Scripture: After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take 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.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together.
When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The LORD will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.”
Genesis 22:1-14 ESV [Click here to read the entire chapter.]
Observation: Recapping Friday’s Daily Focus, Abimelech strikes a treaty with Abraham under oath to God that Abraham will not mistreat him, his descendants, or his land. After resolving an issue regarding Abimelech’s men seizing a well of Abraham’s, the two consummate the treaty at Beersheba, with Abraham presenting gifts of sheep and oxen to Abimelech plus seven ewe lambs to cover the price of the disputed well. Moses concludes with an epilogue, telling the reading audience that Abimelech and his commander Phicol returned to Philistia. Meanwhile, Abraham plants a tamarisk tree at the site, calling on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting (Enduring) God, having sojourned many days in Philistia.
Today’s reading presents a second interlude: the ultimate test of Abraham’s fear of and faith in God. As God called Abraham to journey to a Promised Land and leave behind all that was dear to him (12:1-2), he again calls the patriarch to go to this Promised Land (Moriah) and leave behind his only heir to the covenantal promise: Isaac. As such, the Lord instructs Abraham to go to the “land of Moriah.” So, without delay or discussion with Sarah, Abraham sets off with Isaac, two servants, and the necessary accouterments. Drawing near their destination, Abraham leaves his servants behind and continues with his son. Along the way, Isaac innocently inquires where the lamb is for the sacrifice. Abraham replies that “God will provide for himself the lamb” (v.8). Reaching the designated site, Abraham builds an altar, straps Isaac to it, and draws his knife to slaughter his son, but God indeed provides the substitute with a ram caught in the thickets (v.13).
Theological note: In verse 1, Moses refers to God as ʾelohim. It is the plural form and translates as “The God.” The only other occurrence of ʾelohim in the context of being tested appears in Exodus 20:20, where Moses tells Israel that the fear of God will avert their sinning against God. This correlation is undoubtedly true of Abraham, for if he had feared losing Isaac over the fear of the Lord, he would have sinned against the Lord and compromised his faith journey and the opportunity to mature his trust in and love for his Lord, “The God.”
Takeaway: Rich in biblical history, Mount Moriah symbolizes where God calls his people to offer their best. For Abraham, it was his one and only son of the covenant promise. For King David, it was a substitute animal sacrifice at Araunah’s threshing floor to end the nation’s suffering (a plague caused by David conducting a census violating Mosaic law; 2 Samuel 24:18-25). Then, commemorating the significance of Mount Moriah, Solomon constructs the Temple of the Lord on this sacred ground (2 Chronicles 3:1), where the priesthood would continue to offer animal sacrifices to the Lord to atone for the nation’s sins. Finally, a millennium later, on this same mount, the roles would turn. The Father would demonstrate his extravagant love for us at an unfathomable cost by providing a final and complete sacrifice for our sins. Unlike Abraham or David, there would be no substitute. Instead, his Son would become an offering to us.
Our takeaway? We offer our best to ʾelohim: our lives, dreams, hopes, and treasures. For all that we possess comes from him and rightfully belongs to him. Easier said than done? Yep! But if we tap into our Lord’s grace and cooperate with his Holy Spirit, who will foster a healthy fear of and trust in the Lord, we will learn to look beyond what our Lord asks of us with humility and gratitude for how he sacrificed his Son for us. And we will mature in our faith, trusting that our Giver of good gifts will fill the void with something much better and of eternal value: more of him!
Prayer: Father God, we thank you for giving us your best in the sacrificial offering of your Son. Still, we confess that when it comes to our health, loved ones, and overall welfare, we struggle to offer these elements of our lives to you. So, when your Holy Spirit prompts us, please help us obey with gratitude, humility, and trust in your goodness so that in giving you our best, we might make room for more of you in our hearts and minds and grow in our love for and joy in you. Amen.
Rev. Gordon Green, M.Div., M.A. Counseling
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