Sacrifice of Isaac – Genesis 22

Someone asked me on my AskthePastors blog, “how could Abraham have known that it was God who spoke to him and commanded him to make this pilgrimage, and not Satan?”  My answer was, “Abraham was quite accustomed to hearing from God and knew his master’s voice. The same One who told him he would have Isaac and made it come true, is the same One who told him to sacrifice Isaac as a test of Abraham’s faith.”  The bigger question is probably, “Was it right for God to ask Abraham to sacrifice his son?”  Many have sought to answer this question (for example, here and here).  Abraham voiced no question.

[1] After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” [2] He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” [3] So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. [4] On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. [5] Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” [6] And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. [7] And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” [8] Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

[9] When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. [10] Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. [11] But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” [12] He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, 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 was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. [14] So Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”

[15] And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven [16] and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, [17] I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, [18] and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” [19] So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.

[20] Now after these things it was told to Abraham, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor: [21] Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, [22] Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” [23] (Bethuel fathered Rebekah.) These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. [24] Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah. (Genesis 22, ESV)

Abraham has sent Ishmael away.  There is no backup heir should something happen to Isaac.  Then God asks him to sacrifice Isaac, who is now his only son, the son he loves.  Does Abraham worship Yahweh only because there is a payoff, or is the payoff enough that he knows Yahweh?  That is what is being tested.

Abraham obediently the next day and begins the three day journey to the land of Moriah.  We immediately think of the area next to Jerusalem, but one commentator suggests that Abraham would have known he could get firewood there rather than carry it, and thinks Sinai might have been the destination and borne the name land of Moriah at that time.  Regardless, when Abraham nears the site, he goes on alone with his son and tells his retinue that he and the boy (who is now a young teen) will return.  The author of Hebrews tells us Abraham believed God would raise Isaac from the dead, because Yahweh had promised that Isaac would be the heir of the promise.

When Isaac asks where the sacrifice is, Abraham can only reply, “God will provide.”  When it comes time to sacrifice, Isaac obediently allows himself to be bound by his father and placed on the altar.  But the angel or messenger of Yahweh (who is Yahweh Himself) calls to him from heaven and stops him, then provides a ram in the thicket.  The crucial statement from Yahweh is, “now I know that you fear God” and “because you have done this…I will surely bless you.”  Abraham was justified by faith (15:6), but his faith was demonstrated by works (James 2:21-23).

The end of the chapter is a segue or transition to the next part of the story and the marriage of Isaac.  God lets Abraham know about his relatives so that Abraham will think to send for a wife from among them, rather than look for one in Canaan.

Do we pass the test of Abraham?  Are we in it for the reward, or is it good enough to be near God (Psalm 73:28)?  Are we like Job, who blessed God even when He took away all of Job’s family and prosperity and health (Job 1&2)?  God wants to know.