The Testing of Abraham

Genesis 22:1-14

Being asked to give up something you love dearly can be very difficult.  Perhaps it is the house you have lived in for many years, with many happy memories. Maybe it’s a job you’ve really enjoyed, or a loved belonging you own.  But what if God were to ask you to willingly give up your most beloved and only child?  I have two children, and I can honestly say I don’t think I could.  In today’s Lectionary reading from the Old Testament, Abraham was given such a test. Let’s look at how he handled it.

As our passage begins we read in verses 1 -2 that God tested Abraham.  This was no ordinary test.  He was to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, to God.  God was examining Abraham’s heart - was it true, steadfast, and trusting in Him?  He tested Abraham to deepen his capacity to obey Him, and develop his character. Just as fire refines ore to extract the precious metals, so God refines us through difficult circumstances.  This test wasn’t to show God something.  He is omniscient, and knew Abraham and his faith better than Abraham even did. It was to show Abraham, his family (especially Isaac), and all of us who read this, the level of his faith.

Abraham’s obedience was immediate, complete, and unquestioning. He didn’t argue with God, or try to barter with Him.  It is approximately 50 miles from Beersheba, where Abraham was currently residing, to Mt. Moriah, which was near where the future city of Jerusalem would be.  When they arrived at the mountain that the Lord had told him of, Abraham told his servants to wait at the base, while he and Isaac would go up the mountain, and then they both would return (vs. 5).  Abraham was confident and could assure his servants of their both returning.  He had such trust in the permanence of God’s promises (Hebrews 11:17-19).  He believed that if Isaace were to be sacrificed, somehow God would raise him from the dead again, or He would provide a substitute sacrifice.

Why would God ask this of Abraham, especially since He vehemently condemned the pagan practice of human sacrifice (Leviticus 20:1-5)? God did not want Isaac to die, but for Abraham to sacrifice him in his heart.   Did Abraham love the gift of God, or God Himself?  God wanted Abraham to love Him more than he loved Isaac, or the promise of the long-awaited son. Abraham knew three facts.  One was that Isaac was the vehicle of God’s promise to him, so Isaac must continue to live.  Secondly was that God always keeps His promises. And lastly, in light of both of the previous facts, God’s power is absolute, even over death.

Verse 8 is the pivotal verse in this passage.  Abraham trusted God, and told Isaac that God would provide.  Little did he know how prophetic his words would be!  God would, indeed, provide a lamb for the sacrifice.  Not only did He provide one for a substitute for Isaac, but years later He provided a Lamb, the Lamb of God, His own Son, Jesus Christ, to be the sacrifice for all of mankind’s sins.

Abraham, still not seeing, in light of this current command of God, how He would fulfill His promise to him, proceeds to build a rough altar, and tie up Isaac.  What must have been going through his mind right then?  Was there a battle raging between faith and fear?  There would have been for me! Thankfully in Abraham’s case, faith won out, for at the last moment God stopped the hand of Abraham from killing his son (vs. 11-12).  When we give to God what He asks, He returns far more than we could dream.

In verse 13 we see that God provided a ram to be the sacrifice.  This ram was a substitute for Isaac.  Jesus was offered on the cross as a substitute sacrifice for us.  God stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac, but He did not spare His Son, Jesus, from dying for us!  God will always provide!  We may not always understand how.  He may make us wait, but He will always provide exactly what we need when we need it (vs. 14).