Psalm 23:4c

While vacationing in Williamsburg, Virginia I visited a “Ripley’s believe it or not!” gallery, the home of bizarre stories, international oddities, and strange discoveries.  Along the journey of browsing I saw a life size version of the tallest man in the world, standing at a towering eight feet and eleven inches I found myself just about eye level with his belt.  While in the gallery I couldn’t help but think of another giant who stood just about the same height as the display in front of me. 

His spear was bigger than most flagpoles, his coat of armor weighed about 200 pounds, and his voice scared an army of well weathered warriors.  Goliath was no joke; you didn’t catch any Israelites giggling when the giant stood morning after morning to mock the God of Israel.  A massive detachment of troops feared one man; he was head, shoulders, and even belly above everyone else.  To be perfectly fair, I couldn’t blame them, I was intimidated by a nine foot statue; they were dealing with the real deal, a man of war who toted a coat of armor that weighs more than I do. 

With all of that said, it seems a bit odd that the only guy that stepped on the scene with enough boldness to face a giant was not much bigger than a high school point guard.  What is even more curious is where this youthful shepherd boy got his courage. 

His brothers thought it was youthful pride.

His King thought it was youthful ignorance.

His heart knew it as child-like faith.

It wasn’t because of an enlarged ego, or some positive thinking technique, it was from a faith that the Lord Himself was with him to deliver as times before (1 Samuel 17:37).  I personally believe the words of Psalm 23 were written while David was in the field tending sheep, the very same field that he mentions while testifying to King Saul.  You see, When God showed Himself faithful in the life of David, he wrote it down, when he penned these words he allowed faith to permanently be written on his soul.  I encourage you to do the same.

Write it down!

When God delivers you out of trouble, stop… and write a note of remembrance. 

Here’s why:

When days turn to weeks and weeks turn to years we as human beings tend to forget stuff, and when the next trial arises you will be tempted to doubt.  In times like these I’ve learned that a personal record of God’s faithfulness is a huge help to boosting your faith, lifting your head, and bringing praise from your lips.  When the situation tells you, “You don’t stand a chance; you’re so small compared to that giant!”  You can remind yourself that, “If God did it before, then He can do it again!”

Often we make the mistake of having the “we’ll cross that bridge when we get there” mentality.  We turn the dial to cruise control and begin to think that we’ll sail over our rough waters simply because “we’ve gotten this far!”  Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way, we must apply the truth of God’s word as presently active and absolute to overcome the giants that are camping in our territory.  The truth is the same for us as it was for David; boldness, courage, victory and valor, are all birthed in a faith that trusts that the Lord is personally involved with us.  I believe the more this faith is applied in our lives the more we will see obstacles fall, foggy paths become clear, and fear begin to fade.

“I will fear no evil…”

Psalm 23:4

When listening to these words I often get the idea that David was some type of superman.  Being able to eat steel and spit nails might be the kind of tough criteria that enables some to cry out, “I Will Fear No Evil!”… But what criteria does it take to overcome the things that even valiant men are vulnerable to?  Perhaps it isn’t the “boogie man” that frightens you, but what about when the doctor says, “I’m afraid I have some bad news…” or when that foreclosure letter arrives in the mail?  I find myself wondering if David might have had it easier back in the day than those of us who live here in the future.  Just as I begin to start rationalizing my fears however, I find the statement of this shepherd turned king much more profound and applicable to our time than its length and eloquence lets on. 

The Hebrew word “yare’” or “fear” used in this passage gives a bit more insight as to the reality of fear and the confidence that our author proclaims.  Yare’ speaks of an inspired reverence, awe, or respect to the point of terror.  The sensation that is experienced when faced with conflict is founded upon the perspectives we hold and the faith which we apply therein.  So if I believe that a certain situation is impossible, and my faith is based on my abilities, the result will be a sensation of despairing inadequacy or fear.  On the other side of the coin, if I happen to believe that the situation I have in front of me is somehow manageable, and my faith is invested upon the abilities of one who was up to the task, my emotions in turn are equally hopeful and bright.  What fear often does is distort our sense of reality; it enlarges our understanding of vulnerability and leaves us emotionally in fetal position, cowering from the victory that is available.  When penning this part of the chapter, I don’t think David was placing his faith in himself as a shepherd, but in the Lord, Who is immeasurably capable no matter the difficulty.  In short, what David was trying to say was, “I’ve seen God, I’ve experienced already a reverence, awe, respect, and terror that has driven me beyond what anything else has ever caused in my heart…fact is, everything that seemed pretty big and bad pales in comparison to the “fear” of God, or the respect and awe that God’s presence has demanded of me.”

It reminds me of a story about three young Jews.  In a time when the nation of Israel was in captivity and the laws of Babylon seemed frightfully sovereign, three teenage boys kept their perspective, stood firm in the truth, and in result their gritty faith shook a nation aware to the sovereignty of God. 

The king of Babylon had raised a massive statue in his own likeness, and then with a compelling hostility persuaded everyone to bow down and revere the image.  In a way, that’s what fear does; it drives us forcefully to pay an enlarged amount of attention and reverence to something.  When the flutes and trumpets sounded, it was three young guys who were committed to appropriately directing their attention to the only One Who deserved such awe, and with a short trial they were sent to their deaths…or so it seemed.  In the face of impending danger, they spoke the words that echo in my mind when I consider the equally faith filled words from King David.  

“I’ll give you one more chance to bow down!” yelled Nebuchadnezzar furiously

“We do not need to defend ourselves before you.” Replied the boys

“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us.  He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.  But even if He doesn’t, Your Majesty can be sure that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” 

In other words, “I will fear no evil”

And into the fire they went…and the result was wonderful.  Not a scent of smoke on them, not a hair singed, not a thread bared; they paid the proper respect to the Lord and God honored them with confidence, security, blessing, and peace.

The moment we lose sight of the reality of Who God is and What He is capable of, is the same moment fear comes in and peace is hindered.  By willfully conceding to an authority of power that is not over us, we in a way are saying to the Lord that we are uncertain of His authority.   David chose otherwise…he tells us, “I will not”.  You see, fear is a choice not a mandate.  Evil will never be able to harm us when our faith is in Jesus Christ.  Threats will come, fiery trials may surround, but as the three young men said, “the God whom we serve is able to save us.”  God is mightier than that which we fear. 

As we begin to trust and live out this faith in Jesus, those who are bowing down will start to raise their eyes and see the truth.  They will be as Nebuchadnezzar, seeing one who looks like “the Son of God”.

They’ll see Jesus

So Fear not

Genesis 23:10-13

The exchange here between Ephron and Abraham is a perfect example of what the bargaining process was back in the ancient Middle East.  Upon further study one can begin to see quite a few similarities between what was and what the bargaining process is today.  Being that Abraham valued Sarah so highly he wasn’t about to bury her in a tomb that cost him nothing.  In the same way we as believers must not settle into compromise while conducting ourselves in this world.  While others who don’t necessarily agree with Christian beliefs or understand the biblical convictions of those who follow Christ, we as believers must seek to live in such a way that shows just how wonderful the ways of the Lord are.  As this world tries to have us bury our standards and principles in a way that would dishonor the value of Jesus’ life present in us, we must tenaciously hold to our standards so that we might honor properly that which God has given us.

To settle the exchange Abraham humbled himself by bowing, as he did the proper purchase of the tomb was possible and the relationship with the sons of Heth was strengthened.  So too, if we expect to effectively carry out business and strengthen the relationships we have in this world without compromising our standards and faith, we must conduct ourselves as Christ.   

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.  Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

Philippians 2:3-8

You see, Jesus too humbled Himself without compromising His Holy standard.  In doing so He won the entire human race something of the greatest benefit…salvation.  Through lovingly exhibiting the character of Jesus Christ to those around us we too will not only be blessed in our lives for the glory of God but we’ll also win those around us unto a far greater purpose…an intimate personal relationship with God. 

Genesis 23:5-6

It’s amazing to see the favor that Abraham holds with the locals being that he is a “foreigner and a visitor in the land”.  It’s a stark contrast to Lot who also being a stranger and visitor in his land actually held a high political office and prospered in his local region, however, when communicating with the locals they stated, “Who are you to us?”  It’s interesting to me that Lot chose the greener grass, the nicer deal, and his selfish ambition drove him to compromise, and his example and witness was exactly that…compromised; his decision to honor himself while also trying to honor God hurt his ability to reach those around him and exemplify Holiness to those around him.  Abraham on the other hand chose to honor God, yup…he made mistakes, but all in all his passion was to honor God first and exclusively, in doing so he was blessed and we see here that those around him noticed the blessings as well as his relationship with God, Abraham’s ability to minister to them and testify to his neighbors was so evident.

More recently I was teaching a general overview of Christianity in a college located in the southwest of England.  After the session was done a student raised his hand and asked the question, “Do you often get insulted for being a Christian?”  I responded to his question by sharing how when I was younger I often was timid and quiet about my faith because I was often afraid of what others might say or do to me if they knew of my faith in Jesus Christ.  As I’ve matured in age and faith I’ve found that just the opposite is true.  Like Abraham, the more open and honest I am about my faith, the more people notice.  How they respond is out of my control, one thing is certain however, they will see me for who I am, and who I am will essentially lead them to the majesty of Jesus Christ or lead them away from the glory of God.  Sure, I get a few people that insult me, but more importantly I get people that see firsthand the Lord’s presence in my life, and they recognize my standing among them, I am a “Son of the King”  a “mighty prince” and the favor followed is the blessing imparted by our identity as such. 

Genesis 23:4

Being that Abraham already had a firm understanding of eternity, death, and the grave with his previous faith experience with Isaac, he was now able to properly practice grieving and by faith leaving Sarah’s memory into the hands of the Lord.  By faith he was seeking to move on, fully honoring the Lord as well as honoring Sarah properly, you see, a lot of what Abraham had become as a man was partly due to who his wife was as a woman.  To celebrate and commemorate Sarah Abraham didn’t lie down, give up, or get bitter…instead he chose to press on, move forward, and finish what he and his wonderful wife had begun together.  Abraham wanted to move forward towards heaven by continuing that which he was called to do here on earth.

Sure he was grieving his loss!

 No, he wouldn’t forget about Sarah!

He was doing what was best because Sarah had now moved onto what was best, the company of the Father…God.  We make a huge mistake when in grieving loss we choose to close up shop, to let go of vision and calling, and simply trade in our blessings for bitterness.  We, like Abraham, should seek a place to grieve and then leave, letting go of the loss and heading on towards the blessing and gain that God has in mind for us, not only here on earth being that we are still living, but also in the next life where we see the rewards for how we lived.

Genesis 23:3-4

Abraham’s words go deep, “I am a foreigner and a visitor among you”, tell us of his mindset at the moment.  Technically Abraham had spent a long enough time in this area of Hebron, as well as developed in financial status to be able to have a piece of land and be considered a resident, however, Abraham hasn’t purchased land up to this point and now we get a peek at his perspective of himself and his latest situation. 

Something happens to your perspective the moment a loved one dies.  Relationships that seemed to have such a strong connection are ripped from our hands; the people we thought would go on with us forever suddenly leave.  Where did they go?  Questions like this often follow death, and thoughts about the eternal begin to mix in with your current thought process.  You see, when loss happens it brings a very real contrast between temporary and eternal.  The love that you had for someone becomes longing, and that longing desires to continue with those that have passed.  I believe this was the meaning of Abraham’s words.  The moment Sarah died, home wasn’t home for Abraham, it didn’t matter how much wealth and security he had, death plays no favorites and claims whomever… whenever it pleases.

In the same way we as believers in Jesus Christ have a similar longing, a love that is eternal made to wait upon the temporary.  The difference is that Jesus has told us that He is not bound by death, He rose again defeating death and sits at the right hand of God in heaven preparing for us a heavenly home where things that were once temporary are eternally secure.  We’re told that Abraham had this understanding:

“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance…By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God…These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.  For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.  And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country.  Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”

Hebrews 11:8-16

The Bible teaches us that through our faith in Jesus Christ we not only hope for, but we are certain of our eternal destiny.  We declare on earth where it is we choose to make home, and in the same way that preparations are made for us when we book into a hotel, we see that preparations are made for us in heaven by our heavenly host, the builder and maker, God.

Genesis 22:15-18

God instructed and Abraham obeyed.  As we continue to learn from the lives of the Word we see that obedience is one of the most valuable keys to our relationships with the Lord.  For in obeying God we will find that faith will grow, hope will become clear, and love will blossom to maturity. 

In Abraham’s obedience all the generations to follow would be blessed as a great nation.  Today the testimony of that blessing is apparent as the Jewish race is the only ancient civilization to have survived the test of time.  It’s a common fact that after any ancient civilization lost rule of their land that civilization would soon fall and become overcome and eventually wiped out.  The Mayans, Incas, Assyrians, and Babylonians are a few among many of these fallen empires.  The Hebrew nation, commonly known today as the Jews or Israeli’s is the only people group, culture, and nation that have survived with its identity completely intact.  As it were, that would be enough; however we see that upon this particular blessing God has been abundantly clear in His faithfulness to the Jews throughout the years.

Let me explain:

Jesus, or the Angel of the Lord, speaks this promise to Abraham… “Blessing I will bless you” which is also abiding with the blessing and promise earlier spoken by God Himself unto Abraham:

“I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis 12:3

Any nation that has attacked or cursed the Israelites has soon after been overcome as a nation.  The Jews have been persecuted and attacked for centuries; their enemies have included Assyrian’s, Babylon, Midian, Moab, Philistia, Agag, and even more contemporary nations like Nazi Germany.  It isn’t coincidence that soon after these nations sought to wipe out the Jews they themselves were the ones being overcome.  So too we see that through Abraham’s seed, God not only blessed the Jewish race, but the whole world, because millennia later the Messiah would arrive and bring freedom and salvation to all mankind; every race, gender, and culture; multiplying the number of those who would enter into heaven as numerous as the sand on the seashore.

You see, in the eyes of the Lord we as mankind had a common enemy.  It wasn’t an opposing race, nation, or culture…it was a hereditary condition called sin.

In the same way God was faithful to defend the Jewish race, God has also carried His faithfulness through Abraham to the entire Human race.  Blessing us and not cursing us, saving us from destruction and delivering us unto abundant life.

As I was sharing this with a friend more recently I was asked, “How is it that you as a Christian can be so exclusive about salvation and entrance into heaven?”

I responded by saying, “Christianity isn’t exclusive, it’s actually quite open.  Because of the finished work that Jesus carried out on the cross, all can freely receive salvation!”

The question that follows is, “Will you receive it?”

Genesis 22:14

Jehova Jireh, or literally “The-Lord-Will-Provide” is a just another of many different and wonderful names for the One true God.  This particular name was formed from the proclamation of faith Abraham made to Isaac in verse eight.  This particular dub is similar to when Hagar referred to God as “The-God-Who-Sees” (16:13), both were in a tight spot between life and death, and Jesus draws near, sees the need (Jehova Elroi), and provides for the need (Jehova Jireh).  As I reflect on the names and the character of God; I’m often reminded of times in life where I’ve wondered if God was paying any attention to my predicament, if He saw my need, and whether or not He would provide.  As I came to find out, the answer to all of these questions is found at the cross.

Whenever I question God’s instructions, or perhaps I feel as though I’m only being led to the slaughter in my personal situation, the cross always speaks a reminder of peace and hope into my life.  For it was there that the Lord provided, and “as it is said to this day” God has never let us down. 

“But God has let me down, Dan!” you say.

“I’ve been robbed, cheated, and shorthanded plenty of times in my life!” you might think.

The fact of the matter is “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?” (Numbers 23:19) so that makes me wonder what it was that you didn’t receive. 

Perhaps what you thought was your need was simply a want, and God knowing best knew that it wasn’t best for you.  You see, that is the amazing truth about God!  He loves you and will always lead you to the blessing regardless of what you think to be best. 

So the next time you pray and begin to think, “Man! God didn’t answer my prayer!”

Remember that He has!  

It may be that God has simply delayed or developed your answer in a different way than what you had expected.  (James 4:2-3)

Genesis 22:7-8

Notice the repeated words, “the two of them went together.”  These few words speak volumes about the relationship Isaac and Abraham had.  Based on the Hebrew word “na’ar”, translated “Lad” we find a bit of insight to Isaac’s age.  Scholars believe Isaac wasn’t a kid at this stage, more than likely he was around the age of thirty, which blew me away considering every Sunday school lesson about this story I had ever witnessed portrays Isaac as a child not more than 8-10 years of age. 

“So what!” you say.

“What does Isaac’s age have to do with anything?” You might think.

Considering old Abe was over 100 years old, it’s not too hard to believe that a young buck like Isaac didn’t have to obey his dad when it came to being slain with a knife, burnt over a fire, and offered as a sacrifice.  He could easily have run away the moment he noticed his dad’s intentions, or wrestled the knife away from Abraham, which is more than likely what anyone of us would have probably done.  In this situation most of us would simply write Abraham off as old and delusional and be done with him, but not Isaac, these verses show the amount of meekness and faith that Isaac held in character. 

The same is true for Jesus Christ, the pure and spotless lamb, who perfectly obeyed the Father even when led to the destination of death on the cross.  The story of Isaac is like a photo negative of the story of Jesus Christ.  The picture is taken and over time and through the process in the darkroom of “trial and testing” the development of the image is manifested.  In the same way we see God’s “bigger picture”, or the will of the Most High Himself, which is that none would perish, but that all would be saved through the Holy offering of His Son, the “Pure and spotless lamb” which He Himself did provide.  He brought the flesh for the offering by becoming like us in the flesh and dying for our sins (John 1:14).  Showing the same kind of meekness and faith in the Father as Isaac, Jesus was willing to lay down His life trusting that the Father knew best. 

This all serves as an encouragement and example to me.  Often when I desire to “offer myself as a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1-2) I mistakenly think that it’s a task that I must do on my own.  Like Isaac shows us here on Mt. Moriah, and like Jesus on Calvary, we see that to perfectly abide and obey with the Father’s plan it takes meekness, and faith.  We are to trust, sit still, and know that God is working things together for good in our character even when it seems like He’s killing us, or we’re getting burned by others, or we’re being wounded by those we love. 

 “Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” 

He is with us in the conflict, He strengthens us while we journey up the mountain to the altar, and His powerful Holy Spirit accompanies us to the altar so that we might learn to trust and not squirm away from the Fathers desire…that we too would be altered to the likeness of His Son. 

“The two of them went together”

Abraham with Isaac

The Father with the Son

God Almighty with You

Genesis 22:3

As we’ve learned before, the midday sun of the Middle East is no joke.  So when it came to difficult manual labor or traveling long distances one would desire to rise early to beat the heat (Genesis 18:1).  So it was no surprise to see Abraham rise early in the morning to complete that which God had instructed him; the man knew what it would take to make the trek that day, and the labor it would involve.  Before the day got too hot, before the interruptions of everyday life got in the way, Abraham was up and heading towards Moriah, which literally translated means “Where the Lord Provides” or “Where the Lord Appears”. 

In the same way we have the choice to prepare and get a jump start before the heat of each day.  We too can set out for our “Moriah”, meeting with the Lord and receiving the provision as we present our offerings of prayer and praise.  All too often we wake up just in time to roll out of bed and run out of the door finding that we’re a leg behind and the day fully works us with distractions and derailments, at best we’re unsettled and unprepared for the journey ahead of us and the tasks that are to come in that day’s events. 

We have such a valuable lesson here with Abraham, when we are early to rise we will also be those who are receiving the Provision on Moriah in the hotter moments of the day, we’ll see the appearance of God’s wonderful presence in the moments where God doesn’t give clarity He simply gives instruction and asks us to obey.

Instead of wondering what’s going on, we’ll have the faith to say things like “WE will come back worship”.  What a statement of faith on Abraham’s part.  He fully knew God was asking Him to not just wound His son…but kill him.  But we see that Abraham is so acquainted with the character of the Father that he knew God was going to work it out for good.  Abraham was prepared to fully obey God and see Him glorified even with a fatal offering.

The same will be true for you and I, as we are diligent to seek God in the beginning of our day and get freshly acquainted with Him we’ll have ample faith to handle the hard moments.

We’ll Praise instead of Panic

Worship instead of Worry

And Walk away full instead of wanting.