Site Search Engine

THE SACRIFICE

Chapter 22

This is one of the most remarkable chapters of the Bible: it is the first time that a human sacrifice is mentioned, and in it is seen a type of the sacrifice made by the LORD Jesus giving his life a ransom for many.

This is the fourth and last time that God put Abraham to the test, forcing him to separate himself from people who were dear to him:

1. His relatives (see Genesis 12:1, Matthew 10:34-39, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18).

2. Lot, with whom he probably felt very attached, not only because he was his nephew, but also his partner in the faith (Genesis 13; 2 Peter 2:7,8).

3. Ishmael, his son by the slave Hagar (see Genesis 17:18, 21:9-12, Galatians 4:30).

4. Now Isaac, “your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love” (see Hebrews 11:17-18).

Just as God put Abraham to the test, also our faith and patience are proven resulting in perseverance (James 1:2,12 and compare with Deuteronomy 8:2).

However, God tempts no one to evil (James 1:13) which makes us wonder why then did He tell Abraham to sacrifice his own son? God wanted Abraham to prove his faith: if he believed in His promise that through Isaac, He would give him a great descent, he would not fear to obey Him by sacrificing Isaac if so ordered. Of course, God in his omniscience knew beforehand that Isaac would not be killed, because He would intervene.

But Abraham considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, whence also, figuratively, He recovered him (Hebrews 11:17-19). So Abraham did not hesitate: he rose at dawn, prepared what he needed, and headed for the place that God had determined, with Isaac and two of his servants.

Solomon's temple was built centuries later on Mount Moriah (2 Chronicles 3:1), near the place called Golgotha, where more centuries later Christ was crucified (John 19:17). It is about 80 kilometres from Beersheba, or a three-day trip for Abraham and his small entourage. The holocaust was the sacrifice (of animals) used until the introduction of the Mosaic Law, and is a type of the vicarious death of Christ.

On the third day Abraham saw the place in the distance, so took the wood and laid it on Isaac (the LORD Jesus bore his cross), taking the fire (type of trial), and a knife (type of punishment and sacrifice) himself. Such was his faith that Isaac would return with him, that he told the two servants "we will come back to you."

Between chapter 21, when Isaac was born, and 23, when Sarah died, there is an interval of 37 years. Isaac was already quite strong on this occasion, for he carried a heavy burden containing wood for the sacrifice (v. 6); he was therefore far beyond adolescence, possibly close to 30 years old.

Isaac was surprised they were not taking a lamb for the sacrifice and asked his father where it was, and Abraham gave a prophetic answer “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” On this occasion God provided a ram for them: the Lamb came almost two thousand years later (John 1:29).

The obedience of Isaac (a young man) allowing his father (an old centennial) to bind him for sacrifice was awesome. Likewise Christ was obedient unto death, saying “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done" (Luke 22:42).

Abraham also was obedient, and having prepared everything, took the knife to slay his son. At this moment the Angel of the LORD prevented him from doing this, calling his name from heaven and telling not to hurt Isaac, because he had proved that he feared God since he had not withheld his only son from Him (the Angel) – this is another instance where the Angel of God seems to indicate that He was God, the second person of the trinity.

God stopped Abraham from sacrificing his son because it would be a sin against God (Genesis 9:5,6), but He did not spare His own Son, and delivered Him to die for us (Romans 8:32). The ram that Abraham found immediately after on the site, and sacrificed instead of Isaac, illustrates the substitutionary sacrifice of the Lamb of God (John 1:29).

Then Abraham called that place “The LORD Will Provide”, giving origin to the saying "In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided", which was strictly fulfilled with the crucifixion of Christ on that same place.

As a result of this test of loyalty, the Angel of the LORD renewed his promise, this time vowing for the first time (as Abraham had done to Abimelech), and increasing its amplitude, implicitly referring to Jesus Christ when he promises that in his seed would be blessed all the nations of the earth (Galatians 3:16).

Abraham believed the word of God and was obedient to the point of proving to all who witnessed his actions, even we who read the Bible, that he would sacrifice his beloved son Isaac, if God required it of him. Abraham was justified by his faith, but had to prove that he had that faith.

This chapter ends with news given to Abraham about the children and grandchildren of his brother Nahor, who he had by his wife and niece Milcah (Genesis 11:27-29), also a niece of Abraham, and of four children he had through Reumah his concubine. From this family both Isaac and Jacob took their wives later, as we shall see.

R David Jones

 

 

1 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."
2 Then He said, "Take now 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."
3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.
4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.
5 And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you."
6 So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together.
7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am, my son." Then he said, "Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"
8 And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering." So the two of them went together.
9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.
11 But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am."
12 And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."
13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, "In the Mount of the LORD it shall be provided."
15 Then the Angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of heaven,
16 and said: "By Myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—
17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice."
19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.
20 Now it came to pass after these things that it was told Abraham, saying, "Indeed Milcah also has borne children to your brother Nahor:
21 Huz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,
22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel."
23 And Bethuel begot Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham's brother.
24 His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Thahash, and Maachah.

Genesis chapter 22