Basic HTML Version
90
The Beginning of the End
James, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead” (
James
2:17
). And John, who dwells so fully on love, tells us, “This is the
love of God, that we keep His commandments” (
1 John 5:3
).
God “preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand” (
Galatians
3:8
). And the patriarch’s faith was fixed on the Redeemer to come.
Christ said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he
saw it and was glad” (
John 8:56
). The ram offered in place of Isaac
represented the Son of God, who was to be sacrificed in our place.
The Father, looking on His Son, said to the sinner, “Live: I have
found a ransom.”
The agony that Abraham endured during the dark days of that
fearful trial was permitted so that he might understand something
of the greatness of the sacrifice God made for our redemption. No
other test could have caused Abraham such torture of soul as did
the offering of his son. God gave His Son to a death of agony and
[68]
shame. The angels were not permitted to interpose, as they did in
the case of Isaac. There was no voice to cry, “It is enough.” To save
the fallen race, the King of glory yielded up His life.
“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for
us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”
(
Romans 8:32
).
Lesson Book of the Universe
The sacrifice required of Abraham was not only for his good nor
for the generations to come; it was also for the instruction of the
sinless beings of heaven and other worlds. This earth, on which the
plan of redemption is carried out, is the lesson book of the universe.
Because Abraham had shown a lack of faith, Satan had accused
him before angels and God. God desired to prove the loyalty of
His servant before all heaven, to demonstrate that nothing less than
perfect obedience can be accepted, and to open the plan of salvation
more fully before them.
The test given to Adam in Eden involved no suffering, but the
command to Abraham demanded the most agonizing sacrifice. All
heaven watched Abraham’s unswerving obedience with wonder and
admiration, and all admired his loyalty. Satan’s accusations were