Genesis 22:1-4Later on, God tested Abraham’s faith and obedience.
“Abraham!” God called.
“Yes, Lord?” he replied.
“Take with you your only son—yes, Isaac whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah and sacrifice him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I’ll point out to you!”
The next morning Abraham got up early, chopped wood for a fire upon the altar, saddled his donkey, and took with him his son Isaac and two young men who were his servants, and started off to the place where God had told him to go. On the third day of the journey Abraham saw the place in the distance.
Talk about testing somebody’s faith! God has repeatedly told Abraham that Isaac will inherit through him and that all the nations of the earth will be blessed because of Isaac. But now God is ordering Abraham to offer up Isaac as a burnt offering, and Abraham doesn’t argue or question, but makes preparations and begins heading for the mountains as God has directed. Does Abraham inform Sarah before Isaac and he leave with two servants? Doubtful! If Abraham were to inform Sarah, Sarah would probably have pitched a fit, wailing and crying, accusing Abraham of being crazy. Frankly, Abraham feels horrible, watching Isaac, his beautiful boy stride ahead of the donkey. As Isaac drops back to walk along side Abraham and the donkey, Abraham can’t help noticing how Isaac’s skin glows with a light tan, how tightly his jet-black hair curls, and how handsome his arms and legs are. Abraham cherishes every bit of Isaac, and the thought of having to slaughter him and burn his beautiful body is almost more than Abraham can bear.
5-8 “Stay here with the donkey,” Abraham told the young men, “and the lad and I will travel yonder and worship, and then come right back.”
Abraham placed the wood for the burnt offering upon Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the knife and the flint for striking a fire. So the two of them went on together.
“Father,” Isaac asked, “we have the wood and the flint to make the fire, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?”
“God will see to it, my son,” Abraham replied. And they went on.
By now, Abraham is groaning inside! God has demanded obedience from Abraham in the past, but this test is so severe that Abraham doesn’t know how he can go through with it. The higher Abraham and Isaac climb, the more Abraham’s steps drag. Isaac, meanwhile, doesn’t notice anything apart from observing that his elderly father seems to tire more easily than normal. When Isaac asks about the lamb for the sacrifice, it’s all Abraham can do to choke out his reply. Abraham looks heavenward, questioning the Lord, but God isn’t saying anything.
9-14 When they arrived at the place where God had told Abraham to go, he built an altar and placed the wood in order, ready for the fire, and then tied Isaac and laid him on the altar over the wood. And Abraham took the knife and lifted it up to plunge it into his son, to slay him.
At that moment the Angel of God shouted to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Yes, Lord!” he answered.
“Lay down the knife; don’t hurt the lad in any way,” the Angel said, “for I know that God is first in your life—you have not withheld even your beloved son from me.”
Then Abraham noticed a ram caught by its horns in a bush. So he took the ram and sacrificed it, instead of his son, as a burnt offering on the altar. Abraham named the place “Jehovah provides”—and it still goes by that name to this day.
Abraham and Isaac are about to collapse in relief! Abraham has dragged himself to the top of the mountain, building an altar with stones that seem to have tripled in weight. With trembling hands, Abraham has picked up the knife, looking once more into the face of the son whom he loves so much. How can Abraham possibly harm this young man, let alone kill him? Just as Abraham is raising the knife in both hands, the Angel of God suddenly shouts to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
“Yes, Lord!” he answered.
“Lay down the knife; don’t hurt the lad in any way,” the Angel said, “for I know that God is first in your life—you have not withheld even your beloved son from me.”
That’s when Abraham suddenly notices the ram caught by its horns in a nearby bush. Trembling with relief, Abraham unties Isaac, helping him off the altar, and cuts the ram’s throat, sacrificing it instead.
Abraham has waited until the age of 100 for Isaac to be born. Now Jewish traditions tell us that Abraham is likely 125 years old, with Isaac being 25 years old. Isaac is old enough to marry, and Abraham and Sarah have likely been discussing the question of a wife for Isaac. Now, just as Isaac’s parents’ plans are about to go forward, God demands that Abraham sacrifice Isaac as a burnt offering, dashing all those plans. What kind of comfort is this? Why is God being so cruel to Abraham and Sarah? Haven’t they already suffered enough? And what about Isaac? If Isaac is 25 years old, he’s certainly old enough to question his father’s judgment.
If you’re identifying with Abraham and Sarah here, you’re not alone. Many of us have gone forward in faith, believing that we are fulfilling God’s will for our lives, only to find things falling apart. People and organizations whom we have trusted have disappointed us, perhaps even betraying us, leaving us in despair. Where is God’s comfort in the middle of such chaos? And why, when we are doing what God wants us to do, is God asking us to give up those things most dear to us? What are Gods’ promises of comfort worth in the midst of such chaos?
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 tells us, “What a wonderful God we have—he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us.You can be sure that the more we undergo sufferings for Christ, the more he will shower us with his comfort and encouragement.
Few things are worse than nearly having to slaughter your only son and then burn his body. And this is after Abraham has suffered all kinds of other trials over 125 years. If anybody needs comfort, it’s Abraham. But now that Abraham has come through this test, for the rest of his life, he will be qualified to comfort others, no matter their problems. Abraham can honestly testify that God is a Comforter who works miracles of provision.
Genesis 22:15-18 Then the Angel of God called again to Abraham from heaven. “I, the Lord, have sworn by myself that because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your beloved son from me, I will bless you with incredible blessings and multiply your descendants into countless thousands and millions, like the stars above you in the sky, and like the sands along the seashore. They will conquer their enemies, and your offspring will be a blessing to all the nations of the earth—all because you have obeyed me.” So they returned to his young men and traveled home again to Beer-sheba.
Once more, God reaffirms His promises to Abraham. Not only is God promising Abraham offspring but He’s also promising that Abraham’s offspring will conquer their enemies and will be a blessing to all the nations of the earth, all because of Abraham’s obedience. Considering the fact that God has just provided a ram for an offering, Abraham is not about to question God’s sincerity.
Centuries later, the prophet Samuel will confront King Saul, telling Saul that obedience is better than sacrifice and that rebellion is the same thing as witchcraft. (1 Samuel 15:22-23) Abraham’s obedience in the face of the threat to his son’s life leads to God’s assurance of comfort. God doesn’t play favorites; when we obey, God sends comfort.
By now, you might be thinking about recent attacks on Christians in Nigeria and Sudan. “But what about those people who were slaughtered while they worshiped? Revelation 6:9-11 And when he broke open the fifth seal, I saw an altar, and underneath it all the souls of those who had been martyred for preaching the Word of God and for being faithful in their witnessing. They called loudly to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long will it be before you judge the people of the earth for what they’ve done to us? When will you avenge our blood against those living on the earth?” White robes were given to each of them, and they were told to rest a little longer until their other brothers, fellow servants of Jesus, had been martyred on the earth and joined them.
Those Christians martyred for their faith immediately go to heaven, where God brings comfort of a kind not available on earth. In heaven, God truly proves Himself to be the God of all Comfort. So no matter where we are, no matter our circumstances, God remains our supreme Comforter. You can bring your worries to Him, confident that He will hear and that He will act.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, many of us are burdened and feel as if we are collapsing. Please help all who come to You to KNOW that You are truly the God of all Comfort. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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