Cutting Ties
And He said, “Take your son, your favored one, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there” Genesis 22:2
Go – The climax of Abraham’s life comes in the moment when God asks him to cut away his future. This story closes something that began in Chapter 12 with the initial call of Abraham. The entire unit, from 12 to 22, is a picture of grace, obedience and trust. It is a story of bookends – the same bookends that must be true in our lives if we are going to be children of our father Abraham.
We are introduced to Abram by the Hebrew words lech lekha (“Go forth”). There is no gradual awareness of this man from Ur. Suddenly, God calls him out and he jumps into the scene by responding to the call. For a century, Abram (whom God renames Abraham) follows the Lord to “a place that I will show you.” The first cut in Abram’s life comes with the call of God to lech lekha – to leave his family, home, country and everything that he was tied to, and follow a God who calls. Abram cuts the ties to his past and stakes everything on God’s word.
Scripture uses the phrase lech lekha only one other time, in this verse. This is the second cut. First, cut away the past. Leave it all behind. “I am with you,” says God. Abram knows that God will provide and protect. Yes, it’s difficult to leave everything – to cut loose from all those ties that brought us into the world and that give us our identity, safety and community. But if we are to follow Him, the ties must be cut. Lech lekha.
Abraham has his ups and downs. Life isn’t always blissful harmony under God’s banner. But over the course of years, Abraham experiences the blessing of God. His life’s dream becomes a reality. He has a son – a son who will bring about the promise God made. Abraham believes his destiny is secure and his faith fulfilled. Until one day he hears those fateful words again. Lech lekha. It’s time for the last cut. If you thought that the first cut was the deepest, then you don’t know God.
Remember that God does not command Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. The verb “take” has the particle na attached to it. This effectively converts the verb to a request, not a command. It should be translated, “Please take.” Abraham is free to refuse without moral guilt. This cut is completely voluntary. It is a test of faith, not a command to sacrifice. Nevertheless, it is a confrontation with everything Abraham hopes for the future. God cut Abraham loose from the past a long time ago. Abraham had to learn to trust the Lord without his security blanket. Now God asks him to do the same thing with the future. “Cut away the security blanket – that son whom you believe will guarantee your destiny. Trust only Me and nothing else. Lech lekha.”
Has God asked you to “go forth” from your past? Have you responded? You’ve walked with Him for a long time now, but perhaps your future still depends on something in your tangible reality. Now God is asking once more – cut it away. Will you?
Topical Index: future, past, cut, lech lekha, go forth, Genesis 22:2
Oh the timing of the LORD…this message comes on the heels of my finishing Frank Viola/George Barna s’ “Pagan Christianity”. As I have posted earlier, I have been unsettled for quite a long time with the only “church” I have attended for over 20 years. My spirit is full yet heavy as I tearfully read the last paragraph of this letter and acknowledge my having heard this call only to reject it for fear of many things. Now, in addition to all this, I have a spouse to consider. Thank God for His grace!! Thank God for His faithfulness!! Now, I am excited and expectantly awaiting to see how this “mid-life crisis” turns out!
Mary, Bless you dear sister. When you find a place to worship and study that is like the one described in the book, you will rejoice and be glad, and you will wonder what you were hanging on to. There is nothing so deep as the the Word in that place, or the ties that bind in a gathering that is called of YHWH. YHWH will continue to draw you to “a place that I will show you” and may you have the ears to hear.
Frank and I have talked a few times about the needed changes to get us back to an intimate community of redeemed sinners. He has some great things to say that help us see what happened. I hope that soon I will be able to invite him to visit with me in Orlando. He lives only about an hour away. But there is a lot more to cover before we can fruitfully grow together. I am glad you have found some understanding in his great book. You might also try Todd Bennett’s series, starting with Restoration.
Skip
Mary,
That book also had an impact on me. I shared it with my pastor, and he agreed that ‘there might be some things that are not how they are supposed to be.’ I can relate to all you are saying: the call, the spouse, the expectantly awaiting! I think this is what a “mid-life crisis” is supposed to be! 🙂
Fire on Your Head!
Skip,
I found the verse that said Abraham was not sad at the call to slay his son, but expected YHWH to perform his word by raising Isaac from the heap of ashes to bring nations from the loins of Issac because he had faith that YHWH would keep and DO His word, so much so that Abraham envisioned the resurrection of Isaac. ( Wow! The faith!!! ) It is Hebrews 11:17-19. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, That IN ISAAC SHALL THY SEED BE CALLED: Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
Right. The author of Hebrews looks back on the story and interprets the account within the framework of his own argument. He is providing us with a midrash. It is very helpful from a perspective centuries later. We need to have this information to see the larger view of Abraham’s faith. But does the Genesis story reveal such an interpretation? That’s another question. There are some clues, but only very tiny ones.
Are they enough? They are for us because we have been given a bigger picture, but when Abraham went up the mountain, would he have known? Was there anything in his experience that could possibly have led him to understand that God raises from the dead?
Skip
<>
Was there anything in David’s life experience with G-d that led him to believe Goliath would be delivered into his hand? Was there anything in Abraham’s life experience that lead him to trust in his G-d? Did Abraham know the character of G-d before this “test?”
Did both of these men have a history with G-d??
Who was it that said- “the way we know our future is by looking at our past?”
Do we have a “history” with G-d?
Skip, thank you for your research and sharing God’s Word. I have not yet sought God early and relentlessly enough to KNOW HOW TO HEAR HIS COMMAND. I know it requires my sacrificing sleep and reading/memorizing his Word. Why do I procrastinate when I know for sure my life would be far better completely in His Hands?
Thank you and God Bless you more! fran
Thank you Gayle, Yolanda and Skip…and all others who are a part if this family, The Lord is truly good to us. Thank God for His unspeakable gift!