The Lad and I Will Go Yonder and Worship: What is Worship?
Living Sacrifices to God - Romans 12:1-2
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Genesis 22:1 Now it came to pass after these things
- Promised Land is revealed as his inheritance, as the stars of the sky.
- Impatient for the promise, Sara sent her servant Hagar to Abraham.
- Ishmael, who was not the son of promise, is born.
- When Ishmael was about 13, he made fun of little Isaac.
- Sarah was not having it.
- Abraham had to send away Ishmael (13 years old).
- Imagine Abraham’s horror when he sent the eldest son away.
- Abraham & Sarah had a miracle-son named Isaac, the son of promise.
- Isaac would have Abraham’s grandchildren and build a great nation.
- The whole world would be blessed through the descendants of Isaac
…that God tested Abraham,
- This was not so much a test to produce faith, as it was a test to reveal faith. God built Abraham slowly, piece by piece, year by year, into a man of faith.
and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
- Abraham was ready and willing to hear and obey the voice of God.
Genesis 22:2Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love,
- Only son because Ishmael had been taken from the genealogy of Abraham. This moment is the first time love is mentioned in the Bible.
and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
What’s so special about the land of Moriah?
- The temple Mount is on Mount Moriah
- King David purchased this site for building an altar
- Later Solomon built the temple on the same spot
- Located in Jerusalem
- Mount Moriah is often associated with Mount Zion, which is the highest point in Jerusalem
- Every phrase of God’s command to Abraham was like a knife, a demand that Abraham yield to the Lord his dearly loved son.
- Has he not done this one time already?
- He must have questioned God in his heart. “God I thought you were different from the gods of the Canaanites. To slay my son and then incinerate his body in the flames of a roaring fire is heathen.”
- However, this is pure speculation (based on what I would do) because we are about to read Abraham’s next recorded act.
Genesis 22:3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey,
- Abraham trusted God when he did not understand.
- Abraham did not debate and bargain with, or seek alternate counsel against, God.
- Abraham trusted God when he did not feel like it. He walked by faith, not feelings
“But there is not a word of argument; not one solitary question that even looks like hesitation. ‘God is God,’ he seems to say, and it is not for me to ask him why, or seek a reason for his bidding. He has said it: ‘I will do it.’” (Spurgeon)
and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering,
- “He was a sheik and a mighty man in his camp, but he became a wood-splitter, thinking no work menial if done for God, and reckoning the work too sacred for other hands. With splitting heart he cleaves the wood. Wood for the burning of his heir! Wood for the sacrifice of his own dear child!” (Spurgeon)
and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.
Abraham had three long days to think over what God commanded him to do. This made the test even more severe. “To be burnt quick to death upon the blazing fagot (bundle of sticks) is comparatively an easy martyrdom, but to hang in chains roasting at a slow fire, to have the heart hour by hour pressed as in a vice, this it is that trieth faith; and this it was that Abraham endured through three long days.” (Spurgeon)
Genesis 22:5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship,
This is the first use of the word worship in reference to God in the Bible. The Hebrew word shachah simply means, to bow down. While Abraham and Isaac did not go to the mount to have a time of joyful praise, they did go to bow down to the Lord.
and we will come back to you.”
Prophetic Utterance of Faith:
- Abraham was full of faith when he spoke to the young men who were with him.
- He believed that both he and Isaac would return;
- Abraham knew anything was possible, but it was impossible that God would break His promise.
- He knew God was not a liar.
- To this point in Biblical history, we have no record of anyone being raised from the dead, so Abraham had no precedent for this faith, apart from God’s promise.
- Yet Abraham knew God was able. God could do it.
Genesis 22:6 So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife,
- “That knife (the weapon of his son’s death) was cutting into his own heart all the while, yet he took it. Unbelief would have left the knife at home, but genuine faith takes it.” (Spurgeon)
and the two of them went together
- In Unity
Genesis 22:7But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.”
Then he said, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together (unity).
Abraham knew God would provide a sacrifice, but where? Where was the lamb? That question had been asked by all the faithful, from Isaac to Moses to David to Isaiah, all the way to the time of John the Baptist when he finally answered the question as he pointed to the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).
We have a remarkable picture of the work of Jesus at the cross, thousands of years before it happened. The son of promise willingly went to be sacrificed in obedience to his father, carrying the wood of his sacrifice up the hill, all with full confidence in the promise of resurrection.
Genesis 22:9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.
(Like his Savior, thousands of years later, Isaac did not say a word.)
Genesis 22:10And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. This moment was the moment of full surrender and faith by Abraham and Isaac. Abraham was willing. Isaac was willing. 11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!”
Up until this time Abraham has been talking with God. The Angel of the Lord represents Jesus himself in the old testament. Jesus was there. He was watching, knowing that this story was a foreshadowing of what would happen to him in a few thousand years near this very spot.
So he said, “Here I am.”
Genesis 22:12And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”
When God asked Abraham for the ultimate demonstration of love and commitment, He asked for Abraham’s son. When God the Father wanted to show us the ultimate demonstration of His love and commitment to us, He gave us His Son. We can say to the Lord, “Now I know that You love me, seeing You have not withheld Your Son, Your only Son from me.”
Genesis 22:13Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. 14And Abraham called the name of the place, Jehovah Jireh, meaning The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.
Another Prophetic Utterance: Abraham didn’t name the place in reference to what he experienced. He didn’t name it Mount Trial or Mount Agony or Mount Obedience. Instead, he named the hill in reference to what God did; he named it Mount Provision. He named it knowing God would provide the ultimate sacrifice for salvation on that hill someday.
In order to save us God provided God. I cannot put it more simply. He did not provide an angel, nor a mere man, but God himself.” (Spurgeon)
- Could it be that as Jesus prayed in the garden, he thought about the time he stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac?
- Could it be that Jesus was hoping against hope that God had yet another surprise plan?
However, there was no surprise plan this time.
No ram caught in the thicket.
No one to take Jesus’ place on calvary.
- What the father did not require of Abraham and Isaac, he did require himself and of his own son to prove his love to us.
Genesis 22:15 Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven,
16 and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—
17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
Abraham knew the blessing that comes to those who trust God’s promise, and trust it so completely that they will take action on that belief. Trusting in God’s power to raise his only son from the dead, Abraham received this great blessing.
Oh, to know that our acts of faith could bring blessing to the entire earth.
Introduction over…Now, let us get to the heart of what I feel God wants us to glean from this amazing, familiar story - True Worship in spirit and truth.
In the Bible, worship and sacrifice are closely related, with sacrifice often being presented as a key component of genuine worship. Sacrifice, in the context of worship, signifies a giving up of something of value, whether it's an offering of animals, time, possessions, or even oneself, to demonstrate devotion and reverence for God.
Sacrifice As a Form of Worship
- Old Testament:
In the Old Testament, sacrifices were a central part of worship, used to atone for sins and express gratitude to God. Specific types of sacrifices, like burnt offerings and peace offerings, were prescribed to fulfill different needs and occasions. - New Testament:
The New Testament emphasizes that true worship involves offering oneself as a "living sacrifice". This concept extends beyond physical offerings to include a dedication of one's entire life to God's service.
Giving and Offering as Acts of Worship:
- Material Offerings:
Giving tithes, financial offerings, and other resources to God's work are recognized as forms of worship, reflecting a willingness to prioritize God's needs and kingdom. - Spiritual Offerings:
Offering praise, prayers, and good works are also considered spiritual sacrifices, expressing gratitude and dedication to God. - Self-Sacrifice:
Renouncing selfish desires, temptations, and sinful habits, and dedicating oneself to serving God and others are examples of self-sacrifice as a form of worship.
Submission and Obedience:
- Sacrificial Acts:
Sacrifices often involve a willingness to obey God's commands, even when it requires giving up something valued. - Worship as Obedience:
Worship is also presented as an act of obedience, acknowledging God's authority and submitting to His will.
Fostering a Closer Relationship with God:
- Sacrifice as a Bridge:
Acts of sacrifice help to bridge the gap between humanity and God, allowing for fellowship and communion. - Worship as a Connection:
Worship, including sacrificial acts, fosters a deeper connection with God, encouraging love, gratitude, and reverence.
Can there be worship without sacrifice?
Without an acceptable sacrifice, it's not true worship. God asks of us to experience the same altar that Isaac got on, and then off of, and be a living sacrifice as well – Isaac didn’t die, but he was willing to.
True worship is a deeply profound and personal offering of something to God that is valuable to you and costs you everything. Whatever form that sacrifice takes (family, the future, your problems, ambitions, time, talent, money, praise or just your daily lifestyle), it must be the best you have. Worship is described in this story as obedience, trust, and surrender to God’s will, even though it is costly and difficult. It means we are willing to do whatever God asks of us each day.
- Complete Trust in Jesus
- Obedience to God’s command
- Surrendering What is Most Precious
- Faith that God will Provide
- Letting go of some things that God wants back – like your time, or your success
- Allowing God to test you whenever He thinks necessary
- Accepting whatever God gives you and being thankful
- Seeking to worship God more than seeking to win at anything else in life
Living Sacrifices - I Corinthians 15:14-15
14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died;
15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.
'I assure you, believers, by the pride which I have in you in [your union with] Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily [I face death and die to self]. '
1 Corinthians 15:31 AMPLIFIED
Living Sacrifices to God - Romans 12:1-2
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.