I really didn’t want to be assigned this passage. I’ve been a Christian most of my life, and still, when I read this passage about Isaac and Abraham walking up the mountain, I simply want to throw my Bible across the room. Why in the world would God ask Abraham to do this?
There are a host of things that God asks His people to do—things that, without faith and understanding of context surrounding these passages, seem really wild. Earlier in Genesis, God asked Abraham to circumcise every man in his household, even his servants. Today, Christians are asked to live in obedience to a lot of biblical commands which make no sense to the world and its culture today. We’re asked not to have sex outside of marriage. We’re asked to think of others as better than ourselves. We’re asked to go out of our way to give to and love others—even our enemies. These commands might seem obvious if you’ve been in church for a long time. But outside of the lens of faith, they really make no sense at all. Only God can give us the strength and faith needed to obey Him.
And so, I’m left to believe that God must have given Abraham the strength and faith to obey even this—this seemingly insane command. Why would God have Abraham sacrifice this child, who he and Sarah had waited and longed for throughout the course of their lives? Why this child of the promise? If you remember Genesis chapter 21, you’ll recall that Abraham had just sent his other child, Ishmael, away. So now, if he were to go through with the sacrifice of Isaac, he would have no children at all.
But Abraham trusted God. He trusted that God was good. Abraham had learned that obedience to God brings greater blessing than pain. So, if God was asking him to surrender to something painful—something as horrific as losing his only son—then there must be an even more abundant blessing on the other side.
I’m not sure I would have had the faith to walk up that mountain. But because Abraham obeyed, we now get to witness, through Scripture, the first example of substitutionary sacrifice, as God provides a ram in the thicket. Do you know who else walked up a mountain that led directly to an inconceivable sacrifice? Jesus.
Only when Jesus walked to Calvary, when the Roman guard slammed hammer into steel, through flesh, there was no ram in the thicket (Genesis 22:13). Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, became God’s autobiography on earth. And God’s nature is not punitive—it is sacrificial. Jesus willingly obeyed the Father to the point of death—even to death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). And because of His supernatural, unexplainable, indescribable obedience, we now have peace with God. Thanks be to God for obedience and the peace that comes with it—things that we may not be able to understand, but can only pray to the strength and faith to emulate.
A commentary really helps draw out today’s reading. There is so much to wrestle with here. Check out this one https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/genesis-22/
I understand what you are saying. Something I was once told that helped me to see what Jesus did for me was that if someone is a follower of Jesus and they come before God, Jesus come first with us following and so God sees us with no sin because Jesus stands between as a “lens” that takes away that sin. I hope this helps in some small way.
This passage is always used to talk about the faith of Abraham and his trust that God will provide even to the point of being willing to sacrifice his son. But what about the faith of Isaac??? We don’t know how old he is, but he was old enough to go on a long journey and carry the wood for the offering up a mountain! Which means he was possibly a teenager and his father was over 100. Yet Isaac allowed his father to tie him up and place him on the wood for the offering knowing full well what was happening, because he had asked about where the lamb for the offering was while they climbed to the alter. How much faith does it take in his earthly father and his Heavenly Father to not run away or fight off Abraham, but to willingly allow it all to happen!!!
The first thing I thought about this morning as I read the passage was how far Abraham had come. Yesterday we read that he said Sarah was his sister because he was afraid. Today he is willing to sacrifice his son because God asked him to. How did he come so far? I believe it was from walking daily with God. He trusted God. He knew God keeps His promises. The only land Abraham ever owned was the field he bought to bury Sarah and yet God had told him that he would own much land. God said he would have more offspring than the stars in the sky and yet here he was with only one son. Still he trusted God would keep His promises.
As I walk with God each day, I try to remember that God is faithful to keep His promises. He has made great promises to us and I claim them. But, God requires me to sacrifice daily as well. Each morning I am to deny myself (sacrifice myself) take up my cross and follow Him. Amazingly enough, that has become my hearts desire. I long to let go of myself and follow Him. I had a pastor who always started her sermons by saying ,”May they see less of me and more of Thee until they see all of Thee and none of me”. That is my prayer. May I die to myself and follow Him wherever He leads.
Amen!
I am awe of God’s faithfulness to His people. I am encouraged by Abraham and Sarah’s imperfect obedience. Trusting the call of God is difficult, but ultimately bears fruit that glorifies Him!
I am in awe of God’s faithfulness to his people
Father God….I pray I have the strength and wisdom to obey you like Abraham…In Jesus name Amen
Jesus’s death did not take away our sins…He died for our sins that we would partake in. He died so that we wouldn’t suffer for our sins and they deaths we would have eternal life.