Abraham: The Sacrificial Son

As we come to chapter 22 we come to the climatic portion of Abraham’s life in the scriptures. In fact, when you get to verse 20 it begins in the portion of scripture that would be considered the epilogue of Abraham’s story as it prepares to transition to Isaac’s narrative.

Consider Abraham’s journey with God up to this point:

God calls Abraham to leave behind, to give up the past (home, land, family)

God continually shows Himself faithful even when Abraham is not

God blesses Abraham, and those who bless him just as He had promised

God has wiped out his enemies and dealt with evil around Abraham

God has protected Abraham and the promise that He gave Abraham

God has blessed him with the son of promise even in his old age

God has blessed the land which Abraham is on and given rest

Verse 1 of chapter 22 begins… “after these things”… God starts out in Genesis 12:1 asking Abraham to give up… lay on the alter so to speak the past… In Genesis 22:1-20 we see God asking Abraham to give up or lay on the alter the future…

Genesis 12:1 NASB95

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you;

Genesis 22:1–20 NASB95

Now it came about after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” 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.” 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. Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” 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. 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?” Abraham said, “God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together. 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. Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay 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 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. Abraham called the name of that place The Lord Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.” Then 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 thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, 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 their enemies. “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall 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. Now it came about after these things, that it was told Abraham, saying, “Behold, Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor:

I would like to follow this passage up with reading from the perspective on the other side of the cross from the book of Hebrews 11:17-19 as it sheds insight into the passage we are looking at today.

Hebrews 11:17–19 NASB95

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your descendants shall be called.” He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.

Holding What is Precious

Questions...

What is it or who is it that you are holding onto in this life so tightly?

What in your past are you holding onto from the past that is hindering you to move forward?

What is it that lies ahead… you are looking at it and struggling to give up control and allow God to lead and direct you?

Letting go of the things that are precious to us, relenting control over to God is so very difficult!!!

It all starts when we are young… we learn to say “MINE” we say it so much so often we begin to believe it!

That’s MINE!!!

What in your life is God asking you to give Him...

Past hurts / Anger / Forgiveness or guilt

A loved one / a child or grandchild / parent or grandparent

Your possessions or money

Future decisions / Job / finances

Maybe it is more abstract… your dreams, goals, or aspirations

What is it that you are calling “MINE” that is so precious to you that God is asking you to lay it on the alter so to speak?

Isaac Was Precious

Notice in verse 2 how God goes out of his way to demonstrate He knows just how precious Isaac was to Abraham

(Your son) (Your only son) (the one you LOVE) (Isaac)

Make no mistake, Abraham loves this boy… the son of promise, in his old age, a gift… joy and laughter!

Some of you are probably about to come out of your seats here with what we just read… I am excited too!

This is the first time we see LOVE mentioned in scripture!!!

“agapeo” the first time love s mentioned in scripture & Old Testament… it is describing the relationship between a father and his son

“agapeo” the first time love is mentioned in the New Testament… it is describing the relationship between The Father and The Son Matthew 3:16-17

Matthew 3:16–17 NASB95

After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

What an amazing thing to see this love that the Father has for the Son… but then take it a step further and read John 3:16

John 3:16 NASB95

“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.

God LOVED “agapeo” the world… He gave the son He loved, His only Son for the world He loved!

God gave what was precious to save that which was precious to Him… you and me!

Responding in Faith & Obedience

It is easy to read a passage like this and then read Hebrews and say oh see no big deal… Abraham believed that God could raise him from the dead… ABRAHAM HAD NOT READ GENESIS 22 OR HEBREWS 11!!!

All of Abraham’s life had lead up to this point… the final test!

Verse 1 “Abraham”… “Here I am”… we see a willingness, humility in him

Verse 18 captures Abraham’s heart so well I believe… “because you have obeyed my voice”

Verse 2 “take” … “and go”… “I will tell you”

Verse 3 “so Abraham rose early” “he split wood” he “arose and went” no discussion, clarification, just obedience!

Heavy hearts often produce little words or conversations… it must have been a long three days.

Riding the “donkey” to the hill of sacrifice

Father placing the wood on his back climbing the mount

WE will worship and return… wow what faith! yet few words, every step crushing his heart

Isaac old enough to carry the wood, old enough to know… you need a lamb

“God will provide” these were not merely words… he believed this

Not only did Abraham love Isaac, Isaac trusted his father… he is bound and laid on the alter

Offering before God what was most valuable… why not me God?

Amazingly GOD KNEW the feeling Abraham was feeling...

His Son would walk up a hill, bearing the wood of the cross on his back… the wood God had prepared

His Son would be bound to that cross with NAILS

His Son too trusted the Almighty Father as He declared not my will but yours be done!

God knew His Son would come back three days later but this knowledge did not ease the heartache and pain with every beat of a heart of LOVE for His Son!!!

Here’s the biggest difference… God stopped Abraham seeing his faith and obedience. God already knew but now Abraham would know, his son Isaac would know, you and I would know and see that faith demonstrated!!!

God provided a substitute

God provided the Lamb

With God’s Son however there was not substitute… because His Son was the substitute for you and me!

Abraham had learned to trust God fully. So much so, he was willing to lay it all on the alter… and God gave back his son!

FAITH… Abraham is called the father of the faithful. Have you trusted Him, realized how much He loved you that He would give what was precious for you!?

Have you placed your faith in Jesus Christ saving work at Calvary or are you holding onto your sin, saying it’s MINE!

I want control of my life, I want to do this, I want it my way… I encourage you to lay it all today at the foot of the cross.

Ephesians 2:8–10 NASB95

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.