Year 7, Day 21: Genesis 22

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Genesis 22 is one of those chapters that seems to make more and more sense each time that I study it.  I’m not sure if it is because familiarity with the passage breeds even more familiarity or if each time I study it I am 3 more years older and – hopefully – slightly more advanced in terms of wisdom.  For whatever reason, this chapter continues to unfold new things with each reading.

This chapter used to sound so foreign to me.  I used to ask what would possess a man to be willing to offer up his own son in a willing sacrifice, especially since such a sacrifice would be abhorrent to the God it was supposedly please.  However, I have since come to look more deeply into the words of Abraham and instead see a man of incredible faith.

For example, look at how Abraham answers his own son.  When Isaac asks where the sacrifice is, do you hear Abraham’s reply?  Abraham says that God will provide.  Abraham doesn’t say that he believes Isaac is the sacrifice.  Neither is Abraham trying to be coy with his words and hide the truth from Isaac.  Abraham genuinely does believe that God will provide.

How do we know this, given that Abraham even lifts up a knife against Isaac?  Look at what Abraham says to his servants.  He says that he and his son are going to go over and worship and then return.  Abraham believes that they will return.  Again, he is not trying to be coy and deceive his servants.  He genuinely believes that he and his son will return.  He has faith that God will provide.

So, why is it that Abraham lifts up a knife against his own son?  Honestly, Abraham is living out his obedience believing that God will provide.  God originally told him to sacrifice his son.  As hard as it is to do, he is living out his obedience.  But greater than his obedience is his faith in God’s promise.  God has already told Abraham that Isaac would be his heir and part of a lineage of uncountable generations.  Abraham believes the promise.  His faith is so great that he can act and believe in his obedience.

God does provide. The ram is provided.  Abraham believes into his obedience and at the last moment God rewards his faith and his obedience.

This makes me wonder what length I would go in obedience to God.  Thankfully, God is not asking me to sacrifice my immediate family.  But that doesn’t mean that Ha hasn’t asked me to make sacrifices.  This is a great day to contemplate just how happily I have been obedient to Him in my faith.

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