Abraham's Test

1Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

2Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”

3Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.”

6Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

8Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

9When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

12“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

13Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram^a caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”

15The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16and said, “I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18and through your offspring^b all nations on earth will be blessed,^cbecause you have obeyed me.” (Genesis 22)

Thoughts: Many secular people have no idea what this is about and would at first glance think that this shows God is cruel in his askings if not his actions.  But behind such criticism is first the thought that we have the absolute right to judge God and the Bible instead of be judged by God and scripture.  Also, for many, we do not understand sacrificing ANYTHING for God- much less a child.  We also do not see that God is teaching us something that we assume- that child sacrifices are not the way to worship Him.  In a culture where there is evidence of child sacrifices by Canaanites, Moabites (could add Mayans and Aztecs), and others God is showing in a concrete narrative that He provides a sacrifice.  However, this also is  a type or foreshadowing of what the Father does for us- He gives up His eternally valued son who is of infinite worth to pay for our finite and frankly pitiful sins. 
   Abraham was willing to go forward but he also said, "we will come back" and "God will provide a ram."  Abraham did not know how, but he believed God would care for him.  This is deep faith.  God is not cruel, but He also teaches us to not love family above Him.  He gives us our family, our lives, all that we have.  In our day our children perhaps take the place becoming our God . We are called to love our children, but never let them take first place in our hearts. 

Prayer: Lord, let me love you above all others.