I read this commentary today and it made me think about all of the tests in life. I wish the tests would cease once we graduated school but the truth is we face tests throughout our lives. Many of the most difficult tests have nothing to do with our formal education but rather they deal with our spritual education. God is always trying to teach us new things and many of those lessons come in the form of a spiritual test... Here is what I read this morning about Abraham.
In the “School of Faith” we must have occasional tests or we will never know where we are spiritually. Abraham had his share of tests right from the beginning. First was the “family test,” when he had to leave his loved ones and step out by faith to go to a new land (11:27–12:5). This was followed by the “famine test,” which Abraham failed because he doubted God and went down to Egypt for help (12:10–13:4).
Once back in the land, Abraham passed the “fellowship test” when he gave Lot first choice in using the pastureland (13:5–18). He also passed the “fight test” when he defeated the kings (14:1–16) and the “fortune test” when he said no to Sodom’s wealth (14:17–24). But he failed the “fatherhood test” when Sarah got impatient with God and suggested that Abraham have a child by Hagar (Gen. 16). When the time came to send Ishmael away, Abraham passed the “farewell test” even though it broke his heart (21:14–21).
Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Obedient (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1996), 107.
In the “School of Faith” we must have occasional tests or we will never know where we are spiritually. Abraham had his share of tests right from the beginning. First was the “family test,” when he had to leave his loved ones and step out by faith to go to a new land (11:27–12:5). This was followed by the “famine test,” which Abraham failed because he doubted God and went down to Egypt for help (12:10–13:4).
Once back in the land, Abraham passed the “fellowship test” when he gave Lot first choice in using the pastureland (13:5–18). He also passed the “fight test” when he defeated the kings (14:1–16) and the “fortune test” when he said no to Sodom’s wealth (14:17–24). But he failed the “fatherhood test” when Sarah got impatient with God and suggested that Abraham have a child by Hagar (Gen. 16). When the time came to send Ishmael away, Abraham passed the “farewell test” even though it broke his heart (21:14–21).
Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Obedient (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1996), 107.
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