Illustration: the faithfulness of Abraham
Paul uses an Old Testament illustration of faith:
"Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?-- (6) just as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." (7) Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. (8) And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, "In you, all the nations shall be blessed." (9) So then those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham." (Galatians 3:5-9 NKJV)
What? Did God preach the Gospel to Abraham? Did God preach Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection to Abraham?
Paul was quoting in verse 8, a verse from Genesis 22:
"In your seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because you have obeyed My voice." (Genesis 22:18 NKJV)
Let's read and consider how God preached the Gospel to Abraham in – Genesis 22
"Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." (2) Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." (3) 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 the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him." (Genesis 22:1-3 NKJV)
Here is a hard request from God – yet Abraham immediately obeyed and left with his son, Isaac, wood for the offering, with two young men early the next morning.
"Then, on the third day, Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off. (5) And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you." (Genesis 22:4-5 NKJV)
On the third day – Abraham arrived at the appointed place. Told the two young men to stay, and he and Isaac will return after worshipping.
"So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac, his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife and the two of them went together. (7) But Isaac spoke to Abraham, his father, and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." Then he said, "Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" (8) And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering." So the two of them went together." (Genesis 22:6-8 NKJV)
The wood is placed upon Isaac to carry up the hill. Abraham takes the fire and knife for the sacrifice. Isaac asked a simple question: "Where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" Good question: answer – God will provide for Himself a lamb.
"Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. (10) And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. (11) But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am." (12) And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me." (13) Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So, Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son. (14) And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, "In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided." (Genesis 22:9-14 NKJV)
There on this specific spot – Abraham was ready to sacrifice his only son – God stopped him and provided a ram for the sacrifice.
"Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven, (16) and said: "By Myself, I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son-- (17) "blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies. (18) "In your seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice." (19) So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba." (Genesis 22:15-19 NKJV)