Understanding Abraham's Sacrifice

First of all, I apologize for not being able to post last week. It was quite a chaotic day on my end...

Now, if you're anything like me, the story of Abraham almost sacrificing Isaac seems really crazy to you.

I happened to be reading Genesis 22 (the chapter in which it is recorded) last night, and the story didn't make any more sense than it did all the other times I had read or heard it before.

Let me share a few of the questions, thoughts, and confusions I had at the time:

• Is this guy crazy?

• Why would someone willingly sacrifice their son, their heir, a child of promise when it was not very likely they could have another child given their circumstances?

• In what way would God have spoken to Abraham that he was so convinced that this absurdity was a command from God? Even for things that I know are consistent with God, His instructions, and character, I often have a hard time obeying, not to talk more of this!

• If this were today, I wonder what would have happened. It would be covered by the news, like "Man almost murders his only son, claiming it was a command from God to sacrifice him." And Christians all over would take turns denying him, claiming He was just a fringe believer, and the rest of us were not like that, desperate to change the unpopular narrative. I know I would at least.

I desperately needed to make sense of this story, and this is why I love commentaries!

Side plug: Reading the Bible by yourself is great, but sometimes we all need a little help. If you're ever stuck on a passage, or not sure what you're supposed to be getting out of it, I recommend searching up a commentary or even blogs on it.

Here's a link to the one I read for this story: https://bibleproject.com/blog/why-did-god-ask-abraham-to-sacrifice-isaac/

I recommend reading it for yourself, but here's the main gist and what I've now come to understand about this story.

1. Abraham had extensive experience with God

The story of Abraham begins in Genesis 12, and for 11 chapters (over 25 years), Abraham had walked consistently with God. He'd heard from Him so many times and spoken with Him. He knew the voice of God; he knew His character.

2. He was willing but was also expectant

Verse 5 of Genesis 22 says,

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.”

And verses 7-8,

And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.

I always thought he said these things only to avoid looking suspicious. If he had outrightly said to Isaac, "you're the lamb," he would've risked him running away or trying to fight it.

However, maybe that wasn't the case, thinking about it now through the lens of a man who had gone back and forth with God before He destroyed Sodom, pleading their cause in Genesis 18 saying,

"Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”

Abraham knew that God is just, so it is not unlikely that he expected God to do something, to intervene in some way. Perhaps, as he said to his servant, he truly believed that he would return with his son.

3. The final and most touching point: prophetic reenactment

A little while ago, I read through the book of Hosea (Great read! Totally recommend!), and the first chapter was a little hard to understand. Again, commentaries helped! God asked Prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute, and it represented Israel's strained relationship with God at the time. God was dedicated to them, but they still went out seeking and worshipping other idols.

In this case, Abraham represents God, and Isaac Jesus. This is not just a story of a man who almost sacrificed his son, but a prophecy of one who would. God led Jesus to His death and Jesus humbly obeyed, carrying His cross like Isaac carried the wood for the sacrifice on His back. Just like Abraham did not withhold his son from God, God did not withhold His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. And His sacrifice is why we're all here today.

I hope this was helpful for you, and I encourage you to read more on your own. Peace and love of Christ be with you all!!!