The life of Abraham is a very interesting subject of study. His life history is found in the Old Testament book of Genesis, and he is mentioned in in many New Testament books. One of the most impressive events of his life is that of his attempted sacrifice of his son, at the command of God, that is found in Genesis 22.

 

Sometimes things happen in our life that we never expect. I am sure that when God spoke to him, he was not expecting what God would require of him. We find in Genesis 22:2:

 

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.”

 

It is important that we read this account, not as just a story or fable, but as an actual occurrence! This was the son that Abraham had wanted so much and waited for so long. He was the son that God had promised, who would continue his lineage. If he were to kill him, then how would that be fulfilled? Hebrews 11:17 makes reference to that, saying the following:

 

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”

 

What is the reaction of Abraham to this commandment of God that he should sacrifice his son? The interesting thing about the reaction is that, according to what we have written, there appears to be no questioning, no “How could this be?” No, “How can you, a just God ask this of me?” The following is what we have recorded in Genesis 22:3:

 

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.

 

This is all that is recorded about it here in the Genesis account. The Scripture does not even say if he told his wife what he intended to do, and he certainly did not say anything to his son. We know this because his son, as they make the final walk to the place of sacrifice, asks him where the sacrifice is. Abraham simply replied that God would provide. Nor does the Scripture explain what went on in the mind of Isaac when his father tied him up and put him on the altar. There are so many things that are not revealed concerning this dramatic occurrence in the life of Abraham, things that we as human beings like to think about, but they are certainly not what is really important about this unusual occasion.

 

Abraham took in hand the knife to kill his son, and an angel spoke to him from heaven and 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.”

 

What went though the mind of Abraham? What was his thought process? We might not have clearly understood if we only had the account in Genesis, but in the New Testament in Heb 11:17-19 we find this important key:

 

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, 18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

 

Notice that when he left the young men some distance away from the place of sacrifice, he told them:

 

…”Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” Genesis 22:5

 

Notice his words. “I AND the boy will go…and come again to you.” His words were not idle words, nor was he just lying to cover up what he intended to do. He believed God completely, and that became the key. He knew that his descendants would come from this son. That is what God had promised him. So he concluded that even if he sacrificed his son, God would raise him up again to perform what He, who cannot lie, had promised. Therefore, he said that he AND the boy would come back. We cannot but be amazed at how Abraham’s confidence in God and His promises provided the key and made it possible for Abraham to endure this seemingly unbearable experience.

 

As we consider seriously this event, it makes us understand something very important about our existence. If the purpose of life is to live a comfortable, peaceful existence, avoiding suffering and enjoying the rich blessing of God, why was Abraham put through all this? The answer is that such is NOT the purpose of life. God wanted Abraham to see that he could not love anything else more than God nor depend on anything else but God. That is the lesson Abraham’s experience has to teach us. Life is not just an opportunity to accomplish our goals, impress others with our ability, make a good life for ourself, have a good time, avoid suffering, or leave a great legacy, as many would think. It is about becoming like God. That is impossible without totally and completely depending on Him and doing what He says.

 

Another aspect of this event is that we discover that a man was willing to do for God what God was later to do for man—give his son. As terrible as it is that God should have to make such a sacrifice, at least it is strikingly appropriate that there was a man of faith was willing to give his son to obey God.

 

Also, this paragraph in the history of Abraham’s life shows us what is absolutely necessary in order for us to be followers of God today—an ability to give everything to God, to pay the ultimate price. Jesus said to the great crowds that followed him when he was here on the earth in Luke 14:26-28:

 

26 If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

 

The price that we must pay is EVERYTHING. Everything must be given to God. Anything less is inappropriate, because everything belongs to Him. God has given His Son for us. He will accept from us nothing less than total dedication and obedience. Only in this way can we become like Him.

 

So we can see that this experience in Abraham’s life surprises us with its riches of understanding concerning God, about life, and about what God is trying to accomplish in us. Those who claim to follow Abraham and his faith should take a lesson from Abraham’s example: true faith always trusts God enough to do what He says (no faith WITHOUT the price of obedience here)!