From God's Perspective
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
From conception to creation the process
From conception to creation the process
As some of you may know I love to dabble in woodworking. I always had an interest in building and creating things out of wood. I remember shop class in grade 7. It was my first taste of taking a piece of rough wood and over a step by step process creating a piece of furniture that can be admired. To this day, I still have my final project that completed in grade 8; a small table that sits in one of our bedrooms, which is a constant reminder to me of what can be envisioned and created.
There is a certain thrill to creating something. For some it starts out as a blank canvas, or a bolt of fabric. For me, most often the process begins with either an idea or a need for an item. You see it begins with a perception, a thought of something or a picture that is in my head. As my wife, Heather often says, you don’t want to be in my head with all the ideas running through there; for me, it is a well-oiled machine cranking out a variety of ideas. Sometimes a project comes about when a request is given to me with the question, “can you build this for me?”
In my case, I can visualize the end product; what it should look like at the end of the process. It is that driving image the keeps me on task as I begin the process of creating the object. I would say that for most of the time, the end result is very close to the image I had pictured to begin with. There may be some modification or changes, but it resembles what I had envisioned at the beginning.
What is interesting is when people come into my shop during the process. At the beginning of the process, they may see that piece of scrap wood that I see will be a piece of the creation. All they see is a rough piece of wood that should be thrown on the fire pit, I see what it could be. It becomes a part of my craftsmanship.
Others come halfway through the process with pieces of wood all over the place, not assembled, some cut to size, others marked, and without a knowledge of the plan, they see a mess--a cluttered garage full of sawdust, (or what I like to call--man glitter) with scrap wood all over the place. They lack the vision or plan in their mind. Sometimes I have the opportunity to show them the plan, while other times, they just smile politely and wonder if I have lost all sense of direction. They lack the perspective that I have.
It reminds me of the story of a Boy seeing the parade through the hole in the fence. He is only able to see the parade one float or part of a float at one time. He is not impressed with the parade because he is just seeing one event at a time. Meanwhile, his father is standing beside him; from a much taller perspective, the father is watching the parade from over the fence. He is seeing the parade from the beginning to the end. He is seeing the progression of the event and can continue to watch the band as it goes by while at the same time preparing for the majestic float soon approaching.
Each person has a different perspective of the same event. Each person has a different perspective of my creations depending upon their understanding of the project and what part they enter into the process.
This morning we are going to look at a name of God while looking at different perspectives from the same story. As we take look at one event, for most of us a familiar event and we are going to look at it from different perspectives; it is my hope that we will look for God’s perspective in our lives.
Let’s pray
Description of the name
Description of the name
Over the next several weeks we are going to be looking at various names of God. If you are interested in doing a full and complete study on the names of God come and speak to me later and I can give you a complete list for you to study.
Man’s proclamation
Man’s proclamation
The first name is different from the other names you have heard about names of God. The main difference between this name and the others is that this name was given to God by Abraham based on the experience that Abraham had with God.
We want to be thankful to God for the many blessings that He provides. This morning we are going to look at the name, “Yahweh Yireh” or what most of us know it as, “Jehovah Jireh.”
b. Linked to an act of God
b. Linked to an act of God
God is called “The Lord who provides”
Ge 22:13-14 The name “Yahweh Yireh” (or “Jehovah Jireh”) is from the verb “to see”, and means “The Lord foresees” or “The Lord will see to it”. See also Ge 22:8[1]
Read
1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, 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.” 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” 6 And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. 7 And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
Abraham’s Perspective
Abraham’s Perspective
God’s request to Abraham
This narrative is about the offerings that we give to God; about our attitude when we offer up a sacrifice. Some people are misinformed and accuse God of practicing child sacrifice. This is so far from the truth.
“That the original command was not to kill Isaac but merely to offer him up…we are explicitly told that Abraham did exactly what God told him to do. “Abraham offered up Isaac” [3]
הַעֲלֵ֤
Many commentators describe this as a test to see what Abraham would do? God was asking Abraham to give up the most treasured thing or person in his life: His promised son and the promise of being a father of all nations. This was no small request. First of all, it was illogical. The only way you really can become a father of nations is to have children. If you don’t have children, you can’t become a father to many generations. But this request also cut to the core of Abraham’s life. It would test Abraham’s heart. What does he want to keep for himself? What is he unwilling to hand over to God? What about us? What do we hold onto so dearly and are so unwilling to give up to God?
If God were to ask you today to give up that cherished item, lifestyle or person, what would our response be? (pause)
Abraham’s answer to God
Abraham’s answer to God
God wasn’t asking Abraham a hypothetical question like, “What would you do in this situation”, he was asking Abraham for an action. He wanted to see Abraham decide, move, and commit to a response to God’s request. Scripture tells us that Abraham’s response was telling of his willingness to listen to his God.
“It is one thing to claim to trust God’s word when waiting for something; it is quite another thing to trust and obey His word after it is received. This was a test of how much Abraham would obey God’s word. Would he cling to the boy now that he had him, or would he still obey and return him to the Lord? In other words how far would Abraham go in obedience? Did he really believe that God would still keep His word and raise the seed of promise?[4] We will notice later in the passage that not only did Abraham follow God’s command; he had no doubt as to God fulfilling his promise of an heir through his son Isaac.
Abraham wasted no time to act upon the request. In fact scripture tells us that he got up early. I am not sure if Abraham was a morning person or not, but on this request, he chose to be a morning person.
When I was looking over this passage and focusing on the event it appeared to me that God’s request not only affected Abraham, but those around him. Servants had to adjust their daily routine in order to make the trip, Isaac also had to come along for the ride, and Sarah was left alone. God’s request for obedience often affects not only our lives but those around us. God does not work in a vacuum.
I believe that Abraham had a great understanding of God’s promises. God was certainly faithful throughout his life, yet I find it curious that Abraham chose to leave the servants behind and walk the rest of the road alone: just Abraham and Isaac. Why alone? Maybe he was afraid that his servants might interfere with God’s plan and try to convince him that there would be another way. Maybe it was a time for Abraham to have his last chance to convince God to change his mind. Scripture does not say why, Abraham chose to walk this last part with alone with only his son with him.
I read somewhere, “When he saw the place in the region of Moriah (v. 2; later the temple mount; 2 Chron. 3:1) he took only Isaac and had the two servants stay behind. His statement, We will worship and then we will come back (Gen. 22:5), is amazing. All Abraham knew was that (a) God planned the future around Isaac, and (b) God wanted him to (offer up) sacrifice Isaac. He could not reconcile the two, but he would obey anyway. That is faith. In response to Isaac’s question Where is the lamb? Abraham again revealed his faith: God Himself will provide (v. 8; cf. v. 14). Isaac was brought “from the dead” twice—once from Sarah’s dead womb, and again from a high altar (cf. Heb. 11:17–19).”[5]
Abraham’s Compulsion to God’s response
Abraham’s Compulsion to God’s response
We have the benefit of reading the story from beginning to end. We can see what happens in the end and take lessons from this event. I would like to take a moment to focus on Abraham’s perspective on this event.
“In naming the place Abraham of course was commemorating his own experience of sacrifice to the Lord. But an animal (a ram—not a lamb; cf. Gen. 22:8—caught … its horns in a thornbush) was provided by God’s grace as a substitute for the lad in the offering (v. 13). Later all Israel would offer animals to the Lord. Worship involved accepting God’s sacrificial substitute. But of course in the New Testament God substituted His only Son for the animal, and the perfect Sacrifice was made. John certainly had this in mind when he introduced Jesus as “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)[6]
When we look at Abraham’s perspective, he was doing what his Almighty God was asking of him. He was offering up his greatest treasure, a promise to make his name great. I can only imagine the long journey he took.
Maybe these questions were running through his mind:
“How is God going to fulfill his promise if he takes Isaac?”
“Why?”
“How am I going to explain this to Sarah?”
“As I look into my son’s eyes, as I put him on the altar, what will he be thinking of me?”
With all these possible thoughts running through his mind, one thing is certain. Abraham did not waver in his trust in the God Almighty.
God was trustworthy, faithful and worthy of his worship.
Isaac’s observation
Isaac’s observation
Let’s take a moment to look at Isaac’s perspective. Very little is recorded about Isaac other than the simple question, “Where is the lamb?”
He was young and his father was old. He could have run away. He could have overpowered his father and wrestled that knife from his hands.
One thing is for certain, Isaac was about to learn about faithful service; to learn about unconditional trust even at his own expense!
As you think of Isaac’s own history, he was often overshadowed by his father, who was known as a friend of God. Abraham is in the Hall of Faith as described in Hebrews 11. Isaac’s story can only be told as he is overshadowed by his scheming wife when dealing with two warring children of Esau and Jacob. His son, Jacob founded a nation which still exists today. There was still one thing that counted. He had faith.
Issac’s simple question shows that he was willing to follow God’s command and give a clear example of willingness to follow God.
As he was being placed on the altar, knife raised above him, the author has no description of Isaac’s response.
Think about this. A teenage boy, with an elderly father who has just placed him and bound him on an altar is about to carry out what his father believed was a request from God. There was no squirming, yelling, or fighting back. There was only pure submission to his father’s leading. Can people say that of us? Do we have submission to our Heavenly Father? Do we submit to his plan, even though we have no idea how it is to turn out? How will it end for us?
He, too, did not know what the outcome would be. He was looking through the hole in the fence and the parade from his perspective seemed to be coming to an end, and yet he was faithful and obedient to his earthly father. He must have also seen the promises Abraham had received and believed them to be true for him as well.
God’s Perspective
God’s Perspective
We have looked at two people’s perspective of this event. What do you think God’s perspective was?
God’s Observation of Abraham
God’s Observation of Abraham
God was watching the whole time to see what Abraham was doing. He saw his chosen man carrying out all that was asked of him. I can imagine that there was a smile on God’s face as he delighted in the fact that his servant followed his request. God doesn’t need our obedience in order to be satisfied, but he is delighted in his faithfulness of his servants.
God’s Response to the situation
God’s Response to the situation
God’s response is always timely and specific. In the past as I look over the parade of my life, I wondered at the time why something happened. In most cases, I have the comfort of looking back and seeing God working through that circumstance. I have adopted the phrase, “I am looking forward to the time I can look back and see what God has done.”
Abraham trusted God and God’s response was to provide a lamb to take the place of his son.
Christ’s Response
Christ’s Response
Once we begin to see God’s perspective on this story, we then begin to see a glimpse of His perspective on life eternal. You see, like the man who is looking over the fence and seeing the whole parade, God Almighty, sees all, knows all, from beginning to the end. It is hard for us to imagine. We are like the child looking through the hole in the fence and seeing only a glimpse of the whole story. We have the advantage of looking back at the story, but we do not have the advantage of seeing what is coming. We only can trust our Heavenly father with this, that God knew before the creation of the world all about us. All about you, all about me.
1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. [1]
God from the beginning of time set in motion the parade of the world. He knew man would fall into sin and would be separated from God; therefore he set in motion a plan to redeem the lost; to bring them back into a right relationship with God. This morning’s story is a picture or a foreshadowing of what Christ will do for His own.
“Apostle John recorded John the Baptist’s message. This time, he called Jesus “the Lamb of God,” a title he would repeat the next day (John 1:35–36). In one sense, the message of the Bible can be summed up in this title. The question in the Old Testament is, “Where is the lamb?” (Gen. 22:7) In the four Gospels, the emphasis is “Behold the Lamb of God!” Here He is! ”[7]
The main difference between the ram caught in the thicket and Christ is that Christ was a willing participant in the story of salvation. Christ was willing to take upon himself the punishment for our own sin. He was willing to be forsaken by God in order that we may live in eternity with God. Without Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, there is no forgiveness of Sin; without Christ we cannot be redeemed.
If you have chosen to accept Christ’s submission to God’s wrath by dying in our place, you are one of the redeemed.
If you are sitting this morning and haven’t heard the whole story of salvation, many of us would love to tell you the story. If you have heard the story and haven’t given your life over to the savior of the world, what is stopping you? God the almighty willingly sacrificed his own son in order to save you from your sin. This would be a great morning if you would bend your knee to the father and accept Christ as your savior.
Conclusion
Conclusion
What is our perspective?
What is our perspective?
What is your perspective on the parade of your life? Are you looking through the hole in the fence trusting your heavenly father for the outcome of the parade, or are you troubled with what you are seeing through the hole.
Are you concerned with your view?
Not seeing the job come as quickly as you think you need it?
Struggling with your health and not being able to do what you planned in your retirement?
Watching your children struggle with their faith? Or watching your children struggle with the view that they have?
No matter what the situation, God is in Control. God knows the parade of your life. He sees our struggles, problems and needs. He is in control. You can trust him.
He provided a lamb that day for Abraham and he provided the lamb for our sins. When we don’t see what lies ahead we know we can trust him.
Let me end with this
A few years ago, Heather and I had the privilege of visiting the Corrie Ten Boom museum in The Netherlands. For those of you who don’t know, Corrie Ten Boom and her family were instrumental in hiding Jews in their home, just a few doors down from the Gestapo headquarters. A neighbor found out about their secret activities and told the Nazi soldiers. They were soon put in a concentration camp nearby. Corrie was the only survivor. After her release, she spent years speaking at Christian conferences and telling of her experiences.
The museum is the house that she lived in before her days at the concentration camp. On the wall, there is a tapestry, but it is backwards!! You see all the threads and how they criss cross over each other. Actually, it looks a mess! There does not seem to any reason why the threads are the way they are. But when you turn the tapestry over, it is a beautiful piece of artwork.
From this she wrote a poem
As the worship team comes forward, let me read you this poem
[1] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Eph 4:1.
[1] Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies (London: Martin Manser, 2009).
[2] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), Jn 1:29–34.
[3] R. A. Torrey, Difficulties in the Bible: Alleged Errors and Contradictions (Willow Grove: Woodlawn Electronic Publishing, 1998).
[4] Allen P. Ross, "Genesis" In , in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), Ge 22:1–2.
[5] Allen P. Ross, "Genesis" In , in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), Ge 22:3–8.
[6] Allen P. Ross, "Genesis" In , in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), Ge 22:9–14.
[7] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), Jn 1:29–34.