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Genesis 22:

The sacrifice

“And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.” Genesis 21:34.  That was the final thought we read last week.  Our story continues years later when Isaac has grown up.

Some fifty years before, in the obedience of faith, Abraham and Sarah had forsaken their native country.  They had turned away from the graves of their fathers and the homeland of their kindred and had wandered as strangers in the land of their inheritance.  They had waited long for the birth of the promised heir.  Then at the command of God Abraham had sent away his son Ishmael. And now, when the promised child so long desired was entering upon manhood and the patriarch seemed able to discern the fulfilment of his hopes, a trial greater than all others was placed before him.  At 120 years old he was faced with the prospect of losing his son by his own hand.

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Genesis 22:

1 And it came to pass after these things, that [the Son of] God did tempt Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham”: and he said, “Behold, here I am.” 2 And He said, “Take now your son, your only [legitimate] son Isaac, whom you love, and get you into the land of Moriah [“the chosen of Jehovah”, the site where the temple was later built, 2 Chronicles 3:2]; and offer him there for a burnt offering [of dedication] upon one of the mountains [really a hill] which I will tell you of [I’ll give you a sign when you get there to identify it.]

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At first glance this looks like a wrong thing for Jesus to do.  Temptation leads into sin, right, and God shouldn’t do that?  The Voice was also asking him to murder his son, which is against the principles of the Ten Commandments.  Satan was at hand to suggest that he must be deceived, for the divine law commands, "You shall not kill," and surely God would not require what He had once forbidden. Abraham was tempted to believe that he might be under a delusion. In his doubt and anguish he must have bowed upon the earth, and prayed, as he had never prayed before, for some confirmation of the command if he must perform this terrible duty.

But Abraham knew that it WAS the voice of God (by long experience) so he didn’t hesitate when no answer came, and was prepared to do as he was told and leave the consequences to God.

Since his time we have this word which helps our understanding of this story:  

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James 1:

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted of God”: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts He any man: 14 but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

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We do not believe that Abraham made this idea up of his own accord or lust, so we must look for another explanation. The Bible NEVER contradicts itself (it has been carefully guarded by the Spirit of God), it only appears to do so because of our lack of understanding.  So this word “tempt” must have another meaning.  Jesus never tempts to sin, but He does test our willingness to obey, and this is perfectly legal in God’s kingdom. Obedience, but not blind obedience, is what God is looking for in His followers and this is what the old man gave Him.

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Genesis 22:

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, and clave [chopped] the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him. 4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off [There was the sign he had been expecting and this confirmed the truth of his mission.] 5 And [when they got to the foot of the hill] Abraham said to his young men, “Abide you here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.” 6 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. 

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What a miserable three days that must have been!  Trusting God, but not seeing any way out of it, Abraham could not have told his wife what he had been asked to do for she, with a mother’s natural feelings, would only have made him even more mixed up and might even (like Moses’ wife Zipporah later) have refused to obey.  The three days were like the three days the disciples spent when Jesus was crucified.  However, Abraham did not suffer disappointment as the disciples did for he had no false reasoning to deal with.  See Luke 24:17-21.  But how he must have prayed for greater understanding!

Abraham did not murmur against God, but strengthened his mind by dwelling upon the evidences of the Lord's goodness and faithfulness. This son had been unexpectedly given; and had not He who bestowed the precious gift a right to recall His own? (So went human reasoning.) Then faith repeated the promise, "In Isaac shall your seed be called" - a seed numberless as the grains of sand upon the shore. Isaac was the child of a miracle, and could not the power that gave him life restore it so that the promise would be fulfilled? Looking beyond that which was seen, Abraham grasped the divine word, "accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead." Hebrews 11:19. 

Ordinarily, tests are necessary to draw us closer to God than is our usual position by revealing our characters to ourselves, as well as to the people of the universe with whom we will share eternity.  This test, however, was the greatest ever asked of any human being. Abraham was being invited on our behalf to experience (in a human way) something of what it was like for God when He gave us His Son, for to understand Him, we must share with Him. 

Such a test will also come upon the last generation of Christians.  With Jesus at Calvary, the FEELING of the presence of God was removed for three days (but He was in the darkness around the cross, Psalm 18:11) and communication between the two of Them was broken until the resurrection. Psalm 22:1; Matthew 27:46; John 20:17. Just before the second coming, in a similar experience it must be shown that God’s word is true and that it is possible for Christians to stand on earth believing His promises, without giving in to temptation while apparently deprived of His presence.

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Genesis 22:

7 And Isaac spoke to 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.

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Isaac’s question highlights the fact that he did not know what was going on and that it would be Abraham’s sad duty to tell him.  Normally, we would not look to another man or woman to tell us as Christians what we should do, but a parent has a unique place in God’s system, more so when the parent is a Christian.  For this reason “Honour your father and your mother” is the commandment with a promise. Exodus 20:12.

The Holy Spirit through Isaiah, has taken up this illustration, and prophesied of the Saviour,  “He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter," and, “the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all", but the people of Israel never really understood the lesson. Isaiah 53:7, 6.  Many of them regarded the sacrificial offerings much as the heathen looked upon their sacrifices, as gifts by which they themselves might appease the Deity. However, in Abraham’s experience, God desired to teach us that from His own love comes the Gift which reconciles us to Himself. 

It was John the Baptist who recognised the LAMB of God when He walked on earth, but Isaac who experienced it. John 1:29.  He was young and strong yet he made no effort to resist when he was told that this was the time for the sacrifice and that he was it.  He could easily have overcome the old man but he had been taught to trust his father when he gave him God’s word. And of course, the Spirit then backed up Abraham’s statement for He also respects the position of a parent.

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Genesis 22:

9 And they came to the place which God had told him of [he had seen the sign and was now certain]; 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. 11   And the Angel of the LORD called to him out of heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham”: and he said, “Here am I.” 12 And He said, “Lay not your hand upon the lad, neither do you any thing to him: for now I know that you fear God [are obedient], seeing you have not withheld your son, your 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 instead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place “Jehovah-jireh”: as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen [at Calvary the character of God is revealed, John 3:16-17].”

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And now the last words of love are spoken, the last tears are shed, the last embrace is given. The father lifts the knife to sacrifice his son, when suddenly his arm is stayed.  How fortunate for us that Jesus is willing to be our Lamb.  Without any question of payment, our Saviour offers Himself as our ransom.

How sad for God that there was no one to save or even help His Son except the dying thief, and he did it unwittingly.

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Psalm 69:

20  Reproach has broken My heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none. 21 They gave me also gall [provocation] for My meat [food]; and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar [sour wine] to drink. 

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In his joy and gratitude Abraham gave a new name to the sacred spot—“Jehovah-jireh,” (“the LORD will see, or provide [for our need]”.)

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Romans 5:

8-10  But God commends [shows] His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being NOW justified by his blood, we SHALL BE saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son (1), much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life (2).

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How can we not love Him for what He has done, and for what He is doing for us right now?

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Genesis 22:

15 And the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16 and said, “By Myself have I sworn, says the LORD, for because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son: 17 that in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. 18 And in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because you have obeyed My voice [and I can use you].”

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Abraham had greatly desired to see the promised Saviour.  He had offered up the most earnest prayer that before his death he might behold the Messiah. And he saw Christ. A supernatural light was given him through this experience, and he acknowledged Christ's divine character. He saw His day, and was glad.  John 8:56. He was given a new view of the divine sacrifice made for sin.

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Genesis 22:

19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba. 

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Enough for now, see you next week, 

Ron

Some of the comments in these readings are adapted from books in my library.  No recognition is given because they are not intended as authorities, but are used because they express my understanding clearly. All the ideas expressed in these readings, right or wrong, are my own.

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