8. ABRAHAM OFFERS ISAAC

"By faith, Abraham when he was tried, offered up Isaac."

Aim

To show how God tested Abraham and found him faithful.

Abraham was 86 years old when Ishmael was born (Gen. 16:16). It was not until 13 years later that God told Abraham that he and Sarah would have a son, whom they would call Isaac (Gen. 17:15-22). And so it came to pass as God had promised (Gen. 21:2,3).

Genesis 22:1-19

GOD TESTS THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM: Genesis 22:1-8

We can imagine the great joy Isaac brought to his parents. They had waited so long for him. As they watched him grow up, loving God's Word, and obedient to His truth, they saw him developing into a man fit to receive the blessing of God. We too can be like Isaac, believing and trusting in God, for we have His instruction in the Scriptures to show us how to live.

The years passed and Isaac grew to be a young man. Then, when the lives of Abraham and Sarah were made happy and full by the presence of their dutiful and obedient son, God said, "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of." (Gen. 22:2). What a test of faith! Notice how God recognised Abraham's love for Isaac, calling him, "thine only son whom thou lovest". How heavy the heart of Abraham must have felt as he thought of slaying his beloved son of promise. But, though his love for Isaac was great, his love for God was greater. He realised the great truth that we must all remember that love for man must never take the place of the love of God. So Abraham willingly obeyed God's command and went to give his son for a sacrifice. He knew that even if Isaac died, God would raise him to life again and so fulfil the promise that had to come through him, for God had said, "In Isaac shall thy seed be called" (Gen. 21:12).

Abraham did not hesitate. Early next morning he rose, made all the necessary preparations, and set out with Isaac and two young men for Moriah, a distance of three days' journey. They took with them everything for a sacrifice, except the offering. That puzzled Isaac; so he asked, "My father, behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?" And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering" (w. 7-8).

Before they got to the place God had appointed, Abraham left the young men behind, saying, "I and the lad will go yonder and worship and come again to you". It is clear that Abraham expected Isaac to return with him. But what if Isaac died? Abraham really believed that he would die, but he saw in Isaac the promised seed, and he knew God would raise him from the dead (see Hebrews. 11:19). They climbed the mountain alone. The Bible says, "They went both of them together". The father and his son were united together in a common purpose.

GOD PROVIDES AN OFFERING: Genesis 22:9-14

The altar was made ready and the wood laid in place. Abraham took Isaac, tied him up and lifted him onto the altar. He then stretched out his hand to take the knife to slay his son. Suddenly the silence was broken by an angel of God calling his name: "Abraham, Abraham!" Quickly he replied, "Here am I", and he was told, "Lay not thine hand upon the lad, for now I know that thou fearest God" (w. 9-12). Abraham looked around and turning, saw behind him a ram caught in a bush. God had provided Himself a sacrifice; so Abraham went and took the ram and offered it instead of his son (v. 13).

GOD BLESSES FAITHFUL ABRAHAM: Genesis 22:15-19 The angel called to Abraham a second time after he offered the ram upon the altar. He told Abraham that because of his great faith, God would

1. bless him;

2. give him a numerous seed "as the stars of heaven";

3. give his seed power to conquer and rule "in the gate of his enemies";

4. bring peace and happiness to the world again, "for in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed".

So that faithful man Abraham and the son whom he loved, returned to the young men they had left waiting with the ass. God had shown His love for them and they rejoiced together in the promises He had made. Now, as to these promises, they will all be fulfilled when Jesus comes again, for he is Abraham's seed (Gal. 3:16), with those who follow his example (Gal. 3:26-29). Abraham will be raised from the dead to receive God's blessing forever, together with all who are faithful to the things of God (Galatians. 3:7,8).

LESSON FOR US

God made such wonderful promises to Abraham "because", He said, "thou hast obeyed My voice" (22:18). Once again we learn the simple lesson, that God wants us to believe and obey Him. It is a simple lesson, but we all know how hard it is sometimes to obey. Other things often seem more tempting and then we disobey. The choice seems hard. How hard it must have been for Abraham to believe that God really would look after Isaac; but he did believe and we must have that same faith.

Let us try, in all the little things we are asked to do to obey. "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right" (Ephesians. 6:1). By obeying we are pleasing God and He will accept us as His children.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

What Abraham had done in offering Isaac, pointed forward to what God would do in offering His only Son as a sacrifice to save us from sin and death. He died just outside Jerusalem near the same spot where Isaac was laid on the altar. Jesus died, but God raised him from the dead to die no more (Rom. 6:9). His resurrection is the guarantee that Abraham and Isaac will also be raised and God will give them all that He has promised.

QUESTIONS

Short Answers

1. What was the name of Hagar's son?

2. Was Hagar's son the seed God promised to Abraham ?

3. How did God test Abraham's faith?

4. Where did Isaac and his father journey for the sacrifice?

5. How long did it take?

6. What did Abraham say to the young men who went with him and Isaac?

7. What did Abraham offer instead of Isaac?

8. Who provided the sacrifice?

9. Who was the great seed through whom God would bless ALL nations?

10. What two things did Abraham do that we must also do?

Detailed Answers

1. Abraham was called the "father of the faithful". Tell the story of how God tested Abraham's great faith by asking him to kill his son Isaac.

2. Because Abraham would willingly have offered his beloved son Isaac as a sacrifice, God made some wonderful promises to him.

(a) What were the promises?

(b) When will God fulfil all these promises to Abraham?

Additional Questions

3. Isaac went obediently with his father Abraham to Moriah.

(a) Who was the greater than Isaac who obeyed his Father and became a willing sacrifice?

(b) Did Abraham believe his son Isaac would receive his life again if he sacrificed him?

(c) Why did he have such confidence to believe this fact?