Introduction
Abraham’s faith is severely tested.
Verses
2He said, “Now take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.”
3Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey; and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him.
4On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off.
5Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there. We will worship, and come back to you.”
6Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. He took in his hand the fire and the knife. They both went together.
7Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, “My father?”
He said, “Here I am, my son.”
He said, “Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
He said, “Here I am, my son.”
He said, “Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
8Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they both went together.
9They came to the place which God had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood.
10Abraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to kill his son.
12He said, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy 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.”
13Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
14Abraham called the name of that place “the LORD Will Provide”. As it is said to this day, “On The LORD’s mountain, it will be provided.”
15The LORD’s angel called to Abraham a second time out of the sky,
16and said, “ ‘I have sworn by myself,’ says the LORD, ‘because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son,
17that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your offspring greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gate of his enemies.
18All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring, because you have obeyed my voice.’ ”
19So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.
20After these things, Abraham was told, “Behold, Milcah, she also has borne children to your brother Nahor:
21Uz his firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram,
22Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.”
23Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother.
24His concubine, whose name was Reumah, also bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.
Questions
1. Where was Abraham told to go to sacrifice his son, Isaac?
v 2 ... go into the land of Moriah. ...
2. In verse 5, what does Abraham say that makes us think he believed God would raise Isaac if he sacrificed him?
v 5 Abraham said ... The boy and I will go over there. We will worship, and come back to you."
3. Why did God ask Abraham to sacrifice Isaac?
v 12 He said, “Don’t lay your hand on the boy 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.”
Summary Points
- v 1 to 10 God tests Abraham's faith to the limit by asking him to sacrifice his son. (Hebrews 11 v 19 tells us Abraham believed that God could raise Isaac from the dead). He makes the three day journey and prepares to sacrifice Isaac
- v 11 to 14 God stops him at the last moment and Abraham sacrifices a ram instead of Isaac
- v 15 to 18 Because Abraham has shown such great faith, God promises that:
- he will be greatly blessed
- he will have many offspring
- his offspring's enemies will be defeated
- all nations will be blessed by his offspring
- v 19 to 24 After returning to Beersheba, Abraham hears news of his brother's family
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