God Tests Abraham
May 14, 2024
Commentary
The word tempt (v. 1) could better be translated test. God does not temp anyone with evil (James 1:13) but He does test. The Lord wanted to see if Abraham truly trusted Him to provide descendants as he had promised. Abraham gave instant unquestionable obedience. Would he try to hold on to the boy or would he obey and return him to the Lord? Abraham rose early in the morning (v. 3). The journey from Beersheba to Mount Moriah was 50 miles (about 3 days) (v. 4). When they arrived, Abraham told his servants to stay with the donkey while he and Isaac went on to worship and after that return to them (v. 5). They went on together with the wood, the coals, and a knife (v. 6). When Isaac questioned his dad about where the lamb was for the sacrifice Abraham said, “the Lord will provide a lamb” (vv. 7-8). Over the years Abraham had learned to trust God. Again and again the Lord had declared, “In Isaac shall thy seed be called.” It was inconceivable to Abraham that Isaac could die before he had children. Even if he were slain, Abraham reasoned that God would have to raise him from the dead. The fact that God intervened so drastically showed that He had not intended for Abraham to go through with the sacrifice (v. 12).
God stopped the hand of Abraham from putting a knife into his son and provided a ram to be offered up as a burnt offering instead of Isaac. On the cross Jesus took our place and suffered, bled, and died just as the ram died for Isaac (vv. 15-16). The Lord’s voice rang out confirming all the blessings that God had already bestowed on Abraham and his seed (vv. 17-18). Abraham and Isaac return to where their servants waited (v. 19), and together they journeyed back to Beersheba. The final verses of this chapter introduce us to Rebekah, Isaac’s future wife (Gen. 24:15).
Application
As a worshiper of God, I should hold nothing back from Him but obediently give Him what He asks. I need to constantly be thanking God for providing His only Son (the Lamb of God) to go to the cross of Calvary to die for my sins.
Genesis 22:1– 24 (NET)
1 Some time after these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” Abraham replied. 2 God said, “Take your son—your only son, whom you love, Isaac —and go to the land of Moriah! Offer him up there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will indicate to you.”
3 Early in the morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants with him, along with his son Isaac. When he had cut the wood for the burnt offering, he started out for the place God had spoken to him about.
4 On the third day Abraham caught sight of the place in the distance. 5 So he said to his servants, “You two stay here with the donkey while the boy and I go up there. We will worship and then return to you.”
6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and put it on his son Isaac. Then he took the fire and the knife in his hand, and the two of them walked on together. 7 Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father?” “What is it, my son?” he replied. “Here is the fire and the wood,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 “God will provide for himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son,” Abraham replied. The two of them continued on together.
9 When they came to the place God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand, took the knife, and prepared to slaughter his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. 12 “Do not harm the boy!” the angel said. “Do not do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God because you did not withhold your son, your only son, from me.”
13 Abraham looked up and saw behind him a ram caught in the bushes by its horns. So he went over and got the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 And Abraham called the name of that place “The Lord provides.” It is said to this day, “In the mountain of the Lord provision will be made.”
15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven 16 and said, “I solemnly swear by my own name, decrees the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you, and I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be as countless as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the strongholds of their enemies. 18 Because you have obeyed me, all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using the name of your descendants.”
19 Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set out together for Beer Sheba where Abraham stayed.
20 After these things Abraham was told, “Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor— 21 Uz the firstborn, his brother Buz, Kemuel (the father of Aram), 22 Kesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.” 23 (Now Bethuel became the father of Rebekah.) These were the eight sons Milcah bore to Abraham’s brother Nahor. 24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore him children—Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
Illustration: General Lee’s Wish Was a Supreme Command to Stonewall Jackson
During the War Between the States, General Lee one day sent word to Stonewall Jackson that the next time he rode in the direction of headquarters the Commander-Chief would be glad to see him on a matter of no great importance. General Jackson received the message and immediately prepared to leave the next morning. Rising very early, he rode the eight miles to Lee’s headquarters against a storm of wind and snow, and arrived just as Lee was finishing breakfast. Much surprised, Lee inquired why Jackson had come through such a storm. General Jackson replied: “You said that you wished to see me. Your wish is a supreme command to me.” (Encyclopedia of Illustrations #8562).