The Unthinkable Command

Abraham’s Preparation

No mention of pleading

No postponing. Rose early the morning and got straight to it

No checking with others to see if they could talk him out of it; not even his wife.

When we know the thing that God has commanded, there is no need of seeking a second opinion.

Imagine a soldier commanded by a superior officer to lead an attack, then turning to ask one of his equals what he thought about it. Treason

No concern of what others - including his wife - would think of him after this.

Chopped the wood himself. Nothing too menial when in service to God

Forethought. Took fire; would not allow anything to keep him from obeying. No hoping for a little hitch to occur so he could pretend that providence hindered him.

Perseverance. He had three days to change his mind. What a miserable three days these must have been!

Courage. Told his servants to stay put. Didn’t want to risk some well-meaning friend talking him out of this awful task.

God is God, and what He commands, Abraham faithfully obeys - even if it doesn’t make sense to him; even if it is going to cost him everything he holds dear; even if it seems to make all of God’s promises null and void.

Isaac’s Willingness

Asks a legitimate question. Not unfamiliar with sacrifice, he knew something was missing. “Where is the lamb?”

One of two things happened:

Isaac was content with the brief answer to his question - “The Lord will provide”

There was more conversation. Abraham finally had to explain what God had commanded.

Either way, Isaac was ready to obey. Josephus says he was 25 years old. At least a teenager. Could have easily run away or overpowered his elderly father.

As an obedient son, Isaac bears the burden of the wood that is to consume him. He helps his father stack the stones for the altar, and when all is ready, allows his hands to be bound.

Abraham’s Faith in Action

The preparations had been made. The journey had come to an end. The altar was built. The lamb was prepared.

Abraham unsheaths the knife - the deed already completed in his mind.

No signs of hesitation. No stopping to make sure he’s ready to go all the way. No asking God one last time if he’s sure about this.

The moment he had been dreading since the command came had finally come.

It is easy to follow God in theory; to play the part; to sing the great hymns and quote the happy inspirational Scriptures. It is not easy to, like Isaac, deny myself, take up my cross, and do the thing that we don’t understand, the thing that will cost us so much, yet the thing that God has made necessary

We are given a glance into the heart of Abraham in this moment by the writer of Hebrews 11:17-19.

He knew that God was able to make good on his promises.

God promised that through Isaac all these promises would be fulfilled. Even if that meant having to raise Isaac from the dead, Abraham had faith that God would be faithful.

Does that lessen what he was asked to do? Possibly. But it is even a greater testament to Abraham’s faith.

Isaac Compared to Jesus

The Bible is telling one story - not a collection of random disjointed stories

John 3:16 is that story.

John 1:12 - all that receive Christ become children of God and fellow heir with Jesus

Jesus is not the only child of God. He has many. Each of us

But Jesus is God’s only begotten son; unique, special

The Hebrew equivalent is found in Gen. 22:2 - pertaining to a child of very special interest in the eyes of the parent.

Something unique about Jesus; same could be said of Isaac.

Abraham had another son (Ishmael)

But Isaac was the son of promise through whom the promises would be fulfilled.

Abraham was a foreshadowing of God the Father - a father who was willing to sacrifice that which was most precious to him.

Where is the line in my life? How far am I willing to go?

For God (and for Abraham) there was no line.

Was in the land of Moriah on a mountain

Place where the temple would later be built (according to Jewish tradition)

Mat. 27:33 - Golgotha (place of the skull). Many believe that this is the same spot.

This wasn’t a mistake that 14 generations before Jesus, Abraham was ready to offer his only begotten son.

When Jesus was killed, that finished the story.

Both Jesus and Isaac both carried the wood that they were to die on, to their place of death.

Some have speculated that Isaac was upper twenties

John 19:17 - Jesus carried his own cross

Both these sons asked their fathers a piercing question:

Isaac - where is the lamb for the burnt offering? He knew how sacrifices work. Aren’t we forgetting something? Imagine the pain of Abraham when he had to answer that.

Mat. 26:39 - Jesus asked his father “If it is possible let this cup pass from me.” He knew his fate. He asked “Is there any other way?”

Both fathers answered their sons questions

Abraham made a statement of faith that turned out to be a prophetic statement - Gen. 22:8

Jesus received no comforting answer. An unspoken “no son. There is no other way”

Jesus was the lamb that the Lord provided

Gen. 22:13 - behind him was a ram. He offered it instead of his son.

Gen. 22:14 - the name of the place is “the Lord will (future) provide”

Abraham did not sacrifice a lamb that day, but a ram. The lamb of God was yet to be provided

Gen. 22:18 - because he was willing to do that, in your offspring all nations will the earth be blessed

Gal. 3:16 - offspring, referring to one; Christ

Abraham you can keep your son. I’ll send mine

We imagined what it would have been like had Abraham gone through with it. On the cross, Jesus asked “why have you forsaken me?” The lamb had now been provided. John 1:29

When Abraham was willing to give that which was most precious to him, the whole world was blessed. The blessing of God was Jesus.

This was a foreshadowing of that great and awful day.

Look what God was able to do with Abraham’s sacrifice. Just imagine what He can do with yours

Story about Jenny and her fake pearls.