Wed.’s Devo - Obedience is Better than Sacrifice

Read: Genesis 20:1-22:24; Matthew 7:15-29; Psalm 9:1-12; Proverbs 2:16-22
Abraham was living in the land of Abimelech the king of Gerar. Abimelech saw Sarah’s beauty and called her in to ask about her. She had been told by Abraham to tell everyone she was his sister so he took her to marry him. God closed all the wombs of Abrimelech’s family and gave Abimelech a dream telling him that he had taken a married man’s wife. Abimelech woke up mad at Abraham for deceiving him. They ended up making a covenant to protect one another and he gave Sarah back to Abraham. All these trials were to teach Abraham to trust in God. Sometimes he passed in flying colors and sometimes he didn’t. But he learned.
Isaac was born the exact time God promised he would be born. Abraham was 100. He threw a feast for him the day he was weaned and Hagar mocked him jealously. Sarah noticed and complained to Abraham. God told Abraham to let Sarah do whatever she wanted to do about it because Isaac was the child of promise. God would watch over Ishmael and he would be the leader of mighty nations because he had the seed of Abraham in him. Sarah kicked Hagar and her son out but God prepared water in the desert and a promise to sustain them. Hagar found a woman from Egypt for him to marry.
Abraham bought his first piece of real estate in the promised land when he bought Beersheba from Abimelech. He planted a grove of trees and called upon God there.
Later, God tested Abraham in his greatest test. He told him to sacrifice Isaac. He obeyed the very next day. When Isaac questioned where the lamb was, Abraham told him that God would provide a lamb. He did. Abraham bound Isaac with cords and laid him on the altar. Just as he was about to bring his knife down, God stopped him. He provided a ram instead.
Isaac let his father bind him and lay him on the altar just like Jesus was led as a lamb to the altar of his death and didn’t speak a word. Isaac willingly submitted to his father just as Jesus willingly submitted to his. God blessed Abraham and renewed his covenant to make him a great nation with so many descendants they would not be able to be counted.
Later, Abraham learned that his brother Nahor had had 12 sons and a daughter, Rebekah.
In Matthew, Jesus warned his disciples of false prophets. You would know them by their fruits. He warned them that even if they did great miraculous signs and wonders, if their lives didn’t bear fruits of righteousness then they were false prophets. We are to hear his words and obey.
Lord, help us to not question your commands, but obey. Your ways are higher than ours.