Sacrifice of Isaac

Ultimate Test of Faith

Genesis 22

Isaac, the child of promise, has finally been supernaturally gifted into the life of Abraham and Sarah. I have only the dimmest mental picture of what they were experiencing at this time.  Their own child, birthed into their family, after so many years without - including the waiting for God's promise to be delivered.

With Isaac growing and maturing, has Abraham's focus shifted onto Isaac?  Does he consider Isaac to be the bearer of God's blessing?  Is God wondering the same thing?


Some time later God put Abraham to the test. He said to him, “Abraham!”

Note: This is a test, not a temptation.  The word used here is similar to the action that a mountain climber would use to test his ropes before climbing or descending.  It's not trying to coerce the rope into doing something wrong - it's checking to see if it's strength is suitable for the purpose to which it's called.

“Here I am,” Abraham replied.

Then God said, “Take your son, your only son. He is the one you love. Take Isaac. Go to Moriah. Give him to me there as a burnt offering. Sacrifice him on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”  Early the next morning Abraham got up. He put a saddle on his donkey. He took two of his servants and his son Isaac with him. He cut enough wood for the burnt offering. Then he started out for the place God had told him about.

We've already seen that God does not know how to play hide-and-seek; now we see that He doesn't count very well.  Isaac is not Abraham's only son.  I think there are some shades of meaning in the word yachiyd (only).  It can also mean beloved or darling, in addition to solitary. It may also imply the only son through the line of Abraham and Sarah.

And is God accusing Abraham of loving Isaac (and not God) when He says, "He [Isaac] is the one you love."?

On the third day Abraham looked up. He saw the place a long way off. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there and worship. Then we’ll come back to you.”  Abraham put the wood for the burnt offering on his son Isaac. He himself carried the fire and the knife. The two of them walked on together.

Abraham's faith is operating in a heavenly realm at this point.  He tells the servants that "we'll come back" even though God has told him to kill Isaac as a sacrifice. The writer of Hebrews says that Abraham believed God would resurrect Isaac.  Abraham believed that God could raise the dead. In a way, he did receive Isaac back from death.

Then Isaac spoke up. He said to his father Abraham, “Father?”  “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said. “But where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” 

Abraham's faith inspires trust on the part of Isaac.

The two of them walked on together. They reached the place God had told Abraham about. There Abraham built an altar. He arranged the wood on it. He tied up his son Isaac. He placed him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand. He took the knife to kill his son.

Isaac is a young, strong adult.  He could have easily escaped Abraham's attempt to bind him.

But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven. He said, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Here I am,” Abraham replied.

“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you have respect for God. You have not held back from me your son, your only son.”

That is hearing from God.

Abraham looked up. There in a bush he saw a ram. It was caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram. He sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.  

The expected animal of sacrifice is a lamb.  God now provides a male, a ram - as a substitute sacrifice.    

Isaiah 53 contains the essence of the substitute sacrifice. 

So Abraham named that place Yaweh-Yireh, The Lord Will Provide. To this day people say, “It will be provided on the mountain of the Lord.”

The angel of the Lord called out to Abraham from heaven a second time. He said, “I am taking an oath in my own name. I will bless you because of what you have done,” announces the Lord. “You have not held back your son, your only son.

Still can't count; but is God's promise dependent upon Abraham's actions?  If Abraham and Sarah had held onto Isaac, would Jesus have come from eternity into the scope of time to live as a man, or would God have held onto Jesus?

“So I will certainly bless you. I will make your children after you as many as the stars in the sky. I will make them as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. Your children will take over the cities of their enemies. 

This is another iteration of the promise.  Abraham's offspring have been compared to sand and to dust - now to stars.

All nations on earth will be blessed because of your children. All of that will happen because you have obeyed me.”

All the nations - not just the chosen ones.  And it looks like God really is dealing in quid pro quo.

Then Abraham returned to his servants. They started out together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.

Abraham stayed in Beersheba.  

In Genesis 23, we read that Sarah has been about 25 miles away in Hebron at the time of her death. 

Was the potential sacrifice of Isaac, the possibility of losing him, too much for the marriage?  

And, if this conjecture is true, does that mean Sarah didn't submit herself to Abraham?  Was Isaac too much for Sarah to set aside for her husband and her God?

I've read and heard the statement that "the children are the most important thing" in a marriage, but I don't think that's right.  They take a lot of love, time, care, attention, and support from the parents -- but when God joins a man and woman as one flesh, I don't see how children can be elevated to the position of "most important." The children are definitely not more important than that mysterious union.

But back to the topic of prayer: Abraham heard from God and did what God instructed.  Abraham had an expectation to hear from God, or watch God's working in his life.  When God speaks "out loud" - it's easy to follow His will; but most of us aren't hearing His voice.

And three times in this passage, when Abraham is called - his response is "Here I am." He says that to God, to Isaac, and to the Angel of the Lord.

We wait, and seek Him in prayer, and petition him; and sometimes cry and beg. We need to be in that kingdom place where we just expect to hear from Him, and be ready to reply "Here I am."