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| Looking for a sign from God? |
Genesis 15:1 sounds so simple.
After these things the word of ADONAI came to Abram in a vision saying, “Do not fear, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”
But Abram wants a sign: In the very next verse, Abram immediately wanted something from God. He wanted a son. Genesis 15:2
"Abram said, “My Lord ADONAI, what will You give me, since I am living without children, and the heir of my household is Eliezer of Damascus?” Then he believed in ADONAI and He reckoned it to him as righteousness."
Abram wanted a sign (a son), but what he recieved was hope. Abram had faith, and God counted Abram has Righteous. Abrams faith was sufficient for God and God made an everlasting Blood Covenant with Abram in Genesis 15:18
On that day ADONAI cut a covenant with Abram, saying, “I give this land to your seed, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River:
EVERYONE'S FAITH IS TESTED...
Fast forward to Genesis 22:2 and we see that Abram's faith was tested.
Then He said, “Take your son, your only son whom you love —Isaac—and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains about which I will tell you.”
Abraham demonstrates his faith in Genesis 22:8
Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself a lamb for a burnt offering, my son.”
It was enough for God to see that Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son. So in Genesis 22:12 God said:
Then He said, “Do not reach out your hand against the young man—do nothing to him at all. For now I know that you are one who fears God—you did not withhold your son, your only son, from Me.”
And God showed his love for Abraham by providing a ram. Genesis 22:12-13
Then He said, “Do not reach out your hand against the young man—do nothing to him at all. For now I know that you are one who fears God—you did not withhold your son, your only son, from Me.” Then Abraham lifted up his eyes and behold, there was a ram, just caught in the thick bushes by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.
Abraham was rewarded on that mountain of faith, that would eventually become the threshing floor and the place that King David would one day purchase for 30 pieces of silver. But before these things would come to be, Abraham knew the mountain where he bound his son Isaac was Holy. So in Genesis 22:14
Abraham named that place, ADONAI Yireh,—as it is said today, “On the mountain, ADONAI will provide.”
To this day the faithful say what Abraham said:
ADONIA YIREH - GOD WILL PROVIDE
God came to Jonah a second time and in Genesis 22:15-18
The angel of ADONAI called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By myself I swear—it is a declaration of ADONAI—because you have done this thing, and you did not withhold your son, your only son, I will richly bless you and bountifully multiply your seed like the stars of heaven, and like the sand that is on the seashore, and your seed will possess the gate of his enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed—because you obeyed My voice.”
These Torah verses are straight out of those that Jews read on Rosh Hashanah when we blast the ram's horn - the shofar. On Rosh Hashanah we remember that God provided a ram as a substitute for Abraham's son Isaac.
TEKIAH! WAKE UP! GOD ALREADY GAVE US A SIGN. FAITH IS THAT SIMPLE. IT IS NOT THE TEST WE NEED TO FEAR. IT'S THE TEKIAH GEDOLAH -- THE FINAL GREAT SHOFAR BLAST.
Epilogue:
Here is another fascinating connection with Mount Moriah and another miracle that Jews celebrate on the holiday of Hanukkah. The Moriah Plant.