22.1-24

Genesis

This is considered one of the most controversial and misunderstood passages in the Bible. God tested Abraham and said: "Take now your son, your only one, whom you love, Isaac, and go forth to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” (v2). How could God command the human sacrifice of Abraham's own son? Even more inconceivable is Abraham's response: "So Abraham rose early in the morning ... and went to the place of which God had told him." (v3). Moreover, Isaac understood what was happening and went along willingly: "Then Isaac spoke to Abraham his father ... And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” And Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together." (vv7,8). In the aftermath, God's response is even more confusing, "By Myself I have sworn, declares Yahweh, because you have done this thing and have not spared your son, your only one, indeed I will greatly bless you" (vv16ff). Abraham is actually credited for having sacrificed Isaac, even though he ultimately wasn't required to. But Abraham demonstrated his willingness to be "that" obedient. How cruel?! And how are we supposed to interpret this?
How wonderful that God gave us the entire Bible. John's gospel makes Abraham's test of sacrificing his only son, whom he loved, perfectly clear. This was always intended to be Abraham's opportunity to know the depth of God's love for him, and our first clear prophesy of the coming Messiah:
"On the next day, John again was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” (Jn 1:35-36 *read 19-34 for even better clarity). “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."(Jn 3:16) "The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand." (Jn 3:35).
"(Know) that you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver or gold from your futile conduct inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ." (1 Pe 1:18–19).
Don't think God won't test you too. "The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But Yahweh tests hearts." (Proverbs 17:3). "Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction." (Isaiah 48:10).

CHAPTER 22

The Offering of Isaac

1 Now it happened after these things, that God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
2 Then He said, “Take now your son, your only one, whom you love, Isaac, and go forth to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.”
3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split 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 a distance.
5 And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there; and we will worship, and we will return to you.”
6 Then Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and put it on Isaac his son, and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.
7 Then Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” And he said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”
8 And Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together.
9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him; and Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood and bound his son Isaac and put him on the altar, on top of the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
11 But the angel of Yahweh called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
12 And He said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the boy, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only one, from Me.”
13 Then Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there was a ram after it had been caught in the thicket by its horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up for a burnt offering in the place of his son.
14 And Abraham called the name of that place Yahweh Will Provide, as it is said this day, “In the mount of Yahweh it will be provided.”
15 Then the angel of Yahweh called to Abraham a second time from heaven,
16 and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares Yahweh, because you have done this thing and have not spared your son, your only one,
17 indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.
18 “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have listened to My voice.”
19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and walked together to Beersheba; and Abraham lived at Beersheba.
20 Now it happened after these things, that it was told to Abraham, saying, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor:
21 Uz his firstborn and Buz his brother and Kemuel the father of Aram
22 and Chesed and Hazo and Pildash and Jidlaph and Bethuel.”
23 And Bethuel was the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.
24 And his concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah and Gaham and Tahash and Maacah.