Genesis 22:6 "So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together."
I began to weep as I read this passage. It had been a while since the Lord had revealed His Word like He did this morning. He has spoke to me in other methods, but it had been a while since He opened my eyes to His Voice in the Word. The Lord told me that I had become so use to His showing me truths in the Word, that I was losing that total desire to go deeper. So He just became silent. He did not leave me, but He was silent. This, Lord, has just ...... well, I don't know how to describe it. I could hardly understand what was going on until You showed me. You wanted me to seek you to go even deeper, not letting the relationship I had with you be enough, not to be satisfied, to want more. You wanted me to know there was still more, if I sought you and kept running after You, if I came after You, calling You to wait, to let me reach You, to let me find You, I would have more of You. And so I have run after You, I have called, You alone have I desired and wanted to be with. And this morning, You sat beside me and revealed Your Word, once again. I could not stop weeping; both for the beauty of the revelation and for the nearness of You, Your Presence.
I was reading in Genesis where Abraham was being tested by the Lord. Where the Lord wanted to see if Abraham truly trusted Him. The Lord told Abraham to take his only son to the mount where His only Son would be slaughtered years later. Where another Sacrifice of love would be made. The Lord told Abraham to take his son to this mountain and make a sacrifice to Him.
When they got to the place where they would have to climb the mountain, Abraham told his two young men to wait and he and Isaac would go alone to make the sacrifice. As I read of Abraham placing the wood on the back of Isaac, the Lord showed me Him placing the wooden cross on the back of His Beloved Son. Abraham took the fire, (the Lord showing me this was His Spirit) and then he took the knife (the Lord showing me a cutter of all that would come between ourselves and Him alone), and they proceeded to the place of sacrifice.
Isaac allowed himself to be bound by his father; Jesus allowed himsef to be led up that hill by His Father; Isaac did not fight his father, had he, I believe it would have been of such a significance it would have been recorded in the Bible; but Isaac trusted his father; and Abraham trusted His Father. Can you just see yourself raising a knife above your only son and getting ready to make him a sacrifice offering to the Lord? But Abraham was obedient, He was faithful and He trusted the Lord. He trusted His Father. He loved the Lord and was willing to sacrifice all for Him.
But as the knife cut through the air going up, the Lord called quickly to him. "Abraham, Abraham, do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son from Me". Then Abraham saw the ram in the thicket that the Lord was providing for the sacrifice.
The Lord showed me the knife going up into the air cut through any fear and unbelief we may have in trusting Him alone. He showed me that as the flames of the fire, His Holy Spirit, burns through us cutting out as a knife, any hindrances we may have believing His Word, believing His faithfulness, trusting His love for us, His promises to us, the fire of the Holy Spirit will cut any and all of these things from our spirits, from our hearts and our souls. I can see Abraham untying Isaac and grasping him to his chest with his arms tightly around him, holding him for a little while before tying the ram onto the altar. Burying his face into his little child, his only son whom he loved so dearly, loving him, telling him how much he loved him, reassuring him of his love, speaking soft, enduring words to Isaac. The same manner is the way the Lord holds us tightly to Himself when we allow the Holy Spirit to cut those things not of God out of our hearts, our souls and our spirits. He holds us tightly to Himself and speaks in a quiet, sweet voice, words of endearment, words of encouragement, words of life. Renewing His promises, His covenant with each of us as we yield ourselves completely to Him, giving our lives to Him.
Our Father led His only Beloved Son up the same hill years later, allowing this precious Lamb to be sacrificed because His love was great for us, His need to be shown faithful to us was so great, and He knew it would take a sacrifice of blood, of royal blood to make a difference. This last blood sacrifice would be for all mankind through the ages down. No more animals or living sacrifices need be made. Just a truthful confession of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, just a remittance of all sin, a heart of love for the Lord. One act of faith, of complete trust performs the cutting as the fire of the Lord begins to penetrate through your being, bring righteousness and blessings. The cutting of the fire, a daily outpouring of mercy and grace into our lives, keeps us in the hand of the Lord. He loves us so much.
I love You, my Lord. I love that You have shown me these scriptures today. I love that You love me so much that Your fire cuts through anything hindering my beautiful relationship with You. Thank You Lord for Your faithfulness, Your mercy. Thank You for the fire ...... and the knife.
01-08-12
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