woman does not come willingly then Isaac will not marry her.

2Co 6:14  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

Remember to be saved we must willingly give ourselves to the truth of God and repent from the ways of the world.

Believers should marry true believers or not marry at all!

*****Gen 24:10  And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor. 

Notice just as the Holy Spirit is God, just as God the Father and God the Son, this eldest servant had control of all the goods of Abraham.

The journey to Mesopotamia was as much as a 500-mile trip and it would take a lot of supplies to go and return from such a trip. 

It is the will of God that we marry a true believer, and we may have trouble finding one. It may take some time and we must be prepared for the journey.

If we are to find our soul mate, we must trust the Word of God and the Will of God and that He will lead us to that person who He has chosen for us.

In reality, it would be wise to not even date someone who does not meet these qualifications given by the Lord.

This servant came to the end of his journey, and he prayed for guidance.

*****Gen 24:11  And he made his camels to kneel down without the city by a well of water at the time of the evening, even the time that women go out to draw water. 

Gen 24:12  And he said, O LORD God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham. 

We must always pray for the guidance of the Lord!

I fail in this myself and usually just dart off on my own.

What is God's promise?

Psa 32:8  I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. 

What is our prayer?

Psa 119:133  Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. 

Psa 25:4  Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. 

What should I clearly understand? The promises of God.

Psa 23:1  The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

Psa 23:2  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 

Psa 23:3  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 

Psa 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 

Psa 23:5  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 

Psa 23:6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

And why not pray for good speed, remembering we must understand that God's timing is the best timing!

And why not pray before for specific things before we meet anyone who might be that perfect mate!

*****Gen 24:14  And let it come to pass, that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master. 

This servant prayed to God for a sign.

We make huge mistakes when we do not pray before we choose a mate.

If God is not involved with us before our marriage, how do we expect to have a good marriage?

Notice how specific this prayer was.

This precious lady would be the one God had chosen for Isaac.

This precious lady would approach this servant of Abraham and ask him if he wanted a drink of water.

This precious lady would then draw water for his camels. This was in itself no easy task. A camel can easily drink 20 to 30 of more gallons of water and there were 10 camels.

It would be almost impossible to find a precious soul willing to do these things for a stranger, but nothing is too hard for God.

Her name was Rebekah, which means "she could ensnare you with her beauty".

*****Gen 24:15  And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.

Rebekah was one who, when she walked into the room, you could not take your eyes off of her.

Not just her beauty but her work ethic and friendliness.

Even before this servant said Amen, his prayer was answered!

Rebekah was God's choice to be the bride of Isaac!

I believe when we are men of sincere prayer, God will provide that soul mate for life.

It is not our custom today to send someone else to find us a wife, we must do this ourselves, but God must be involved!

We should still listen to our parents if they are godly parents.

We still need God and we still need prayer and God does not mind providing a wife for godly men!

Gen 2:18  And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 

Pro 18:22  Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. 

Ecc 4:9  Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 

Ecc 4:10  For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 

Ecc 4:11  Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? 

Ecc 4:12  And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

1Pe 3:7  Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. 

And Rebekah was certainly beautiful.

*****Gen 24:16  And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. 

What is a virgin according to the Bible, a lady that has never been with a man in a sexual encounter!

Even though Rebekah was very fair to look upon, she did not stand still and allow this man she had just met to just gaze upon her.

Many today blessed with beauty take advantage of it in not so godly ways.

It is also very true, that beauty is only skin deep, and inner beauty is more important than outer beauty.

Being humble, courteous, with a charitable disposition will make us more pleasant to the eyes of those watching us and there is always someone watching us including the Lord.

These are the things that bring a reward from our Heavenly Father.

Mat 10:41  He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 

Mat 10:42  And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

Not part of our lesson but verse 21

Gen 24:21  And the man wondering at her held his peace, to wit whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not. 

Notice this servant was amazed at the things he was seeing as he had prayed.

As this servant questioned Rebekah, he found that she was from the family that Abraham had sent him seeking a wife for Isaac.

He then bowed his head and worshiped again amazed at the ways of God.

The only thing he did not know then was "if she were willing".

Like the Holy Spirit this servant showed Rebekah some of the treasures of choosing the truth of God.

Gen 24:22  And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold; 

We also see the secular side of this family.

Gen 24:30  And it came to pass, when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me; that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well. 

It is the lust of the eyes that got the attention of Laban, Rebekah's brother.

This servant of Abraham knew God had prospered his journey and it was not time to linger. 

*****Gen 24:56  And he said unto them, Hinder me not, seeing the LORD hath prospered my way; send me away that I may go to my master. 

When our prayers our answered such as this one from Abraham's servant it was not time to linger with unbelievers.

It was very clear, that God was involved in the things going on with this marriage of Rebekah to Isaac.

When we accept the gift of salvation then we must understand this is a new life, a living life.

We live in a dyeing world, but Heaven is a place of Glory.

The servant showed Rebekah and her family the riches of Abraham.

Gen 24:53  And the servant brought forth jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment, and gave them to Rebekah: he gave also to her brother and to her mother precious things. 

When we give our dead life to the Living Savior, we obtain a new life!

Heb 10:18  Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. 

Heb 10:19  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 

Heb 10:20  By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 

Heb 10:21  And having an high priest over the house of God; 

Heb 10:22  Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 

We begin to prosper as we begin our journey with the Lord.

We must give ourselves willingly.

*****Gen 24:57  And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth. 

Gen 24:58  And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.

What are some great lessons we can learn from this simple story of seeking a wife for Isaac?

We must saturate our work for the Lord with prayer.

We must wait on the Lord for direction.

We must praise our Heavenly Father.

If we see Rebekah as that lost soul, then we must imagine her as someone who hears the Gospel.

She had to realize there was a great father reaching out to her.

He had only one son, His only begotten son and He was well beloved.

He was in search of a Gentile Bride amongst all of the world.

She would be the bride of His dear Son, forever and forever.

She was not worthy of such blessings.

This in typology is the way God calls us all.

Rom 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 

*****Gen 24:59  And they sent away Rebekah their sister, and her nurse, and Abraham's servant, and his men. 

Gen 24:60  And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them. 

What we see is that the journey home has begun.

As Rebekah has willingly given herself to Isaac even at a distance, she has consented to be his wife.

Each of us who have given ourselves to the Lord are now on our journey home.

Rebekah, a Gentile Bride, espoused to God's chosen son Isaac.

From Isaac would one day come the Messiah.

Rebekah, thou art also our sister!

Now that she was going to be a wife they prayed along the lines of God's blessings.

She would certainly be the mother of millions as every "Born Again" child of God adds to this number.

Without a doubt many of her seed will possess the gate of those who hate them as Israel entered into Canaan Land and forward into the Millennial Kingdom.

What had God promised Abraham?

Gen 22:16  And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 

Gen 22:17  That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 

Gen 22:18  And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

*****Gen 24:61  And Rebekah arose, and her damsels, and they rode upon the camels, and followed the man: and the servant took Rebekah, and went his way. 

As the bride to be began her journey, the servant began his journey home.

You see as we are the Bride of Christ, the Holy Spirit will lead us to Jesus.

It may not always be a pleasant trip because we live in the world of our enemies, but we have no excuse for not enjoying it.

After all we are not going to Canaan Land, but we are going to Heaven, the true Promised Land.

The same land that Abraham was seeking and never found because he knew it was not of this earth.

Those who think Heaven will be upon this earth are wrong and foolish to believe that God would say He is giving us the best and then stop short of doing so.

1Co_2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

As Rebekah rode upon a camel, we ride upon the "Grace" of God.

2Co_12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2Co_13:14  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

The Holy Spirit will only lead us to the Bridegroom!

Joh_15:26  But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

*****Gen 24:62  And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country. 

Gen 24:63  And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming. 

Lahairoi means "the well of the Living God".

Jesus said 

Joh_Psa_42:2  My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

If we are not craving the water from the Living God, then we had better check our salvation.

Psa_84:2  My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

Psa_42:2  My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

Isaac was dwelling near this well at this time waiting upon his wife to be and the Lord Jesus Christ is that well of "Living Water" and He will soon be coming to take us home to present His Bride to His heavenly Father.

Where is the best place to meditate? Near the well of Living Water.

What did Jesus teach the Samaritan woman?

Joh_4:10  Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

Isaac could not have known the camels would be returning on this day.

Isaac was alone, still mourning the death of his mother who loved him so much. 

Isaac had been the only begotten son of Abraham and Sarah.

Isaac was the promised son!

Jesus said:

Mat_6:6  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

On this day, this field in the evening time, near the well of Living Water, was the place where Isaac felt closest to the Lord.

We all need a place where we can meditate on our relationship with our God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

No doubt one of the thoughts of Isaac was this wife his father had sent for and we can be sure he prayed over this matter and lo and behold to Isaac his prayer was answered.

Rebekah knew this thing also.

*****Gen 24:64  And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel. 

Gen 24:65  For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself. 

In those days it would have been unmannerly for Rebekah to remain seated when she saw Isaac walking. There was no exception even made for a woman. 

Rebekah would not even wait until the camel she was riding came to rest, but she lighted off the camel. She simply jumped off the camel which is taller than a horse in her excitement.

She quickly recovered her composure and covered herself with a veil.

I ask myself what will I be like when I first see Jesus?

Will I lose my composure as did Rebekah?

Will I regain my composure and show respect?

Will I fall on my face before the glory of the Living God?

In reality, I believe I will be in great fear until the Lord says, "peace be with you".

To be honest I believe the Lord God of this Universe will be waiting with open arms.

If we cannot be excited about going to Heaven, then something is wrong with us!

If we cannot be excited about being saved, then maybe we are not thinking right.

When we recover, we will remember we stand before a Holy God, who has loved us into His Own Home, and we will forever be welcome in His House!

Heaven will be a happy place, not solemn and gloomy!

Isaac wanted to know all the details of the journey of his bride.

Jesus will want to hear us describe our journey to Him for He will be just as excited as we will be.

*****Gen 24:66  And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done. 

Gen 24:67  And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death. 

The Holy Spirit would not have saved all these details if they were not important!

It is love that filled the tent of Isaac.

It will be love that will fill the Temple of God in Heaven.

God will never love us less then He loves us now and he cannot love us more because He has that true love.

We are not lured into Heaven. Heaven is a place desired by both parties.

The Lord Jesus went back to Heaven to build us a mansion in His Father's House.

This is the truth of salvation!

Joh 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 

Joh 14:2  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 

Joh 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 

Jesus has given us the instructions on how to get to Heaven.

Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 

With the love of his wife, Isaac was comforted from the death of his mother Sarah.

As we live upon this earth there may be many of our loved ones who have gone on before us.

When we see all those in Heaven it will be a great comfort to see them again and then knowing we will never be separated from them again.

There will also be some that we loved who will not be there and we will be comforted by our Savior for those we will never see again.

Those who are married in a Christian home have a little taste of the relationship of the Bride of Christ to the Bridegroom Christ Himself, but we that know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior will experience the greatest life that exist when we get to Heaven.

I love you Jesus!

It has been worth every mile of the trip.

Amen.


Sunday, December 20, 2020

The Promise of the Messiah

 The Son of Promise Is Born

Book of Genesis Chapters 21 through 23


We know it is the season of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. We who study "typology" know that in the Book of Genesis the story of Isaac, born to Abraham and Sarah we see a lot of typology relating to Joseph, Mary and Jesus the Messiah.

Isaac is the son promised to Sarah just as Jesus was the son promised to Mary but more important Jesus the Messiah, was promised to all the world.

Isaac was the son of promise to Sarah and Abraham just as Jesus the Christ is the "promised" Messiah!

We may not understand "the fullness of time" as mentioned in the Scriptures but to Sarah, the end of those 9 months of carrying Isaac was the fullness of her time of pregnancy.

It was a great day for her, and the Lord did just as He had promised.

Gen 18:10  And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to "the time of life"; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

It had been 25 years since God made His promise to Abraham about a son.

Another instance where we see God always keeps His promises and another promise fulfilled, when God showed up at the tent of Abraham and Sarah the day Isaac was born.

*****Gen 21:1  And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. 

Gen 21:2  For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, "at the set time" of which God had spoken to him. 

In all these things we see the "power" of God!

Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 years old and they were not like those who lived before the flood.

Sarah had baby Isaac exactly 9 months after the Lord said she would in Genesis 18.

The birth of Isaac was controlled by Jehovah from start to finish.

God keeps His promises, but we will always have to work with God's timetable, and He does not live by our timetable.

If we were as faithful as Jehovah, we would not have many problems in this life!

Our relationship with the Lord depends upon our own faithfulness!

1Co 1:9  God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. 

It is our own faith in the promises of God that make our own life livable.

We learn how to endure the hardships of this life.

We grow stronger in our faith.

We learn to trust what the Lord tells us.

We pray and talk to the Lord more because we grow closer to Him!

Heb 10:23  Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 

Abraham called his name Isaac.

*****Gen 21:3  And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. 

We have to know the Lord has a sense of humor when we see that Abraham was told to name his son Isaac.

The meaning of the name "Isaac" is "he laughed".

Both Sarah and Abraham laughed when the Lord confirmed that Sarah indeed would have a son in her old age and that Abraham would be the father of this promised son.

It would have to bring back precious memories every time Sarah called out to her son.

Abraham had considered his body to be dead and that of his wife Sarah, but just as God has said, He does the impossible.

I am glad that as a child of God, I never have to consider myself a dead man! 

I am alive in Christ Jesus, and when my loved ones think I am dead, I will be more alive than I could ever be upon this earth.

Then according to the Word of God Isaac was circumcised on his eighth day.

*****Gen 21:4  And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. 

Here is a study of the 8th day.

Why the 8th day? In Judaism, circumcision is considered a symbol of the covenant between God and the Jewish people. The act of circumcision is called “the bris”, which literally means “covenant.” One reason the circumcision is performed on the eighth day is so that if the newborn baby will have lived through a complete week which includes a Sabbath. Once the baby has experienced the “holiness” of a Sabbath, he may enter into the covenant of the Jewish people.

Another reason for the 8th day deals with blood clotting. Blood clotting is dependent on 3 factors: platelets, prothrombin, and vitamin K (which is responsible for prothrombin production and is produced by bacteria in the intestinal tract). Holt and McIntosh, in their classic work, Holt Pediatrics, observed that a newborn infant has “peculiar susceptibility to bleeding between the second and fifth days of life. … Hemorrhages at this time, though often inconsequential, are sometimes extensive; they may produce serious damage to internal organs, especially to the brain, and cause death from shock and exsanguination”.

It has been shown that it is on the fifth through the seventh days of the newborn male’s life that vitamin K is present in adequate quantities for blood clotting.

On the eighth day, the amount of prothrombin present is above 100 % of normal (the only day in the male’s life in which this will be normally be the case). Therefore, the 8th day is the perfect day to do the circumcision … when the Vitamin K and prothrombin levels are at their peak.

And once again the Bible reveals a great deal of scientific truth written hundreds, and sometimes thousands of years before being “discovered” by modern scientists.  Lanny Johnson

*****Gen 21:5  And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. 

Abraham had reached a milestone in his life at 100 years old.

There can be little doubt that God had added some youth to this amazing couple in the Bible.

Another thing Abraham realized was that he was totally dependent upon God for everything.

What did Jesus teach us?

Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Abraham realized this truth just as we must realize this truth!

We will never get to Heaven without the Lord Jesus Christ.

I know many other people reject this statement, but it is still Biblical Truth!

*****Gen 22:1  And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 

For Abraham to be that Patriarch that he would become, God decided he would need one more test.

The truth is just as Job said it: the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away.

To be a child of God, we must be willing to always put God first in our lives!

After waiting so long for his own child by his own wife he had loved for so many years, it could be that Abraham came to a standstill in his life and forgot his calling.

We do not know for sure why, but God tested Abraham one more time.

Abraham had sent Hagar and Ishmael away, something he did not really want to do.

Gen 21:11  And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son. 

Ishmael was Abraham's son, but not Sarah's, but Abraham loved Ishmael as much as he did Isaac if not more.

Abraham obeyed the Lord and sent them away.

Abraham knew that he had surely sent Hagar and Ishmael to their death unless God intervened, which He did.

Now, would Abraham give up another son?

*****Gen 22:2  And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

We can only imagine what was going on in the mind of Abraham.

Just how much faith did he have in the promises of God?

What had God promised Abraham?

Gen 12:1  Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 

Gen 12:2  And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 

Gen 12:3  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

There was land:

Deu 30:1  And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, 

Deu 30:2  And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; 

Deu 30:3  That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee. 

Deu 30:4  If any of thine be driven out unto the outmost parts of heaven, from thence will the LORD thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee: 

Deu 30:5  And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers. 

Deu 30:6  And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. 

Deu 30:7  And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee. 

Deu 30:8  And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day. 

Deu 30:9  And the LORD thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the LORD will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers: 

Deu 30:10  If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul. 

There was the seed:

2Sa 7:13  He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 

2Sa 7:14  I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: 

2Sa 7:15  But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 

2Sa 7:16  And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. 

There was the blessing:

Jer 31:31  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 

Jer 31:32  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: 

Jer 31:33  But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. 

Jer 31:34  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

To Abraham all these things depended on Isaac but in reality, all these things depended on Jehovah.

If Isaac was sacrificed, then in order for the Lord to continue His promise, then Isaac would have to be raised from the dead.

Is this the faith of Abraham that brought his righteousness. I believe a yes goes here.

*****Gen 22:7  And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 

As Abraham and Isaac climbed to the place of sacrifice, Isaac realized they had brought no lamb and he questioned his father.

As we study this passage, we will see one of the greatest types in the Bible, at least I think so.

Isaac, a type of Christ.

What was the mindset of Abraham?

Gen 22:5  And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and "come again to you". 

Abraham knew he was to sacrifice his son Isaac, but in order for him to return to these he left behind with his son, then God would have to resurrect him from the dead.

In Abraham's mind this is exactly what God would do, so Abraham had full intention of being obedient to the command of God to offer Isaac as a burnt offering.

I also believe Abraham recognized this place as the place of the skull, but many do not.

Mar 15:22  And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull.

Joh 19:17  And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:

It is also true that in this same area, the Temple of Solomon would be built on Mount Moriah.

2Ch 3:1  Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem in mount Moriah, where the LORD appeared unto David his father, in the place that David had prepared in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

What do we know about the death of Jesus?

Joh 19:17  And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha:

Jesus bore His own cross just as Isaac bore the wood to his own sacrifice.

What are some the lessons to the Church?

God wants the Church to know that the sacrifice of any human being, including aborted babies is wrong!

Say what they will, but babies are allowed to be sacrificed (aborted), because some foolish men and women think that there is not enough food to go around and that has never been true.

Eph_6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Why are the lockdowns, the face mask, the plague of Covid-19 itself allowed because of these same ones (wickedness in high places)!

Just today I saw where these same wicked people recommend for us to wear the face mask all of 2021 or another year, even if you take the vaccine. 

In other words the vaccine is no better than the face mask! What a joke! 

They want a great portion of our world to die off, especially the aged, and those who require much medical help and the weak.

We will wrestle against these things until the Lord returns to take us home or we die!

Isaac toted his own wood that was to be used to sacrifice him just a Jesus did!

*****Gen 22:8  And Abraham said, My son, God will provide "himself a lamb" for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. 

What a statement!

God wants to show a picture forever of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Mount Calvary. Calvary also means the place of the skull.

Remember Abraham knew in his heart that if he killed his only son Isaac that God would have to raise him from the dead to complete the promises He had made to him!

It took "three days" for Abraham to travel where he could see the place of sacrifice.

Abraham had to show immense faith in the truth of God and His promises.

Heb 11:17  By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 

Heb 11:18  Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 

Heb 11:19  Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. 

Then Abraham spoke filled with the Holy Spirit and he said, "God Will Provide Himself A Lamb".

God Himself would be the sacrificial Lamb!

In reality Abraham did not know what God intended to do, he just knew to obey the Word of God.

God did just as He said He would do!

We who know these things will celebrate the Birth of our Savior knowing that He is the Sacrificial Lamb of God and He is God!

Isa 7:14  Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 

Isa 7:15  Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.

Immanuel means “God with us”.

*****Gen 22:9  And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. 

Gen 22:10  And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. 

Gen 22:11  And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 

If that Angel had not called out to Abraham, he would have certainly sacrificed his only son. 

I believe that Angel to be the Lord because He always speaks with authority!

We should be able to see that Abraham did solemnly offer up the sacrifice of his son.

Abraham loved God enough to give Him all he had, and the most treasured of his things was his son.

Sounds familiar again.

1Jn_4:9  In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

We should ask ourselves, have we made an absolute surrender to the Living God?

Are we willing to give our life to Him?

Do we truly love God, like we say we do?

Are we totally surrendered to our God?

In all this did we see that Isaac gave himself obediently to his father, "Just as the Lord Jesus Christ did".

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 

Heb 5:9  And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; 

Psa 40:6  Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. 

Psa 40:7  Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, 

Psa 40:8  I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. 

Joh 10:18  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. 

We should understand that God did not need for Isaac to be sacrificed.

God needed the heart of Abraham!

Here again we see Abraham as the example of the "Born Again" child of God.

We need to surrender to the will of God.

We also see God will never accept a human sacrifice!

God wants a living sacrifice!

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies "a living sacrifice", holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 

Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

Isaac became a living sacrifice! His death would have been meaningless!

God would have to provide Himself as the only acceptable sacrifice!

Php 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 

Php 2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 

Php 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 

Php 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

Php 2:9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 

Php 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 

Php 2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

There would be a resurrection, but it would not be Isaac!

God provided a substitute for Isaac!

*****Gen 22:12  And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. 

Gen 22:13  And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 

Gen 22:14  And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen. 

We should understand that God, the true God, the Living God, will never ask for a human sacrifice!

Those who condemn this passage in the Scriptures are fools and miss the truth of it!

It is false religion that demands human sacrifice!

It is false religion that is the factor behind abortion and the sacrifice of innocent babies, even before they are born. 

This is sold as the freedom of women to choose which is another joke on humanity!

The false gods of Moloch and Chemosh, are still around today.

It is the triumph of Abraham's faith that is the theme of this passage.

It is the example of Messiah that is the theme of this passage.

We should ask ourselves, does God approve us as He did Abraham?

We should ask ourselves, have we accepted the Messiah as our substitute?

We must realize, God has no pleasure in our suffering or in our death!

What did Peter teach us?

1Pe 2:3  If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 

1Pe 2:4  To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 

1Pe 2:5  Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 

1Pe 2:6  Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 

Jehovah-jireh means, “God will provide”.

God, the true God has provided everything we need to restore our relationship with Him.

Just as with Abraham, our relationship is bound up with our faith in the Word of God!

God will provide! Today we call it "Grace"!

Thank you for your mercy my Heavenly Father.

Amen