Picking up where we left off with Abram, in Genesis 15, God reassures him that he doesn’t need to be afraid (Abram did just attack 4 kings and their armies). It’s a beautiful message that we can all take comfort in.
“Do not fear, Abram (or insert your name), I am a shield to you; your reward shall be very great.” Genesis 15:1 NASB abridged
In this chapter, Abram kind of scoffs at this reward that God mentioned – what good is the reward if there’s no heir to leave it all to? This is when God promises him an heir from his own body. This is also when Abram believes God and this trust in God puts him in right standing with God (Genesis 15:6). This faith is what God was after from the beginning – His heart was for relationship, not religion with a list of do’s and don’ts.
Sarai did not believe that the promised heir would come from her womb (she was barren) so she and Abram reasoned that the heir would come through a maidservant, Hagar. She did bear him a son, Ishmael, but he was not the promised heir. This happened when Abram was 86 years young (Genesis 16:15-16). Fastforward 13 years and God comes to Abram again and changes his and Sarai’s name – now to be called Abraham and Sarah. He’s promised, this time, a son through his wife, Sarah. The baby is given a name before ever being conceived – Isaac. The long-awaited son was born a year later when Abraham was 100 years old, and Sarah was about 90.
Now we come to an interesting point in Abraham’s life. Isaac was weaned sometime between the age of 2 and 5, and we don’t really hear much more about him till Genesis 22. For such a significant story that pertains to the Christian faith, it’s often taught without all of the details. And then we get some of the details that are put in completely wrong. So let’s take a look at Genesis 22 – God is going to tell Abraham to do something:
And He said, “Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” Genesis 22:2 NASB
When God confided in Abraham about His plan to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham stood in the gap for the righteous to not be treated the same as the wicked (Genesis 18:17-33). He spoke up about the injustice to God! That’s pretty stinkin’ bold! But he didn’t question God when he was instructed to sacrifice his only son. I can’t even imagine how Abraham must have felt – but that’s where we often go wrong. We expect that Abraham had a sleepless night spent agonizing about having to sacrifice – or not sacrifice – his dearly beloved son. But did he experience this agony?
He (Abraham) considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead… Hebrews 11:19 NASB abridged
Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). He believed God. He believed when God told him that His covenant would also be with Isaac and his descendants – obviously Isaac being alive was part of the future (Genesis 17:19). Do I think Abraham wanted to kill his son as a sacrifice to God? No. No good parent would. But I don’t think he was in agony… because he trusted God. If you’re going through something – maybe God is telling you to leave the job you’re in for something else, make a tough decision that you know in your heart is right, or maybe God is telling you to show some tough love towards an adult child – might I urge you to trust God?
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. On the third day Abraham raised his eyes and saw the place from a distance. And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go yonder; and we will worship and return to you.” Genesis 22:3-5 NASB
Abraham knew that he could trust God. He spoke in faith that both of them would return to the servants after worshipping God.
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 the two of them walked on together. And 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?” And Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together. Genesis 22:6-8 NASB
I find this dialogue interesting. I grew up hearing a popular religious phrase, said during times of the unknown, of If it’s God’s will… a statement not of victory, but of uncertainty. If we don’t know our Father, we certainly won’t be able to trust Him. But not only do we see that Abraham trusted his Father, but Isaac trusted Abraham and his faith. Long before King Solomon, Abraham was teaching Isaac in the way he should go, and in a potentially perilous time of agony, he did not turn away from it (Proverbs 22:6).
For a burnt offering, there was certainly more wood than a mere boy could carry. This is where so much is misunderstood in the telling of this story. We always picture an old man walking with an unsuspecting child (Bless his little heart!). But Genesis 21:34 tells us that Abraham made a deal with Abimelech to stay in the land of the Philistines and that he stayed in that place for a long time. Many Jewish scholars say that he was there for at least 25 years (this is after Isaac was weaned). Do you ever picture Isaac as a boy of no older than 12 or 13? What we can deduct from scripture, Isaac was closer to 25-35 years old.
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 laid him on the altar on top of the wood. And Abraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. Genesis 22:9-10 NASB
Reading and studying this story through the lens of faith and trust in what God had promised, I can’t help but see calm, not anxiety. I see Abraham operating in peace instead of agony. Abraham had matured in his faith and trusted God without trying to interfere or help God like he and Sarah had done with Hagar. Or like Abraham had done with lying to the Pharoah (Genesis 12:11-20) and King Abimelech (Genesis 20) about his relationship to Sarah. He fully trusted that God would keep His word. He would leave that place of worship with his son, Isaac – alive.
The Bible doesn’t tell us that Isaac struggled or fought against his father – much like Abraham didn’t fight against his Father – and Jesus did not fight against His Father. Isaac had probably grown up hearing about how he was a miracle baby – born to elderly parents – and promised to them by a faithful Father God. He experienced the abundant blessings that Abraham received just by breathing – and all those who were in close proximity to him experienced this abundance. No, I don’t believe Isaac fought against his father, but knew to trust God’s faithfulness.
So many see the picture of Jesus in the story of Abraham being willing to sacrifice Isaac. They see it and stop. Yes, there are similarities, but my favorite part of this piece of history is that Abraham gave glory to God.
Yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief, but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what He had promised, He was able also to perform. Romans 4:20-21 NASB
…giving glory to God… is actually defined as having a good opinion of God. He saw God as a good Father who kept His promises. Even when Abraham did not see the promise fully come through – sure, Isaac was born, but the promise goes much deeper – it involves all who will accept Jesus’ sacrifice in faith. Abraham was considered righteous based on faith and not works – and God provided a Lamb so that we, too, can be in right standing with God.
But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” And he said, “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.” Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. Genesis 22:11-13 NASB
I can’t help but picture Abraham and Isaac having such a high opinion of God that they were both willing participants in obeying Him – even unto death. Abraham trusted that God would provide, whether it came in the form of his son being raised from the dead or an alternate to be sacrificed. Abraham even named that place The Lord Will Provide because that is what he lived.
How are we living? Are we living with raising-the-dead kind of faith? I know I’m not – yet – but I know that’s where I’m called to be. That’s the kind of faith we’re all called to have. Do we believe the Lord will provide? What kind of opinion do we have of God? Is it a good one or is it an opinion filled with uncertainty? Abraham was certain of God’s faithfulness and knew Him to be trustworthy. I want my good opinion of God to be evident in every area of my life. What about you?