May 24

Sacrificing Isaac

            After these things God tested Abraham. He 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 that I shall show you.”  So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him.  On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away.  Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.”  Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together.  Isaac said to his father Abraham, “Father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So the two of them walked on together. When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.  Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill 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, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”  And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.

Genesis 22:1-13

Abraham has everything that he has ever wanted.  He is wealthy.  He is respected.  He walks with God and he and his wife have a son.  Isaac, the son of Promise…the son of Laughter, has been miraculously born in Abraham’s old age and God has promised that from Isaac will be born a great nation.

And then God speaks and tells Abraham to sacrifice his only beloved son.  His son is to carry the very wood that he will be killed upon up a hill in order for man to be right with God.  The foreshadowing of Jesus’ crucifixion is heavy.

What is going through Abraham’s mind and heart?  Betrayal?  Sorrow?  Anger?  Resignation?  Does he think that God will stop him?  Does he think that God will resurrect his son?  Does he think that God is going back on His promise about raising a nation out of his children?  Or is he just numb for the entire process, limbs moving as his mind is in shock?

God saw Abraham’s faith and trust and obedience.  He saw another father that had to wrestle with the loss of their only son.  He saw a man that would serve as the foundation on which to build the people of God here on earth.  He stopped Abraham from killing Isaac and provided an alternative offering so that the family could worship.  He would be their God and they would be His people.

How did Abraham do it?  How did he manage to give away that which was so precious to him?  How did he give back to God what he had hoped for and prayed for and yearned for through all those years?  How was he able to do that without either resenting or rejecting God?  I cannot comprehend.

What Abraham knew was that God was good.  No matter who lived or who died or what promises were fulfilled or unfulfilled, God was good and His will was the best for Abraham and his future.  It was not just a head knowledge; it was a deep conviction and belief at the core of Abraham’s being that was convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that regardless of what Abraham understood, God was good.

That is our hope, when the world is crumbling and nothing makes sense.  When all that God has given to us has been taken away.  When all hope is lost and laughter is gone.  God is good.  Now and forever, God is good and He will be with us through it all.

A moment to reflect:

How do you know that God is good?