...The Lord Will Provide...

The Command to Sacrifice Isaac

“1 After these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ 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 that I shall show you.’ 3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt-offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. 5 Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.’ 6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. 7 Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘Father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said, ‘The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?’ 8 Abraham said, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together.

9 When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to kill his son. 11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ 12 He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ 13 And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt-offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place ‘The Lord will provide’; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’

15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 

16 and said, ‘By myself I have sworn, says the Lord: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, 18 and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.’ 19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham lived at Beer-sheba.

The Children of Nahor

20 Now after these things it was told Abraham, ‘Milcah also has borne children, to your brother Nahor: 21 Uz the firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, 22 Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.’ 23 Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. 24 Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah” Genesis 22.

Dear friends, this is one of the most important stories in the bible and one of the most crucial in the biblical narrative about Abraham. It goes without saying that Abraham is utterly distraught at the prospect of losing his son, Isaac, in this way. Despite that emotional response, however, the command to sacrifice his son would not have been as shocking to Abraham as it is to us. In the Canaanite worldview, the god who provided fertility (EL) was also entitled to demand a portion of what had been produced. This was expressed in sacrifice of animals and grain and in the sacrifice of children.

But let’s be honest here, the most difficult thing to understand about this passage is why God does such a thing. As I noted above, in Abraham’s day it was considered a deity’s right to ask for such a sacrifice, and Abraham does not question that right. God previously asked Abraham to do things that might entail significant emotional trauma (12:1). If Abraham gives up things that are dear to him, God will provide replacements — though this does not lessen the emotional toll. The difference here, however, is that God does not really intend for Abraham to make the sacrifice.

What is accomplished by this unusual test? The text itself specifically indicates what God’s purpose is — the sequence of events is done for God’s benefit. The key is in verse 12: “Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” 

But God demands that Abraham kill the promises God has made, and thus return the world to its state at the end of the flood! The test is one of obedience and trust. Abraham’s faith is not only demonstrated in his willingness to obey the command but is also evident in the confidence he shows that somehow the situation will be favorably resolved. Consequently, he tells the servants that “we will come back to you” (verse 5) and tells Isaac that God will provide the sacrifice (Verse 8).

But the key for us this day, I believe, lies in the words from verse 14: “The Lord will 

provide.”  How blessed are we to remember this truth of life — every day of our life! No matter what happens in your life, never forget that the Lord is with you. You are never alone! When the Lord told us, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways” Isaiah 55:8-9, this was the Lord’s way to assure us that He is always with us, that He will always provide for us. The Lord reminds us that He will accomplish His will in our life in His own personal — and perfect ways.

So take time today in prayer asking the Lord for His grace to give faith in His promise:

“The Lord will provide.” Sit quietly in His presence luxuriating in the truth that the Lord will provide for you what you need, not what you deserve — and that’s His grace!

He WILL provide! You are NEVER ALONE!

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner!