Trusting the Words of the Father

When we read the story of Abraham climbing Mt. Moriah to sacrifice his son Isaac, we tend to overlook the role that Isaac played in the entire event.  Theologians agree that by the time of the text, Isaac was between 20 and 25 years old.  Abraham and his father, along with two servants, had traveled three days and there is no Biblical record of any conversation.  When they reached Mt. Moriah, Abraham finally says to his servants, "stay here while I and the lad go yonder to worship and then we will come back to you."  Abraham and Isaac continue their journey up the mountain and Isaac makes his only recorded comments in the passage.  He said, "Father, I see the fire and the wood but where is the lamb for the offering?"  Abraham replies that "God will provide for himself a lamb." 

Have you ever wondered why Isaac was willing to climb the mountain and did not retaliate?  A 20 plus year old young man who surrenders to being laid on an altar then tied to it. He even watches as his father raises the knife to sacrifice him and he never makes any attempt to escape.  He doesn't even attempt to negotiate other options.  He doesn't scream, yell, cry or even utter a word.

The answer is in the fact that Isaac trusted the words of his father.  He had heard Abraham say "we will come back to you."  Isaac had so much confidence in what his father had said until he had no need to sweat the situation.  Abraham said that he and Isaac would return to the servants and that was enough to keep Isaac at ease.

God often puts us in strange and uncomfortable situations.  When these times occur we must do as Isaac did and trust the words of the father.  God has promised that he will never leave us nor forsake us.  In Numbers 23:19 we are reminded that "God [is] not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do [it]? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?  Isaac trusted the words of Abraham.  You and I can trust the words of our God.  Regardless of your situation, trust the words of the father and be at ease.