GENESIS 22: Offering Up Isaac

On the Road to Mt. Moriah

In our previous study we saw that the son of the promise was finally born: Isaac. We can only imagine the joy and sense of completeness this brought. However, a little while later, God tested Abraham…

(Genesis 22:1-2) After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I."  (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." 

This seems to go against all logic. How could God ask him to kill his son? Was not this against his nature? Besides, if Isaac died, the promise God made Abraham would end with him.

It is interesting to note that God said: “your son, your only son”. Did Abraham not also have Ishmael? The Lord said it like this because what he was requesting had everything to do with the promise – and Isaac was the only son of the promise, of the covenant.

Many questions go through our head when we read these words. But let’s take a look at Abraham’s reaction…

(Genesis 22:3)  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. 

Abraham did not question anything. He simply did what God had asked him to do, exactly as he was told. However strange this request was, he did not hesitate, he did not even delay. On the contrary, the Word says that he “rose early in the morning”.

God asked him to offer the sacrifice in a specific place. This was not a nearby site, he had to travel more than two days to get there. This would have been enough time to change his mind. But we read of no hesitation on his part…

(Genesis 22:4)  On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar.

This was not just “any” place. The mount where they were headed was called “Moriah”, that may be translated in two different ways:

* Chosen by God

* Yah (Jehovah) is my Teacher 

Why did God choose this place? What was he trying to teach us here? Abraham did not understand at the time… but the answer would come much later…

Throughout the history of Israel this mount comes up over and over again as a central place in God’s plan.

This is the place God chose for the building of the Temple.

(2 Chronicles 3:1)  Then Solomon began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to David his father, at the place that David had appointed, on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

The Temple’s design (and also the Tabernacle’s) teaches us the way for man to reconcile with God, which begins with the sacrifice of the Lamb and ends with the Holy of Holies, where the Presence of God is manifested. In other words, God wanted to show Abraham His entire plan of redemption through this experience at Mount Moriah.

GOD WILL PROVIDE

When they reached the foot of the mount, only Abraham went up with his son – just the two of them.

(Genesis 22:5)  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." 

It is interesting to note that he said both he and the boy would come back, since he knew that they were going up the mount to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. Was he lying? Or was he hopeful that his son would come back alive, even considering what God had asked him to do?  Maybe Abraham did not understand why God had asked this from him or what was going to happen… but he knew one thing for certain: If God had promised, he would somehow fulfill his promise.

(Genesis 22:6-8)  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 am I, 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. 

Abraham was prophesying, when he said that the Lord would provide. And this prophecy was not only for his time, but for all times… since the Lord also provided “the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

Here we see Abraham’s obedience, firm and unwavering, as well as Isaac’s meekness, who did not fight back.

(Genesis 22:9-10)  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.

This is where we think… It’s all over! The son of the promise is dead, and with him also Abraham’s dreams, his purpose in life and his hopes will die. But then, suddenly, a miracle happened:

(Genesis 22:11-12)  But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" And he said, "Here am I."  (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."

God’s intention was not to kill Isaac (God is set against human sacrifice – Deut. 12:29-32; Deut. 18:10-12; Lev. 18:21; Jer. 7:31; Jer. 32:35; Eze. 20:31; Psal. 106:38; Micah 6:7). God’s intention was to TEST Abraham’s FAITH, just as it is stated in the first verse of this chapter.

(Genesis 22:1a) After these things God tested Abraham…

God’s tests don’t come to make us fall, rather to “test” if we have learned that which we have been be taught, just like a test we would take in school.

It is clearly explained n the book of Hebrews.

(Hebrews 11:17-19)  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.

Abraham was willing to sacrifice his own son because he had faith, the assurance, that God was powerful enough to raise him from the dead.

God had given him the promise, and He had come through by giving him a son in his old age. There is nothing impossible for God, and if He promised, He will fulfill his promise no matter what.

(Hebrews 10:23)  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

(1 Thessalonians 5:24)  He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

Just as Abraham had prophesied, God provided for the sacrifice.

(Genesis 22:13-14)  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." 

THE PLAN REVEALED

God’s main motivation throughout this incident was to reveal His Plan of Redemption for humanity. Through this experience, the Lord revealed Abraham that He would give His Only Son, and He would die as a holocaust that would atone for all the sins of the world. That is why it was important for them to go to Moriah, where Jerusalem is today, because it was there where Jesus would die on the cross.

Jesus explains himself that Abraham understood this and rejoiced.

(John 8:56-59)  Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad."  (57)  So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?"  (58)  Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am."  (59)  So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

God did not only bless Abraham with the promise of land and descendants. When he heeded God’s call, he was included as a central part of His Plan of Redemption fro humanity, His plan and purpose for all times.

A descendant of Abraham was going to be the Messiah, the Son of God, who would come to the world to save us. Abraham’s life did not have a “purpose” limited to his days, but for all times, even today.

THE PROMISE CONFIRMED

In this context, God again confirms His Covenant with Abraham.

(Genesis 22:15-18)   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."