Summary of Genesis 22:1-10:
At some point, God tells Abraham to take his son, Isaac, to Moriah and sacrifice him to God as a burnt offering. The next morning, Abraham, Isaac, and two servants set out for the place God told him about after Abraham cut all of the wood needed for the burnt offering. On the third day, they arrived. Abraham left his two servants while he and Isaac continued to the exact place God had told Abraham to go. Isaac, being a smart kid, asks his father where is the lamb for the sacrifice. Abraham says God will provide one (indeed He does — Jesus).
When they finally reach this place, Abraham builds the altar with the wood and bounds his son, placing Isaac on top of the wood. As he goes to slay him, an angel of the Lord calls out to him to tell him to stop.
BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 14, Day 2: Genesis 22:1-10
3) Isaac will be the father that will reckon (or make clean) all of mankind. The writer of Hebrews tells us that Abraham did not doubt God because he knew God could raise the dead.
4) Personal Question. My answer: God will often bring us to the edge, but then He pulls us back just before we fall off.
5a) We are not told that he ever questioned God. He does exactly as God tells him.
b) Like Abraham, faith. Faith helps me to keep moving forward because I know God has it and it will all work out in the end.
6) Jesus was willing to lay down his life for others. Isaac probably knew and suspected he was the sacrifice but he trusted his father enough to not say anything. I’m pretty sure Isaac could have fought off Abraham when he went to bound him since Abraham is old and Isaac is a strong young man. But he didn’t. He willingly let Abraham tie him up, and Jesus willingly sacrified his life in obedience to the Father.
Conclusions BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 14, Day 2: Genesis 22:1-10
I totally saw Isaac forshadowing Jesus here. Abraham also answers, “Here I am,” which shows he is willing to be obedient to God. This should be how we answer God’s call on our lives as well. He tells Abraham to take his only son whom he loves, which is God’s relationship to Jesus. He says, “Here I am,” again when the angel of the Lord calls on him in verse 11. We see Abraham after 100 years finally trust God. The mountain that Abraham climbs will later become Jerusalem, where God does provide his only son as a sacrifice. I love how all of the Bible is interconnected.
Abraham knows God will provide the lamb, and 2,000 years later, He does — Jesus. (John 1:29)
End Notes BSF Study Questions Genesis: Lesson 14, Day 2: Genesis 22:1-10
Abraham will now face the ultimate test of faith: the sacrifice of his son, Isaac.
Remember that Ismael has now left (Genesis 21:8-14), leaving Isaac as Abraham’s only son.
Fun Fact: This is the first time “love” is used in the Bible. Note it is “agape” love, the love between a father and a son. I’m wondering if this word was used before this.
Burnt offerings are killed first and then sacrificed. There is not burning alive, which is tortuous, with God.
Note that God does not believe in human sacrifice as the pagan nations around them did. The whole point of this story is to show that. Note, too, that God has never asked this of anyone since Abraham. This would be a one-time act specifically designed to test Abraham that would not be repeated (as of yet) in human history.
You trust the One who promises over the actual promises themselves.
We see no signs of doubt, hesitancy, or questions. Abraham unequivocally obeys, as we should. Abraham had 3 days to turn around and not do this. He does not. It also must have been tortuous the walk, knowing what he had to do.
Fun Fact: This is the first time we see worship God in the Bible.
Intent Over Deed
Note Abraham said “we” will come back. This is why Bible scholars believe Abraham thought Isaac would be raised from the dead due to the promised covenant of Isaac having many descendants and of bringing forth the redeemer.
Abraham knew God would keep His promises. Therefore, Isaac would walk away from this one way or another.
Isaac is willingly walking with Abraham. As I said in the conclusions, Isaac was not dumb. He knew he was the sacrifice and did not fight it.
Isaac carries his own wood as Jesus carried the cross of wood.
Note Abraham did not know how God would raise Isaac or provide the lamb. He trusted God would. We need to trust God will do as He says and leave the rest up to Him.
Some Bible scholars think Isaac may have been 33 years old at this time, like Jesus will be at his death.
Notice that God accepts Abraham’s heart — that he is willing to sacrifice his son. It’s the intent that matters, not the deed. Oftentimes in our lives, it’s our intent and willingness that matters. If we have that, obedience follows naturally.
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