Dr Paul Allen

Zadkiel was said to be the Angel who prevented Abraham from sacrificing his son, Isaac. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) "By faith Abraham , when he was tested, offered up Isaac , and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, 'Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.' He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back" (Heb. 11:17–19). Apart from Christ 's obedient sacrifice, probably the greatest act of faith in fear and trembling recorded in all of Scripture is the obedient response of Abraham when God commanded him to sacrifice his son Isaac. This occurred after God had given Abraham a promise of future generations through Isaac and after God had made him wait many years for the birth of Isaac. In the interim, Abraham had taken steps to make sure that this promise was fulfilled with the aid of his wife Sarah , who, regarding herse...

An angel prevents the sacrifice of Isaac. Abraham and Isaac, Rembrandt, 1634 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) By faith Abraham , when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son ( Hebrew 11:17). Hebrews 11 is a chronicle of people who lived by faith. In each case, we find that faith was not a mere intellectual exercise or mystical feeling, but faith meant loyalty and humble submission to God. Faith issued in fruitful service to God, even in the midst of pain and crisis. One example is that of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac , recorded for us in Genesis 22. God determined to test Abraham’s faith in terms of his obedience. God told Abraham, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah . Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about” (v. 2). We read that Abraham arose “early the next morning” (v. 3). I imagine Abraham could not s...

Image via Wikipedia "His foundation is in the holy mountains." ( Psalm 87:1 )   It is fascinating to study God 's selection of several key mountains to mark key events in human history. Mount Ararat was the first great mountain of Scripture where God's Ark of safety would rest ( Genesis 8:4 ).  Then, when the first nations failed and God had to form a new nation, it was on Mount Moriah that Abraham passed the great test with his son, Isaac, and became "the father of all them that believe," testifying that "in the mount of the LORD it shall be seen" ( Romans 4:11 ;  Genesis 22:14 ).   When the time came for God's law to be revealed, "the Lord came down upon mount Sinai ," and gave Moses "upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God" ( Exodus 19:20 ;  31:18 ).   "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion ," where the holy city was built ...