“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad” (John 8:56)
December 23, 220
Father Abraham rejoicing was witnessed during the apostasy era after his desire to see the day of the revelation of LORD Jesus Christ. His spiritual diligence in addition to his grace was immense. He welcomed people as his guests and nurtures them in his tent. Discerning this, Enemy Satan distorted the truth so that guests would not go to Abraham’s house, pretending to be stoned saying, “Do not go to Abraham’s house. He is not the Abraham you knew; I went to his house thinking that He would nurture me, but, look at the blood that comes down from my head after he stoned me. Don’t go to his house.”
After that, no one came to Abraham’s tent and he neither ate nor drink for three days sad as he had no guests. On the third day, God who saw His goodness and the evilness of Satan came to Abraham house.
Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground, and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant. Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.” God said, “Do as you have said.” (Genesis 18:1-5)
Therefore, Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.” And Abraham ran to the herd, took a tender and good calf, gave it to a young man, and he hastened to prepare it. So he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree as they ate. (Genesis 18:6-8)
Like the Lord Jesus said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; and he saw it, and was glad,” father Abraham rejoiced after witnessing the Mystery of Trinity. (John 8፡56)
Then God said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” Abraham replied saying, “Here, in the tent.” “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son,” promised God. Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” (Genesis 18:10-12)
And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old? Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” But Sarah denied it, saying, “I did not laugh,” for she was afraid. And He said, “No, but you did laugh!” (Genesis 18:13-15)
After a year, Sarah gave birth to a baby boy called Isaac; Abraham’s wish was fulfilled. Then again, God tested Abraham. HE called upon him saying, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am” Abraham answered. “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” God ordered him. So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. (Genesis 22:2)
Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. Then, Abraham said to his two servant, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you,” So, Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; took the fire in his hand, a knife and the two of them went together. But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” “Here I am, my son” Abraham replied his son. “I can see the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” And Abraham answered, “My son, God will provide the lamb for a burnt offering.” (Genesis 22:7-8)
So, father and son went together and came to the place of which God had told him. Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood; And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham! So he said, “Here I am” And He said, “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.” When Abraham lifted his eyes and looked; he saw a ram caught in a thicket by its horns behind him. Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said: “By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son. Blessing, I will bless you, and multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” Through this, father Abraham witnessed the coming of Lord Jesus. (Genesis 22:11-14)
God brought us over from hard and fruitless cogitations, establishing in us a faith like to Abraham. As Paul also testify,saying “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are children of promise. (Galatians 4:28)
