Command and Context

        
THE COMMAND
          While the first example of Abraham’s faith had more to do with the acceptance of God’s plan and will (destiny) for his life, this example focuses on Abraham’s complete and unwavering obedience to what appeared to be a horrendous and outlandish request from God. Would Abraham trust in His God despite the apparent absurdity of the demand?
          Let us first recall one of the promised blessings from God to Abraham if he obeyed, left his homeland, and journeyed to a strange land. Yahweh promised that Abraham’s “seed” or descendants would number more than the stars in the sky. He would make a mighty nation from Abraham and bless them.
          So Abraham obeyed and followed God’s plan. He moved to Canaan. And finally, after many difficult years, Sarah and Abraham had a child. They named him Isaac. Also recall that up until that time they were unable to have children. So this was undoubtedly the beginning of the fulfillment of God’s promise.
          I am sure that Abraham felt more comfortable about his decision to trust in God and His promises at this particular time in his life. He and his family had settled into the new land of Canaan. They now had a son. God was fulfilling His promises. But then, as it often does, lightning struck out of nowhere. God commanded Abraham to take his child Isaac to Mount Moriah and sacrifice him for an offering unto the Lord.
          What??? That’s insane in so many different ways! First, this is the taking of someone’s life (duh!), not to mention the life of a child! Second, this is the child You (God) promised me and gave me. This is the child who will inherit all of those blessings that you guaranteed. I left my home and followed you into a strange land, and this is what I get? Are you reneging on your promises?
          Actually, that would have been my own conversation with God. It was not Abraham’s. Listen closely to the next verse for Abraham’s response (Genesis 22:3), “Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac.”

          What? Are you kidding me? It’s so…so… matter of fact! I mean God tells Abe to go and sacrifice his son, so he simply responds by packing his donkey and heading out to do it? What’s with that? What it reveals is a more resolute, profound confidence in God than I can imagine. Folks, this is faith. 
 
CONTEXT
          To place this passage in context, human sacrifice was not (sadly) entirely unacceptable in this ancient world of the near east. There are a few instances in cultures where a child sacrifice would occasionally be considered acceptable as a means of appeasing their gods. So this was a different world than the world we live in. Also, the one true God (Yahweh), the Creator of the universe, was not yet fully revealed to the people in that ancient world. In other words, the God of perfect love and the value He places on life was not as evident to them as it is to us. Nevertheless, the child was still obviously a valued life.
Plus, let me repeat, the child Isaac was the miraculous beginning of the realization of God’s promise. If Abraham sacrificed the promised “seed” through which his descendants would spring, then how could the covenant ever be fulfilled? This simply did not make any logical sense to the human mind and heart.
          So why would Abraham so “blindly” follow such an outrageous request? This is the definition of faith. Faith means such a total trust in God that we believe His word and His plan even when it does not completely coincide with our own human reasoning or feelings or goals. In this case, Abraham was called to trust in God despite everything within his own heart and soul crying out, “How can this be right?” and “How can I be expected to do this?”
          How? Let me reiterate. Abraham had unshakeable confidence in his Lord. This is faith!
          For those of you who are unfamiliar with the story, Abraham takes his son to the designated mountain for the sacrifice. What an excruciating hike that must have been! He places his own son on the makeshift altar, raises his knife, and prepares to obey the Lord’s decree. At the last second, an Angel of the Lord intervenes and stops Abraham.