God desires first place in our affections and tests our hearts. In Genesis 22, God tested Abraham’s heart and found faith, more precious than gold which perishes. Abraham trusted God to keep His promises. He obeyed when it appeared all would be lost. His obedience thus released power through which Abraham gained a deeper understanding of God as Provider, made him the recipient of God’s blessings and the means through which God blessed the entire world.
God as Provider
Because of his obedience, Abraham learned to know God as the Provider. When Isaac asked his father about the lamb to be sacrificed, Abraham said, “The Lord will provide.” As Abraham lifted the knife to slay his son, God called out to him. Then in the thicket, Abraham saw a ram. Not only a ram for Abraham’s worship, it was a picture of God providing for mankind’s deepest need through His Son.
The Blessings of God
Abraham’s obedience opened up all the blessings God had promised. As the number of the stars, or the granules of sand in the sea, so would be the number of Abraham’s descendants. In addition, his descendants would possess the gates of their enemies. And then, what better blessing than to be called a friend of God as Abraham was.
All the Nations Blessed
Ultimately, Abraham’s obedience opened the door enabling all the nations of the earth to be blessed. In Matt. 1:1 and Luke 3:34, Abraham is listed as an ancestor of Jesus. After the day of pentecost, Peter quoted Genesis 22:18 and named Jesus as He who would bless by turning every one of them from their iniquities. It was because Abraham obeyed God.
The power of obedience was thus released and gave Abraham a deeper understanding of God as Provider, made him the recipient of God’s blessings and the means through which God blessed the entire world. There is power in obedience.
