Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1905-07-21
said. in a voice throbbins with loving

response, and the father paused, wait
ing for Isaac TO continue.
But the latter hesitated, as though
almost afraid TO speak, and then point
ing to the fire in his fathers hand and
touching the wood upon his shoulder.
he exclaimed:
Behold the fire and the wood but
where is the lamb for burnt offering?"
My son." replied Abraham, with in
effable tenderness, God will provide
Himself lamb for burnt Offering"
All. In the face of the tragedy which
overhung them both, what sub
lime faith that was which could an
swer thus. The words brought relief TO
the fathers overburdened heart. and
they quieted the questiOnings of the
younger man. 1t is always a relief in
the dark hour to throw ones self on
God and to say that He will provide.
The thought burned itself into lsaacs
heart and he began to know more fully
what submission and faith involved.
See, there is the place" exclaimed
Abraham, pointing to rounding mound
of limestone before them. There IL
the place appointed by God for the Of
fering. Gather you of the stones ly-
ing about that may bald the altar as
the Lord hath commanded!
Without question or delay the young
man laid aside his bundle OF wood and
soon had heaped at his fathers feet
the necessary materials, and while MS
father fitted them together he stood by
watching and wondering.
The altar completed, Abraham laid
upon 1t carefully the wood which they
had brought. Everything was ready
for the sacrifice, and still no lamb. one
step at time had been obediently and
unfalteringly taken, and now the cru
cial moment had come. Would Abra-
hams faith fail? Would Isaac fail TO
rise to the level OF his fathers loyalty
to God?
Standing by the altar there on the
very spot where nearly 1000 years
later the Heavenly Father was to oner
up His only begotten son as sin
Offering for the world, father and son
looked into each others faces. Inc
soul of each shone out in the kindling
eyes as the spirit of God moved with
in them, and they read each other
message and understood. The will or
God was supremel From Him all
things came; to Him all things were
due. and the father found IL in his
heart TO give his best and all 10 God,
and the son in submissive faith yield
ed himself without question into his
fathers hands saying simply:
do as the Lord hath commanded
thee, father"
And by way OF answer the father
reached forth his hands and bound
Isaac his son and laid him on the
altar upon the wood. and then taking
the knife in hand he slowly raised 1t
in preparation for the stroke which
would let out the life's blood OF his
precious boy upon Gods altar. And
Isaac, lying there and looking up into
his fathers face, read therein the story
of love so great and faith so strong
that they could take their best and
lay it unreservedly upon Gods altar
And as the knife descended the an
gel OF the Lord called unto Abraham
out of Heaven, and said:
Abraham, Abraham.
Lifting his eyes in the direction
from whence the voice had come.
Abraham responded:
Here Am !.
And the voice continued:
Lay not thine hand upon the lad
neither do thou anything unto him:
for now | know that thou fearest God.
seeing thou has not withheld thy son,
thine only son, from Me"
An. the sweetness of the treasures
which have been surrendered unre-
servedly TO God and which He has
given back into our hands because He
could safely intrust them to u.s. All,
the Joy OF that moment when we have
endured the testing of God and we
can hear Him say Now know
that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast
rot withheld aught from Me"
AS from the dead Abraham received
his son back, and in long tender en-
brace father and son stood by the
empty altar. Suddenly remembering
the words which his father had spoken
when coming up the mountain side,
Isaac repeated. reverently:
God will provide Himself a lamb
for a burnt offering,"
At the words. Abraham Mted up his
eyes, and looked. and behold. behind
them ram caught in thicket by his
horns; and Abraham went and took
the ram. and offered him up for
burnt offering in the stead of his son.
And as the smoke of the sacrifice.
ascended towards Heaven. father and
son bowed in reverent worship, and
Abraham said:
Let us call the name OF this place
Jehovah jireh, the Lord will provide"
And again the voice of the Lord
spoke out of Heaven to Abraham. say.
ing:
by Myself have | sworn. for be-
cause thou hast done this thing, and
hast not withheld thy son. thine only
son; that in blessing | will bless thee,
and in multiplying | will multiply thy
seed as the stars of the heaven. and