A. Isaac was the son for whom Abraham and Sarah had waited all their lives, and yet God called upon Abraham to take Isaac's life by his own hand.
B. Why would God make such a demand upon His most loyal servant? How would Abraham respond to God's unprecedented commandment? How could this commandment fit into the plan of God? The answers to these questions are wonderful for building our faith and helping us to understand the workings of God.
II. THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD
A. In order to test Abraham, God commanded him to sacrifice his son Isaac as a burnt offering (Gen. 22:1-2).
1. The word "tested” (NASB) or "tempted” (KJV) means that God was proving Abraham and not that He was tempting Abraham to do evil (Jas. 1:13).
2. God was very clear about the object of this sacrifice: "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac…”
a. Abraham was not allowed to substitute a bull, a ram, a servant, or even Ishmael, his son by Hagar.
b. Only Isaac – the only son of Abraham and Sarah, the child of Abraham's old age, the child of promise – would suffice for this sacrifice.
3. The mode of the sacrifice was also very clear: "…go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.”
a. Isaac's life was to be taken and his body reduced to ashes as a burnt sacrifice.
b. Also, it was Abraham who was required to take the life of his own son. No one else would be allowed to shed the blood of Isaac on Abraham's behalf.
B. Consider the difficulties presented to Abraham in carrying out this commandment.
1. This was strange and unprecedented, for nothing like this had ever been commanded by God before. In fact, it was a violation of God's own law (Gen. 9:5-6).
2. The death of Isaac would seemingly prevent the fulfillment of God's promises through Isaac regarding the nation and the seed (Gen. 12:1-3).
3. The personal loss and hurt to both Abraham and Sarah would be devastating.
III. THE OBEDIENCE OF ABRAHAM
A. Without a word of protest, Abraham proceeded to obey God (Gen. 22:3-10).
B. Consider the qualities of Abraham's obedience.
1. The obedience of Abraham was prompt.
a. Abraham did not hesitate, delay, or seek excuses. He required no time to consider whether he would comply with God's commandment.
b. Abraham did not question God's commandment or ask for a reprieve. He required no explanation before he obeyed God.
2. The obedience of Abraham was deliberate.
a. Abraham's manner was not affected by the anguish that must have gripped him. Nothing would sidetrack him from carrying out God's commandment.
b. In the early morning, Abraham deliberately prepared the donkey, the young male-servants, the wood, and Isaac, and he departed for Moriah.
3. The obedience of Abraham was persevering.
a. Moriah was a three-days' journey from Abraham's dwelling, so there was plenty of time for Abraham to turn back from this burdensome task. Nevertheless, Abraham persevered to the end.
b. During the last stretch of the journey, Abraham walked alone with Isaac as Isaac carried the wood for his own sacrifice on his back. Isaac even asked about a lamb for the sacrifice, but Abraham did not turn back.
c. Finally, Abraham prepared the altar and the wood, bound his son, and laid him on the altar. His obedient heart did not fail when he "stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son” (v. 10).
C. When Abraham was proved, the angel of the LORD interceded to prevent Isaac's death (Gen. 22:11-12).
1. Abraham was commanded not to harm Isaac, and it was at this moment when Abraham was told the meaning of this trial: "…now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me” (v. 12).
2. Although Isaac was allowed to live, this act of faith was credited to Abraham as complete obedience and righteousness.
IV. WHAT WAS ABRAHAM THINKNING?
A. By Abraham's deeds, it is evident that his mind's first priority was to obey God at all costs.
1. If Abraham's first priority had been Isaac, Sarah, himself, or the interests of anyone else other than God, then he would have acted differently.
2. As it was, Abraham's prompt, deliberate, and persevering obedience showed his true devotion to God above all others.
B. By inspiration, the Scriptures also give us insight into Abraham's confidence in God's power to make this difficult situation work out well.
1. Notice Hebrews 11:17-19 – "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your descendants shall be called.' He considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type.”
2. This shows how Abraham's faith in God did not waver despite the strange commandment that was seemingly incompatible with God's promises and laws.
a. For all of the difficulties presented by God's demand for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham simply trusted that God had the power to make it work out, even if it required raising Isaac from the dead.
b. Compare Abraham's thinking to the message of Romans 8:28 – "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
3. Consider a few points from Hebrews 11:17-19.
a. The Scripture says that Abraham "offered up Isaac.” Although God prevented Abraham from slaying Isaac, the offering was complete and pleasing to God.
b. We cannot miss the similarity of Abraham's offering to that of God's offering of Christ, for both Isaac and Jesus are described as "only begotten” sons (John 3:16). Abraham's willingness to give his only begotten son foreshadowed the willingness of the Holy Father to give His only begotten Son.
c. Just as the phrase "offered up Isaac” indicates that Isaac was virtually dead, so also the phrase "he also received him back as a type” indicates that Isaac was virtually raised from the dead. This was a foreshadowing of the resurrection of Christ.
C. We get further insight into Abraham's thinking by considering his conversation with Isaac.
1. When Isaac asked about the lamb for the sacrifice, Abraham said simply, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son” (Gen. 22:8).
2. When God stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac and providentially supplied a ram to substitute for Isaac, Abraham gratefully named that place Jehovahjireh, which means "The LORD Will Provide” (Gen. 22:14).
3. Notice that once again the sacrifice of Christ was foreshadowed, for God provided the Lamb to be sacrificed in our place (Rom. 5:8; Rev. 5:12-13).
V. CONCLUSION
A. The trial of Abraham is a great demonstration of James' message in James 1:2-4 – "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
B. When we face our own trials, let us recall the example of Abraham so that "endurance may have its perfect result” and that God may know that we fear Him.
VI. POST-SCRIPT APPLICATION: CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM
A. The Jews took pride in being the children of Abraham, but they did not understand that the true lineage was by faith in God's promises rather than by Abraham's physical decent.
1. The Jews kept meticulous records of lineages, tribes, and families so that they could trace themselves back to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, they often lacked the most important family trait, which was faith.
2. In John 8:31-47, Jesus identified the true father of the unfaithful, disobedient Jews by their deeds.
a. Jesus taught them the lesson of "like father, like son.”
i. When they claimed to be children of Abraham, Jesus said, "If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham” (v. 39).
ii. When they claimed to be children of God, Jesus said, "If God were your Father, you would love Me” (v. 42).
b. Instead of resembling Abraham or God, the deeds of these men resembled the deeds of their true father, the devil (vv. 40-41, 44-45).
3. Paul explained the true, spiritual lineage of Abraham in Romans 9:6-8 – "But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; nor are they all children because they are Abraham's descendants, but: ‘Through Isaac your descendants will be named.' That is, it is not the children of the flesh who are children of God, but the children of the promise are regarded as descendants.”
B. Indeed, those who are of the spiritual lineage of Abraham by faith are his true children.
1. The Gentiles became children of Abraham through faith according to God's promise.
a. Notice Galatians 3:7-9 – "Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham. The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘All the nations will be blessed in you.' So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.”
b. The blessing of all nations in Abraham comes through faith in the likeness of Abraham.
2. Specifically, all persons may become children of Abraham and children of God through faithful obedience to the gospel of Christ.
a. Notice Galatians 3:27-29 – "For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise.”
b. The seed of Abraham through which all nations are blessed is Jesus Christ. In Christ, physical lineages means nothing, but faith like Abraham justifies believers.
C. Do you bear the likeness of Abraham by your faith?
1. There are two necessary elements for faith in the likeness of Abraham.
a. One element is belief: "For what does the Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.'” (Rom. 4:3)
b. The other element is works: "Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘And Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,' and he was called the friend of God.” (Jas. 2:21-23)
2. Do you believe and work like Abraham?
a. Do your beliefs and works give evidence that God has first priority for you in all things just as He did for Abraham?
b. Do your beliefs and works give evidence of your conviction that God is able to make even difficult situations work out well (Rom. 8:28; Heb. 11:17-19)?
c. Do your beliefs and works give evidence of your conviction that God will provide for you all that is needed (Gen. 22:8, 14; Phil. 4:13; 2Pet. 1:3)?
3. If we have faith like Abraham, then we may be his children indeed, and we may likewise be called friends of God (2Chron. 20:7; Jas. 2:23).
