23 Jan

Abraham had an unwavering faith in the Lord, who had promised him a nation of offspring and to make his name great. Like Noah, Abraham had showed total obedience to God, and was willing to follow his instructions even while unable to predict the outcome. God had rewarded Abraham by making a covenant with him, and coming to him in a dream. So when God asks Abraham to sacrifice his only son in Genesis 22, the son who had been born out of a miracle of God, Abraham does not hesitate in trusting God. His decision to sacrifice Isaac is just another indication of Abraham’s ultimate trust in God which he had already shown. In 22:5 and 22:8, Abraham is unsure of what God has in mind, and so he speaks figuratively. His sacrifice will be an act of worship, to be sure, and his son is meant to be the sacrificial lamb. God is seeking to bring about a greater good with his proposal for the sacrifice of Isaac, Abraham’s son. Obviously, Isaac is not ultimately killed, but Abraham is able to trust in God freely, without any assurance from God of what may result from killing his son. Abraham’s exercise of trust is much more complete and fulfilling when it is done by his own free will than if God had forced him to make a sacrifice. Abraham can be honored for his virtue of obedience, and God is also praiseworthy for bringing about these virtues in us. The story of Abraham is the continuation of Noah’s, but lived out more completely. Readers see how fully committed one can be to the Lord, and the great gifts He bestows on us when we choose to follow his will. Abraham’s love for God was above anything else in his life, and his sacrifices to the Lord were genuine and freely acted.