A Substitute of Immeasurable Value

Introduction

Today, we are going to discuss one of the most controversial passages in the entire Bible. In fact, famous atheist author and philosopher Richard Dawkins in his book God Delusion uses this story as an example of how morally abhorrent the God of the Old Testament is.

It is often in the passages where I chafe the most - where God seems hard, unreasonable, or even wrong - that as I understand the text and my soul yields to the eternal, wise, and forever one, I am changed.

And this is exactly what happens to Abraham in this passage today.

Hebrews 11:17–19 ESV

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

Explanation

Genesis 22:1–8 ESV

After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 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.” 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. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. 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.” 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. 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?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

God tested Abraham. (V1-2)

Was it morally right that God would test Abraham?

When God tests our faith, whether it be a trial, asking for obedience, asking us to take a step of faith, or conviction over sin, He is refining our faith.

For the believer, this happens in one of two ways:

You either pass the test, and your faith strengthens.

You fail the test, and you know where your faith is weak.

In every test, God shows you, and He grows you.

Here is the test: Will Anraham still believe the promise of God EVEN WHEN the very thing that God asks him to do feels contrary to that promise.

The point of this passage is not to get you to ask the question, “could I kill my son if God asked me?” The point is to ask, “Will I obey God even when what he has asked me feels contrary to what He has promised me?”

God, at times, can test his people with obedience that seems inexplicable. Allen Ross states, “Although the commandment was to sacrifice Isaac as an offering to the Lord, the real point of the act was Abraham’s sacrifice of himself, that is, of his will and his wisdom with regard to his son Isaac.”

What about God’s asking Abraham to murder his son? Doesn’t that feel wrong.

God, at multiple times in the Old Testament, demands the life of the firstborn son. The firstborn son, in every Ancient Near East Culture, was the representative of the family and the hopes and dreams of the family rested upon him.

And twice in the Old Testament - Exodus 22 and Numbers 3 - God requires the life of the firstborn son. The sin of the family culminates on the death of the firstborn son. God is saying, “Your family, because of your sin, deserves an end.

But in both of these examples, God gives them an opportunity to stay his hand - five shekels. And every year, the Israelites would pay these 5 shekels for the firstborn son.

Why? Something would have to be given that we could go free.

This test isn’t filling a gap in God’s understanding. It is filling a gap in Abraham’s faith. No teacher tests you on material that they don’t know. They test you on material that YOU don’t know.

Isaac did not die on the altar. But Abraham’s dreams for his son did. And Abraham’s leaning into pragmatic solutions instead of faith.

This passage is hard to accept if you do not have faith in God. But if you trust that God will only command good things of his people, you know that God is testing Abraham.

Notice the obedience of Abraham.

No qualifying. No asking questions. In fact, the passage does not even record any emotions. It is simply relaying what Abraham DOES - how Abraham is obedient.

I cannot imagine the night between God’s command and Abraham waking the next morning.

Abraham does not delay his obedience to God. He gets up, and he goes.

Abraham, Isaac, and two young servants travel up the road. Abraham tells them to stay where they are.

“I - AND THE BOY - will return to you.” Abraham believed that Isaac would walk back down that mountain with him, because God was faithful to what He had promised.

I do want to note what else Abraham said, “I am the boy will go over there and worship.”

Abraham did not know what would happen on that mountain.

But he knew that he and Isaac would worship.

Isaac and Abraham get to the altar. Isaac is laid on the altar, wood is placed on him, and he starts looking around. “Dad, where is the lamb.” Abraham replies, “God will supply the lamb for the offering.” This is a reflection of the gospel.

God would provide the lamb for Abraham. And God provides the lamb for us too.

Let’s not forget that they are at Mt. Moriah. Now if that mountain sounds significant, it is! The temple is eventually built on Mt. Moriah! It is a place of atonement. The place where something or someone dies in the place of another. And it all starts right here.

John 1:29 “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Genesis 22:9–14 ESV

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. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 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.” 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. 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.”

Abraham stretched out his arm with a knife to kill his son.

But THE angel of the Lord (Jesus) called to Him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham.”

Abraham replied, “Here I am.” Note with me that this is the third time that Abraham has made this statement. “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God seeing that you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

What have you withheld from the Lord, because you don’t like what he might do with it?

All the while, you know he could do better with it than you.

Some of you need to give God what you have so that you can see how it lines up with His plans.

Worship always begins with the giving of something. Abraham gave his plans and his dreams for his son Isaac.

How many of you have ever asked your toddler child to help you with a house project? You think it is fun, because they are helping you. But very quickly, you learn that you are actually helping them.

And through coaxing, threatening, and teaching, you have to get the power tools back.

Some of you need to hand back to the Lord the plans you have for your life. You don’t know what you are doing.

God had provided a lamb in the thicket for the sacrifice.

I want you to place yourself in the shoes of Abraham. Holding a knife, knowing what God has asked him to do.

The gospel casts a new light over this entire passage. Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

“When I begin my train of thought with the gospel, I realize that if God loved me enough to sacrifice His Son’s life for me, then He must be guided by that same love when He speaks His commandments to me. Viewing God’s commands and prohibitions in this light, I can see them for what they really are: friendly signposts from a heavenly Father who is seeking to love me through each directive, so that I might experience His very fullness forever.” Milton Vincent // Gospel Primer

Genesis 22:15–19 ESV

And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 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, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.

God blesses Abraham and fulfills his promise for Abraham. God has kept his promise.

The older I get, the more I hope I become confident in the promises of God for me. The more God reveals of himself, the more confident we become.

The more mature we grow in Christ, the looser our hands become with our plans. Because we see that the plans of God are better. And he keeps his promises.

Application - “Here I am.” Heneni

Abraham is the first to say, “Here I am” but he is not the last to day it.

Abraham says, “Here I am” three times. Twice to God and once to his son.

Jacob said, “Here I am” as God told him to go back to the promised land from the house of Laban, knowing that his brother, breathing threats of death, would be waiting for Him.

Moses said, “Here I am before God told him to go again to Egypt and rescue his people from the Egyptians.

Samuel said, “Here I am,” as God commissioned him to be the prophet of the people of Israel.

Isaiah said, “Here I am,” as God revealed himself and gave the prophet the task to go to the nations.

Ananias said, “Here I am” as God told him to go and talk to Paul who had been recently converted.

God, I am available. Do with me what you want.

You know what is scary. How few completely sold out “Here I am” people God would need to change this county.

People who say no to everything else to say yes to God. He changed the world with 12 minus 1.

People with one God, one value, one mission, one cause. Will it be you? Heneni.

Invitation

Salvation

Repentance

Membership