Page 69 - The Gate and the Way

Suffering as True Worship

I can think of no better way to end this series on suffering and discipleship than to
reveal the relationship between suffering and the worship of Yahweh. As with many of the
church’s teachings in this hour, truth has fallen by the wayside. It is needful at this hour to
re-establish the critical link between suffering and the worship of Yahweh.
I was visiting with a brother in Christ this past week when our conversation turned to
the subject of worship. He shared with me that he had recently completed a study on the
subject of worship and he uncovered a very important fact. The very first mention of
worship in the Bible describes an act of profound sacrifice and suffering. When Abraham
is taking his son Isaac up to the mount to offer him up as a sacrifice to Yahweh, he refers
to this act as worship.

Genesis 22:3-5
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 wood for the burnt offering, and
arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham
raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance. Abraham said to his young men,
"Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will
worship and return to you."

The first mention of anything in the Bible is very significant. The meaning of a thing
is often found in first occurrences. As we examine this passage we find that Abraham had
a very different concept of worship than that which the church has in this hour.
I have often pondered this experience of Abraham, and I think it would be well for all
saints to spend much time considering it. There was no act of man found anywhere in the
Old Testament that was more pleasing to Yahweh than this costly obedience of Abraham,
the friend of God.

Genesis 22:15-18
Then the angel of Yahweh called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said,
"By Myself I have sworn, declares Yahweh, because you have done this thing and
have not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will
greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the
seashore; and your seed 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."

It is difficult to imagine the pain and conflict that was present in the soul of Abraham
as he journeyed for three days on his way to the mountain to slay his beloved son. Surely
this must have been Abraham’s Gethsemane moment where his soul was crushed as unto
death.
I believe that during the three days Abraham journeyed to the mount he experienced
great wrestling in his soul. It was possible that he could turn back and follow the counsel
of his own soul rather than heeding the command of Yahweh. Yet, after three days of
wrestling, and not shrinking back, Abraham laid the matter to rest. The will of God must
be done no matter the cost. I believe the moment of Abraham’s victory is revealed in a
small, often overlooked detail that serves as a parable of what has transpired. In the passage