Abraham & Isaac

The Test

The Command

The long-awaited promised son is born in the previous chapter.

We know that Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born (21:5) and Sarah was about 10 years younger.

They knew the miracle that was in-and-of-itself. Sarah said this after her son was born:

Genesis 21:7 ESV

7 And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

Then we get to chapter 22, and it begins with these words: After these things. This is a reference to an unspecified amount of time, but it seems to have lasted 10 years give or take.

Genesis 22 ESV

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.

But the command is in verse 2:

Genesis 22:2 ESV

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.”

And we may be asking the question that has been asked through the centuries of this text: why did God ask such a thing from a father?

The Response

But notice Abrahams’s response

Genesis 22:3 ESV

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.

We are not told of the turmoil that Abraham was surely experiencing. All we know is that he obeyed.

We know the trip to Moriah was three days (v. 4). We can only imagine the agony experienced during those days.

The (apparent) Contradiction

Genesis 17:19 ESV

19 God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.

Genesis 17:21 ESV

21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.”

Genesis 21:12 ESV

12 But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.

It would not be surprising if this apparent contradiction between this promise and command was part of what Abraham was thinking during that three day journey.

It seems what Abraham did was to focus on the character of God and the trustworthiness of His word. He obeyed God despite the questions he had. Even when Isaac asked him about the apparent lack of sacrifice, Abraham expressed a quiet but resolved trust:

Genesis 22:8 ESV

8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

The Provision

The Focus

We might conclude that the faith of Abraham is the dominant theme. Certainly it is a significant them in this chapter, but it seems to me to be a supporting one.

Not this about the word son in this chapter.

It appears 12 times and if we were to include references to Isaac that did not include the word son this number would be significantly higher.

The focus on the son, that is, on Isaac shows him to be the promised son who would be potentially slain. We know he is the son of promise. That’s the way he described in the NT

Galatians 4:28 ESV

28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

The focus is the son, but specifically the son who is the promised provision from God.

Another significant theme connected to the promised son is provision.

The Sacrifice

Genesis 22:8 ESV

8 Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

Again, these words of Abraham to his son display his quiet faithfulness, but note the truth proclaimed here. God will provide.

This idea shows up again further down:

Genesis 22:14 ESV

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.”

This is after everything took place, but this was the understanding of all that did take place. God provided the sacrifice.

So, we have a little more clarity on the question that is often asked of this text (why did God ask such a thing from a father?). To show that God provides for people’s salvation.

This was what was demonstrated to Abraham, to Isaac and to everyone who would hear or read these words for generations to come.

The Substitute

Notice the language of verse 13

Genesis 22:13 ESV

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.

The immediate context os God providing a sacrifice that could be placed on the altar instead of Isaac, so Isaac could live.

This signals how God intends to deal with human judgement and His mercy.

Anticipates the sacrificial system

God showing His faithfulness to a son to save his people.

The New Testament

Hebrews 11:17–19 ESV

17 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, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

This passage provides an inside look into Abraham's mindset. He knew God promised a line through Isaac (Genesis 21:12), so he believed that if he killed Isaac, God would literally have to resurrect him to keep His word.

James 2:21–23 ESV

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.

James argues that Abraham's faith wasn't just a passive feeling; it was "made perfect" or fully realized when he climbed Mount Moriah.