In Chapter 22 the Lord asks Abraham to give up what means the most to him: his son. As we study this passage there are several things we should fix in our minds from the outset.
1. The test is for the student, not for the teacher. The Lord doesn't test Abraham to see what he will do. He knows Abraham's faith is strong enough to obey His request. It's Abraham who needs to know how strong his faith is.
2. The Lord never intends for Abraham to actually go through with sacrificing his son.
3. The request is not bizarre and shocking to Abraham in the way it is to us. There were tribes living around him who practiced child sacrifice in their pagan religions. Abraham isn't ignorant of this fact, though I'm sure he's grieved by the knowledge that people are offering their children to gods who do not exist. As grieved as he will feel the request the Lord makes of him, at least he knows that the God he worships is real.
4. The death is not expected to be permanent. Abraham believes the Lord is going to immediately resurrect Isaac right after the transaction has been completed.
When we closed Chapter 21 yesterday we were told that Abraham lived in the land of the Philistines "for a long time". We don't know how many years have passed or how old Isaac is by now. In some illustrated Bible story books we see Isaac depicted as a child in Chapter 22 but most reputable scholars feel he is in his early to mid teens by the time we arrive at Chapter 22. As we move through this chapter we will see that Isaac is aware of what is needed to make an offering to the Lord and we will find him questioning his father about the missing item. So he is not a small child like he was when we last talked about him in Chapter 21.
After Abraham lived among the Philistines "for a long time", the Bible goes on to say, "Some time later God tested Abraham." (Genesis 22:1) At times Abraham has had an enormous amount of faith and at other times he has failed to trust God and has gotten ahead of God. But couldn't we say the same things of ourselves? There have been times when we've believed without a shadow of a doubt what our God has said to us. At other times we've been overwhelmed with anxiety to the point of not trusting Him or by getting out in front of Him. If someone wrote the story of my life you'd find me standing firm and unshakable on some days and wallowing in doubts and fears on other days. That's human nature, but as we develop a closer and closer relationship with our Lord through the years, the days of doubt should become fewer and fewer while the days of confidence grow more plentiful. I think that's what has happened to Abraham. When we reach Chapter 22, Abraham's days of doubt have become few and his days of faith are in the majority. It's at this point that the Lord makes a request that Abraham could not have obeyed earlier in his life.
"He said to him, 'Abraham!' 'Here I am,' he replied." (Genesis 22:2b) Abraham knows the voice of his God. The Lord doesn't have to keep calling to him over and over. The Lord doesn't have to convince him by some sort of sign that it's actually Him who is speaking to Abraham. He simply says Abraham's name and Abraham answers immediately.
"Then God said, 'Take your son, your only son, whom you love---Isaac---and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on the mountain I will show you.'" (Genesis 22:2) I am sure this is not what Abraham expected to hear. It's certainly not something he wanted to hear.
Though Abraham has another son, Ishmael is now not really in his life anymore. He is living in a different region and is a grown man, is a husband and a father, and is making his own way in the world. Isaac is the son of the promise and Isaac is the legal heir. For all intents and purposes, Isaac is now Abraham's only son. Abraham loves Isaac with all his heart. Through Isaac the family line will live on, and a great nation will come from his descendants, and the Redeemer will be born from this nation. When Abraham looks at his son, he sees a glorious future. How can he be expected to give up his son, even when the Creator of all things is the One making the request?
It's important for us to stop here and note that God isn't asking Abraham to do anything He isn't going to do Himself. You and I know the story of Abraham and Isaac, and we already know that God is not going to allow Abraham to sacrifice his son, but we also know that God is going to give up His one and only Son whom He loves. God will spare Abraham from carrying out this heartbreaking deed, but He will not spare Himself such heartbreak. God will suffer the unthinkable pain of watching His own Son die. Those of you who are parents would put a stop to it if you could when your child is hurt or sick. God will have the power to prevent His Son from dying but He will not prevent it. Can you imagine how difficult this must be? God will endure the agony of watching His Son perish because stepping in to put a stop to it would mean the condemnation of the eternal souls of the entire human race. The Lord, in the New Testament, is going to put our needs above His own feelings. He is going to endure whatever He must in order to offer us eternal salvation. No matter how much it costs Him, He will pay any price to be able to offer us the opportunity to dwell with Him forever. He does this because---as a good father should---He loves us more than He loves Himself.
Join us tomorrow as we discuss what a burnt offering is and when we talk about the significance of the location where the offering is to be made.
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