Genesis 16 - 22

Speaking of the purpose of our earthly existance, the Lord said -

"...we will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever the Lord their God shall command them..." (Pearl of Great Price Abraham 3:25)

To do whatsovever is commanded requires faith and obedience. Abraham is a great example of this. The Lord commanded Abraham -

"...This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you." (Old Testament Genesis 17:10 - 11)

And this included -

"...he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed..." (Old Testament Genesis 17:12)

I wonder how many men would have questioned this new and strange commandment, but immediately -

"...Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him..." (Old Testament Genesis 17:23)

"...And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised..." (Old Testament Genesis 17:24)

I think the greatest test of faith and obedience came as -

"...God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham...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." (Old Testament Genesis 22:1 - 2)

I wonder how many men would have thrown up their hands and said "That's It - no more!". But again in great faith and obedience -

"Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him." (Old Testament Genesis 22:3)

"And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together." (Old Testament Genesis 22:6)

I can't imagine the emotional pain and torture that Abraham felt as -

"...Isaac spake...Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"

To which Abraham responded -

"...My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering..." (Old Testament Genesis 22:7 - 8)

And as -

"...they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son." (Old Testament Genesis 22:9 - 10)

Abraham was tested and proved. The Lord knew his heart.

"And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son." (Old Testament Genesis 22:11 - 13)

What great joy and relief Abraham must have felt. In the which the Lord said -

"...because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:
17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice." (Old Testament Genesis 22:16 - 18)

"...for without faith no man pleaseth God..." (Doctrine and Covenants Section 63:11)

Samuel said -

"...Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." (Old Testament 1 Samuel 15:22)