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Abraham:
God tested Abraham’s faith numerous times and each time Abraham showed himself faithful. From believing the promise of a son well after the years of childbearing, to being asked to sacrifice that very son on a mountain top.
He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” – Gen 22:2
Without question Abraham took Isaac up that mountain and prepared him for an offering.
Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood, and bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. – Gen 22:9
Completely trusting God’s promise that through Isaac He would create a great nation, Abraham started to slay his son;
Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. – Gen 22:10
It wasn’t until God called out to Abraham, telling him not to touch the child did Abraham stop. Now that’s faith! Could you take a child that you loved dearly and without questioning God, without doubting for a minute that you had indeed heard God correctly, lay him/her on an altar and prepare to sacrifice him or her? I don’t think I could. But Abraham did! Today we would probably pray on it for awhile, ask our friends or Sunday school group or pastor, then ask for a sign and maybe even ask for a second sign if the first was given. Even after all that I’m sure some doubt would still exist.
David and Goliath
Here is another biblical tale that we are all familiar with. Israel was terrified of the Philistines because of their champion Goliath, whose height was 6 cubits and a span (1Sam 17:4) which is about 9 feet 9 inches. FYI; The Guinness Book of World Records lists the tallest man in history as 8 feet 11 inches, Goliath was almost a foot taller than that. The head of his spear weighed in at 6 hundred shekels which is equivalent to about 15lbs (try to throw a 15lb bowling ball and see how far it goes!) This man was huge and strong.
He taunted the Israelites for 40 days and nights but no one would face him. No one that is until David arrived on the scene. What was David’s reaction when he saw the champion and heard his taunts? He asked “who is this uncircumcised Philistine?” (1Sam 17:26) He wasn’t afraid, instead he insults their champion. Now David was still a youth at this time and had no experience with the armor of battle so he chose not to wear any and use his sling instead. Well we all know the outcome of this battle. How is it that David was able to look at Goliath and not tremble in fear like the rest of the Israelite army? The answer lies in his response to Goliath:
Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, a spear, and a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted.”This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you. And I will give the dead bodies of the army of the Philistines this day to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD’S and He will give you into our hands.” - 1 Sam 17:45-47
David had faith in God and His promises, not his own strength or experience. This is not your ordinary faith, this is extraordinary. I know if I were to look at someone that huge who was intent on killing me I would look for the quickest route out of town. How about you?
And there are plenty more stories in the bible showing examples of those whose faith goes beyond that of the ordinary. As Heb 11:36-37 states:
and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground. And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.
