Genesis 22, and Acts 8
Reading Genesis 22, we learn of Abraham’s extraordinary faith and obedience; The story challenges us to trust God in the most difficult circumstances. God tells Abraham to take his son, his only son, Isaac, up a mountain and sacrifice him. He loads the wood onto Isaac’s back; he’s carrying his knife and the fire, and is ready to sacrifice his son.
He gets to the top and builds an altar; he’s laid his only son out on the altar. But at just the right time, God stopped him and provided a sheep. I remember another only son who carried wood on his back and offered his life as the ultimate sacrifice. This story reminds me of how little faith and obedience I have. I have to trust Jesus, his timing, and believe that my small faith will grow stronger over time with his. If I pray, and study his word, and try to please him every day, I know I’ll stay on the right path. The first part of this chapter is pretty heavy, but as I got towards the end, my reflection took a lighter turn.
In verses 20-24, Abraham hears that his brother Nahor has a bunch of kids. The oldest was Uz, the next was Buz. Uz and Buz, I grew up in Kentucky, and these names sound like they would be straight out of the Holler, pure redneck. You know, if you name your kids Uz and Buz, they are going to get things done. I imagine they had a chain of successful shops, “Uz-marts”, where they fixed wagons, made plows, and gave haircuts. Isaac, you take that wagon over to Uz and Buz, they’ll put that wheel back on for ya! While you are over there, your hair looks a little long. Have Buz shape it up for ya. Go on now, get you a Buz Cut!
While I’m joking around about “Uz-marts and Buz-cuts”, it’s a reminder that while Abraham was on the mountain. God was building a massive family tree of ordinary people like you and me, from which we learn. He used Abraham’s cherished son to test his faith. This foreshadowed Jesus as the perfect sacrifice for the salvation of the world. At the same time, we are focused on our mountains, our big trials. God is working out the details of future generations in accordance with his perfect plan. God often uses the most unexpected people and situations to accomplish his will.
In Acts chapter 8, we read about the early church being persecuted, and everyone but the Apostles scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Philip heads over to Samaria and starts preaching the Good News. The Jews did not hold the Samaritans in high regard at the time. However, God worked many miracles through Philip; there was great joy in that city. Many of the Samaritans believed and were baptized. But they did not receive the Holy Spirit at their baptism. Peter and John heard about what was happening in Samaria, and when they arrived, they prayed and laid hands on them. Then the baptized believers received the Holy Spirit. This was confirmation of Acts 1:8.
‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” ‘
I wonder: are we taught that believers receive the Holy Spirit at baptism? But this clearly shows that God withheld that gift for the perfect time, for his perfect will. I don’t know, I was baptized in the 5th grade. But I don’t feel I received the Holy Spirit until many years later, when I was utterly broken. But when I received the Holy Spirit, a group of Spirit-filled men laid hands on me and prayed. God is the Almighty; he is perfect, he can do whatever he wants, and his timing is impeccable. He had perfect timing on the mountain with Abraham and Isaac, even in waiting for the gift of the Holy Spirit to the newly baptised Samaritan believers. As we trust God in our trials, we know that his plans will unfold perfectly, making us stronger.
‘2Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. ‘