Proverbs 1:28 Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me.
29 For that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord.
30 They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.
31 Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices.
It seems as if the direct answers to prayers together with the unusually clear guidance God gave in times past are now more the exception than the rule. We pray long and hard, and often, but it seems as if the answers become stalled for some reason, or there is no definite clarity by which we can conclude a “Thus saith The Lord” was given.
In times past those who truly believed in God would pray, and God would answer in ways that were not fuzzy or shrouded in uncertainty. Joshua prayed for an interference of the sun and moon, so that he and the Hebrews could finish their due diligence and the answer came right away.
Samuel called for thunder and hail, when he sought to impress upon the conscience of the people God’s displeasure in them asking for a king, and he did not have to wait long for it thundered and rained hail all that day.
Gideon prayed for a sign, so that he could be clear in his mind about the grave mission he was about to undertake, and lo and behold, The Lord answered him immediately, not two weeks or one month later as too often occurs with us at times.
This doesn’t mean to say that there were not times when folks had to wait but God usually would come through with an answer in ways that would bring a clarity and certainty to the request, in so much that the petitioner would be quite confident beyond the shadow of a doubt that God had heard them and He answered their prayers.
The reason for this, in many cases, was that in the other areas of their lives, believers back then were in the habit of acknowledging God in all their ways, and in this way He could direct their paths aright. It isn’t genuine faith which claims the promises of God on the one hand, while excluding Him from another area where we choose man’s counsel above God’s.
In the case of Isaac, when he was about to embark upon his life’s journey, with the girl of his dreams, we find His father praying, he himself praying, and the servant Eliezer praying. And lo and behold, the servant was not finished praying, before the direct answer came.
How is it, that when persons pray for similar issues, that in so many cases, there isn’t the clarity, definite guidance, and certainty that was manifested in days of yore? How is it that we might often pray for years and we still do not have an answer; or if any answer comes persons are not certain if it was God or satan who answered? Let’s read:
Isaiah 65:24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.
Genesis 24:12 And he said O Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray thee, send me good speed this day, and shew kindness unto my master Abraham.
13 Behold, I stand here by the well of water; and the daughters of the men of the city come out to draw water.
14 And let it come to pass that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also: let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed kindness unto my master.
15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her.
To better understand why God answered so soon, and with such distinctiveness we will have to back up a bit, to observe the tenor of Isaac’s life, prior to this incident, for his life contains important lessons in faith and obedience which paved the way for God to answer so directly.
Isaac had been trained from childhood to yield that implicit obedience to his God-fearing parents, which the Bible stipulates. Abraham and Sarah had done their due diligence in training Isaac, they both had cooperated with God, and the early years of Isaac’s life incorporated precept and example, principles and methods that are found in the scriptures.
The most striking evidence of this was manifested when Abraham was commanded by God to offer his only son on Mt Moriah. At this time, God did not reveal His purposes to Isaac up front so that he, at the very least would have prior notice. He left the jurisdiction of the father to handle the matter, and his son Isaac to obey.
Lessons of a very serious nature were given in this episode, so that all parents and children who would come after would understand the close relationship between faith, obedience, and answered prayer. It is therefore of critical importance for us to learn of God in a humble frame of mind, so that our prayers and requests won’t hit the ceiling and fall.
It is also very important to remember, that in this single instance, a revelation concerning the Lamb of God, who was to come to save the world, is what God was giving to Abraham in kindergarten form. It wasn’t Abraham who came up with the idea, it was God who gave direction, and as such it was a one-time command, designed to teach a sacred truth.
God-fearing parents are never to teach, or request of their kids anything other than that which is in the scriptures, except God should require something in particular, or in situations where sound judgment and godly discretion are warranted.
Yet, the episode contains crucial lessons in faith and obedience that we should not lightly pass over. The relationship between father and son, as manifested in this experience, demonstrates in several ways the training, obedience, love, respect and the deference that should characterize interactions between kids and their parents. Let’s read:
Genesis 22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.
3 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son.
7 And Isaac spoke unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
Lesson [1] It’s not every time that parents will be able to give a scriptural answer to questions that are asked by their kids, pertaining to obedience. In this instance if Abraham were to reference the law it would say “thou shalt not kill” and thus, any other son might have refused to go along with that which the father said God had told him to do.
But Isaac was not so, for he was trained by Abraham to yield an unquestioning obedience from childhood and even though Isaac might have had several valid questions and concerns, and even though he would have known what the law says on this or that point, with him, that was not the most important issue.
God said to obey your parents in The Lord, and his father Abraham was a god-fearing man; thus, as the father revealed to Isaac what God commanded him, in this unique situation, that was all that he needed to obey.
In fact, if Isaac had followed what the letter of the law states on the taking of life, he could’ve possibly been in violation of another law that says Honor thy father and thy mother. Thus, the question is asked: Which one of those two laws carried more weight in Isaac’s case? The one which says “Thou shalt not kill” or the one which says to honor thy father and thy mother?
The issue at hand is not one that deals merely with law, it has more to do with the chain of command, which God has put into place, for whatsoever might be our understanding of God’s written law the chain of command is of great importance, to the smooth running of families, churches, and governments.
Children are instructed to obey their parents in The Lord, for this is right, but this will, at times include gray areas where there isn’t any clear scriptural law pertaining to the issue at hand. Parents are granted the authority to exercise discretion in matters that pertain to the training of children, even though this will at times include issues that are not salvific.
For instance, parents can exercise discretion when it comes to the issue of coming home late at nights. The father in conjunction with the mother, can lay down the time when the kids are to be home. There isn’t any scripture that stipulates any specific time.
Some parents may agree on 10:00 pm, others may say 11:00, while others may stipulate 9:00 pm. The fact is that it is a matter where parental discretion is to be exercised, an area where there is no specific scripture to say there you go!
Again, parents could instruct their children not to wear their pants half-way down their buttocks, and the parents do not have to quote any scripture for such things, for they are granted jurisdiction as well as discretion over their kids by God until they come to the age of maturity.
When God grants jurisdiction to persons, they are to carry out His will, even if there is a question with discretion, for some persons might run the risk of being sticklers for the letter, if and when the God-ordained authority might override something, at God’s direction.
This is the gravely important lesson Christ sought to impress upon the Jews, when the letter of the law was brought into question, pertaining to a violation of the Sabbath. At that time the disciples were on a mission, travelling through the fields on the sabbath day, and being hungry, they began to pluck the ears of corn.
This caused an upset in the minds of the Jews who interpreted this action of the disciples as a flagrant violation of the Sabbath. But Jesus replied to their concerns by stating unequivocally, that He is Lord of the Sabbath, meaning that whatsoever might be the written law, if He was okay with what the disciples were doing, that settles the matter. Let’s read:
Mark 2:23 And it came to pass that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.
24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungered, he, and they that were with him?
26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?
28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
It is a matter of maintaining the authority invested in the chain of command which God Himself has put into place. Thus, in Isaac’s case, the most important consideration, after learning from his father what God had commanded, was to honor that chain of command, even if there were valid questions and reservations as per the request.
From the time that sin entered our world, satan has sought to disrupt the chain of command which God saw fit to put in place. Devils have sought to mix up the roles and genders of mothers and fathers, and the children have sought to pry the reins of control from parents in so much that some parents indeed, have become subservient to their kids.
Aaron and Miriam had sought to disrupt the chain of command when they proposed that God had not only spoken through Moses. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram sought to disrupt the chain of command when they accused Moses and Aaron of leading the Hebrews according to their own fancy.
And throughout history, God’s order has been to a large extent disrupted for various reasons too many to mention. If Isaac had refused to obey based upon what is written in the Bible, he would not have been an icon of faith and obedience, and this in turn may have affected the speed with which his prayer was answered.
The question for Isaac would obviously be: “If God has put my parents in charge of me, and they were to ask me to do something that does not have any scriptural backing, should I obey them strictly based on the chain of command God has put in place?”
The answer to this critically important question can be found in the way The Lord has set up His chain of command, for families, churches and governments, very much like that of one of the bedrock American institutions. Let’s read:
[1] President of the United States
[2] Secretary of Defense
[3] Secretary of the Army
[4] Army Chief of Staff
[5] Sergeant Major of the Army
[6] Army Commands
[7] Component Commands
[8] Direct Reporting Units
Now, although the secretary of defense, and army chief of staff, both have the freedom of choice and intelligence, just like everyone else, they fall under the jurisdiction of the president, who can at times, in his capacity as president, override some formats, protocols, and laws that are written in the books.
In capturing the former Bin Laden, the president at that time gave the command to violate Pakistan’s airspace, and carry out the raid on foreign soil even though Pakistan is a sovereign nation. Those under the president could have pointed to international laws on sovereign airspace as reasons why the raid could not legally go forward.
That might be true, but at the end of the day, the pecking order in the chain of command gives to the commander in chief the right to tell his underlings what they must or must not do, even if it may not be written in stone, or, may violate some law on the books.
If any real or phantom violations do occur then the president bears the responsibility, but those under his jurisdiction are, while following written laws, to always bear in mind that there’s authority invested in the chain of command, or else there would be a breakdown in smooth operations.
The same is true with God’s chain of command. The persons to whom God has delegated authority are to follow it is written, unless God gives a different command in a particular instance, for whenever He establishes a given order, it has to be followed, even if individuals under the jurisdiction of those God has put in charge may disagree or may have serious and valid questions. Let’s read:
Exodus 4:14 Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he sees thee he will be glad in his heart.
15 And thou shalt speak unto him and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.
Exodus 7:1 And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.
2 Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land.
Numbers 12:1 And Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married, for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
2 And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it.
4 And the Lord spoke suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.
6 And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
7 My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.
8 With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the Lord shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?
9 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed.
1st Corinthians 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
When God originally created Adam and Eve, He did not do so at the same time, for Adam was created first, and after that Eve. When we read the Biblical account we will see where God gave them dominion over the earth, with Adam taking the lead, and Eve at his side, not be above him, nor below him, but at his side; just about where the ribs are located.
But after sin entered, God had to stipulate a specific pecking order, and from that time until now, it has not changed one iota, even though society may beg to differ.
For the record, the Biblical chain of command puts the father at the head of the home, the wife is next, the children come in third place, with grandparents and extended family members in their respective place. This does not make the wife inferior by any means, for in the God-head you have the first, second, and third Persons, yet they are all one. It all has to do with position and role. Let’s read:
[P&P 308] Parents are entitled to a degree of love and respect which is due to no other person. God Himself, who has placed upon them a responsibility for the souls committed to their charge has ordained that during the earlier years of life parents shall stand in the place of God to their children. And he who rejects the rightful authority of his parents is rejecting the authority of God.
After man sinned God did not call Eve first, nor did He even call the devil first because as far as God is concerned, He never put the devil in charge. God referred to His original pecking order in pursuit of accountability, a pattern which He always follows, even to this day. Let’s read:
Genesis 3:8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day:
9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?
10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.
11 And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?
12 And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.
13 And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.
Another stunning example of how God observes the chain of command He established can be observed in the way He called Ahab to account, after Naboth was slain by the devices of Jezebel. Ahab’s wife was the instigator, she hatched the plot, forged Ahab’s signature, and set the diabolical plan into motion to relieve Naboth of his vineyard.
Yet, when it comes to accountability Jezebel’s name is mentioned secondarily by the prophet, because as far as God is concerned, the buck stops at Ahab’s door first, then his wife. Similarly, even though Eli’s sons were profane the Bible does not even mention the name of Eli’s wife. Let’s read:
1st Kings 21:15 And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money.
17 And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,
18 Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.
19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? Thus, saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.
21 Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisses against the wall.
23 And of Jezebel also spake the Lord, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.
[2] The commands parents give to their children do not always have to make sense to them, because if obeying God was to be based on commands making sense, Isaac would never have obeyed. Let’s read:
Genesis 22:2 And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah.
To any logical thinking mind such a command as the one God gave to Abraham could never make sense, for it specified that Isaac was his only son, and since through Isaac the promise of a great nation was to be fulfilled then how could it make sense to take his life, let alone asking Isaac to obey willingly?
Let it be known this day that if we are to obey God only when His commands make sense to us, we will never enter the kingdom of heaven, because man’s relation to God is based on faith not on logic.
In fact, if we were to closely examine those heroes of faith in the Bible, we would discover that obeying God in their particular situation almost never made sense up front.
It was only after obeying implicitly the commands of God that they turned out to be real heroes of faith. In one instance, Peter is told to go to the sea and to catch the first fish that comes up. Then he is told to open its mouth and there he would find a chunk of change.
The feeding of the five thousand in Christ’s day was in obedience to the command which He had given to His disciples, that they should distribute the fish and bread that He would miraculously multiply.
It is worthy of note that the multiplication of the food did not take place all at once, with piles of Sardine sandwiches all over the place. It was as they obeyed that the multiplication took effect.
In another instance, God commands Gideon to go fight against an immense army of several hundred thousand soldiers, with only three hundred men, armed with pitchers and bull horns. In yet another instance God pits David against a giant with only a slingshot and a few stones.
In another instance, The Lord commands Moses to speak to a rock, and fresh water will gush out. And we can go on and on, for there was another episode where God commanded that a church choir should lead the charge in a specific battle, armed only with their hymnals.
Therefore, if children were to obey their parents only when the command makes sense, they would, like so many other persons today, be disrupting that chain of command which God put in place. It is nice to give children explanations where warranted, but obedience to parents cannot be tethered solely to instructions that make sense to them.
Thus, “Once upon a time Isaac” refers to his faith, obedience, and the accompanying quick answers to prayer that are the sure result. This type of faith in God seems to be in short supply in our day, and the secular concepts, and philosophies of the day are threatening to bring the experience of Isaac to near extinction.
Fathers, you will experience push-back at times, but you must stand your ground in the fear and love of God, and in due time He will answer your prayers in behalf of your children. Mothers, you also would be tempted severely because of your tendencies to place your emotions over principle.
Yet your kindness must be balanced with firmness, or else there would be a breakdown in the chain of command. And children, it is your duty to obey your parents in The Lord, giving them the respect and the honor that is due to them, just like faithful Isaac did in days of yore.
We’ll end with a passage that will help us to restore and maintain the pecking order as was manifested in “once upon a time Isaac.” Let’s read:
Ephesians 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church.
33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
God Bless!